Protecting Your Flock.........

Monday's are normally my "day off" (although that rarely works :) ). Today, as I sat to wrote this blog, it started out as just another light weight random thought, but due to some events that have transpired over the last few days, these random thoughts quickly became organized, and the product is what I present to you now.

What is the duty of a Pastor or Minister when it comes to protecting their flock?

Pastors have long been called and seen as Shepherds of their flock. I dont think anyone who knows anything about the Church would dispute this. So with that out of the way, we then turn to the most famous shepherd in history, King David.

Most everyone had heard the story of David & Goliath. To this day it is a phrase that is used in both The Church and in the secular world. It is not that David killed Goliath that we are going to look at, it is what David said to Saul before going out that shows us our first instruction on what to do when our flock needs to be protected.

 1 Sam 17:34-36 (KJV)

 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: {35} And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 

So there is plain BIBLICAL instruction on what a Pastor should do when his flock is threatened. You stand up, even if it is a threat to your own life and you protect them. If need be,  you go after the "lion" or the "bear" that is coming against your flock and you snatch them back from that threat.

Even in the New Testament, Paul had to deal with this sort of thing. He writes in his 1st letter to the Corinthians about a man who was openly sinning while in fellowship with them. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul, who was not even present in Corinth at the time, heard of this problem, and, based upon the testimony of those within the Church he instructed the leaders to "throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns." 


This came from the man who preached Love, Grace, Unity and Faith,  and yet, when the well being of a congregation that he started and still oversaw was threatened, he did not mince words nor actions. It is also worth noting that he was concerned with this guilty party as well as the Church.

There are other examples as well, but I think these are the best. Too many times today Pastors try to sweep things under the rug, or ignore things that are going on in order to please everyone. And while pleasing everyone is an admirable goal, it is not attainable. There will always be someone who is offended by you or by your actions. This is the nature of The Calling. As long as you have done what The Lord tells you to do, then that is what matters. Protecting those who The Lord has placed in your care is not only the right of a Pastor, it is a Sacred Duty. To do any less would be a disservice to your congregation and to Your Lord.

God Bless you all, and have a great week.


Pastor Brian