In the past few weeks, our church has been discussing a concept called shepherding care. This is the idea that Jesus is the good shepherd and as his followers, we are to shepherd each other and the world around us towards the reconciliation of all creation. Traditionally in our congregation, there have been many people and church bodies that have focused on shepherding care, but the most prominent is the pastor. The pastor is often the one seen as taking on the mantle of Christ, picking up the shepherding staff if you will, and shepherding God’s people.
Unfortunately, with such a strong focus on the pastor attending to the shepherding cares of the congregation, the rest of the church has taken a backseat to this important part of following Christ. While pastors are specifically trained and called to shepherding care, this calling extends to all of God’s people. This type of relationship looks different in each situation, but it usually includes building relationships with others so when things are hard for our neighbors we can be the light of Christ at that time.
Shepherding care usually entails being with others when life gets hard. It may include bringing a casserole to a friend after a loved one passes away, sitting next to the bedside of a sick friend, or being a listening ear when someone needs to talk. These are all important parts of shepherding care, but this is the end part of it, not the whole. You see, we can’t step into shepherding care when things get tough if we haven’t built relationships when things are easy. For example, it is a wonderful practice to sit at the bedside of someone who is sick. But would you rather have a stranger sitting next to you, or someone who has lived life with you? In order to be present when things go sideways, we need to be present to each other when things are thriving.
My encouragement to all of us is to practice shepherding care every day with those around you. Be the light of Christ in the simple, normal experiences in our communities, and don’t be afraid to enter into deep and meaningful relationships. Then when crisis strikes, we are able to be shepherds to each other, shining the light and hope of God to all.
Some people have been asking what my routine of shepherding care looks like as a pastor. I would like to be as transparent as possible, so I have started to keep a public journal of shepherding relationships. I will not be including anyone’s names for the sake of confidentiality. I plan on updating this calendar on a weekly basis. You can find it at the church on the Session’s bulletin board. If you would like me to send you an electronic copy, please let me know. I would love to teach a class or have individual discussions with anyone who would like to learn more about this important calling we all have as the body of Christ.
