Ezekiel 34:10-11 · 1 Peter 5:2-4 · Jeremiah 23:1-2
"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you... And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." - 1 Peter 5:2-4
The Research
What the Scriptures reveal
God uses the phrase "my flock" fifteen times in Ezekiel 34 alone. In Jeremiah, twice. Zechariah refers to the flock as belonging to the Lord of Armies. Peter is unambiguous: the flock belongs to God, not to the elders. The shepherd has no ownership rights - only accountability for how the flock has been tended.
This changes everything. A shepherd who owns the flock makes decisions based on what benefits the shepherd. A shepherd who stewards the flock makes decisions based on what the owner would require. Peter frames the ultimate accountability in 1 Peter 5:4: when the Chief Shepherd appears, the question will be how faithfully the flock was tended.
Stewardship means resisting the impulse to build something that reflects the shepherd's legacy rather than God's purposes. It requires developing other leaders so the flock is not dependent on any single shepherd.
Practical Application
What this looks like in practice
- Lead with the constant awareness that these are God's people, not yours
- Make major decisions with the posture of a manager accountable to an owner, not an owner acting independently
- Resist the tendency to build something that reflects your legacy rather than God's purposes
- Develop leaders around you who could shepherd this flock well without you
How are you doing in Stewardship?
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