Shepherding Archives - King's Grant Baptist Church

Shepherding Young Sheep

Shepherding God’s People Series:

Zechariah 11:16 – Today we come to the Young sheep who are very vulnerable and impressionable. The pattern that is set for them in those early years of their newly found faith is usually characteristic of the rest of their Christian lives. So, getting off to a good start is vitally important. A newborn in the natural world needs lots of attention; parents who don’t provide such care are often accused by authorities of child neglect and/or other abuses. It’s really no different in the spiritual world. We need to take care of these young sheep.

Shepherd’s Responsibility Seek (or look after) the Young Sheep – This illustrates how I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves. – Zechariah 11:16

So, what do you do with Young Sheep? How do you effectively look after them?

1. Connect them with a disciple maker who will watch over their soul – Hebrews 13:17 tells us to Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.

A young sheep needs a mature believer to what after them, to take them under their wing (if I may mix my metaphors). Those who have been around the block with Jesus for a longer period of time need to invest into the young sheep so they can become mature in the faith. A shepherd watches over their soul, he doesn’t just teach them the Bible. Young sheep don’t know what they need to become mature so the shepherd must help them to understand the seriousness of their need for Christian maturity and how to get there.

As leaders in the group, we need to develop other leaders and shepherds who have a heart of compassion and also love discipleship enough to invest into these young sheep. Many times we can’t find such people since they were never properly discipled themselves. One cannot pass on that which they have never experienced, so the shepherd must teach people how to become shepherds and disciple makers.

2. Help them become acquainted casually with members of your small group. Get to know them outside the group before ever inviting them into the group. They cannot feel that they are your next discipleship project. They must know and feel that you are interested in them for who they are, not for who you desire them to become. This takes time, and patience, and time, and helping them make good choices, and time, and making regular contact with them, and did I mention time? This is what kills most discipleship relationship; we make it into a meeting and information transfer rather than sharing life together. Admittedly, this part is easier for extroverts than it is for us introverts, but we all must come to the conclusion that this part is extremely important.

3. Encourage them to attend your small group. As you share life together, let them meet your other friends in your group. They will have likely already been praying for your new discipleship relationship, so this is a natural next step. Encourage a social event for the group before gathering for a Bible study; ease them into being comfortable with your group, then talk about the benefits of having these friend involved in your life. I have recently been calling the men I meet with each Wednesday my “wise guys” because there is a lot of wisdom when we get in the same room together. I learn from them as we discuss life and pray for one another.

I like the idea of group evangelism, too. If your group is already praying for your new young sheep, it is natural that they will also desire to be invested in this evangelical relationship. The group may even seek to find ways to influence your young sheep toward a commitment to Christ.

4. Assess where they are in their spiritual journey. As you get to know your young sheep, you will constantly assess where they stand with Christ. Are they still in the pre-commitment stage? Have they crossed over into faith in Christ? Are they a new believer? Are they a scattered sheep who is not coming back into the fold? If this is the case, perhaps they are actually a young sheep because they were never properly discipled the first time. Try to understand their spiritual background, and their understanding of what it takes to go to heaven. Take about their devotional time and prayer life. The Bible talks about not judging people, but it is so important to assess where they are spiritually, sort of like being a fruit inspector. How are they displaying the fruit of the spirt in their life?

5. Help them understand that they can not lose their salvation. If their profession was genuine, they are secure in Christ. They don’t have to wake up every morning wondering if they are saved. We don’t have to wonder if we lost our salvation since we still sin. We have eternal security. But that security is not a license to sin. Warn against those who might try to continue to sin knowing that Jesus will forgive? Let’s emphasize that grace is not cheap, it was costly, it cost the life of God’s unique Son, the sinless sacrifice sent to take away the sin of the world. They need assurance of their salvation; knowing they have received justification and are now on the road toward sanctification, becoming more like Jesus over a lifetime. Here are a few wonderful verses…

John 10:27-29; My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Romans 8:38-39; For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Corinthians 1:22; who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Ephesians 1:13; In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 4:30; Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Philippians 1:6; For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
1 John 5:13; These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Jude 1:1; …To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

6. Assist them in preparing their personal testimony. There is nothing like have a good story to share about what Jesus has done for us. A personal testimony is telling the story of what happened to them. It’s about how God has dealt with them, and how they responded to the message of the gospel. People will need to be able to share what they did to receive salvation and why this is so important to them. We like to share about the most important things that happen to us in life, and Jesus’ salvation is no exception.

Challenge them to write it out. Make it a concise as possible without churchy words that need a lot of clarification or explanation. Encourage them to make it long enough to cover the basics yet short enough to share at a bus stop, fast food line, or on an elevator.

Once they develop their story, help them work on God’s story, the actual plan of salvation. Help them use the Bible to walk someone through God Word, detailing God’s purpose, man’s problem, God’s provision, and man’s response. Their personal testimony and the plan of salvation are powerful tools in the arsenal of a follower of Jesus.

John 4:39; From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”
Revelation 12:11; And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

7. Invite them to submit to believer’s baptism. While baptism doesn’t save anyone, how can someone be saved without it? What I mean is this… since baptism is the first public act of obedience, how can we believe they are going to follow through in discipleship if they disobey this very first command?

The issue is not getting into the water, but identifying with the person of Christ, the message of Christ, the mission of Christ, and the body of Christ. A new believer has a new identity, they are a totally new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Matthew 28:19; Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Acts 10:48; And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
1 Corinthians 6:11; Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

8. Inform them of the spiritual warfare that they will experience. – The World, The Flesh, and the Devil. Commitment to Christ brings a whole new set of challenges, namely that the enemy will bring on the attack. The devil will get them to question what they have done. He will cast doubt on the genuineness of their decision and commitment. He will remind them of their unworthiness to be saved and seek to accuse them before God of their evil. They need to understand spiritual warfare, that it is real, and that they can have victory in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Galatians 5:16-24; talks about the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:10-18; talks about the armor we have to be used in spiritual warfare.
Colossians 3:5-10; Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead… then Paul writes out a long list of the deeds of the flesh.
2 Thessalonians 3:3; But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
1 Peter 2:11; Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
1 Peter 5:8-9; Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
James 1:13-16, 27; Here James writes about the temptation process and our downward spiral into destruction.
James 4:1-10; James write more about sin and then invites the reader to submit to God, draw near to him, resist the devil, and cleanse and purify your hearts.
1 John 2:15-17; 4:4; John writes wise world about not loving the world and it’s pleasures, and resistance is possible because “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

9. Train them how to carry on a conversation with their new Heavenly Father. Prayer is so important, and we need to be connected to our source of strength. The disciples watched Jesus pray regularly and they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, so how much more will disciples today need to be taught how to pray. They need to know what it is, that it is connection to and communication with God. Prayer is about talking with God, not just talking to God. Prayer also involves listening to God. There are many times that we must simply be quiet in his presence and let his Holy Spirit speak to use through his Word and through prayer.

1 Peter 2:2; like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

10. Help them to identify and experience a total deliverance from any strongholds in their lives. The enemy will continue to attack them using the strongholds that have been set up. Where are they the weakest? The enemy will use those weak points to bring them down and make them fall. He wants nothing less than to destroy the witness of the believer, and also the effectiveness of that witness. Taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ is so very important.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
2 Timothy 2:22; Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart

11. Offer to evangelize their lost friends together. While the young sheep will have lost friends around him, their primary fellowship is the church. We need the new convert in the church to grow in their faith but also connected to his lost friends. Offer to help him reach his lost friends with the same gospel your new convert has embraced. We don’t need to send them out to battle on their own. Yes, the battle belongs to the Lord, but we are in this together and can help reach lost friend together. John 4 has an awesome lesson for reaching our circles of influence…

John 4:35-37; Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

Related Topics:

Change Dynamics: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-6; John 8:32,36; Romans 8:2,28-29; 13:13-14; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 5:17; Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 1:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 3:13 10:24-25; 2 Peter 1:5-8

Credit for the original teaching goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.

Shepherding Scattered Sheep

Shepherding God’s People Series:

Ezekiel 34:4-6, 8, 16; Matthew 9:36-38 – Scattered sheep are exactly what it sounds like. These sheep have wandered away from the fold for one reason or another. The truth is, the longer you wait to retrieve scattered sheep, the less likely are to return. Some have strayed on their own for a variety of reasons but some have been “driven away.” It’s the shepherd’s responsibility to make a sincere and conscientious attempt to bring them back.

Shepherd’s Responsibility is to Bring Back the Scattered Sheep

1. Clear Conscience if appropriate. Evaluate your situation and dealings with your scattered sheep to see if there is some sort of relational conflict on your part, or with anyone in the group. It is so important to maintain a clear conscience as your have conversations with them.

Acts 24:16; In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.
1 Timothy 1:19; keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

2. Request or offer forgiveness. If you discover you have done something to offend them, do everything in your power to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Conversations are always a good place to start. We need to communicate with our people to better minister to them. If we have done something to cause them to fall away, let’s admit it, and seek reconciliation if possible.

Matthew 18:15-35; – this passage is about church discipline, and then how many times we should forgive someone who errs against us (and the parable of the outrageous debt and the servant).
Luke 17:1-4; Jesus talks about forgiving a repentant brother.
Ephesians 4:31-32; Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Colossians 3:13; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

3. Avoid listening to accusations. People talk, and there is always talk in the hall. Talk to people directly, don’t just listen to accusations. When someone comes to you with a concern, approach the situation is the spirit of prayer and concern.

1 Timothy 5:19; Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.
Revelation 12:10; “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
Matthew 18:15-17; “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

The point is that we need to talk directly to people rather than listening to the accusations of others. Talk to the people involved!

4. Remind them that love covers a multitude of sins on both sides. It really is amazing what people will put up with when they know that love is in the mix. We tolerate a lot of bad behavior when we love each other. Just think about your own family! But accepting bad behavior may not be the healthy thing to do, we often need to confront poor behavior, because we love that person. We love them too much to allow them to go down a bad path.

1 Corinthians 13:7; [love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Peter 4:8; Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

It’s amazing what people can do and endure when love rules the relationship.

5. Discuss reasons for leaving that are healthy: Our church is not the best place for every person, as hard as it is to hear and accept that statement. Some people leave a congregation for the right reasons. Not everyone is running away from something and choosing to be scattered sheep. Here are a few positive reasons to leave the church…

· Leaving to have a genuine spiritual need met elsewhere.

Ephesians 4:16; from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Colossians 2:19; and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

These verses tell me that our needs are met as we live together in authentic community. If we can’t sense this unity from the head [Christ] or the body [Christians] then perhaps leaving is the right thing to do for your own spiritual health.

BUT, leaving and not finding another faith community is a cop out. You must always remember that you can 1) be a part of the solution or 2) you can be a part of the problem. There is a real possibility that your leaving for another faith community brings the same spirit of discontentment and disunity that you were attempting to leave. Hey, just something to think about. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy! We think we are leaving because of a problem in the church, but could it be that we are the problem that we are bringing to another congregation?

· Leaving to plant another church. If God calls you, you need to be obedient and leave the congregation that you love to get involved in the mission or church plant to which you are called.

Acts 13:1-4, While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Romans 10:14-15; How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

· Leaving to serve another church. This is also a part of the calling we have as disciples of Jesus. We like where we attend, and we love these servants at our church, and we are saddened when God calls them away from us. In my small group, I challenge people that if you are still in my group after a few years, I have failed, because we are called to go out into other areas and pass on what we have experienced and learned. We are called to serve, not to sit and to soak!

Acts 18:27-28; And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8; What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

We are not tied to God’s servant but to our Savior. We go where he leads, even if that leading takes us away from the congregation we love.

· Leaving over doctrinal error. If you can’t correct the error, you may have to leave a congregation when error has crept in. Wow, this is tough because we have to think through whether this is truly a doctrinal error or just a difference of interpretation. We may not know a lot of theology but we know people who can help us sort through what we have heard and experienced in a classroom or in the pulpit.

Jude 1:3-4; Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

· Leaving because of persecution. While legitimate, I hope that I would persevere through the persecution rather than leaving because if it. But in the Bible, the dispersion was all about persecution in Jerusalem and because of it, the gospel went into all the world. God can use persecution to get his church out of their comfort zone and back on mission.

Acts 8:1-4; Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. 4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

· Leaving because disagreement with the direction of the church. When you have a difference of opinion regarding the direction of the local church, sometimes you conclude that leaving that congregation is the right thing to do. So many people will fight the God-called leadership of their congregation, and when people fight, the church gets a black eye from unbelievers in the community. Even faithful people in the church may choose to concede to these strong-willed members in the hopes of unity. We cannot encourage church people to create disunity over personal preferences that may differ from the pastor or other leadership in the church. Certainly, people can express their differences but when the church moves in a certain direction, we all need to be on board, rather than seeking ways to sabotage the efforts of the majority. If the direction of the church is not what you like, rather than fight, leaving to join another congregation may be just the needed remedy.

Acts 15:1; Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Hey, this was such a problem that the first Jerusalem Council gathered to settle the issue. By the way, while settled here, it was not settled because it seems that the Judaizers contended with the early church and the teachings of Paul for years to come. Sometimes those in the minority who dissent would rather fight than leave. When people fight, enter in the factions…

1 Corinthians 11:19; For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.

So, what can you do?

Ephesians 4:3; being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

· Leaving because they were disfellowshipped (Excommunication).

Matthew 18:15-17; At the end of church discipline, if they do not see the error of their ways, sending them away could be the right thing to do. But those in the majority, operating under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, are called to inflict punishment on those who are erring, to try and bring them back to sound doctrine….
2 Corinthians 2:6-7; Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Did you get that? There can be a punishment inflicted by the majority, with the hope of restoring them.

BUT what if they refuse to listen and repent?

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Here, Paul writes some difficult words about not associating with certain so-called brothers. Certainly, read these verses for yourself!
Acts 5:11; And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.

After the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, all such dissension regarding the authority of the anointed apostles deceased significantly!

So, what to do with scattered or driven-away sheep… bring them back. We desire to be at peace with all of the flock but there are some situations where there is good reason for certain sheep to be scattered and driven-away.

The point is for the shepherd to understand the situation and make a sincere and contentious attempt to bring them back into the fold. BUT, always remember that God’s answer for unity in the congregation may be to allow some sheep to leave on their own.

Credit for the original teaching goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.

Shepherding Weak Sheep

Shepherding God’s People Series:

Thank you for joining me on this journey through Scripture as we look at the types of sheep that are mentioned in the Bible. I previously gave an introduction to the 7 sheep in the first lesson and here I will begin with the first type of sheep: Weak Sheep (Ezekiel 34:4)

Remember that weak sheep are not “unruly” or “fainthearted,” they simply do not have the strength to stand on their own without support. These Extra Grace Required (EGR) types need to be shepherded with patience. It’s important that these individuals don’t become co-dependent on you, the shepherd, but learn to ultimately stand on their own. It is important to remember this principle – “Weakness prolonged becomes willfulness.” You cannot create a dependency on yourself as the teacher, these sheep must learn to feed themselves and stand on their own.

Shepherd’s Responsibility is to Strengthen the Weak

First, What do Weak Sheep Need? Weak Sheep Need Support – How?

1. Enter into the weaknesses of those you are shepherding (2 Corinthians 11:29) – Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

What will it take for you to enter into their weakness? Is it an issue of time? Are you too busy during the week to get involved in their lives? Is your shepherding limited to Sundays? Are you aware of any concerns dealing with family, health, life, addictions, finances, employment? What sort of network does your class have? Do you know when or how your people are struggling? How are your lines of communication with those in your group? Who in your group might be the best person to help a weak sheep? Remember that the best person to help may very well not be you, but someone in your class.

2. Talk about the sufficiency of God’s grace to strengthen us when we are weak.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10; – And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul was struggling with his thorn in the flesh and God focused on the sufficiency of his grace. How can we help our people see God is sufficient even when life does not go well, when life hurts, when times are hard, when tragedy strikes, and when life appears to be unfair? At these times our people can be at their weakest, ready to give up, throw in the towel, and just quit or even end it all. Our sheep need the presence of the Good Shepherd, but sometimes they need a shepherd with skin on. They are weak and need to be strengthened.

3. Distinguish between those who are weak and those who are fainthearted or unruly (1 Thessalonians 5:14) – We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Some people need to be admonished, (meaning to caution them, reprove them, or to warn them about something).

In this passage, Paul FIRST mentions those who are unruly (meaning those who are disorderly, out of ranks [like in the military], irregular, insubordinate, deviating from the prescribed order or breaking the rule). These are to be admonished.
SECOND, Paul mentions those who are fainthearted (the KJV translates this feeble-minded, but this word is also translated as “little-spirited.”) These types need to be encouraged.

But those who are weak are not to be admonished nor even encouraged, but rather, they are to be helped (hold fast, or supported, or being devoted to). This word translated “help” is used elsewhere in the New Testament…

By Jesus in Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
By Paul in Titus 1:9 – holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

The point is that Weak Sheep need to be helped. You must be devoted to them, hold on to them, and help them in their weakness.

Second, Discern Their Weakness

1. Discern whether they are “carnal weak” or “willful weak.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) – And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

So, let’s break this down a little further.

2. Discern if they are just new babes in Christ [ carnal weak] You must spend time with them explaining their new life in Christ. These Weak Sheep need to be raised in the way they should go.

3. Discern if they are older Christians that are living fleshly lives [ carnal willful] With these sheep it is much more intimidating, it will require you explaining that their weakness has become willfulness. It may require admonishing them for their unruly behavior. At some point, church discipline might be in order.

Third, there are Sheep Who are Financially Weak

1. Explore the reasons for their financial shortage.

This image summarizes the following section of Financial Weakness

Laziness – Proverbs 6:6-11; Proverbs 12:27; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 18:9; Proverbs 19:15; Proverbs 19:24; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 20:13; Proverbs 21:25; Proverbs 22:13; Proverbs 24:30-34; Proverbs 23:4-5;
Stinginess – Proverbs 11:24-25; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 23:6-8;
Hastiness – Proverbs 21:5; Proverbs 28:20b-22;
Stubbornness – Proverbs 13:18;
Dishonest Gain – Leviticus 6:4-5; Proverbs 15:27; Proverbs 21:6;
Indulgence – Proverbs 21:17; Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 23:21; Luke 15:13; Luke 15:30;
No Sales Resistance – Proverbs 20:14;
Presumption – Proverbs 10:15; Proverbs 18:11; Proverbs 11:28; Proverbs 23:4-5; Proverbs 27:1,24; James 4:13-15; Luke 12:13-21;
Wrong priorities – Proverbs 24:27; Luke 9:57-62;
Oppressing of the poor – Proverbs 22:16;
Poor planning – Proverbs 16:9;
Covetousness – Exodus 20:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 5:5;
Greed – Luke 12:13-21; Numbers 11:4,34; 1 Samuel 14:32; Jeremiah 8:10; Romans 1:29; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 2 Peter 2:3, 14;
Favoritism or Partiality – James 2:1-9;
Indebtedness – Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 3:27-28; Proverbs 22:7; Romans 13:8;
Get Rich Quick Schemes or Gambling – Proverbs 28:20,22;
Lack of Contentment – Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-8;
Lack of Christian Unity – believers are in this together and what we do affects others. Romans 15:25-27;2 Corinthians 8-9; these chapters are an extensive teaching on giving and generosity.

2. After you explore the reason for their financial situation, point them to Jehovah Jireh [“The Lord will Provide”] who is their Provider – rather than trusting in their wealth. Genesis 22:8; 14; Philippians 4:19; 1 Timothy 6:17

3. Direct them to a caring ministry in the church or some agency outside the church that could provide sound biblical counsel and financial help. Acts 20:35; Titus 3:14;

Fourth, there are Sheep with a Weak Conscience

1. Accept those with a weak conscience (Romans 14:1) – Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.

2. Avoid causing genuinely weaker brothers to stumble. Romans 14:20-21; 1 Corinthians 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:32;

3. Intentionally limit your freedom around them (1 Corinthians 8:9) But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.

4. Don’t try to strengthen their conscience to participate in some activity if they have doubts. 1 Corinthians 8:10-11; Romans 14:23;

5. Train their conscience over time with the Word of God so that they know biblically what is morally right and wrong and where they have freedom. Romans 2:14,15,18; 1 Timothy 4:2;

6. Assert your liberty in the face of weaker brothers who have established a man-made standard to judge the spirituality of others. Colossians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 10:29;

Fifth, there are Sheep that are Weak as a Result of Chastisement

1. Support brothers in Christ who have recognized their weakness being the result of the discipline of the Lord. Come along side of them and give them strength to overcome their weakness. When God is dealing with someone, it become a part of their story. They can embrace it and use their testimony to encourage others when they are weak. 1 Corinthians 11:30; Hebrews 12:12;

2. Challenge Weak Sheep to identify and confess the sins that have brought this chastisement upon themselves. 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; 2 Corinthians 13:1,5; 1 John 1:9;

3. Help these Weak Sheep to rejoice in the fact that this discipline proves that they are true believers. 1 Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:8; Revelation 3:19;

4. Stress the importance of allowing this discipline to produce its intended results rather than running away from it. Hebrews 12:11; James 1:4;

So, it is so very important for the shepherd to help the weak sheep. We must do our homework, engage in prayer, get involved in Christian community, and seek to actively strengthen the weak. It takes time, but it is so worth it.

Thank you for being a part of this study. The verses I did not have time to read are listed below.

Next time, I will address Healing the Sick Sheep.

Credit for the original teaching goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.

Shepherding God’s People

This is an overview of the 7 types of sheep we find in Ezekiel 34 and Zechariah 11

Shepherding God’s People Series:

Here is the transcript of this video lesson…

Shepherding God’s People

A good Shepherd provides personalized care based upon the sheep’s spiritual condition. The prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah bring “woes” against the Shepherds of Israel that are described as “faithless,” “foolish” and “worthless.” The Shepherds of Israel that didn’t provide individualized care were accused of taking a position of leadership in order to just feed themselves rather than the flock of God’s people entrusted to them. God was not ambiguous about what He thought of these men – “I am against the Shepherds” (Ezekiel 34:10). Ezekiel 34:1-16 and Zechariah 11:15-17 break the flock of God down into seven kinds of sheep that need specialized care. Each believer under your care, these people in your class, will move from one category to another depending upon their spiritual journey and life circumstances. Let’s look at these two passages of Scripture: Ezekiel 34:1-16 New Living Translation (NLT) The Shepherds of Israel 34 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? 3 You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. 4 You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. 5 So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. 6 They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them. 7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve. 9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey. The Good Shepherd 11 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice! Zechariah 11:15-17 New Living Translation (NLT) 15 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again and play the part of a worthless shepherd. 16 This illustrates how I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves. 17 “What sorrow awaits this worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! The sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye. His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind.” As we study these passages, you will see that God desires shepherds to:

Strengthen the weak
Heal the sick
Bind up the broken
Bring back the scattered
Seek the lost (perishing)
Seek the young
Feed the standing (healthy)

Today I want to present an overview to look at these sheep, and some scripture to help us know and minister to these people who are in our care. Weak Sheep [Ezekiel 34:4] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Strengthen the Weak Description: Weak sheep are not necessarily “unruly” or “fainthearted,” they simply don’t have the strength to stand on their own without support (Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Sometimes, Extra Grace is Required (EGR), so these types need to be shepherded with patience. It’s also important that these individuals don’t become dependent on the shepherd, but learn to ultimately stand on their own. These sheep need to be able to one day feed themselves. It’s important to remember the principle “Weakness prolonged becomes willfulness.” Hebrews 11:33-34 – who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 – And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. ²I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, ³for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? Romans 7:15, 19, 22-23 – For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate… For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want…. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, ²³but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Acts 20:35 – In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive. Broken Sheep [Ezekiel 34:4,16; Zechariah 11:16, Psalm 147:3; Matthew 12:20] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Bind Up the Broken Description: Broken sheep are those who have been injured or wounded in some way. Sometimes the wound is a broken heart from the loss of a loved one in death. They need to be bandaged up and given a lot of TLC (tender loving care). Others have had their will broken through the discipline of the Lord and need to be carried after their dislocated or broken legs are bound up. Others have broken relationships that, apart from a third party (like a shepherd’s intervention), are unlikely to be restored. Psalm 147:2-3 – The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. ³He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. Matthew 12:17-21 – This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ¹⁸“Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. ¹⁹“He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. ²⁰“A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory. ²¹“And in His name the Gentiles will hope.” Lost (Perishing) Sheep [Ezekiel 34:4,16; Zechariah 11:16, Luke 15:1-7] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Seek the Lost. These people need to hear the plan of salvation Description: Every flock is just one generation away from extinction. Every shepherd is one generation away from unemployment. As shepherds, we must not rely on “transfer growth” (sheep stealing from another flock) to increase our flock size but must be actively and intentionally seeking out lost people who are perishing. This includes finding new and innovative ways to introduce church life to those who feel “cut off.” These folks feel there are no points of re-entry into the congregation. Ezekiel 34:4 – … the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. Ezekiel 34:16 – “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; … Luke 15:1-7 – Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ²Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³So He told them this parable, saying, ⁴“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Scattered/Driven Away Sheep [Ezekiel 34:4,5,6,8,16, Matthew 9:36-38] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Bring Back the Scattered Description: The longer you wait to retrieve scattered sheep, the less likely they are to return. Some have strayed on their own for a variety of reasons, but others have been “driven away.” It’s the shepherd’s responsibility to make a sincere and conscientious attempt to bring them back. Matthew 9:36-38 – Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Ezekiel 34:6 – My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them. Ezekiel 34:8 – …My shepherds did not search for My flock,… Ezekiel 34:16 – I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; … Sick Sheep [Ezekiel 34:4,16] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Heal the Sick (physically) Description: Some sheep that are sick have physical health problems while others are spiritually sick. Sin-sick sheep often need to be reminded that the words “by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24-25) are just as applicable to a believer who has sinned as they are to an unbeliever. Physically sick sheep often need a shepherd to provide care while they are sickly. It’s also important to help sick sheep to discern the kind of sickness they are experiencing. Is it a sickness unto death, a sickness unto chastisement, a sickness to manifest the work of God and to glorify Him, or to teach contentment with the sufficiency of God’s Grace in the midst of sickness? 1 Peter 2:24-25 – and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. ²⁵For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. John 11:14 – But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 1 John 5:16 – If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 1 Corinthians 11:32 – But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. Hebrews 12:4-6 – You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵and you have forgotten the exhortation, which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; ⁶For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” Young Sheep [Zechariah 11:16] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Seek the Young Description: Young sheep are very vulnerable and impressionable. The pattern that is set for them in those early years of their newly found faith is usually characteristic of the rest of their Christian lives. Getting off to a good start is so important. A newborn baby in the natural world needs lots of attention; parents who don’t provide specialized care are often accused by civil authorities of child neglect or abuses. It’s no different in the spiritual world. It is so important to pour into the lives of young sheep! There is plenty we can do to raise up these young sheep to make a significant difference in the lives of other around them. The goal is to move them from infancy to adolescence, to adulthood, and eventually into parenthood (making disciples of others). This is all about the Discipleship Pathway and our Small Group Strategy. Standing (Healthy) Sheep [Zechariah 11:16] Shepherd’s Responsibility: Feed the Standing Description: Sheep that are “healthy” have the greatest potential for spiritual growth. They also represent the pool of individuals from which workers and future leaders will come, those who can move the church’s mission forward. Unfortunately, these individuals are often neglected because we are in crisis mode dealing with other kinds of sheep. The old saying is often true, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” It is important to set up a “growth plan” and work with them so that they can progress further rather than becoming complacent or stagnant. This is intentional discipleship that has the end goal in mind from the very beginning. We can easily see of the disciple is making progress toward the biblical image of Christ himself.

Credit for the original teaching goes to my mentor, teacher, and friend, Rick Leineweber.