Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” He took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.  Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” So they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.”  They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, therefore, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. “The land of Egypt is at your disposal; settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land, let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know any capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.” – Genesis 47: 1 – 6

In my last post I discussed our recent Dynamic Deacons seminar.  Prior to the seminar my fellow shepherds and our lead minister spent months developing a document describing each ministry we wanted our deacons and other servants in the church to lead.  Through the course of the discussions we began referring to the ministry descriptions as job descriptions.  Fortunately, our most experienced elder pointed out these are ministries, not jobs.  They are callings associated with an individuals gift(s), not something they are hired (or paid for that matter) to perform.  Finally, he pointed out the church is an organism (see the “body” in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27), not an organization.  That was a very profound statement, one I’ve meditated on quite a bit, and one I am not ready to blog about.  However, as part of our discussion, the question of elder or shepherd job descriptions came up.  We quickly turned to the Bible and said it already contained our “job description”, a term we consciously avoid because we realize job descriptions belong to organizations and the roles we, our ministers, our servants, and our members fill are just that – roles.  Still, the discussion prompted contemplation and reflection on my part, so I decided to study every reference to shepherds in the Bible and determine what I could learn from them about my role.  This is the first of many such reflective lessons I hope to share.

The first reference to “shepherd” or “shepherds” I found in the NASB is actually in Genesis 46 but leads directly to the verses at the top of this post.  I drew the following lessons from the verses in Genesis 47 above.

First, it took more than one shepherd for Jacob’s flocks.  These flocks all belonged to the same family.  In similar fashion, congregations tend to have flocks that develop naturally based on relationships.  Many of these flocks are interconnected, for example they may possess a “vertical slice” (a term we use to connote age demographics) formed around common interests or, like in our verses here, around family relationships.  However, these “flocks” are really part of the same family of believers that assemble together and form a single flock (church body) at a particular location.  Like the shepherds of Jacob’s family, there is a need for multiple shepherds for the local church body.  Not to represent a particular “flock” within the body, but to guide the entire flock.  Wranglers of the American West knew it took several of them to move a herd across this great land.  Likewise, more than one shepherd is needed to guide a flock, which is consitent with Acts 14:23.

Second, these shepherds were looking out for the welfare of their flocks.  Famine reigned in Canaan and Jacob’s family knew to save the flock they must find better land, which they did in Goshen by Pharaoh’s grace.  In other words, the shepherds guided the flock to a better place where they could flourish.  We have the same responsibility today to look out for the flock’s welfare and guide them to a better future in God’s Kingdom so they too can enjoy the ultimate better future we can only find in God’s presence in Heaven.

Third, when talking to Pharaoh the shepherds referred to themselves as servants.  Shepherds of today are also servants.  Fortunately, we are servants of God rather than Pharaoh.  We serve our flock by protecting them both from both within and without and guiding them to fulfill their purpose in God’s Kingdom.

Finally, I think it is interesting that Pharaoh is willing to let these shepherds be in charge of his livestock.  To me that speaks to the character of the shepherds and the respect Pharaoh had for Joseph and his family.  Would that our lights would shine (Matthew 5) to influence those outside the body in such a way that they too would want their livestock, whatever the equivalent of that might be, to also be under the guidance of the congregation’s shepherds.

Blessings to you all.

DEM