One of you sent me a little online quiz from Leadership. Supposedly it is designed to reveal a pastor's ministry age based on the answers given to a series of questions. One in particular stood out: “The church's leadership exists primarily to a) empower the people; b) lead the people; or c) protect the people.” According to the key, those whose prime service occurred mainly from 1950-70s view protection as the main function. Pragmatists, who served from the 70's to the 90's, are concerned with leading. Those pastors from ages 25-41 are most concerned with effectiveness and the quality of disciples. I know many of you have heard of or been exposed to all kinds of thinking about the role of the pastor today. If the world has changed, shouldn't the role of the pastor change along with it?

The truth is, Scripture tells us quite a bit about what a pastor is supposed to do and it is that standard by which pastors should judge and approach their daily work.

The New Testament uses a number of words to describe those who exercise responsibility over congregations. One word is “elder.” Another is “overseer.” What about “pastor”? The earliest usage we have is from Paul in Acts 20. From what he says it is clear that the word “pastor” came to mind when Paul thought about the need for guards to protect the flock from the onslaught of danger.

Where the little exercise goes wrong, it seems to me, is assuming that pastors are either traditionalists, pragmatists, or concerned about the quality of discipleship. Sheep do-do! While one leads, one is to guard the flock. While one teaches, one should be protecting the flock. How can one be concerned about the quality of disciples and not be concerned about protecting the flock from unhealthy trends? Sure, one may think he can neglect this guardian role by ordering study materials exclusively from CPH, but how will he keep his critical faculties sharp? How can he lead through the cultural maze of values that America has embraced if he is out of practice? Thanks to the Internet, congregations have access to all sorts of material and all kinds of leadership styles. If the pastor is not teaching, leading, or training with a discerning eye, he is no shepherd. To be effective guards, pastors need to be immersed in Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions, but they also need to keep current on other ideas and trends to keep their powers of discernment sharp. Show me a shepherd who know only a lot about sheep and nothing about wolves, and I will show you a shepherd who will soon be standing in the unemployment line!