I wrote here a while back on the importance of protecting the church from wolves. My thinking was stirred on this subject again a couple weeks ago when I attended Scott Thomas' Gospel Coach training.
Scott compared the process of gospel coaching to the biblical mandate to shepherd the flock. To coach, then, is to know, lead, feed, and protect individual sheep in the flock. Since wolves are an ever-present danger to the sheep, we, as Christ's under-shepherds, must be always ready to use the staff to fight off these predators.
Scott led us to consider again Paul's warning to the Ephesian elders in his farewell address:
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:28-30)
I have read this many times, but something grabbed my attention this time that I didn't see clearly before. Paul's first admonition isn't to protect the flock, but to pay careful attention to myself and the other leaders around me. Why? Because, Paul says, wolves will rise up "from among your own selves ... speaking twisted things, to draw away disciples after them."
This was a new thought to me. I have to pay careful attention to my own heart - not just because I am a candidate for burn out or because I might slip into performance-based ministry or into some familiar sin - but because I might become a wolf. While I am diligently protecting the flock from all those idiots "out there" who want to come in and steal influence away to themselves, I have the potential to become the chief danger to those whom I lead.
Pastor, you have the potential to become your people's greatest danger.
Sometimes we, the leaders in Christ's church, forget we are under-shepherds and try to steal God's glory for ourselves. We preach not to point people to Christ, but to gain an audience and hear applause. We lead not to spread the influence of Christ's kingdom, but to build our kingdom and expand our influence and to make our names great. Even as we open God's word we are thinking more about our words and how we can use the Bible to further our agenda.
Instead of being being faithful under-shepherds, leading the sheep to Jesus the Great Shepherd, we are in danger of using Jesus as a way to pridefully draw disciples away after ourselves. If I allow this pride to creep in, how long will it take before I start twisting God's word to my own agenda without even realizing it?
This is why I need to coach others in the gospel and why I need to be coached. This why I cannot afford to become isolated in leadership. This is why I can't look at guys who have done stupid things and lost their credibility to lead in God's church and think, What were they thinking? I know what they were thinking - and I am in danger of thinking the same thing.
I need to "pay careful attention" to my own heart. I need others around me who will help me and challenge me to do that - and I need to do it for them.
Steve Mizel is the church planting pastor of Trailhead Church in Edwardsville, IL
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