Yesterday, at The Gospel Coalition, Sam Allbery wrote an important blog entitled How Do Churches End Up with Domineering Bullies for Pastors?

As I reflected on Sam’s post, it hit me that Sam is talking about image.

What is our image of the pastor? From where do we derive our image of the pastor? From the world? Or from the Word? From the Law or from the Gospel?

The Worldly/Law Image of the Pastor: The Domineering-Bully Pastor 

Sam makes the insightful point that for too many pastors the driving image for pastoral ministry is the CEO-Pastor or the Three-Star-General-Pastor:

“My observation is that this process plays out in slightly different ways on either side of the Atlantic. It is common in American churches to borrow leadership wisdom from the business world. The pastor is the CEO. His role is to bring success, often and especially measured in numerical terms: The church needs to grow in membership and giving. In the UK, it’s slightly different. The church tends toward a military model. The pastor is the three-star general who directs everyone to do the right things.”

CEO/General—those are both worldly images of the pastor. They are about domination—being over others. 

The Word/Gospel Image of the Pastor: Jesus and the Servant-Shepherd-Pastor 

God’s Word, as Sam reminds us, portrays a different driving image for pastoral ministry. Sam then wisely takes us to 1 Peter 5:2-3 and Mark 10:42-43.

“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3).

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Mark 10:42-43).

These are gospel images of the servant-shepherd.

Even more, these are gospel images of Jesus the Servant-Shepherd. Consider the two verses that come after what Sam highlighted in Mark 10.

“And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:44-45).

Pastoring is a gospel issue and our pastoral image must be a gospel image.

Pastors—even the Son of Man did not come to be served…as a CEO/General. Instead, the Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many…as a Savior-Servant-Shepherd.

The Holy Love of God and the Protecting-Shepherding Calling of Pastors 

As I prayerfully pondered this gospel image, two verses from Isaiah 40 came to mind.

¹⁰ “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
    and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

Theologians talk of verses like Isaiah 40:10-11 as portraying the infinite, perfect blend of God’s holy love. Verse 10 pictures God’s holiness: He is transcendent, powerful, infinite, above us. Verse 11 pictures God’s love: He is immanent, caring, Immanuel, God with us and near us and for us.

It seems as if some pastors want to claim a misguided aspect of the image of Isaiah 40:10 and jettison the image of Isaiah 40:11.

“I’m the pastor! I’m the sovereign here! I come with power. I rule with a mighty arm. If you get on board, then my reward is with me! If you try to buck my power, then my recompense accompanies me!”

Lots of problems here. First, only God is Sovereign Lord.

Second, God’s power is not about power over. God wields His power in protective justice.

Third, our Sovereign Lord is also our caring Shepherd. Here, the servant-shepherd-pastor would be saying:

“God calls me to tend his flock—the sheep of this church, of His church—like a shepherd. God calls me to gather the lambs and direct them to His arms. God calls me to carry His flock close to my heart and direct them to His heart. God calls me to gently lead His sheep.”

Pastors—Pastoring is a gospel issue; a gospel image: the Servant-Shepherd-Pastor.

Pastors—Pastoring is an image of God issue: the Protective-Shepherding-Pastor.