The Work of Shepherds (3)

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6.2

The Book of Pastoral Rule
Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604)
“The ruler should be a near neighbour to every one in sympathy, and exalted above all in contemplation, so that through the bowels of loving-kindness he may transfer the infirmities of others to himself, and by loftiness of speculation transcend even himself in his aspiration after the invisible; lest either in seeking high things he despise the weak things of his neighbours, or in suiting himself to the weak things of his neighbours he relinquish his aspiration after high things.”

Pastors need a lot of time for contemplating the exalted Christ, seeking the face of Jesus and the glory of God revealed there, so that they might have the strength to minister to the needs of those in their charge (2 Cor. 4.6). How much time do you spent contemplating Jesus during the week? To give ourselves so much to the work of ministry that we neglect contemplation will ultimately not help those we serve. To be merely contemplative, without also living out the kindness and love of Christ, is equally unacceptable. The minister must strive to maintain a balance of each, but that balance must begin in seeking the face of Jesus, and the glory revealed there (Ps. 27.8; 2 Cor. 4.6). From the high and lofty things of Jesus, we may descend to the weak and needy lives of those we serve, to lift them upon that Rock on high once again.

Is the amount of time you spend contemplating Christ sufficient to give you the loving-kindness you need for ministry?

T. M. Moore

Fan into Flame
Our book, Fan into Flame, is a handbook on the work of pastors and shepherds. It explains the context and calling of the shepherd, as well as the tools available to us for this work; and it provides useful tools for assessment and planning to improve in the Lord’s calling. This is an excellent resource for leadership training or personal growth into Christ. Order your copy by clicking here. Or contact me about our Pastoral Hope Initiative, during which series of assessments we walk through this handbook and various other resources together. Watch this brief video, then drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations are from Gregory,The Book of Pastoral Rule,in Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, eds., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 12(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1895, 1995).