good shepherd

Sunday November 21st, Jeremiah 23: What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the LORD. How often has the word of God been used for control and power rather than good? How often has the word been watered down or changed to fit the political climate? The metaphor of shepherds is used extensively in scripture. A shepherd cares for, nurtures, and does what is best for the sheep. A shepherd also learns that helping and cooperating with other shepherds is a good thing and that if all work together, the sheep are better off. A good shepherd does not scatter the sheep nor does the good shepherd keep them in one place to graze day after day and year after year. Sometimes to be a good shepherd you need to move your sheep to a new pasture. We have been doing church the same for a very long time, centuries. We now find that for the most part we are no longer relevant for the majority of the under 30 set. The pastor is dying from grazing on the same spot for too long. If we were to offer a clean slate to a group of 20’s with no church connection and ask them to design a meaningful spiritual experience I wonder what it would look like? Perhaps for the sake of the gospel we need to find out.