by Dave | Feb 27, 2021 | Blog
What can earthly shepherds teach us about the heart of our heavenly Father? Shepherding is not a glorious profession. There are a lot of hardships to endure: being out in the elements in all kinds of weather sleeping on the ground, oftentimes being alone and isolated...
by Dave | Feb 26, 2021 | Blog
One way of knowing what good shepherding looks like is to read what the Great Shepherd has to say about not-so-good shepherds (see John 10): They flee when danger approaches. They are not concerned about the sheep. They are ultimately thieves and murderers. (Ouch!)...
by Dave | Feb 25, 2021 | Blog
No matter where you are today, somebody helped you get there. (Martin Luther King) We have an unfortunate tendency to place missionaries on a pedestal. We say things to them like, “I could never do what you’re doing” or “I wish I had your kind...
by Dave | Feb 24, 2021 | Blog
You don’t have to know sheep in order to herd them. They can be driven by dogs or by helicopters (and I suspect robot shepherds operating on artificial intelligence will eventually replace animate herders of any sort). And sheep don’t need to know the dog...
by Dave | Feb 23, 2021 | Blog
In order for a shepherd to effectively care for his sheep, there must be trust. That trust is born of familiarity, and proximity. There must be a physical presence and a presence of heart. The Great Shepherd said that his sheep follow him because they know his voice....
by Dave | Feb 22, 2021 | Blog
One of the oft-observed characteristics of Jesus on earth was his compassion. His heartfelt concern ranged from the mundane to the mortal. From the discomfort of an empty stomach (Mark 8:2) to the deadliness of demon possession (Mark 9:22). From the bereaved (Luke...