Let the Shepherd Lead

• As shepherds we have been called to address all sorts of problems.
• • Like the shepherds of Israel in Ezekiel 34 we have been called deal with the problems in God’s flock.
  • We must deal with God’s sheep, as imperfect and problematic as they are.
  • Sometimes we must strengthen the weak, at other times we heal the sick, we must bind up the injured, chase after and bring back the strays, and seek the lost.
  • We cannot neglect the high calling God issued to us, especially in light God’s judgement of the failure of Israel’s shepherds.
• As shepherds we are competent to offer help with any problems because we have God’s Word that prepares us for all of life.
  • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that all Scripture is breathed out by God so that “the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
  • Helping people in their problems is a good work, and we are equipped to do it so long as we have God’s Holy Word.
• But let’s be honest. Problems are messy. They are scary. And they are complicated
  • Dr. Jay Adams says in Competent to Counsel, “Man is born in sin, goes astray ‘from his mother’s womb speaking lies’ (Psalm 58:3, and will therefore naturally (by nature) attempt various sinful dodges in an attempt to avoid facing up to his sin. He will fall into varying styles of sin according to the short-term successes or failures of the particular sinful responses which he makes to life’s problems.”[1]
  • Did you read that? The minute one type of problem arises – either from suffering or from sin – we are likely to find some equally sinful way to respond to our suffering or our sin.
    • For that reason Dr. Adams tells us that we will have folks come to us with specific “presenting problems” which have become so irritating that they finally have sought help.[2]
    • These “presenting problems” may have many complicating problems or habits that make them more difficult to address.[3]
    • But in the end every problem has a root issue relating to the way that person has chosen in his heart to respond to what God has said about his or her situation.[4]
  • As shepherds we must enter into the messiness and complicated nature of problems seeking to address both presenting problems and complicating problems, but never stopping until we have dealt with the root issue and heart response which multiplies and exacerbates problems..
• Problems typically fall into some general or common categories.
  • For instance, Dr. Adams lists seven common categories of problems which include marriage, family, guidance, depression, anger, forgiveness, and discipline problems.[5]
  • Using a similar approach to that of the book The Pastor as Counselor, I like to organize my categories into four major ones:[6]
    • Spiritual Problems;
    • Personal/Emotional Problems;
    • Relational Problems; and
    • Circumstantial Problems.
  • Perhaps a brief word of clarification for each category is warranted.
    • In my understanding, all problems are spiritual problems.
    • Personal problems tend to challenge us from our own unique nature or nurture.
    • Relational problems typically present as conflicts between people who must incidentally or intentionally relate to one another.
    • Every problem has particular circumstances; however, some problems derive directly from an unforeseen or ill-prepared for circumstance in life.
  • But no matter how we might divide problems into categories, we must first recognize that each problem occurs because there is a root issue which provokes a person’s heart to respond either with trust in God’s Word or trust their own solutions.[7]

[1] Adams, CTC, 29

[2] See CTC 148-149.

[3] Dr. Adams calls these “performance problems”.

[4] Dr. Adams calls these “preconditioning problems”.

[5] Adams, Ready to Restore, 77.

[6] I derive this from Reju and Pierre pg. 49.

[7] Some refer to this as an “idol of the heart”. While this language may be helpful in some situations it is not always the case that the use of the word “idol” is profitable. We will discuss more on this issue later.