Shepherds as Evangelists

[wrseibert]

In my previous post on this site I declared that preaching is an essential aspect of being a pastor, or shepherd, for the people of God. I thought a colleague had proposed a much too narrow understanding of what it means to be a pastor of a church. Now, it seems, it is I who has had too limited an understanding. I have neglected to consider the ministry of evangelism as a pastor's biblical duty. Not that I thought the work of evangelism wasn't my responsibility as a minister--or as a Christian, for that matter--but that a "pastor" was called to care primarily for a particular flock numbered among those who attend or who are members of his or her congregation. I now believe that I have overlooked many who I am supposed to be a shepherd to.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). Our Lord spent a great deal of time with the religious outsiders, showing mercy and compassion, and demonstrating His love and care for them. Even more, He urged us to pursue the "lost sheep" even as He pursued us, who were once lost ourselves. And, as Laniack has stated, "To call such people 'lost' is to imply that they belonged to the fold all along" (206). This was quite a provocative and insightful statement to me. If this is right--and I believe it is--it means, of course, that the people outside the church are due the same attention and care as those who already call me "pastor" inside the church.

Could I be the pastor of my neighbor down the street who does not know the Lord? Or even the man I work with who says he hates the Church? Or even the Muslim families who live near some of my members? What protection, provision, and guidance do I provide for them? Whatever form it may take, I know I used to call it "evangelism." But, now, perhaps I'll think of it more as tending to the flock under my care as a pastor.