Pastoral Leaders as Shepherds

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The title itself of the book ‘Shepherds after My own Heart’, was a huge draw for me as I picked it up to learn about pastoral leadership. Dr. Timothy Laniak, in building a biblical theology of the imagery of the ‘Shepherd’ motif in the Bible has plumbed the depths of every leadership relationship and situation in the Scripture and has elucidated pastoral leadership in this excellent work. God’s promise through the prophet Jeremiah that He would give ‘shepherds after my own heart’ is an appropriate title for this book on pastoral leadership. Throughout the book, Laniak describes what the role and duty of the pastor must be and is quite encouraging that God calls some of us to engage in this special and unique task of leadership. The author shows us throughout the book just as he synopsizes at the beginning that this appointment by God means a calling, a stewardship and accountability. As the scriptural title suggests, this work speaks of the qualities of the pastor leader that God calls after his own heart. Laniak describes the good shepherd as one who follows the owner of the flock in how the owner would treat his flock. Pastors needing a godly heart, a godly mind, discernment, wisdom, love, compassion, diligence and other such shepherdly qualities make up this wonderful manual on pastoral leadership.