Dear shepherds, if you won’t lead us, then we cannot progress as we should. Managing the treasury and saying yes or no to this or that is not the same as actually leading. Someone must go before the rest of God's sheep, guiding us, teaching us (Acts 20:28), training us, edifying us, equipping us (Ephesians 4:11-15), and modeling the Christian life for us (1 Peter 5:3). That’s supposed to be you! So many times, our churches are troubled and torn because others—less qualified and less capable others—are eager to do the work entrusted to you, and you are content to let them. When you abdicate these responsibilities, you make us more vulnerable to false doctrine and poor leadership (Titus 1:5-10; cf. Acts 20:29-30).
We need to see and hear you. Remember how Israel responded when the people didn’t see Moses for 40 days, even when they knew he had gone to commune with God (Exodus 32:1-6)? You need to be out front where everyone can see you. For instance, when we are hurting and coming before the church for prayer, we want YOU to receive us and lead those prayers. We want YOU to tend to our wounds (cf. James 5:14). By delegating this work to others and remaining in the background , you forfeit valuable opportunities to care for us and discount your own value as our shepherds. Also, when important things need to be discussed with the church, we want you to guide the discussions. We want to know YOUR voices. We need you out front where leaders belong.
Many obstacles could be readily overcome with strong, godly leadership, and we know that leadership is supposed to come from our shepherds. When it doesn’t, we are usually disappointed, sometimes disillusioned, and ultimately discouraged. Churches are not “sound” merely because we have men in biblical offices. We are healthiest when the men in biblical offices are faithfully doing the work God gives them. We pray for you and willingly submit to you to make your hard work a little easier (Hebrews 13:17), but we need you to step forward and do the work. Gird up your loins like men, and lead us into holiness and dynamic service for the King.