As most of you know, my personal biography includes many years as a manager in a large organization, and part of my job was to interview and hire people. Over the years, as the jobs that I was responsible to fill got higher up in the organization, the job descriptions expanded. The years of experience required increased. The list of degrees and certifications that the candidates needed to possess got longer. The skills, and experience, and accomplishments that we were looking for grew more and more extensive. We would put all of these into the job description, and we would receive the resumes of the candidates. But the one essential thing that a job description couldn’t really convey, and that a resume couldn’t demonstrate, was that the candidate had the right attitude, the right frame of mind; in other words, that their approach to leadership would be a good fit with our organization. That was something which required a face-to-face (or sometimes a Zoom-to-Zoom) interview. We needed to look them in the eye, and listen to their tone of voice, to try to determine if they had that indefinable combination of passion, commitment, confidence, and humility that we were looking for. It wasn’t easy, but it was critically important. Because someone who had impeccable credentials and a long list of accomplishments, but who didn’t have the right attitude, would be a liability to the organization, instead of an asset.
Which brings us to today’s text, in which Peter is describing what leadership should look like in the church. He’s addressing elders, but he doesn’t focus on what their qualifications should be, or how many of them a church should have, or how they should be selected. We can find that in other places in the New Testament. Instead, he’s focusing on what is in their hearts. He’s telling them, and us, what kinds of attitudes a spiritual leader must possess. And note that I didn’t say, “should” possess, but “must” possess. Remember, Peter is writing in the first century, to believers who were scattered across five Roman provinces in what is today the country of Turkey. These believers were experiencing severe persecution and suffering for their faith; Peter calls it a “fiery ordeal”. And so effective leadership, godly leadership, was essential to enable these Christian communities to persevere in faith as they faced hostility and opposition. The instructions that Peter is providing here were therefore critical for their survival. [Is godly leadership essential for churches today?]
So who is he writing to? Verse 1: “To the elders among you”. Elders plural, because he is writing to several churches; we don’t know if any given congregation had more than one elder. We really don’t know much at all about how these groups of believers were organized; the process of identifying elders may have been fairly informal at this point. The important thing is that these were people who were recognized as having the necessary experience and maturity to exercise spiritual leadership. That’s who Peter is addressing his instructions to. But I’m going to take it one step further. Although Peter is addressing elders specifically, the principles he shares with them are applicable to anyone who exercises leadership in a Christian fellowship; anyone who has a responsibility for ministry oversight, or who has influence over others in spiritual matters. And that includes most of us at one time or another. So let’s pay close attention to what Peter tells us spiritual leadership should look like. I’ll begin with verses 2-3:
“2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
Peter lists three specific things:
• First, they should watch over their flock willingly, and not merely out of obligation.
• Second, their goal should be to serve, rather than to gain financially.
• And third, they should lead by example, instead of exercising authority in a heavy-handed, dictatorial manner.
We’ll look at each one of these. But what they all have in common is that they reflect an attitude of leadership whose goal is to benefit others, rather than oneself. Let me explain.
Leadership which seeks to benefit oneself demonstrates an “I Deserve” mindset. An “I Deserve” mindset. Self-centered leadership is focused on how I, as a leader, will benefit from my role. This mindset starts with all the reasons that the leader should be honored, or compensated, or obeyed; and then takes steps to ensure that they get what they think is due them. For example:
The “I Deserve” Leadership Mindset
Because . . .
• I have knowledge and education
• I have credentials and experience
• I have spiritual gifts
• I work hard
• I have sacrificed
• I have a position of authority
• I could be doing something else
I Deserve . . .
• To be deferred to (not challenged or questioned)
• To be honored and respected
• To be given great flexibility in how I carry out my role
• To be trusted (and not accountable)
• To be well compensated
• To have ample time off to recharge
That’s the “I Deserve” leadership mindset. Nothing wrong with desiring these things, by the way. The problem is when you start to think that you deserve them; that you are owed them by others. In contrast, the attitude that Peter is describing is an “I Owe” mindset, rather than an “I deserve” mindset. Here is what that looks like:
The “I Owe” Leadership Mindset
Because . . .
• Christ forgave my sins and is patient with me when I fall short
• Christ gave everything for me, even his own life
• Christ willingly suffered abuse and rejection
• Christ loved me when I was his enemy
• Christ has entrusted a ministry to me
I Owe Him . . .
• To forgive and to be patient with others
• To serve others without expecting that I be honored or recognized
• To love others even when they oppose me
• To carry out my ministry to the best of my ability, with full commitment
These are just a few examples, but they illustrate the wide gulf between these two types of leadership mindsets. So let’s look at the specific instructions Peter give us.
“2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
Note that he calls them “shepherds of God’s flock” who are under their care. In other words, the primary metaphor for understanding their role and responsibility is that of someone who watches over a flock of sheep and cares for them; someone who is responsible to provide for their needs and to protect them from predators. Who else in the Bible does that? God. Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd”. Jesus Christ. John chapter ten, verses 11 and 14: “I am the good shepherd”. And so, in exercising their responsibilities as overseers of the church, the elders are to look to how God the Father and God the Son care for their people, and they are to imitate that. What does that look like? Let’s look at a few examples.
In Psalm 23, we read this:
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
In Psalm 23, first, we see that the shepherd provides “green pastures” and “quiet waters” for the sheep. In other words, he makes sure that they have fresh grass to eat and water to drink. And in the same way, elders are to make sure that their people are well provided for spiritually; that they are adequately supplied with good quality teaching and preaching. This implies, of course, that they themselves can recognize truth from error. And so elders must be knowledgeable about what the Bible teaches. They must have an understanding of core Biblical doctrines: for example, what the Bible says about God, and mankind, and sin, and forgiveness, and salvation, and Jesus Christ, and the resurrection, and eternal life. Otherwise, they can be taken in by false doctrine and actually lead their people astray. This doesn’t mean that every elder must have a seminary degree. But everyone in a position of spiritual leadership must be a student of the Bible. They must have a basic grasp of Biblical theology and be able to distinguish teaching that is consistent with what the Bible teaches from teaching that is not. Otherwise, instead of giving their sheep green pastures and quiet waters, they may inadvertently be providing them with weeds and thistles to eat, and muddy water to drink. And that will result in some hungry, thirsty, underfed sheep. Which is what we have in many churches today.
I’m going to say one more thing about this. It’s possible to give people a steady of diet of spiritual junk food; that is, teaching which is amusing, or interesting, or entertaining, but which lacks substance. It’s the spiritual equivalent of empty calories. It may address real life issues, but it does so in a superficial way that isn’t grounded in the Scriptures, even though some Bible verses may be quoted here and there. And that is almost as detrimental to spiritual health as false teaching. It tastes good, but it lacks nutritional value. Elders are responsible to ensure that the teaching and preaching their people receive is not only true to the Scriptures; that is, not false, but also that it is drawn from the Scriptures. That means that they can’t just give people their own ideas and dress it up with some verses. They have to actually study what the Bible says and teach that. Hopefully, also in an interesting and engaging and accessible fashion. Green pastures and quiet waters.
Second, the Lord guides the sheep along the right paths. He keeps them away from dangerous places; he leads them away from dead ends and detours which would lead them astray. And so elders are responsible to provide spiritual guidance and direction for their flocks; to make sure that as individuals, and as a group, they are heading in the right direction and that they are walking in obedience to God. And again, it’s quite possible for churches to get distracted from their core mission of reaching the lost and building up the saints, and become enamored with all kinds of other things, go off on tangents. It’s the responsibility of the shepherd to make sure that doesn’t happen.
And third, the Lord protects the sheep. His “rod” and his “staff” are used for two purposes. The rod is used to attack wolves or other predators and drive them away. The staff is used to reach out and bring in those sheep who are wandering. Both of those are protective actions. And in the same way, elders are responsible to ensure that destructive people and false teachings are kept out of the church, while also making sure that those who are wandering away are brought back in and kept safe.
On this last point, I’ll refer us to Acts 20:28-31, where Paul is giving instructions to the elders of the church at Ephesus prior to leaving them:
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Elders are responsible not only to feed the flock, and guide the flock, but also to protect the flock. And sometimes that requires calling out those who are disrupting the church, or who are spreading false teachings, and it may even require separating such people from the fellowship. If an individual, or a group of individuals, is causing destructive conflict; stirring up dissension; disturbing the peace of the fellowship; promoting false doctrines, then they need to be confronted—humbly and in love—by the church leaders. If they refuse to change, and they continue making trouble, then they need to be put under church discipline, or as a last resort, told to leave. Sometimes, a faithful and loving shepherd will need to use the rod to protect the sheep.
What about the staff? Let me read to you what our Lord said in Matthew 18:12-14:
“12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”
Elders are responsible for the spiritual health and safety of the flock, the fellowship as a whole. But they are also responsible for each individual sheep; each individual member. Pastors are often busy people, there are a lot of demands on their time, and in a large church, it’s easy to lose track of people who aren’t part of the core leadership group, people who are on the fringes, people who maybe don’t show up for worship every week. But those are the ones who are most at risk of wandering away. And that can’t be allowed to happen. No one should be able to just wander away from the fellowship they have been a part of without someone noticing and reaching out to them. It’s the responsibility of elders to make sure that doesn’t happen. And even if the pastor of a large church can’t know everyone’s name, he can ensure that there are structures and processes in place so that someone will notice that that sheep is starting to wander off, and will reach out and seek to draw them back in. Every sheep, every person, matters to God.
Let’s take another example of what Peter likely had in mind when he referred to elders as “shepherds”. In John 10:11-13, Jesus makes this statement:
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
The shepherd’s responsibility is to protect the sheep, even when that puts him at risk. The good shepherd puts the welfare of the sheep ahead of his own. He isn’t a “hired hand”, who is in it only for the paycheck. He has a genuine care and concern for the sheep, and is willing to do whatever is required to ensure their welfare and survival. And that takes us back to 1 Peter 5:2-3,
“2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
The first characteristic of godly spiritual leadership that Peter identifies is watching over the flock, “not because you must, but because you are willing”. In other translations, verse 2 reads, “not merely as a duty”, or “not under compulsion”. Now, why would someone be reluctant to serve as an elder, or why would they need to be compelled to do so? Remember that these congregations were under attack; they were being persecuted. It was a perilous time to be identified as the leader of one of these Christian groups. The leaders would be the ones most at risk; they would be the ones that the authorities would go after first. And so you can understand why someone would think twice when asked if they would serve as a church leader.
Is that also true today? We may not be at risk of severe persecution, as they were. Although Charlie Kirk’s assassination shows that the risk is still real, especially for those in high visibility roles. But leaders are still under assault from a spiritual perspective. The leaders are the ones who are more likely to receive criticism, and to be attacked by those in the church who disagree with their teaching or their decisions. And perhaps even more significant, the leaders are often the target of spiritual warfare. Jesus prophesied of himself that the shepherd would be struck down, and that the sheep would be scattered. And that same principle is at work today. Satan often levels his most wicked and unrelenting attacks against pastors, and elders, and church leaders, seeking to tempt them into sin, to deceive them, to distract them, to discredit them, or simply to discourage them and drive them out of ministry. Which is one reason, by the way, that you should be praying for your pastor and for all those in spiritual leadership.
The second characteristic of godly leaders listed by Peter is that their goal is to serve, rather than to gain financially. Now I want to be clear; the Scriptures teach that it is entirely appropriate for pastors to be paid, and to make their living from their labor as ministers of the gospel. The apostle Paul makes this point in the letter of 1 Corinthians, chapter nine.
“3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?
11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?”
And again, in 1 Timothy chapter five, he writes this:
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”
And so it is appropriate for pastors to be fairly compensated. What is not appropriate is that they would seek to extract as much money as possible from those to whom they minister. Pastors cannot be motivated by financial gain, but by a genuine desire to serve. Why is that so important? Because if your goal is to maximize your income, rather than to do what is best for your people, you will find yourself compromising your message, and changing how you relate to people, in order to gain their approval, and applause, and appreciation. You won’t be willing to preach the difficult truths of Scripture; you won’t be willing to challenge people to repent; you won’t be willing to take an unpopular stand. And the Bible actually predicts that this would happen. Paul writes this to Timothy:
“2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:2-3)
Was Paul correct in his prediction? Sadly, yes. And so a leader must be motivated by service, and not financial gain, or else the temptation to compromise the message will be too great.
What is the third characteristic of godly leadership which Peter identifies? 1 Peter 5:3,
“ 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
We should lead by example, instead of exercising authority in a heavy-handed or dictatorial manner. Although that has its appeal, frankly. To be able, like the centurion who came to Jesus, to say “go” to this one, and he goes, and “come” to this one, and he comes, and to say “do this” to that one, and he does it. Wouldn’t that be nice? But Peter tells us that this is not the proper approach for an elder. Why not? Because our model isn’t the leadership of this world. Our model isn’t a corporate CEO, or a military general, or the head of a government agency. Our model is Jesus Christ. And he was a servant. A servant who modeled the kind of life that we are to live.
The greatest example of this is Christ washing his disciples’ feet. At the Passover meal, just prior to his arrest and crucifixion, the gospel of John tells us that Jesus got up, poured water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples’ feet, and dry them with a towel wrapped around his waist. Do you remember who objected? Peter! The author of this very letter. “No, you shall never wash my feet”, he declared. But Jesus informed Peter that it was necessary for him to allow Jesus to wash his feet, and we can see from this verse that Peter learned that lesson well. Leadership must be humble, and not proud. Here’s how John concludes the narrative:
“12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:12-17)
I’ll be honest with you. I can’t read that passage without being ashamed. Because I know that I’m not that humble. Because I imagine Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, and then I imagine him washing my feet. And I think, if Jesus, my Lord and Master, was willing to get down on his knees and wash the dirty, smelly feet of those whom he was leading and teaching; if he was willing to perform the most menial and humble of tasks, then how can I be unwilling to do whatever is needed to serve God’s people? How could I ever think that I am too good to do anything, no matter how lowly, just because I’m the teacher? In fact, being the teacher is the very reason I should be doing those things. And that is the attitude, the frame of mind, that every elder, every pastor, every shepherd needs to have. Just as Jesus humble himself before his disciples, so also we as spiritual leaders should set an example of humility before those whose spiritual care God has entrusted to us.
I said that Peter learned this lesson, and we can also see this in how he begins this section, in verse 1:
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:” (1 Peter 5:1)
How does he describe himself? Peter, one of the Twelve. Peter, one of the three disciples who were closest to Christ. Peter, named “the rock” by Christ. Peter, who gave the speech on the day of Pentecost when 3,000 were converted. Peter, the miracle worker. Peter, leader of the first ecumenical council at Jerusalem which welcomed Gentiles into the church, and who baptized the first gentile convert, Cornelius. Peter, a founder of the church in Rome. Peter, the apostle of Christ. No. None of those. Instead, Peter, “a fellow elder”. He puts himself on their level, instead of exalting himself above them. “A witness of Christ’s sufferings”; Peter says, I am someone who is witnessing to, or testifying, about the sufferings of Christ, just as you are. Someone who will share in the glory to be revealed, just as you will be. In other words, Peter is saying, I’m not better than you. I’m one of you. We share in the same ministry, the same set of challenges and responsibilities. That’s true humility. Do Christian leaders today, men with far fewer credentials than Peter, have this same kind of humility? Peter is telling us that this is the standard, that this is the attitude that elders are to have. And in fact, that all of us are to have.
“5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
Just as elders are to demonstrate humility in leadership, so those who are less advanced in the faith and also perhaps less advanced in years, should submit to their leadership. And so all of us should conduct ourselves with humility toward one another. We should “clothe ourselves” with humility; in other words, humility should be something that characterizes us, something that is simply a part of our life, whenever we relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ. And Peter quotes a promise from Proverbs 3:34 which tells us that if we will do this, we will enjoy God’s favor. On the other hand, if we act out of pride, God will oppose us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want God opposing me.
Finally, what is the reward for elders who carry out their responsibilities in the manner that Peter has described? Verse 4:
“4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
The world can offer many inducements to those who serve its interests: money, acclaim, recognition, security, honor, applause, approval, praise, influence. But all of those turn to dust and ashes when this life is over; none of them have any lasting value. In contrast, spiritual leaders who are faithful to Christ will receive something far more valuable, and something that will never fade away: the crown of glory. And it will be placed on our heads by Christ himself. That’s what I’m hoping for, and working for, and looking forward to. How about you?
