Biblical Shepherding of God's Sheep: The Use and Abuse of Authority by Church Officers (Ministry and Mission)

'Tend my sheep' is the awesome task given to those who have been called and equipped by the Holy Spirit to be overseers of the church of God. Leadership in the local assembly must be biblical and balanced if the church is to properly discharge its commission from the Lord Jesus Christ. Recent trends in leadership methods have made it more necessary than ever that Christ's shepherds 'be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock'. The application of biblical church authority is one of the crucial issues facing Christians today. The present work deals forthrightly with the hard questions about leading God's people on the local church level. Representing the mature thought of men who have spent many years guiding Christians, Shepherding God's Flock is an anthology of essays dealing with various aspects of the issue of church authority. The true nature of an "ideal" church, the proper way of reformation, the danger of the abuse of church discipline and the relationship of authority to individual freedom are some of the topics handled here. Leaders reproduce themselves and put their stamp indelibly upon a congregation. This influence can in turn make or break a church s influence in the world. These essays provide the tools needed for the self-examination, correction and growth of all those concerned to see Christ s style of shepherding safeguarded among his flock.