September 25, 2025
When you think of leadership, what images come to mind? Many people today envision a CEO running a company, a coach driving a team to victory, or a general leading troops into battle. Each of these images highlights certain qualities—strategic oversight, motivational skill, or disciplined authority. But when God reveals His vision for leadership in scripture, He chooses a different image: the shepherd.
This is no accident. God intentionally chose shepherding as His model for leadership because it captures both His character and His expectations for those who lead His people. Shepherding combines courage and care, strength and sacrifice, authority and intimacy.
Shepherding in Biblical Context
In the ancient Near East, kings and rulers were often described as “shepherds,” a royal title that conveyed their responsibility to guide, protect, and provide for their people. Scripture takes this cultural image and gives it new depth and meaning. Biblical shepherd leadership is never about self-claimed authority and power. Earthly kings may have assumed the title of “shepherd,” but scripture makes clear that God’s leaders are not sovereign rulers over the flock but stewards accountable to Him.
Throughout the Old Testament, the people of Israel are called “God’s flock.” Leaders are entrusted to guide, protect, and nurture them—but the flock never belongs to the leader. It always belongs to God. This distinction is crucial. Leaders in God’s kingdom are stewards, not owners. Their authority does not come from skill, charisma, or personality, but from God’s appointment. And that accountability reshapes the very definition of success: leadership is never ownership but stewardship, measured not by growth charts or platforms, but by faithfulness to the Great Shepherd.
Jesus, the Fulfillment of the Shepherd Model
The Old Testament hints at shepherd leadership, but it is in Jesus that the metaphor reaches its fullness. In John 10, He declares: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” In Jesus, we see the perfect model: leadership is not about gaining power, but about self-giving love.
Jesus contrasts Himself with the “hired hands,” who run when danger comes. The Good Shepherd remains, protects, and even sacrifices His own life. This becomes the ultimate model for leadership in the kingdom of God.
Implications for Pastoral Leadership Today
In today’s ministry culture, it’s easy to drift toward other leadership metaphors. We may feel pressured to perform like CEOs—driving results, building platforms, and measuring success by numbers. Or we may default to coaches, pushing teams to greater efficiency and performance. But neither of these cultural frameworks reflect the biblical vision of leadership. They may be effective in business or sports, but they fall short of God’s design for shepherd leaders who are called to serve, guide, and sacrifice for the flock.
The shepherd model calls us back to a leadership that is relational, sacrificial, and accountable. Shepherd leaders know the condition of their flock, guide them to nourishment and rest, protect them from threats, and model dependence on the Great Shepherd.
Reflection for Leaders
Which leadership image shapes you most right now—CEO, coach, influencer, or shepherd?
How might your ministry look different if shepherding became the dominant model guiding your leadership decisions?
Connect
This post draws from themes in my book Kingdom over Culture: Restoring Biblical Leadership in a Secularized Church. If you’d like to go deeper, you can order the book here https://drmeredithjames.com/shop. I also offer workshops, staff trainings, and speaking engagements on shepherd leadership and other frameworks for kingdom leadership. To learn more or invite me to work with your team, connect with me here https://drmeredithjames.com.
