In 1st Peter 5:2 Peter uses the phrase “shepherd the flock” and this specifically refers to the act of feeding the sheep. The identification of God’s people as sheep is quite revealing as to how God sees His people and how the Pastor needs to feed them in teaching with four emphasizes:
•Sheep flock together: What this tells the shepherd is that God’s people need to be together, and fellowship is an important aspect of church life and a vital part of pastoral care. No pastor is of any good if they aren’t regularly a part of the flock of God. There are far too many pastors that crank out sermons for people they don’t want to be around.
•Sheep are prone to wander: Because of this truth it is imperative that the pastor teach the whole counsel of the Word of God and not merely sermon-etts to Christian-etts. Not only are we to teach them, but they look to pastors to demonstrate the way to live towards Jesus and will mimic what they see more than imitate what they hear.
•Sheep are defenseless: This reminds the pastor that their teaching must include protection from lies brought forth from the world system. The body of Christ needs not only instruction and information but also protection as given in the Word of God about false teaching and philosophies that will destroy them.
• Sheep are useful: What this tells us is that our primary job is equipping them not telling them what to do but rather “reminding them who they are”.
Sheep in biblical times were not primarily used for eating as it would have been very costly to do so. Instead, they were used for their wool, milk and sacrifice. The equipping of the sheep is to remind them that they aren’t members of the church and they don’t just attend church they ARE the church, and as such are there to provide clothing and covering for themselves and those around them, sustenance and food for themselves and others and lastly that they are here to be a living sacrifice or demonstration what a follower of Jesus looks like. The pastor’s job is to speak the truth in love by rightly dividing the word of God in such a way as to challenge the body of Christ to apply the word making themselves more useful for the Kingdom.