Feed The Flock Service 1
Greetings from God’s True Worshippers Church in The Lord Jesus! We are glad to have you with us!
Come Fellowship with Us! 4211 Flat Shoals Pkwy, Decatur, Ga. 30034 | Services: Sundays 9:30AM & 11:30AM | Wednesday Night Bible Study 7:30P
Feeding the flock is a crucial aspect of pastoral ministry. As a shepherd of God’s people, it is the responsibility of the pastor to ensure that the flock is well-fed with the Word of God. In the King James Bible, we see numerous passages that emphasize the importance of feeding the flock. In this article, we will explore what it means to feed the flock and why it is crucial for the growth and health of God’s people.
To begin with, feeding the flock means providing spiritual nourishment to God’s people. This nourishment comes from the Word of God, which is the bread of life. Jesus said in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” In other words, Jesus is saying that those who come to Him and believe in Him will be spiritually fed and satisfied. As pastors, it is our responsibility to point people to Jesus and to feed them with the Word of God.
The apostle Paul also emphasizes the importance of feeding the flock in his letter to the Ephesians. He says in Ephesians 4:11-14, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”
In this passage, Paul is saying that God has given pastors and teachers to the church for the purpose of perfecting the saints and edifying the body of Christ. This is done through the feeding of the flock with the Word of God. As we feed the flock with the Word of God, they are built up in their faith, and they grow in their knowledge and understanding of God.
Moreover, feeding the flock is crucial for the spiritual health of God’s people. In 1 Peter 2:2-3, Peter says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Peter is saying that just as a newborn baby desires milk for their physical growth, so too, God’s people should desire the milk of the Word for their spiritual growth.
Feeding the flock with the Word of God is necessary for the spiritual health of God’s people. Without this spiritual nourishment, God’s people will become weak and susceptible to false teachings and doctrines. In Acts 20:28-30, the apostle Paul warns the elders of the church in Ephesus, saying, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”
Paul is warning the elders that false teachers will come into the church and try to lead the people astray. The only way to protect the flock from these false teachings is to feed them with the Word of God. When God’s people are well-fed with the Word of God, they are better equipped to discern truth from error and to resist false
teachings. They are also able to grow in their faith and to become more mature in their spiritual walk with God.
Another aspect of feeding the flock is providing sound doctrine. In 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Paul charges Timothy, saying, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Paul is saying that it is essential to preach sound doctrine and to warn against false teachings. There will be those who will not want to hear sound doctrine, but instead, they will seek out teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. It is the responsibility of the pastor to provide sound doctrine and to warn against false teachings.
Feeding the flock also involves providing spiritual leadership. In 1 Peter 5:1-4, Peter says, “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
Peter is saying that pastors and elders are to provide spiritual leadership to the flock. This leadership involves overseeing and caring for the spiritual needs of God’s people. Pastors and elders are to be examples to the flock and to lead them in the ways of righteousness.
In conclusion, feeding the flock is a crucial aspect of pastoral ministry. As pastors, it is our responsibility to ensure that God’s people are well-fed with the Word of God. This spiritual nourishment is necessary for the growth and health of God’s people. Feeding the flock involves providing sound doctrine, spiritual leadership, and warning against false teachings. As we feed the flock, God’s people will be built up in their faith, and they will become more mature in their spiritual walk with God. As pastors and shepherds, may we take seriously the responsibility to feed the flock of God which He has entrusted to us. May we always seek to point people to Jesus and to feed them with the Word of God, so that they may grow and mature in their faith, and be ready for the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.