Sheep of the Field

We are the Sheep of His field, do feel like it?

  Having grown up on a farm that was mostly sheep and fruit trees I tend to see scriptures connect to these things in a different light.

  Sheep are generally odd, you would think that they should almost be like clones, same attitude with the same way of doing things. However, they are not, No matter how big or small of a herd you have, there is always at least one who must do things differently. If you are trying to move them from one spot to another, someone must bolt forward, turn sideways, and block the flock or jump over a fence and make a mess.

  When it’s feeding time, some of the youngest refuse to feed like the older sheep. Jumping on top of everyone else, they try to find another way to the food. Or a young ram, feeling his strength will lower his head and ram into other sheep to knock them out of the spot he feels belongs to him.

  So do we do the same?

  Yes, we do. I’ve seen youth groups quickly descend on a potluck, past others to get to the food. Immature up-and-coming leaders feel so self-important that they try and muscle their way into better positions of leadership. I remember watching one young man argue for an hour with an elder at MorningStar ministries about why they needed to promote him to a more elevated position in ministry. In the end, the elder never gave in.

  I’ve seen people who seem so content with a certain direction the leader is taking them, suddenly get stopped at a crucial point when this person suddenly gets hit with fear. And like the sheep I talked about, they turn and their own fear now blocks everyone from moving forward. The fear of course gets labeled under the mask of “spiritual insight.”

  But what is the root cause of all this, not only with Sheep, but the Lord’s sheep (us) as well? What causes us to make such lapses of judgment? Well, quite simply it’s fear. It is often fear of what we think, or what we have or do not have. Now don’t get me wrong, not all fear is unhealthy. Fear of wolves will keep many alive. But it’s these fears that will seem so “right” a the moment that often lead to all sorts of problems. 

  A shepherd can move/push a flock from one place to another in one of three ways, trust, food, or fear. But he can only lead with two, Trust and Food. Food will draw the hungry close, but trust will keep them. You can run out of food for a while, but once trust is broken, everyone scatters.

  This is something we are seeing now, playing out in real-time with various denominations and larger ministries like IHOP and Bethel Church (Bill Johnson) As a result the sheep are scattering because they no longer feel safe. The downflow effect of this will pour out in every ministry at some point. As it does, many leaders will not see this coming and as a result will be left with far smaller attendance. Some will even close doors, never to reopen.

  This will be because they put their trust into demographics, statistics, market shares, programs, and physiology. Every tactic they were trained in will fall, but a few will wake up. These people will realize that what people are really seeking is the Lord of Life. Not the lord of the system, or denomination. 

  Real food, not junk food will draw the people, and trust will keep them. Here is the biggest thing these leaders will need to learn “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” John 12:32 What this means is, that the reality of who, and what Jesus is must be lifted up out of the muck and mire of the Babylonian Church system so that his sheep can clearly recognize the Lord.

  Now, does that mean every sheep will come running at first when they see this, no. Why is that? Some of the lost, hurt, and lonely as so badly damaged by the system that they will “trigger” or flinch with memories of past pain at the very whisper of anything religious. That does not make them bad, backslidden, or even out of the faith. There just wounded, waiting for freedom from the pain to come through the window again. But give them time, friendship, and love. Because Love is a messenger of Hope. “…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5

  It was no different for us. After being on staff at MorningStar my wife and I were so beat up, we had no intention of ever setting foot in a religious setting again. But it was a small, local group that slowly loved us back to life and ministry. Am I one hundred percent back? No, I am not. But I am in progress, so with places like this Substack platform. It has almost become like therapy for me to write and keep writing. 

  I am not saying this to get sympathy, but as an example, if you know wounded people. Give them time, we sheep can be a flighty, suspicious bunch.