As Peter comes alongside the elders of the church, he says, “Based on the fact that you are entrusting your soul to the Creator who is faithful to you as you do what is right – on that basis, voluntarily, willingly, gladly, eagerly shepherd the flock of God among you.” The calling of an elder is not simply to serve the people of God. The elder must first serve and trust God; then, out of that trust and service to God, he shepherds the people of God. And he is an under-shepherd, not the Chief. Even as he shepherds the flock entrusted to his care and leads them by his example, he must daily submit himself and entrust himself to the Chief Shepherd for his own care.
