One of many encouraging events since coming to work with Hendersonville happened Friday, November 14. One of the elders, John Kester, invited the elders and staff to his home. After a delicious meal, we spent the remainder of the night talking about a book, They Smell Like Sheep, Volume 2, by Lynn Anderson. The focus of our time was how we could be more effective as leaders and helpers. We discussed many good ideas from the book and from each other.
However, what was powerful for me was the fact that these people took five hours to be together. Prior to this, several hours were invested in reading the book. There was a commitment of time and energy to grow, encourage, and be encouraged.
One of the quotes I liked: "While all Christians need nurture and sustenance, the active Christian leader who encounters spiritual and emotional stress daily has special, urgent needs. If the shepherd is not fed along with the sheep, that inner hunger and fatigue, those unhealed hurts, can cause the shepherd to go great unconscious harm to those within his or her care" – Flora Slosson Wuellner (They Smell Like Sheep, Volume 2, page 116).
I like to say, "When shepherds shepherd shepherds, shepherds will better shepherd the sheep. When shepherds don’t shepherd shepherds, shepherds probably won’t shepherd the sheep."
I was encouraged Friday, November 14, when I saw and experienced shepherds shepherding sheperds.
2 comments:
I mentioned you in my blog this past week. Hope you do not mind, but I feel you are a great resource on that topic. Hope the work is going well and I enjoyed your "When Your Preacher Leaves" letter too this month.
In my D.Min class the teacher spoke really highly of you. He is Carlos Gupton. Thought you would like to know. Hope everything is going well in Northern Nashville.
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