Anointed to be Sacrificed: Reconciling the Sheep-Shepherd Dichotomy

From the earliest writings of David amongst the hills and hollows of Bethlehem, the people of God have been likened to sheep in the pasture of the Lord, their leadership to shepherds under the watchful eye and guidance of God. Illustrations of farming and tending sheep are prevalent in this context, yet the purity and simplicity of those illustrations has largely been lost in the face of a modern, professionalized, and efficient Church. Early ministries-Frank Ewart, Carrie Eastridge, William Seymour, Gladys Aylward, the Coal Miner Preacher, William Seymour, and so many others-exhibited incredible anointing and effectiveness in the reaching of the lost despite astonishingly little organization or premeditation in their delivery. Although it is true that many sects of Christianity have long structured themselves into organizations, the twentieth century brought the blessing yet challenge of public broadcasting, increased mobility, and technological advancement that not only impacted the world of entertainment, food production, and the utilization of land, but also impacted the operation of the Church. One of the cruelest by-products of the professionalization of human relationships and the ever-increasing mechanization of religious organizations is that the relationship between Pastor and Saint has eroded into one of distrust. The beautiful and biblical illustration of Sheep and Shepherd has been hijacked by the ever-increasing mega-church and professional preacher. The distance between the Sheep and Shepherd has grown, much to the detriment of the Church. Quite simply, it's time to close the gap and re-align both shepherd and sheep with the purpose of Christ, the calling and anointing to be sacrificed.