“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
The elders in in a church are to be pastors/shepherds. They are to fulfill their responsibilities not because they are being forced to serve but because they want to. Can you imagine being pastored by someone who was being forced to minister to you? How horrible that would be.
For those who do exercise oversight willingly, they also need to do it with the right motive. Personal gain is not the right motive. Pastors who are out to exploit the flock are shameful. They are not really interested in caring for people and are not true shepherds. Their desire to take as much as possible without concern for the individual they are taking from often leads to unethical or at least heavy-handed tactics. Greedy pastors bring disgrace upon the church. Instead of being motivated by gain we should be eager. Eager for what? Eager to exercise oversight “as God would have.”
Someone who is eager to be the kind of shepherd that Christ wants will lead by example rather than threat or intimidation. It is inappropriate and biblical to compel your church to do what you think is right. Instead, you should follow God and show people how to live a blessed life.
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