The Shepherd Leader

The Shepherd Leader 20/20 Initiative: Knowing Every Member/Meeting Every Need

Nov 14, 2018

They came from California, Arizona, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, New York City, St. Louis, Pennsylvania, and, of course, Georgia. Why did they come? They came because they are all leaders of large churches and wanted to consider best practices for shepherding large numbers...

The Heart of Shepherding – Relationships

Timothy Witmer

May 4, 2016

When you come right down to it, the heart of shepherding and success in shepherding for that matter, boils down to the importance of relationships. This is quite clear in the dynamic that Jesus established in John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and my own know me.” This remarkable...

Why we fail at church discipline?

Timothy Witmer

Mar 7, 2016

Most of us who have been in church leadership for some time understand the frustration of failed efforts in church discipline. Here’s how it goes. We learn that a member has left his wife. We reach out to him to see what the circumstances are. We are rebuffed. Then we send him a letter asking him...

What makes an effective sermon?

Timothy Witmer

Mar 1, 2016

Lots of ink has been spilled trying to outline the elements of an effective sermon. This is a very important matter to the shepherd who is called to feed the flock. I remember a conversation at a faculty meeting at Westminster Seminary early in my tenure there. The elements of an effective sermon...

Who cares about church membership?

Timothy Witmer

Jan 28, 2016

Who cares about church membership? If you are a shepherd, you do, of course! I know that it is in vogue these days of “no commitment” to say that membership doesn’t matter. While I could multiply this blog into several points I’m going to boil it down to two perspectives; the leader’s perspective...

2015 and The Shepherd Leader

Timothy Witmer

Jan 4, 2016

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on God’s faithfulness. It has been a wonderful year for The Shepherd Leader ministry. Here are the developments for which I am most thankful (in no particular order): After many years of planning and praying, the Chinese translation of The Shepherd...

Things that bug me: Church Planters are Shepherds, Too!

Timothy Witmer

Nov 18, 2015

Occasionally in this blog I am going to address things that bug me. Here is the first one: church planters are shepherds, too! It is the first in this category that I write about not because it is the thing that bugs me most but because it came to mind first. What bugs me is that I have heard folks...

Shepherding while in transition between pastors

Timothy Witmer

Nov 9, 2015

I recently had the opportunity to consult with elders who are striving to develop a shepherding ministry though they are in the search for a new senior minister. Some might think that they should wait until the new pastor arrives. Don’t wait! This is exactly the right time to begin a shepherding...

Welcome To The Shepherds' Blog

Timothy Witmer

Nov 2, 2015

Welcome The Shepherds’ Blog! The purpose of this blog is to provide an opportunity for me to post material that will be helpful to pastors, elders, and other church leaders (and members) about the subject of pastoral ministry generally and shepherding the flock specifically. I would also encourage...

Its Continuing Impact Five Years Later

Timothy Witmer

Sep 16, 2015

Five years ago, first time author and Westminster professor Dr. Tim Witmer awaited the release of a book that represented his heart for ministry: The Shepherd Leader . He did not expect the impact it would have. The book sold out within the first few days, and P&R Publishing rushed to fill...