The Farm

I've been in a deep thought that I would like to share. This is not geared toward any particular pastor whatsoever. It is actually just a thought. If it bothers you maybe you need to start doing some deep searching as well. I am tagging a few pastors and friends, again this is not geared toward them at all, just a thought I have had ALL morning.

My thinking this morning was truly about deer hunting until Holy Ghost took over like He usually always does. I have hunted a farm for over 15 years. When I first started this farm didn't have a huge deer population. It was what I call a travelling farm. You had to be set up in the right spot so that when the deer travelled through you could catch them coming or going.

The farmer myself and my son really wanted to change this and little by little we have been developing a place that deer don't just travel through, but they live there. There is a great water source and places for them to bed down. There is a good food source. It’s been hard work and a lot of patience from the farmer. And, at times he had to say the hard things like no hunting this year as we develop this part of the deer habitat. Or like this year, no bow hunting, keeping the scent out so that it’s a better first day of gun season. His land, his choice, I'm grateful to be one of the few he allows to hunt.

What does all this have to do with church stuff? Good question my friend. As I was thinking about a travel through area, I was led to think about pastors whose sole message is salvation. After a while the people get tired of hearing salvation messages. No matter how you cut it, it turns into a message of salvation. There is nothing there to hold the "herd". It’s a watering hole that has no food source. Get them saved, which is good, but there is no food for them to want to continue to stay. So, if you are truly called to pastor take the time to learn how to feed your sheep.

Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me? Then feed my sheep.” A salvation message every Sunday does not feed sheep. It draws sinners into a place to convert them to sheep, but it will not keep them there. Maybe you aren't truly called to pastor but to evangelize.

A travelling farm has no place to bed down in security. When I think of a bedding down, I think of a place of seclusion and intimacy. Have you made your church a place of discretion? A place of intimacy where your sheep can come to and expose their inner most self (laying down to bed or sleep in a place of vulnerability).

How many times have pastors betrayed their people by going to other pastors or maybe even other parishioners in their body and "exposing" another sheep. Guys and gals, this ought not to be so. You can't preach about gossip if you are the one gossiping! “Well, I need them to know so they know how to pray.” Hogwash, Buster Brown! You knew something intimate about someone and because you couldn't control yourself you blasted them.

Just like when the farmer told us for several seasons that he was only allowing one deer to be taken. There were three of us hunting and whoever got the first deer was the winner. Winner chicken dinner! We all respected that and rejoiced with the hunter for his harvest but we didn't continue shooting deer because we were only allowed one. It caused the deer to feel "safe" they started staying because it felt like a safe place to be, a sanctuary.

The next essential part of a deer haven is a food source. We are developing strategic places for deer to feed or developing food plots to draw deer in to stay because they don't have to look for food elsewhere. Pastors are you developing other leaders and teaching them to be plots of food for your "deer". Have you got a good Sunday School curriculum to feed the fawns of your herd? Do you develop the hickory trees and the oak trees for acorns or are you so greedy that you are cutting down all your mature trees? Without a natural food source deer won't stay.

The natural food source in your body of believers is the mature Christians that are the pillars of your church. Are you "logging them off" to sell them out. This farmer had loggers come in and log his land, but he made sure that the mature fruit or nut bearing trees were left standing. Even though he could have made a lot more money by clear cutting, he chose to be selective and make sure there was still plenty of natural food sources for his herd.

The next and last part of this thought was that of safety. Are you known to be the one that will go into battle for your sheep. You see this farmer knows his land. He knows where my tree stands are. He knows where my cameras are. If he sees something out of the ordinary or out of place, he watches and asks. If he sees poachers, he runs them off. His herd is not easily taken advantage of, he watches and protects his own. He kills off predators. They may be fearful to look at, but he stands his ground. Just like David's soldier who stood his ground in the field of lentils. They were his and he slew 300 men trying to take it from him. They were his peas and no one else's! This is your flock. Who are you "allowing" to prey on your people? Be bold, be courageous, be their protector and their champion. Teach them how to fight for themselves, but then be there for them when the battle wages too hard. Just a thought this morning. Said in love of all to all.