School classmates described him as friendly and tender-hearted, but his lack of athletic schools and small size made him the subject of teasing. Acts 20:28 - Compare Bible Verse Translations - Bible Study Tools The defense also tried to show evidence of another factor that they claimed contributed to McKinneys heat of passion beating of Shepard. Matthew told friends he was sexually abused as a childby an adult member of his church, by an older friend, and by a (not close) relative. Dennis said his son, "liked to compete against himself," entering races he couldn't win and swimming contests he'd finish "dead last by the length of the pool" just to prove he could do it. He offered his sexual services to men through an escort service run out a legitimate business called Docs Class Act Limousine Services, based in Bosler, Wyoming. To what extent do business management principles apply to the local church? I hope that one day you will have it in your hearts to forgive me. Turning to Judge Donnell, Henderson said, Im ready to pay my debt for what I did. But servant leadership is not soft leadership. Friends said in the days leading up to his death, Matthew seemed depressed and was drinking heavily and spending money wildly, even while some friends suspected he had fallen into debt. On the way back to the police car, the arresting officer spotted McKinneys gun lying on the ground, covered in blood. ' And maybe all the meth users I met were lying or wrong or putting me on in saying they immediately took the murder for a meth crime because it was all too stupid and, except for one heinous detail, all too recognizable. In the first place, to be a shepherd over the flock of sheep means that it is the shepherds responsibility to lead the sheep. A fourth word (Greek, prohistemi, from a compound, to stand before or first) means to lead or have charge over (1 Thess. While a coach sits on the sideline and offers direction, a shepherd stands in the midst of the action and is part of the action himself. 34:4-5); he corrects the erring or rebellious (2 Tim. 1:1; Titus 1:5). Judy looked at Henderson and said, I hope you never experience a day or night without feeling the terror, the humiliation, the helplessness or the hopelessness my son felt that night. Dennis said, It takes a brave man to help another brave man tie up a person who did not know how to make and clench a fist until he was thirteen years old., Then both Hendersons defense attorney and his prosecutor had their say. Christian Leadership: Deacons as Spiritual Shepherds Also, every time elders are mentioned in the New Testament, they are men, not women. All, the whole, every kind of. If they dont like the way the pastor or the church board is doing things, they organize a movement to vote them out of office. I pray that some of you will aspire to that work. And on the anniversary, we thought of all days, it would be a perfect opportunity for us to elevate the message that more needs to be done around police oversight. Did Shepards sexual orientation have anything to do with the attack? As he got up, he saw what looked like blood shining off a face about 15 feet away. Your donation today will help send trusted Bible teaching to people around the world. A law that allow federal prosecution of assaults based on the race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation of the victim. Remember, an organism is not the same as an organization, but an organism is highly organized. Its complicated. Jurors might have given Henderson a break on the murder chargeperhaps find him guilty only of manslaughter. Peter reflects the leadership style set forth and modeled by the Lord Jesus, who humbly washed the disciples feet and instructed them, even on that night, that the leader among them should be as the servant (Luke 22:24-27). InActs 8:1we read, At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. An associate warden in a prison where Russell was housed called that a shame. Henderson, he said, doesnt belong here.. Acts 20:28 - MESSAGE | MEANING | REFLECTION Daniel Ploof In other words, pastor is not so much a designation as much as it is a job description that entails shepherding. McKinney asked Henderson to get some rope out of the truck and tie Shepard to the fence, which he did. He exercises His headship through spiritually mature elders. Sometime around midnight, McKinney and Shepard walked over to the bar where Henderson was still sitting. They head east, through light traffic, out past the Wal-Mart. The play drew from interviews with Laramie residents and published new stories about the Shephard murder. The metaphor of the shepherd who cares for his flock becomes then the metaphor that defines the work of the local pastor. If you view the church as a democratic organization where every member has a right to vote, youre into church politics. So it is with the flock of Christ. 3) and Clement of Alexandria (Quis dives, c. 34) use the very phrase "the blood of God" which this passage suggests, and the Eastern Church at the council of Ephesus gave to the Blessed Virgin the title of Theot?kos Deipara, the mother of the very God. They are prone to getting lost, getting injured, and being left in a state of vulnerability unless they are cared for by a shepherd. I probably had the confused dog look on my face, like when you ask your dog a question and he just cocks his head and advances a blank stare. Henderson remains in prison at this writing, with little prospect of being released. I want to develop the idea that Christ exercises headship over His church through spiritually mature elders who shepherd His flock. This term points to a man who is spiritually mature enough to discern spiritual dangers and to guard and guide the flock into spiritual growth. Before we examine these qualifications (in future messages), I want to take this message to explain some basics about church government. Two witnesses for the defense testified about Shepards propensity for sexual aggressiveness after drinking. The dominant image-metaphor for leadership in Scripture is that of a shepherd. Originally, it was by apostolic appointment (see Acts 14:23). With regard to the difficulty that this reading seems to imply the unscriptural phrase, "the blood of God," and to savor of the Monophysite heresy, it is obvious to reply that there is a wide difference between the phrase as it stands and such a one as the direct "blood of God," which Athanasius and others objected to. - "Shepherd the flock" Scripture likens believers to sheep and so the reference to "the flock among you." Shepherding is the church leader's job description, how one is to serve as an elder. (Its possiblemaybe likely--that McKinney knew of Shepards scheduled drug run that day and expected to find a large amount of cash.) This was set forth with great emphasis in Jesus discourse with Peter after the resurrection, when He inquired of Peters love for his Master. The mental insertion of "the Lord" or "Christ," as the subject of the verb "purchased," is very easy, the transition from God the Father to God incarnate being one that might be made almost imperceptibly. Acts 6 Ministry - The Shepherd's Church 13:7, 17, 24; Luke 22:26). Thus the answer to who is in charge of the church? is, Jesus Christ is! In today's church, a pastor still must be a shepherd Officials said he was shot at more than 90 times in about 7 seconds, after he fled the vehicle on foot. Who is in charge of the church? According to St. Clair, Matthew leaned down and made a provocative remark relating to oral sex. Lesson 8: Who's In Charge Of The Church? (1 Timothy 3:1 and other A close friend of Shepards, Ted Henson, recalled another incident a few weeks before the murder. 5:17-18) will be looked to as the leader among the elders, as Peter was among the apostles and as James was among the elders in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:2-21; 21:18; Gal. So it is that the good pastor is one who knows the aches, the pains, the joys, and the sorrows of each member of his congregation, so that he can tend to their needs and so that they arent overcome by physical maladies or by spiritual and psychological distress. He explained that he was a coach for his clients, seeking to guide them through their story. Every gift counts. Hebrew Streams: Who is Shepherd: The Holy Spirit or. A boy who sought his fathers approval, but perhaps never felt he got it. (McKinney later confessed he actually planned to steal six ounces of meth from a dealer that the co-worker said would be visiting him that evening. On October 6, 1998, Shepard was scheduled to pick up twelve ounces of meth in Denver, drop off six of those ounces in Fort Collins, and then come back to Laramie with the remaining six ounces. The church is a living organism under the headship of Jesus Christ, subject to His Word. From that base, they can then relate to one another in harmony as a practical expression of the Body of Christ. We notice here that the people described as going everywhere preaching the Word were not the apostles. I am far from this. Remember, it was the Holy Spirit who appointed you to guard and oversee the churches that belong to Jesus, the Anointed One, which he purchased and established by his own blood. The church needs shepherds not coaches. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. 5:2.) Our Acts 6 Ministry exists to serve widows in our church body and was founded on the biblical principle outlined in Acts 6 to oversee their care. Still, the death penalty remained an option in the second phase of the trial, the penalty phase. Aaron McKinney, meanwhile, was desperate for money or drugs, or both. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The regular feeding of the sheep protects from imbalances and passing fads. The Bible prescribes several things concerning these leaders: As we saw last week (1 Tim. He developed a passion for theater, and took German and Italian courses. She saw immediately that a young man had suffered a horrific beating. Shepard, he told police, said he could turn us on to some cocaine or something, some methamphetamines, one of those two, for sex. (One of Matthews closest friends, Ted Henson, said Shepard told him some weeks before the murder that McKinney had offered him sex for drugs, but that Matthew had declined.) Thus human pastors and overseers work under and are accountable to the Lord Jesus, the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. Matthew and McKinney ran into each other at a convenience store. But we do need proper organization, delegation, equipping, and oversight for the local body of Christ to function effectively. Henderson took off through a yard, but was pulled to the ground and cuffed. 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. Wyatt Skaggs, a court-appointed lawyer, defended Henderson. Acts 20:28 Lexicon: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock Serve the flock, encourage your pastors, follow their godly wisdom, and seek to build-up the church rather than work against it. But the elders should lead by overseeing and by equipping those under their oversight for various ministries in the church. He said, I remember thinking at the time that the Matt Shepard case would forever go down in history as, you know, one of the saddest examples of gay bashing, but what it also was, was one of the saddest examples of the desperate lengths people on methamphetamine will go to., Regardless of the real story behind Matthew Shepards murder, most people will remember it as a hate crime. Women may serve on the staff of a local church as pastors and teachers of other women (Titus 2:2), but not over men. For one, the less culpable of the two, it was a robbery that got out of handand had nothing to do with Shepards sexual orientation. Its a demanding ministry, and men who work in an outside job cant always continue in it year in and year out. In addition, he drove the vehicle in which he anticipated a robbery would take place. and at Miletum he calls the elders together, tells them what shall befall to himself, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Apostles: Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore to yourselves (Acts of the Apostles Ac). Blood, literally, figuratively or specially; by implication, bloodshed, also kindred. But its also spelled out in the list of qualifications. He struck Russell Henderson with enough force to cause nine stiches and make Henderson fear for his life. "Shepherd" Sermon, - Easter Hill United Methodist Church - Facebook Elders have charge over the flock and are accountable to the Lord. Paul is pressed in spirit to get to Jerusalem. The word "shepherd" is the same as "pastor." The work of pastoring is shared by the elders. In 2004, Elizabeth Vargas asked LaBrie on ABCs 20/20, Do you think Matthew owed money for drugs to anybody? LaBrie replied, He might have. No single shepherd has 360-degree vision. Rejoice when they unfold the Scriptures without shrinking back. Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. Its not impossible for a gay personespecially one filled with hate and addled by meth and alcohol--to commit a hate crime against another gay person. At a press conference the day after the beating, Sheriff Gary Puls, in response to a question, agreed that Matthew might have been the victim of a hate crime. Members have a vote and they use that vote to exercise control. He guides, leads, nourishes, protects, and cares for His fold as a shepherd does his sheep. That feeding is given at the responsibility of thepastor. One's own; by implication, private or separate. Judge Donnell noted that many people have called this a hate crime. The judge said he did not think the case was so simplistic. He added that he believed that a number of motives and emotions were involved here. Turning to the defendant, Donnell said that regardless of the motive, the facts showed You drove the vehicle that took [Shepard] to his death. Dont expect them to be supermen, popular, or hip to the latest trends. Thats a lot different than just taking a vote and following the majority opinion! Later that day, Albany County Sheriff, Gary Puls, held a press conference outside the courthouse. In 2009, Judy Shepard published The Meaning of Matthew, a book about her son and her familys efforts to understand and cope with his death, and how to give meaning to Matts life by combatting hatred. And, in large part because of all these things, Matthew had suicidal thoughts and was on anti-depressants the day he was tied, bleeding and dying, to a rail fence on the outskirts of Laramie. She said that he cried, had a panic attack, and took around 15 anti-anxiety pills. ACT LIKE MEN. Strong's Greek: 4165. (poimain) -- to act as a shepherd Henderson said he was shocked that McKinney continued to beat Shepard after he turned over his wallet. I know no other religious. ), McKinney told Shepard that he was being robbed. Raymond Greene, Executive of The Freedom Bloc. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. This means that we cant just adopt business management principles straight into the church. It is the pastors responsibility to teach his sheep how to pray, how to worship, how to evangelize, how to be engaged profitably in the mercy ministries of the church. The others have to do with his home life and personal ethics, especially qualities that can be readily observed. Stephen Jiminez in The Book of Matt quoted McKinney as saying the real plan on the night of October 6 had been simply to rob Shepard. After the arrests, McKinney penned a letter to Henderson suggesting a common story they should tell investigators. 5:2). After exploring a number of these inaccurate stories we keep telling ourselves, Horwitz wrote: "I came to the conclusion that no amount of fact is ever going to somehow triumph over these myths. The only one-man ruler in the New Testament is Diotrephes, whom the Apostle John castigates because he loves to be first and he exercised heavy-handed authority by himself (3 John 9-10). On the 16th, a funeral for Shepard took place in Caspar. From epi and skopos; a superintendent, i.e. The two men talked for two minutes or so while Henderson watched television at the bar. But you will notice that Paul distinguishes some elders who labor in word and teaching. This was a precursor of what Luther had in mind in the sixteenth century when he advocated the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. In that doctrine, Luther did not intend to obscure the distinction between laity and clergy but simply intended to point out that all Christians are to be involved in fulfilling the mission of thechurch. Those who are so gifted should devote themselves to that ministry. Also, the committee welcomes any input from the congregation. 3:2 & Titus 1:5) as a comprehensive term looking at his integrity and reputation. Dont expect your shepherds to be wise in the world. Neither is the church viewed as a democratic organization, where the members are free to vote their own minds on issues. The word shepherd is the same as pastor. The work of pastoring is shared by the elders. If anyone has observed the behavior of sheep who are left unguided, without the care and constant supervision of a shepherd, he is aware that sheep tend to move willy-nilly in all directions without any order to their movement. Shepherd-elders and the sheep are to have a mutual accountability with one another (1 Thessalonians 5:12;1 Timothy 5:20;Hebrews 13:17). Christian officer in genitive case charge of a church. Multiple sources told Jiminez that they observed McKinney and Shepard having sex with each other. They two men drank a couple of pitchers of beer, then decided to move on. Even though we are affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association, we have people here from a number of different church backgrounds. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church [ a]of God which He purchased with His own blood. This means that the elder who is supported as the teaching pastor (1 Tim. In an interview on ABCs 20/20, McKinney said he was not sure why he continued to strike Shepard. 5:17.) , his own, is used without a substantive in John 1:11. And he was out of drugs. How are the elders selected? He drank and used drugs heavily. I understand that our new church constitution will allow for the elders serving terms, as is currently the case for our deacons. So was it a hate crimeor was it something entirely different, a crime that was all about drugs and money? 4:11-16). Dwelling on Truth, Not Lies - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - June 28. We are here demanded today that all police chases in Akron, Ohio and abroad ends today. Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. It also may be that one elder, especially the one supported to preach and teach (1 Tim. Therefore, shepherds in the church must remember that they are under-shepherds to the flock under the supreme headship of the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). Resource by John Piper Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4 Topic: Biblical Eldership Subscribe Apple Spotify To the Shepard family, it was most definitely a hate crime. He pumped gas, enjoyed working on his old Corvair, and played soccer. Acts 20:28-29 "Now it's up to you. Be on your toesboth for yourselves Leaders must also subject themselves to their own instructions and teaching. He said he is in no way homophobic. All rights reserved. 5:1-5.) Matthew Shepard was born on December 1, 1976, in Casper Wyoming. Instead of watching over the sheep, they feed on the sheep and destroy them. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Ecclesiology (The Church), Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. Additionally, congregations must care for their shepherd-pastors as one of their own. His largest regret is the effect his actions had on the life of Russell Henderson. Acts 20:28 CLA LIT CAT . God Himself is often pictured as a shepherd of His people who brings delight to His sheep: Psalm 100. Be true shepherds over all the flock and feed them well. The New Testament rebukes the believer who is satisfied with milk and flees from serious learning of the things of God by avoiding the difficult digestion of the meat of the Word of God. The groups that attended called for the U.S. Department of Justice open an investigation into the police department. Interestingly, when asked about how the events in the Fireside began to unfold, McKinneyin what appears to be a slip-up in his storytold the detective, We were meeting in the bar. McKinney said he became angry when Shepard grabbed his leg as the men drove through town. In Romans 11:11-24, the apostle Paul compares the people of Israel to the natural branches of a cultivated olive tree and the Gentiles to the . To shepherd, tend, herd; hence: I rule, govern. He became HIV positive. During the jury selection process, Skaggs told potential jurors the case was about the life and potential death of a human being; the lifestyle of any one individual is irrelevant. He said the case is not about haterather the more mundane motive of a robbery. He asked jurors to give his client a fair shot. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha told jurors that under the Wyoming Constitution, all peoplewhether straight or gayare equal. Its possible that Matthews early sexual abuse had something to do with his history of depression, excessive alcohol consumption, and drug use. The Matthew Shepard Murder (McKinney and Henderson) Trials (1999) A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. The church is a living organism in which every member is to be submissive and responsive to the Head and in mutual dependence and interaction with the other members so that the will of the Head may be carried out in a harmonious corporate manner. In Denver, Shepard became addicted to a mix of prescription and street drugs. A friend of McKinneys confirmed that fact, describing the meth and cocaine binge as a hard core bender. By October 5, McKinney reached the end of his supply. Paul goes to Macedonia, and thence to Troas. But what does it mean to be a shepherd over theflock? Still in sight of homes, in a field of sagebrush and prairie grass by a rail fence, they stopped. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? How Can Christians Know if They're Trapped in Culture Wars? What are some practical differences between church politics and biblical church government? To prevent these problems, we need to answer from the Bible, Who is in charge of the church?. Twenty-one years after beating Shepard into . What about his clients? Sam Shepard: Where - and why - did he live in Kentucky? - USA TODAY Deacons should seek to help, aid, and be of service to pastors (lead ministers) by functioning as ministry leaders who meet the needs of the church. In Acts 20:28, Paul tells the Ephesian elders that they are among the sheep. You should be taking advantage of every opportunity to serve Gods people, building caring relationships with others with the goal of seeing them become mature in the faith. Thus rather than voting for elders at our annual meeting, we should view it as confirming these men as meeting the biblical qualifications. This humility, for Paul, was a pastoral strength that had been sheathed in the scabbard of meekness. Shortly after I came here, I had lunch with a denominational executive who advised me, Youve got to build your power base as a new pastor in a church. I didnt reply, but I thought to myself, Im sorry, but Im not into building a power base. If you operate that way, youre simply trying to manage and manipulate a bunch of self-willed people expressing their wishes through majority rule. A church that has a mutual affection for her leaders is a blessed union. Mark 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. Never in the New Testament are the leaders of the local church referred to as head of the church. Feed and shepherd God's flockhis church, purchased with his own bloodover which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. Where are we? For her own safety, she was kept hidden at a location outside Wyoming for almost a year before the trial. The Church is also described in our Fundamental Belief "17. 5:12; Heb. 5:4). The Church is not a denomination, a human organization or a building but the people God is working with in any age. Feeding with the balanced diet of the Word of God is a central function of the churchs shepherds (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9;1 Thessalonians 2:13). Consistently, brothers. Skaggs might well have had better luck with a jury. What Is Baptism? I was pushed past my pointmy tolerance. He said his financial situation and drugs I was on made the violence a lot worse. McKinney said that the beating was like an out-of-body experience, surreal, that he felt like he was watching the whole thing. McKinney claimed, I never meant to kill him.. But if the members are living daily in submission to the living Head and seeking to obey His Word, then when they come together to take care of business, they are denying self and reverently seeking what the Lord is saying to His church corporately. Shepherding involves serving, humility, tears, trials, courage, declaring everything in Scripture, public teaching, house-to-house teaching, testifying to repentance and faith in Christ, preaching the kingdom, and declaring the whole purpose of God to the flock. He dropped classes the next semester in order to undergo treatment for depression in Raleigh. The prosecution case did not include many surprises. I think even Fletch was on to something when he was asked, What do you do for a living? and he replied, Im a shepherd. The Bible says that church leaders are shepherds (Acts 20:28;1 Peter 5:1-2; cf.
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