Graze My Sheep
A Reflection for Wildfire Mission Leaders
“Do you love me?”
It is difficult to imagine a more vulnerable question, especially considering the circumstances leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion (that is - Peter straight up denying that he even knew Jesus, not once, or twice, but three whole times!).
Those denials happened on a dark night, beside a fire. Now, in the light of day, beside another fire, Jesus asks three questions of Peter that echo through time to us, his still imperfect followers:
“Do you love me?”
And with each answer comes the same invitation:
“Graze my sheep.”
Most English translations flatten the moment into modern ministry language:
“Feed my sheep.”
That phrase often lands in our ears with an image foreign to the first century shepherding context - we more than likely imagine the metaphor to involve a caring shepherd aware that the sheep need nourishment, and going to get food for them and putting some grain in a trough. Because of this we apply the metaphor to a certain kind of content distribution. Sermons. Information. Religious consumption. We imagine a pastor spoon-feeding spiritual truth to passive listeners, hoping that maybe they’ll be good soil and put the word into action. The shepherd becomes a religious producer, and the church becomes dependent consumers waiting for the next delivery.
But that’s not how sheep are nourished. Not at all, actually. Grazing is different.
Grazing requires pasture.
A shepherd does not provide the food source in the sense that they bring the food to the sheep. Rather, they bring the sheep to the food and ensure safety while grazing. The shepherd guides sheep into a safe environment where they can feed themselves on what God has already grown.
That distinction changes everything.
A sheep was designed to slowly consume raw grass, to ruminate deeply, to process nourishment over time. Sheep are not meant to survive primarily on processed grain, disconnected from the original source of growth. In fact, too much processed feed creates sickness. Their stomachs were designed for grazing.
Maybe disciples were created to do the same.
Many modern ministry models unintentionally produce spiritually unhealthy people. Leaders are expected to continually manufacture processed spiritual products rather than cultivate environments where people encounter Jesus directly through Scripture, prayer, obedience, relationships, and the Holy Spirit.
The result is often overworked leaders and under-formed disciples.
This is why Ezekiel 34 matters so much. There, we see God describe how he personally would shepherd the flock.
I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
- Ezekiel 34:14-16 (NIV)
What if the central task of a Wildfire leader is not to become impressive spiritual content creators, but cultivators of healthy pasture?
What if leadership looks more like:
creating environments of peace,
helping people hear God for themselves,
slowing down enough for Scripture meditation,
building reconciled relationships,
protecting spaces of vulnerability,
resisting performance,
and modeling dependent intimacy with Jesus, the good shepherd of all - then only true pastor!
This model also reframes what success means.
If the shepherd becomes the source, then the system can only grow through greater production, charisma, and dependency. But if the shepherd cultivates pasture, then the sheep themselves learn how to abide in Christ. They become resilient. Reproductive. Discerning. Rooted.
Not addicted to religion.
Not dependent on personalities.
Not spiritually fragile when the leader is absent.
They learn to graze.
This may be one of the great recoveries needed in the church of our time.
Not better branding.
Not larger platforms.
Not more polished feeding systems.
Pasture.
Safe places where people can slowly and honestly and consistently encounter the living Christ together.
Maybe this is why Jesus restored Peter before assigning him.
Because wounded shepherds are often tempted to either neglect or control sheep rather than trust God with them.
Fearful leaders create dependent systems.
Loving leaders - who trust the Good Shepherd - create pasture.
And the invitation remains:
Do you love me?
Then graze my sheep.
While Ezekiel 34 describes how God would shepherd from God’s perspective, we can turn to Psalm 23 for a sheep’s perspective on how the Good Shepherd leads. That’s the model offered to us to learn from and follow. This is how it should feel for anyone we lead or ‘pastor’.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This kind of leadership restores the soul, sets tables in the presence of enemies, and exists as mercy and faithful presence in the lives of those we lead.
Any honest look at the good shepherd invites opportunity for deep conviction it does for me at least). I’m tempted to only see the ways I’ve blown it or don’t do it right. A reflection like this ought to prompt us to ask some pretty fundamental questions about what it means to serve as a christian leader or pastor. We need to discuss with our teams and with each other what it means to practically apply this metaphor in our concrete contexts of relationships and community. Comment if you have any practical ideas or concepts that you have tried or want to try that seem to reflect faithfulness to this word.
When you get lost, discouraged, or feel like you’ve failed as a leader - Remember the one question that matters, and try to behold the eyes of the One who asks…
Do YOU love me?
If the answer is an honest yes, then follow Him. He will lead you (and anyone following you) into pasture for nourishment, through valleys with faithful protection, and into his abiding presence forever.
That’s pretty much it.
Sincerely,
Taylor Rogers