Gift of Shepherding (I Peter 5:1-4; Ephesians 4:11)

This gift is the ability to minister to an established group of people (believers) by caring for their spiritual welfare holistically on a long-term basis.

Jesus is the Good and Ultimate Shepherd of all believers. (Psalms 23:1; John 10:11, 14; I Peter 2:25)
Jesus has gifted some as under-shepherds to care for His followers. (I Peter 5:2)
This gift is concerned with serving and caring for the needs of a small group of people. (I Peter 5:2-4)
This gift is concerned with protecting the believers from attacks, both from within and from the outside. (Acts 20:29-31)
This is not a passive or docile gift but must always be alert. (Acts 20:29-31)
This gift is often combined with other gifts. (Ephesians 4:11)
This is not the dominant gift of the Senior Pastor for a large growing church.

Biblical Examples:

Acts 20:28-35 — Ephesian Elders

Possible Characteristics of this Gift:

Your prayers are often comprised of requests for the deep hurts and needs of those whom you are shepherding.
You are a people person and enjoy being around others.
You tend to build deep relationships with others and do not enjoy superficial or casual friendships for very long.
Others are attracted to you because they sense that you truly care for them.
People see you as a warm person with a real concern for the welfare of others.
You are frustrated with tasks that take you away from ministering to those around you for very long.
You can feel frustrated by those who are too involved in their own goals to care for others.
You do not feel comfortable in a tightly regimented time schedule.
When you share with others, you often focus on the relational aspects of the Christian life.
You feel inadequate to meet all the needs of those to whom you minister.
You have a great burden to protect those around you from non-Biblical influences.
You feel frustrated when relationships with others do not last long-term.
You enjoy being able to focus on a few rather than being “spread too thin.”