The Chief Shepherd
Renewing Your Mind
Ligonier Ministries
4.8 • 4.9K Ratings
🗓️ 1 July 2025
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Pastors are called to shepherd the flock of God. Their character must reflect the humility of Christ, the Chief Shepherd, who laid down His life for His people. Today, Derek Thomas considers the responsibilities of church leaders.
Request Derek Thomas’ teaching series The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Guided Tour on DVD, plus lifetime digital access to all 19 video messages and the study guide, with your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4159/donate
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Meet Today’s Teacher:
Derek Thomas is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.
Meet the Host:
Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast.
Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The chief characteristic of a shepherd, a Jesus-like shepherd, is humility, |
| 0:07.8 | humility, willing to deny yourself for the sake of others. |
| 0:15.5 | Jesus made the great promise, I will build my church. |
| 0:22.4 | The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. |
| 0:25.4 | But who is this church builder, the chief shepherd? |
| 0:28.3 | And what can we learn from Peter's exhortation in 1st Peter 5 for elders to shepherd the flock of God? |
| 0:35.8 | This is the Tuesday edition of Renewing Your Mind, |
| 0:39.0 | and we're spending a week featuring messages from Ligeneer Ministries' 2025 National Conference. |
| 0:45.4 | Today, you'll hear from Ligeneer Teaching Fellow, Derek Thomas. |
| 0:49.3 | In his conference message, he will mention John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, |
| 0:53.6 | and today only we'll send you Dr. Thomas'yan's The Pilgrim's Progress, and today only, we'll send |
| 0:55.8 | you Dr. Thomas's series on the Pilgrim's Progress and unlock the study guide for you when you give a donation |
| 1:01.8 | of any amount at renewingyourmind.org before midnight tonight. Be quick as each day we have a new |
| 1:09.4 | conference speaker and a new resource offer. |
| 1:12.5 | Thank you for supporting renewing your mind. |
| 1:16.0 | Well recorded at Ligonier's National Conference in April, here's Dr. Thomas on the Chief Shepherd. |
| 1:24.4 | Turn with me to 1 Peter 5 and verses 1 through 4. |
| 1:29.7 | I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, |
| 1:45.2 | as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed, |
| 1:53.4 | shepherd the flock of God that is among you, |
| 1:59.3 | exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would |
| 2:08.3 | have you not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, |
... |
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