And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skilful hands he led them.
Psalm 78:72

I’ve been thinking about his verse a lot recently – which first and foremost describes the character of King David (even whilst fully aware of his failings).

But I think it’s also a call to those in ministry leadership capacities.

David was skilful – and that is an exhortation to be heeded for us as individual musicians and music teams.  While steering clear of prideful perfectionism, we don’t bring sloppy, secondhand, leftovers to Jesus, for He is a king worthy of our best.(see Malachi 1)

Still, it is possible to be a virtuoso while not being a servant hearted worshipper. Our skill must not come without a shepherding heart.

It’s no accident that in Psalm 78, this maskil, that Asaph, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, chooses the word ‘shepherded’.  This is the only occurrence of this form of the word in the Old Testament.

A shepherd leads a flock, because the shepherd cares for the flock.  He does so with both the rod and the staff.  In Biblical times the rod was used to count sheep (to ensure none were lost) and to defend against attack – not to whack the sheep into line.

The staff was used to keep the sheep out of danger and close to the shepherd. If a sheep became trapped in a precarious position, or began to wander off, the shepherd would loop the curved end of the staff around the neck of the sheep and retrieve it back to safety.

What is our primary aim and goal when tasked with leading a service and a team? A family gathering or to have a really cool church experience?

When talk of ‘production value’ arises in the church, by nature of the word it implies we have a ‘product’ that needs to be of a quality our ‘consumers’ or ‘audience’ will continue to desire/support. This can drive the aspiration away from faithful gathering of the family of God to a slick presentation with no gaffes, glitches, or hiccups. It can lead to a pursuit of perfectionism.

And the pursuit of perfectionism is normally bereft of patience, compassion, and care.  It sees people as inter-changeable pieces, rather than part of the Body. It’s a mindset that moves quickly to the practice  of “the ends justify the means” – whether that is crassly verbalised or not. A church can be a “well oiled machine” that leaves a trail of broken and discarded “cogs.”  

The machine plows ahead in sparkle and shine, seemingly “blessed” while human beings become its detritus.

But a shepherd never casts off a sheep because of inconvenience.  A Shepherd tends his flock.

David led them with integrity – or as another version translates it – a pure heart.

Today as ministry leaders we must continually submit ourselves to Christ’s examination of our hearts to purify of our motives.  
Purifying us from the pride of the applause or elevation of man.
Purifying us from using our recognition to satiate our greed.
And purity of relational thought and interactions with brothers and sisters. 

An integrity of heart that serves Christ not for our own gain, but to exalt and glorify Him. An integrity that sometimes is costlier than we’d like as he refines our character, that kills our pride and washes others’ feet.

It’s also a purity and integrity that values people above the role they might play to have ministry be more efficient (for us).

If one of the flock is in distress – overwhelmed by stage of life, experiencing sudden grief, confesses sin they are stuck in – their care with an aim of restoration and reintegration should characterise our approach, not a castigating casting off. Allowing time for healing or rest often brings the person back to even more fruitful service.  Service born of care.  This is good for both the person themself and for the Body. And it honours the Christ who had compassion on the crowds that were harassed and helpless (Matt 9:36). Our Messiah of whom Isaiah prophesied, “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Isa. 42:3). The One who brought the full expression of the ‘tender mercies’ of our God (Luke 1:78).

We must know our teams and faithfully, caringly shepherd them.

How are our hearts as we seek to lead ministry?  Do we value the position or the performance over the person? Do we value the system.. the ‘machine’… over the people? 

May it never be.

May we shepherd our teams and fellow worshippers with integrity of heart and skilful hands.