In this great session from Andrew Heard with the FIEC in the UK, he pulls apart the way we sentimentalise biblical metaphors for church and ministry.
We think shepherd/pastor involves a gentle, cuddly, counselling model of ministry. But in the Bible the shepherd was the ruler, leader, protector of his flock.
And we think the family metaphor implies the small, casual, informal Western nuclear family of a couple with 2 kids. But what of the family with 9 children? Such a family needs to be highly regimented and organised, with good routines and delegation in place. And yet it is not somehow less a family for that.
via Blog - Christian Reflections http://thegenevapush.com/blogs/xian_reflections/dont-sentimentalise-biblical-metaphors-for-church-and-ministry (NB: to comment go to thegenevapush.com/xian_reflections)
