Shepherds and Elders

I have already touched on the Gatherer – the G in a GSE processed church start. When we begin a church using GSE, we pair an Ephesians 4:11 gifted Shepherd with the Gatherer to begin the new church. We need these two people to start a church.

The shepherd has one overriding job – to build the church’s sustainability (read health). The shepherd has many tools for this, but the first two are key:

  1. Loyalty Shift
  2. The 3/5 Focus of Church

When you read shepherd do not think pastor or seminary trained person. Think someone who has a shepherding gift, someone who cares well for people, someone sitting in your pews in your church family.

The Elder (of GSE) comes into the picture typically 1-2 years down the road. The elder can come from within the group or from another connected church family outside the new church start. The elder’s main job is to build trust, both in the church family and outside the church family in the region.

One reason we bring elders into our new churches is to bring longevity to the church. Elders do many things, and this is one thing they do very well.

Can you name some Shepherds?

How many new churches could you start with the Gatherers and Shepherds you know?

Would you like to know more about planting or revitalizing churches using the GSE process? Contact me.