Pastoral Ministry

Under-shepherd's Shepherd

The True Shepherd superintends His work through His under-shepherds—While Christ is the minister in the sanctuary above, He is also, through His delegates, the minister of His church on earth. He speaks to the people through chosen men, and carries forward His work through them, as when, in the days of His humiliation, He moved visibly upon the earth. Although centuries have passed, the lapse of time has not changed His parting promise to His disciples. “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” From Christ's ascension to the present day, men ordained of God, deriving their authority from Him, have become teachers of the faith. Christ, the True Shepherd, superintends His work through the instrumentality of these under-shepherds. Thus the position of those who labor in word and doctrine becomes very important. In Christ's stead they beseech the people to be reconciled to God.—Testimonies for the Church 4:493. PaM 286.4