As a Gospel Advancing leader, you often spend more time pouring into students than getting poured into yourself. To refuel your soul, dive into part 5 of a Gospel Advancing devotional series exploring the apostle Peter’s first letter to the early Church. (Click to go back and read parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.)
You spend a lot of time caring for students, talking to parents, recruiting volunteers, and equipping leaders. Sometimes ministry feels like a never-ending checklist of responsibilities. That’s why it’s important to remember who ultimately carries the weight of the flock.
Peter continues his first letter by speaking directly to leaders, reminding them what faithful ministry looks like and who they serve.
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
The Flock Isn’t Yours
One of the quickest ways to wear yourself out is to carry responsibilities that belong only to God.
Whether it’s students drifting, volunteers leaving, or conflict with parents, our ministry plans don’t always work out. It’s tempting to feel personally responsible for every outcome.
Peter reminds leaders of something important: We’re shepherds, but we’re not the Chief Shepherd. The flock belongs to God.
This changes how we lead, because we understand that ministry is something we’ve been entrusted to steward. A steward doesn’t possess what has been entrusted to him but faithfully cares for it on behalf of its owner.
That perspective brings both responsibility and freedom. Responsibility because the people under our care matter deeply to God. Freedom because their ultimate well-being doesn’t depend on us.
Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.’
Only Jesus can save, sustain, and transform people. Our task is to help people follow Him.
Leadership People Can Follow
Peter tells leaders not to lord it over those entrusted to them but to be examples to the flock. The people we lead are always paying attention. They see how we respond to disappointment, how we treat others, and whether our private lives align with our public message.
This is especially important in Gospel Advancing ministry. We want to help people we lead become disciples who trust Christ, share the Gospel, and invest in others. That kind of culture is built through your example.
This is what Scripture clearly teaches in the examples of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others. We’ve seen this in our time too! In 2025, Dare 2 Share commissioned research to confirm if the Gospel Advancing way of doing youth ministry works. (Spoiler alert: It does!) We found that the number-one indicator predicting if students would share their faith and make disciples was whether they had a leader who was modeling that lifestyle for them.
Dressed for Ministry
Peter then expands his focus from leaders to everyone in the church:
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’
Clothing is one of the first things people notice about us. Peter uses that image to describe humility because it should characterize the way believers interact with one another.
Humility begins with a right view of God and a right view of ourselves. It recognizes that every gift, every opportunity, and every bit of Kingdom fruit ultimately comes from Him. Rather than drawing attention to ourselves, humility directs attention back to the God who provides and sustains all things.
This kind of humility changes the way we lead. It keeps us teachable when correction comes, helps us celebrate what God is doing through other people, and allows us to approach ministry with open hands.
Peter knew the value of humility firsthand. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter was certain of his own faithfulness. Then just a few hours later, he denied even knowing Jesus. Yet Peter’s failure was not the end of his story. Jesus restored him, strengthened him, and entrusted him with caring for His people.
Perhaps that’s why Peter writes about humility with such conviction. He had learned that God’s grace is most clearly seen in people who know they need it.
For those of us serving in ministry, humility is a daily reminder that Jesus is the Savior and we are His servants. The more aware we are of our dependence on Him, the more room there is for His strength to be displayed through us.
Lifted by the Right Hands
Peter closes this section with a promise:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.
Most of us would prefer God’s timing to move a little faster. We pray for guidance and for fruit from our ministry, and hope for instant results.
But Peter calls us to place ourselves under God’s mighty hand. This is an act of trust. We have to believe God is at work when we can’t see immediate results and remember that He’s shaping our hearts while He carries out His plans.
That perspective is especially important for Gospel Advancing leaders. We all want to see students reached, disciples multiplied, and ministries flourishing. Those desires honor God, but the work has always belonged to Him. As we serve under the leadership of the Chief Shepherd, we can trust that He sees every conversation, every prayer, every act of obedience, and every investment we make in others. Nothing done for Christ is wasted. One day, the Chief Shepherd will return. And when He does, the approval that matters most will come from Him.
That’s the promise Peter wants us to remember as we serve, lead, and wait on God’s timing.
Reflect on these questions this week:
- Are you carrying responsibilities that should be left to the Chief Shepherd?
- What are the people in your ministry learning from your example right now?
- How would your ministry change if you fully embraced the reality that the flock belongs to God?
