Benjamin L. Merkle and Thomas R. Schreiner, New Testament scholars at Southeastern and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, respectively, grant up front that this work is written by contributors who are confessional Baptists, and thus "are convinced that the Baptist understanding of church government comports with the Scriptures". With that in mind, the first four chapters highlight the biblical notions of "elder" and "shepherd" in an attempt to offer a systematic view of church leadership. After these opening chapters on biblical theology, the next four chapters highlight historical considerations of both competing and Baptist views of leadership and polity. The remaining essays offer particular images of what pastoral "shepherding" look like in constructing a systematic pastoral theology.
As with any collection, certain chapters are better than others. The biblical material in chapters 1-4 is quite strong. Chapter 10, "Putting It All Together: A Theology of Church Leadership" is the strongest in the entire collection.
All in all, Shepherding God's Flock is an apologetic for a polity that is plural elder-led, deacon-served, and congregationally-governed. And that's its greatest weakness. I was hard-pressed to find anything insightful. Each chapter revisits the exegesis of the others, with little real historical logic for why we should read "pastor", "elder" and "overseer" as synonymous.
Shepherding God's Flock is a good overview of an essential biblical image of pastoral identity. And I'm sure to use it in introductory ministry courses.
But it will also require supplementing material. Like that from Will Willimon's Pastor or Thomas Oden's Pastoral Theology.
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I received a free copy of this book from Kregel Ministry Books in exchange for my honest review here.