Bert Newton unpacks John 10:1-16, a passage with images that are difficult to understand. But a history of shepherds in the Old Testament, and in the ancient Mediterranean world, where brutal political leaders were called shepherds — sheds light on our image of the shepherd.

Bert asks, “How do we become shepherds in a society where often our official shepherds are much like the hired hands that Jesus describes?” This is what community organizing seeks to do. It’s a framework by which we activate each other as shepherds: leaders in the community who have a voice.

So what do shepherds do? They organize sheep. And in organizing theory we are all both shepherds and sheep.

Together, organized and using our diversity of gifts and talents, we can move mountains. We are not alone in our struggle to establish God’s justice, we not only have each other, we have other faith communities and community groups and organizations that we can organize with to move mountains.

Hear more in audio below.