Of Visitors, Floaters, and Members of the Flock

by Terry Wane Benton

I Peter 5:1f shows an elder-flock relationship. The elders know how many people are in the flock and who is just a visitor and who is an uncommitted floater. This verse attests to the autonomy or independence of the local church. It also implies that a local church is a flock.

The shepherds know the exact number they are responsible for overseeing. The implication of joining the local band or flock of disciples in Acts 9:26 shows that there must be a declared commitment to a local group to: 1) Be responsible toward a local flock, and 2) Be counted as one to whom the flock holds common responsibility.

It is not right to be a floater who never commits to a local flock. This also shows that local churches were not Christians who accidentally bumped into each other from time to time, but that they purposely formed themselves into a local flock with order, organization, and common commitment.
When possible, they appointed men to oversee the flock and recognized and submitted to their care and oversight. The mutual commitment is to the elders “among you,” not to elders in another city or flock. Christians did not just “show up” at a place, and that alone constituted local flock membership. When Paul “showed up” at Jerusalem, he was not automatically accepted as a member.

One must declare intentions and desires, and then be accepted. It requires communication, mutual understanding, and agreement. Visitors are not members of the flock we are among. They are welcome and encouraging, but they are not the responsibility of the shepherds or the flock. They are visitors until an understanding and commitment are made. At some point, a regular visitor needs to communicate their desire to be counted as members of the flock.

Don't be a non-committed visitor. Be a member of a faithful group of disciples! Be a “one another” oriented faithful disciple of Jesus Christ!