Why Are Pastors Called Shepherds?

On the Straight Truth Podcast this week, Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell continue their discussion on the role of a pastor. Previously podcasts covered what a pastor does in his teaching and preaching role and how it is that a man is gifted and evaluated for the position of elder/pastor. This week their discussion will focus on the role of the pastor as shepherd. Dr. Caldwell has written a book titled Pastoral Preaching. In the book, he hones in on the role of the pastor as a shepherd, and he intently focuses on what the task of shepherding entails. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to talk about this a bit and to help us understand why a pastor is a shepherd and what it communicates to the Church. Dr. Philpot has additional questions he asks throughout the dialogue. His last question for Dr. Caldwell pertains to losing touch with what a shepherd really is since many have never had experience with or seen the visual analogy of shepherding. Is this important? If so, how has it affected the Church and the Lord's people?