OUR PASTORS

In order to fully appreciate the pastoral ministry of Shepherd's Fellowship, it is important for us to first look at what the New Testament itself says about the ministry of pastors/elders/overseers. First, we will provide a brief explanation of the different biblical words used to refer to the pastoral office and then show that the standard for the pastorate is plural, is equal, has diversity, and should manifest leadership amongst equals. Secondly, we will provide a bio of each of our pastors so that you can gain familiarity with their background and their passion for the gospel ministry.

I. The Different Biblical Terms used for the New Testament Pastorate:

The pastors of the local church of the NT were commonly referred to by three different terms to refer to this one office:

A. "Elder" - Greek word - "presbuteros" - This term was primarily a word that related well to Hebrew Christians and was the word used as the church began and developed. This word emphasizes who the man is: character and maturity.

B. "Overseer" - Greek word - "episkopos" - This term refers primarily to what the man does (Function). He is a spiritual overseer of the congregation.

C. "Pastor/Shepherd" - Greek word - "poimen" - This term refers to the nuturing role of the office (Heart attitude). He is to nuture, feed, and protect the flock.

These three Greek words are used interchangeably in 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9 and 1 Pet. 5:1-4 to refer to the one office of pastor-shepherd/elder/overseer.

II. The Plurality of Pastors/Elders/Overseers:

We see that the New Testament teaches that each local church had a plurality of elders as the norm (Acts 14:23; 20:17; 20:28; Phil. 1:1; Jas. 5:14; 1 Thess. 5:12; Heb. 13:17). Thus, God has designed the church to function under the government and leadership of a plurality of qualified men.

III. The Equality of Pastors/Elders/Overseers:

All who are set apart for the office of Elder have equality. There is no hint of more authority for some elders over other elders. No one elder or group of elders is to have more "say so" than another. There is no formal authority structure or hierarchy within the body of elders. However, this does not mean that all will be equally gifted. There should be a diversity in the eldership.

IV. The Diversity of Pastors/Elders/Overseers:

Equality does not mean that all elders are equal in gifts and spiritual influence. It does not mean that each elder must spend equal time behind the pulpit. It means that each man set apart for the eldership occupies one and the same office. There will be great diversity within the eldership. One elder may be better suited to preach publicly, another to one-on-one teaching, another to a small group teaching situation, another to administration, etc. All elders must be apt to teach (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:9) and must feed, guard, and care for the spiritual needs of the flock.

V. Leadership among Pastors/Elders/Overseers:

The equality of elders does not rule out the recognition of a leader among leaders (i.e., Pastor-Teacher). The 12 disciples are an example of this. They were all apostles and equal in office and authority. Yet there emerged leaders among leaders. Peter and Paul were key leaders among the apostles. Peter was called the apostle to the Jews and Paul the apostle to the Gentiles. However, there was also accountability. Leadership requires accountability. Thus, the New Testament presents a situation where each individual local church had a plurality of qualified pastors who had equal authority but differing gifts. Now, you have the opportunity to read a short description of the ministry and passion of our pastors.

Dustin S. Segers

     Dustin is married to his beautiful wife of 14 years (as of 2011) Erin, and they reside with their three daughters in High Point, NC. Being saved by God’s grace out of skepticism and atheism in late 1994, Dustin had an insatiable desire to study the Scriptures. After completing college in 1999, God gave Dustin a burning desire to preach and teach His Word. After several years of service as a Sunday School Teacher and Youth Leader, Dustin then served as the pastor of a small, non-denominational Church in Salisbury, NC. Being convinced that the Scriptures clearly teach the doctrines of grace, Dustin prayed that the Holy Spirit would reveal these truths to the congregation in Salisbury through faithful and persistent expository preaching and teaching from the Word of God regarding God’s free and sovereign electing grace in salvation. After a few months of teaching and preaching with an emphasis on God’s free grace, many in the congregation came to an understanding of these Biblical truths, but many did not. Several members of the church in Salisbury were not content with the teachings they were receiving, and rather than create an unpleasant church split situation, Dustin agreed that it would be in the best interest of the congregation that he resign his pastoral duties and return to High Point, NC to possibly plant a new congregation in the Piedmont-Triad area.
     Thus, in late December 2002, Dustin resigned the pastorate in Salisbury and he and his wife Erin began praying fervently that God would bring families into their lives that had a strong desire to see a church planted in the Piedmont-Triad area that held firmly to the necessity of expository preaching and teaching of the Word of God with a strong emphasis on the five solas of the Protestant Reformation and God’s sovereign grace. God granted that prayer, and with a renewed enthusiasm to plant a church in the Triad that is committed to the aforementioned truths of Scripture, Dustin and his wife plan to faithfully and passionately carry out that which the Lord has created them to do.

Sterling J VanDerwerker

     Sterling VanDerwerker is husband to Bronwyn and father of two girls, Alison and Andrea. Married as believers in 1983 , the VanDerwerkers have served their Lord and Savior together for 23 years. Sterling was saved in 1978 after exposure to God's written Word and confessed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord during a Word of Faith Television Broadcast. The Holy Spirit provided sound teaching at a local Baptist Church in which he was baptized shortly thereafter. Teaching has been an obvious equipping gift in his life from early on. The disciplines of teaching God's Word paid a handsome reward in the life of Sterling and continued as the couple had their first child, made a move to Charlotte, and then on to Greensboro, where they have resided since 1991.
     The VanDerwerkers left a local Southern Baptist Church in 2004 searching for a church home without the pragmatic, market driven paradigm that infects the body of Jesus Christ today. Being a Reformed thinker and teacher, the VanDerwerker's search for a church home became quickly frustrating as they observed watered down teaching and pragmatism. Providentially, the VanDerwerkers met Pastor Dustin Segers and family and immediately found similar interest in sound expository Bible teaching. That meeting eventually led to the formation of Shepherd's Fellowship of Greensboro. Sterling was appointed in the spring of 2006 as an Elder and teaching pastor.