Sheep rustling is the act of a shepherd luring away sheep who have not been given to him, treating a large flock as a source of wealth, status, and influence rather than caring for the health of the sheep. Some in the church of God entice sheep to leave their current shepherd with promises of belonging to something big, protection in the Tribulation, and the privilege of supporting an especially qualified shepherd, instead of offering good food, clean water, peace, and protection. Such appeals reveal a carnal focus. Scripture warns shepherds repeatedly, as in Job 24:2 and Ezekiel 34, and Ephesians 4:12-13 shows that God's emphasis is on spiritual health and maturity, not quantity. Because God is calling only a limited number right now, the question is who assigns sheep to shepherds. All the sheep belong to the Chief Shepherd, who loses none of those the Father gave Him (John 17:12; 18:9), and those who hear His voice follow Him (John 10:27), including to whichever human shepherd He knows best suits their needs. Sheep given to a shepherd need no luring, and luring away those not given is rustling, a hanging offense in the Old West. Abraham models the opposite: when strife arose between his herdsmen and Lot's, he did not entice Lot's sheep or assume all should be his, but let Lot choose land first. He trusted God's sovereignty and provision rather than seeking more sheep or better land, and this was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Shepherds sometimes become suspicious and contemptuous of other shepherds. They may engage in turf-wars and sheep-rustling. Such actions incite further unrest among the sheep. Sheep that have suffered abuse or neglect at the hand of a hireling or derelict shepherd are less inclined to trust other shepherds. As a result, peace becomes the casualty.