After all, as followers of the old gods, there was never a cooperative relationship in those days. The gods might have cooperated, but there was more competition over followers, resources, and other aspects.
In that era, humans were just blood food and resources in the eyes of the gods. Each sect was more like the gods'… shepherds.
They called followers "lambs," and naturally, the clergy of the sect were the shepherds; they shepherded faith for the gods and drove the herds, ultimately sharing some leftovers when the gods consumed their blood food.
As for the church? As the new god replacing the old faith, the church never claimed to be shepherds nor called their followers lambs.
All followers are the people of the All-Father, entities protected by the All-Father, while the clergy of the church are merely executors of the All-Father's will, guardians protecting his people.
