Is your church led by a committee or the pastor?

I've always been in Churches that the current Pastor did not start the Church but the Church was still Pastor led. I've been uncomfortable with the idea of committee led churches because I don't see this anywhere in the Bible. Oh I think that the Deacons Board may assume authority as Church Leaders in the absence or transition to a new Pastor, but once the Church hires that Pastor then those Deacons come under the authority of the Pastor and stop 'leading the Church'.
I have been in Churches that had organized committees such as a Missions or Outreach committees that focused on their specific area of interest but they were not Church Leaders more like information facilitators and subject matter experts and help advise the Pastor/Leadership on decisions for their specific area.
I guess I could handle these committees but personally I frown upon the establishment of committees for the "exclusionary" attitude of it all, but if a balance is made due to the since of the ministry then these committees can be a big help to the Church Leadership.

 

I don't know that they make a "stand" out of it, but GARB churches tend to be deacon-run.....at least in my experiences.

ALso, IFB churches tend to really take a stand on Pastoral leadership.

 

In our church, although we have a few committees, they only work their area, and under the guidence of the pastor, the pastor is in charge of the church.

 

The answer would be neither according to traditional Baptist distinctives. The church is congregational.

(Under God's guidance, of course.)

Karen

 

Karen I agree and sit corrected thank you for highlighting this uniqueness of us Baptist. I meant to answer in the Pastor -vs- Deacon being in charge only and not in the historical sense.

Karen is right in looking at our historical Baptist Distincitive. This specific distinctive is the membership of our Church and our politics of the Church. Often people want to quote the other Baptist Distinctive about the Two Offices: Pastor and Deacon and claim that this is the leadership of the Church and while each have a role in leadership they are not to "lord over the church" but to "shepherd the flock". We Baptist distinctly give equal voting rights to all active members so even though the Pastor and/or Deacons may be the primary vocal leaders, all members have the vote for matters of the Church.

Here is a well written article that says it much better than I can. Baptist Distinctive

While I think that the flock need to listen and obey the shepherd (or rather undershepherd since Christ is the Shepherd ) This shepherd is not to be a dictator and is not to be led by the assistant herdsmen (Deacons). How's that? More clarifing?!

 

Personally I think it should be elder led with one of the elders being the pastor. I don't know that there is much scripture to support any view.

I think the problem in most Baptist churches is there is no difference between elder functions and deacon functions. Elders should do more of the leading while deacons should do the serving.

The problem I see with pastor led churches is they become a dictatorship. The pastor runs the show and has little accountability. It also assumes God directs the pastor but not the rest of the congregation.

Then again I'm not real sure how we do church today is entirely biblical anyway.

 

Ummm... Ditto.

 

My church is pastor started. We are a break off church of another baptist church. The pastor left and asked no one to follow him but the children's church leader. She did so. But, about 1/2 the church followed him to our new church. We currently meet in a gymnasium of a Chrsitian school. We've been establish for about 16 months now. It is strictly pastor led.

 

We are pastor-led, with a supporting cast of 32 deacons. Our pastor can sometimes want to do it all, but the deacons haul him back in. Otherwise, he'd exhaust himself.

BTW, grasshopper, the pastor is the Elder in many SBC churches. In some, he is supported by a Church Board chosen by him, of perhaps 3 members who voluntarily serve. In others, by deacons.