Pastors....Too much power?

[SeekingTruth]

"Seeking the truth" seems anxious about the topic. I have friends that attend a fundamental church and we have attended as well. My reason for starting the topic was that our friends seem concerned with this issue. I was curious if this was a real problem, thats all. I hope we don't have censorship like the Chineese or Russians on this topic, whoever posts it, because someone feels uncomfortable about the topic. I believe in open dialogue within reason. Too many Christians want to sweep the truth under the rug. "Seeking the Truth" should seek the truth.

I am not the one who violated the Board rules. You say you are Pentecostal. Perhaps you should seek the truth and be honest where you post. Since you are not Baptist, don't post in a Baptist Only thread.:tear:

 

[Darron Steele]

Shinninglight, Maybe in your Pentecostal Church the pastors have too much authority. It is not so in the Fellowship Baptist Churches. If the deacons choose, they can call for our demise any time. The deacons are chosen by the membership and not selected by the pastor...

It is very common in Pentecostal circles for the monarchial pastor to claim and be granted too much authority.

They will even claim it, and be granted it, outside the confines of congregational life.

My understandings is that in some Baptist congregations, the monarchial pastor claims similar levels of authority. In others -- I dare say most -- s/he neither claims nor is granted inordinate amounts of authority or primacy.

 

[billwald]

In many denominations it is traditional or least acceptable for the pastor/leader to pragmatically own his ministry. Two obvious examples are Billy Graham and Whatshisname in the Crystal (Palace).

 

[eightball]

By the way, I thought that the elders of the church would be the first to monitor the teaching elder/pastor?

Deacons are defined in the N.T. as taking more of the servants role in keeping the church running smoothly, and fullfilling it's commission and also meeting the needs of the body.

I do realize that every member of the body has a responsibility to talk to their brother in Christ if they think their brother or sister is straying from scriptural teaching.

Sadly, in the case of a pastor going off-beam, most church members are intimidated by the pastor's stature/influence that he exerts with the congregation as a whole.

Also, sadly, many pastors will basically, smile, hear your concerns, and then drop it in the dead card file, or start to avoid conversing with you.

I've seen it too many times where church leadership recedes into a "bunker" mentality, instead of a attempting to maintain transparency.

Yes, pastors do sin, as all Christians do, but they are held to a high standard, as teachers to the flock. That's why when a pastor/teacher falls, it makes a loud thud, compared to one who is in the pews, and drifts away from scriptural tenents in their life.

Also the falling of a pastor/teacher if it is do to his sin catching up with him, does have a cleansing affect on the body of Christ. Many realize that they have been puting too much confidence in the teacher, and not enough in God. When their favorite pastor falls many Christians fall into dispair, adn disappointment. God has just reminded us that man is fallible, but He/God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

 

[shinninglight]

Eightball, I couldn't agree with you more. You state,

"I've seen it too many times where church leadership recedes into a "bunker" mentality, instead of a attempting to maintain transparency."

This is so true in the Pentecostal and especially in the fundamental Baptist churches.

You also state," Yes, pastors do sin, as all Christians do, but they are held to a high standard, as teachers to the flock. That's why when a pastor/teacher falls, it makes a loud thud, compared to one who is in the pews, and drifts away from scriptural tenents in their life."

Our friends who a attend a fundamental Baptist church in Canada and who just lost a pastor are now having to deal with the possible facts of sinful acts by the pastor. Its a real sad story.

Finally you state," Many realize that they have been puting too much confidence in the teacher, and not enough in God."

How true it is when congregants raise a pastor to that of a pope and forget the word of god. How many times have we seen members worship a pastor to the point he is infallible? Another sad fact of believers.

 

[Eric B]

The NT Church was not any kind of power base at all.
A group of friends met, usually in a home, someone hosted, of course, someone or another taught them, others "shepherded" either them or oversaw various groups, and they supported apostles and evangelists (not stationary hired "professionals" who then decided to go on "missionry trips" or "speaking engagements"; regular "conferences", etc). And then the guilt games when congregations are perceived as not paying enough. Ending in the person threatening to leave for "greener pasteurs".

All of this today is patterned after secular business and government. It's just easier to "run things" that way; because we're so used to it.

 

[shinninglight]

Eric B states, " not stationary hired "professionals" who then decided to go on "missionry trips" or "speaking engagements"; regular "conferences", etc). And then the guilt games when congregations are perceived as not paying enough. Ending in the person threatening to leave for "greener pasteurs"."


How so very true. How many pastors put the guilt trip for tithing and missions. Some pastors who sit on missions boards also have their pension fund contributions from the mission board tied to the amounts given by their local church. A big conflict of Interest. The more your church gives the bigger the pension.

 

[DHK]

Eightball, I couldn't agree with you more. You state,

"I've seen it too many times where church leadership recedes into a "bunker" mentality, instead of a attempting to maintain transparency."

This is so true in the Pentecostal and especially in the fundamental Baptist churches.

How would you know. You are a hypocrite.
You have never been in a fundamental Baptist Church according to your own testimony. That is not much of an authority is it.
Speak for yourself not for others.

 

[donnA]

not sure that abusive pastors with too much power and authority are limited to fundamentalist churches, I know locally most of the very worst will be found in pentecostal or some sort of charismatic church. And yes I've been in them.