Regardless of men or women, if the job of Pastor is really endangering the life and dying the death by torture as we read in the history of the True Believers churches, I wonder how many people would still pursue the job title Pastor. Why do the church people try to receive the honor one another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only? ( John 5:44)
steaver said:
I'm not even sure that employing a pastor is right. I believe Eliyahu's church has the pastor and elder issue correct and should not these men serve without burden as did Paul and work a trade for their keep as well?
God Bless!
Here is some answer about this question by William McDonald who is 97 year old but still preaching and writing books, in Sacramento, CA.
Should We Hire a Pastor?
http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/page.php?page_id=1688
The Church loved by Christ
http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/series.php?series_id=23
The most of the hireling pastors say that they are too much busy for the Lord. However, in reality they prohibit the laymen from doing the work for the Lord and often try to monopolize the work for themselves.
For example, they believe that most of the sacraments should be performed by the pastors only. So, they are busy in Baptism, in presiding the Lord Supper, preaching the sermons every week, visiting the patients at home and at hospitals etc.
They may expect some great reward from the Lord and say to the Lord, I have done this and that and was so busy while I served the Lord.
However, the Lord will tell them, when did I tell you that you should monopolize the service for me?
For example, I am not an elder, but baptize the new believers, and sometimes break the Bread for the congregation at the Lord Supper which we perform every week. I sometimes stand up and pray for the public at the worship service. Not only myself, any grown up, mature brothers at our chapel conduct the Baptism and Lord Supper. We know that we are all honorable guests purchased by the Blood of Jesus Christ and the LOrd Jesus is the Host of the Supper. No human pastor is in the service but Jesus Himself is our Pastor. We have done this way during the past 180 years but have encountered no problem at all.
We have proven this is the most effective way of preaching the Gospel even during the Soviet Russian regime, and even today we have good fellowship meetings in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran where the big churches are difficult to survive. In KUwait we have churches with more than 200 attendants. As we followed the NT teachings God has blessed us so much that we have many great believers such as J.N. Darby, CH McINtosh ( Pentateuch), David Livingstone( Africa), Hudson Taylor ( China), Erich Sauer ( Germany), George Mueller(Father of Orphans), JOseph Scrivener( What a friend have we in Jesus!), Harry Ironside, and so on.
Most of the books by them are found here:
http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/author.php
We do have full time workers ( elders) and part time workers, and tent making workers too. But the full time workers are not superior to the part time workers or to the tent making ministers. They are all equally taking the burdens. Moreover the elders may use the pulpit only for about 30% of the chances, the rest is shared by any of our grownup brothers and visitors.
Sadly many churches hire the hireling pastors and then assign all the jobs for the Lord to them, then the laymen and laywomen are sitting in the pews and just listen to them. It is quite convenient for the fast-food churches serving the fully cooked instant foods. They have no chance to nurture the Gifts of God!
Pastors do not stir up the Gifts of the believers. They may feel the growth of the Lay people endangers their positions! Because they are sitting in the seat of Jesus Christ.
More than anything else, we should remember that Jesus HATES the doctrines of Nicolaitanes! ( Rev 2:6, 15)
Why do the women pursue such Pastor jobs? Are they ready to drink the Cup to be given by the Lord? OR DO THEY LOVE THE RESPECTS FROM THE HUMAN BEINGS?
