Ingo Breuer
Member
I would like to have some input from my brothers and sisters in Christ concerning proper church government. In my church I hear such statements such as "Majority rule is the Baptist way." or "The church is a pure democracy." I really don't know what to think of this because I don't see scripture to back this up. What verses do they use? I know a bunch of Scriptures to prove that majority rule is diabolic. The majority cried "Crucify Him." in Israel the majority goes after idolatry and only a remnant (minority) shall be saved. That's the way it was in Elijah's day and it will be that way again in the tribulation and the millennium.
It is so sad when after a Sunday service the time for "business meeting" comes up and people care about "what I want" and not "what God wants". People discuss and discuss - sometimes they get irritated - but why don't they get down to an altar of prayer and seek God's will there rather than childishly playing politics. I've seen passionate discussions about how the church should pay a certain man for some service. Well, I was at the point of telling them about the danger of the hireling spirit and using Biblical illustrations. But when it's business meeting time lots of people forget their Bible. I don't see a scripture that backs up the practice of business meetings and voting. Acts 1:15-26 is not a majority vote. It's a lot. The selection was by chance. See Prov. 16:33 & 18:18. The statement "democracy is the Baptist way" is saddening. Democracy is not a Biblical principle. It comes out of the Greek and Roman culture. Some churches might have adopted this democracy practice in the time of the Greek Rennaissance. Even today there is a prideful Greek cult in America's universities.
What the "pure democracy" Baptists have failed to explain me is Hebrews 13:7,17. The elders rule. If they don't, then the sheep are telling the shepherd which pasture they want to go. That's the problem in modern churchianity. It's a war for power. There are powerful sheep who want a gullible shepherd. They want a shepherd without rod and staff; a shepherd who will ask "What's the will of the sheep?" That's sorry. There's gotta be some Biblical leadership and ther's gotta be some faithful submissions to that Biblical leadership. But nowadays we've got these arrogant sheep who want to run off any shepherd who preaches on separation, Biblical dress, sin of long-haired men, gluttony, etc. Have you noticed that Baptists let you preach against alcohol all you want. But woe unto thee, preacher, if thou preachest against gluttony or about fasting. Knowest not thou that Baptists love to EAT? I don't think it's the Lord's will when a few unsurrendered sheep can run off the shepherd. Wouldn't it be better if the shepherd can do something about the sheep who don't want to surrender to the Bible standards?
Please let me know some scripture on proper church government. I'm not a very churched person. I didn't grow up in a Baptist church. Therefore, some of the behaviors in a business meeting seem rather strange. Why doesn't the pastor take the lead and prayerfully and Biblically guide the church? Why should a backslidden member have the right to vote and with his vote hinder the will of God? Why do they have to have a vote when the pastor wants to spend $5 or schedule a visiting preacher? Give me some scriptures to back up this habit? When you have to respond quickly and follow what God is telling you, you can't wait till next month's business meeting? This church bureaucracy hinders the fulfillment of God's will. Why would a Christian want to get in God's way?
It is so sad when after a Sunday service the time for "business meeting" comes up and people care about "what I want" and not "what God wants". People discuss and discuss - sometimes they get irritated - but why don't they get down to an altar of prayer and seek God's will there rather than childishly playing politics. I've seen passionate discussions about how the church should pay a certain man for some service. Well, I was at the point of telling them about the danger of the hireling spirit and using Biblical illustrations. But when it's business meeting time lots of people forget their Bible. I don't see a scripture that backs up the practice of business meetings and voting. Acts 1:15-26 is not a majority vote. It's a lot. The selection was by chance. See Prov. 16:33 & 18:18. The statement "democracy is the Baptist way" is saddening. Democracy is not a Biblical principle. It comes out of the Greek and Roman culture. Some churches might have adopted this democracy practice in the time of the Greek Rennaissance. Even today there is a prideful Greek cult in America's universities.
What the "pure democracy" Baptists have failed to explain me is Hebrews 13:7,17. The elders rule. If they don't, then the sheep are telling the shepherd which pasture they want to go. That's the problem in modern churchianity. It's a war for power. There are powerful sheep who want a gullible shepherd. They want a shepherd without rod and staff; a shepherd who will ask "What's the will of the sheep?" That's sorry. There's gotta be some Biblical leadership and ther's gotta be some faithful submissions to that Biblical leadership. But nowadays we've got these arrogant sheep who want to run off any shepherd who preaches on separation, Biblical dress, sin of long-haired men, gluttony, etc. Have you noticed that Baptists let you preach against alcohol all you want. But woe unto thee, preacher, if thou preachest against gluttony or about fasting. Knowest not thou that Baptists love to EAT? I don't think it's the Lord's will when a few unsurrendered sheep can run off the shepherd. Wouldn't it be better if the shepherd can do something about the sheep who don't want to surrender to the Bible standards?
Please let me know some scripture on proper church government. I'm not a very churched person. I didn't grow up in a Baptist church. Therefore, some of the behaviors in a business meeting seem rather strange. Why doesn't the pastor take the lead and prayerfully and Biblically guide the church? Why should a backslidden member have the right to vote and with his vote hinder the will of God? Why do they have to have a vote when the pastor wants to spend $5 or schedule a visiting preacher? Give me some scriptures to back up this habit? When you have to respond quickly and follow what God is telling you, you can't wait till next month's business meeting? This church bureaucracy hinders the fulfillment of God's will. Why would a Christian want to get in God's way?
