I swear you don't read Patrick. You are talking about a position that I have never espoused, anywhere, much less in this thread. I have never said that a pastor is not held accountable to anyone. I have never even intimated such a thing. He is held accountable to the congregation.
YOur comment that a church needs to limit the pastor on hiring is exactly my point about priorities. You don't claim they need to vote on what is really important -- what he preaches. Why not? Why are you less concerned about his preaching than about his hiring? Doesn't that strike you as oddly out of place?
You talk like this has something to do with security. It doesn't. It has nothign to do with ego. It has to do with church leadership and direction. When the staff is part of the problem, they need to go. When the staff will not work well with the new pastor, they need to go. IT is that simple. Why would anyone fear for their job everytime a new pastor comes in? Most staff members stay shorter times than the sr. pastor, and few last more than one sr. pastor. There is no fear involved in it. When a new pastor comes, you go and say, I love this place, I would love to be a part of its continuing ministry, I believe God has called me here, but if you would like me to resign I will do so. It's not hard; it doesn't seem that confusing to me. Why wouldn't you do that?
For you to say that you work harder than most pastors seems really out of place. It has a touch of arrogance to it that is completely unacceptable. You don't deal with "just as many problems." Having been on both sides of the fence, in a much smaller church as sr pastor than I was as an assistant, I know for a fact that staff members don't deal with as many problems as the sr pastor does. A Sr pastor works much harder, and handles hte daily pressure of things you probably haven't even thought of yet. A senior pastor would be absolutely foolish to insist on total control. That is a key factor in limiting the size and effectiveness of ministry. But ultimately, he is responsible for the body, and your position would be causing problems for him.
Based on this conversation, not having talked to your personally, you are the type of person I would not want on staff. You are the type that seems to create a conflict. When you say stuff like "I know it is His call and not some arrogant know-it-all" you reveal a very low regard for the man God has called to lead his church. Your claim that you are a man who would stand up for his minsitry and his church is shown to actually be a man who would create discord in it in order to protect your little kingdom you have established.
If you came by a vote of the church, then you can be removed by a vote of the church. I have pointed out many times that the arrangement by which staff comes and goes it dictated by the constitution. Many staff problems in church are created by the very scenario you describe. A staff memeber called by teh congregation creates problems and the sr pastor can't do anything about it. That is a disaster for the church, and more than one church has been split by the very attitude that you reveal here.
I would give my staff much freedom. I wouldn't want someone who wouldn't take the freedom and initiative. But I don't want someone who is pitting the church against the pastor and creating discord in the body. I don't have time for arrogance and immaturity. I don't want someone who thinks they are beyond accountability in their job performance. I don't want someone who thinks they are above the ministry.
In the end, you can do what you want, but you need to seriously think through the attitude that you have displayed. I hope that it simply came across wrong. I hope that I have misread you. But if not, put some careful thought into it. You have in your the seeds of a church split and that could be disastrous. Be very careful.
