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ChaplainDell -> RE: Role of the pastor (4/22/2008 12:05:34 AM)
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First off, what does the Bible say about who should be a Pastor?
If we read what the Bible actually say's about Pastors, many churches completely miss the mark! Today anyone can become a Reverend, Clergy, Pastor, and we are all Priests if we are in Christ.
However, the Bible does lay specific guidelines’ for who God chooses to call as a spiritual leader of a flock.
As you will see, I am not shy in my straight talk about the responsibilities and authority that goes along with this position. The Bible is the word of God given to us in writing.
Jesus always stated when addressing Satan; “it is written” and as God never changes neither does the Bible.
Many will say the Bible is a matter of interpretation, but it is not: as it is the most consistent book ever written.
Only bad teachings or doctrines are opened to interpretations.
So how do we know the truth, which is quite simple; we ask our Father in heaven to direct us in Spirit and in Truth, of what the Bible is actually showing us.
The Bible (unlike man) is not political. It has no selfish agenda and remains consistent from generation to generation. It is only within an Organization that is loosely defined as the “Church” that problems arise with so called spiritual authorities and Pastors.
Let me attempt to explain the Church as Jesus Christ intended it to be.
Number one, the Apostle Paul explained that the Church was a marriage made between Christ and His Bride, Christians that are the true Church.
The Christian Family is modeled after this marriage. The man is charged with the responsibility from God to provide spiritual direction to his bride and children while in this union, in love.
He alone is responsible to love his wife as Christ loved the Church, and provide for her and his family both spiritually and physically while on this earth.
There is a distinction made between male and female within the family unit according to the Bible.
Many Families make up a Church body of believers, thus it is the man who is charged by God to lead this body as a representative for Christ.
The high priests also represented a type of Christ in the old testament (male) to render sacrifices at the alter to God. Only within the pagan religions’ were Priestesses’ used, as this is contrary to what God commanded.
People will argue that the prophet Debora was a woman, as God could not find a suitable representative as a man. While this is true, a prophet has never held the same spiritual authority as a Pastor over a flock of families.
The third argument is that we are all one in Christ, as there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, Male or Female “in Christ”.
This is certainly true speaking on a spiritual level and no physical distinction should be made.
However, we are living in a physical world and marriage and the family of believers are to be a witness to the world for Christ’s sake and not our own.
In other words the Church is not to be a witness to itself, but a witness of Christ, shining as an example to the world of how God intended man to live.
Fourthly some will claim that the Apostle Paul was a sexist, this could not be further from the truth as before Christ came, and the Apostles wrote to CHRISTIANS; woman were considered little more than property.
A man had many wives, and could even divorce them at will. But again, this is not the model of the family of believers that the Apostle Paul nor Jesus spoke about.
The Lord appointed “coverings” for our protection in the world both spiritually, as in the Church, and physically as with the authority of governments (this includes church governments).
This Devine order was given to man out of love, and should never be used for selfish motives (as often seen today).
This is also why head coverings are described in the Bible for women in the Church; not out of lording power over women, but rather as a device symbolizing the recognition as Christ as the head of the Church, and male responsability for his wife and his household. This may seem antiquated to many however it is to be just another example to non beleivers of God's love, order, and provision to us.
As with many events historically speaking; allot of "men" in their selfishness and sin have abused this authority over women, and others while actively provoking rebellions’ yet Christ and the Apostle Paul are not addressing the non-believers when talking about submitting to authorities but to the Church specifically!
I personally must say, many women are much better spiritual leaders than some men.
And also they are often much better organizers and administrators than most men I have met.
However, they are to encourage their husbands to step up to the plate as the Lord has instructed them to do; Instead laying back shurking their resposibilities and letting the women do the work.
This is the tendency of a lot of men to allow this in their homes, (and we have seen the social results of such actions or inaction) as well as in the Church.
To further complicate matters, feminist groups that are fed up with social injustices often rebel against any idea of submitting to this type of order, and have even influenced Christain women with this world veiw, that is not of God. These and other world veiws have infected the Church as an institution, and is in fact rebelion against God, yet no man would dare and stand up for these Godly and scripturally supported veiws within many of the present day Church Institution's.
Many Church organizations have simply become political machines to force changes in society; we have all seen this type of activism in many forms today within different "type of Churches" one even has its own theology called “liberation theology”.
I could go on and on giving examples of corrupt Pastoral Authority but you get the picture; once you step outside of God's ordinances you have rebellion and not submission to authority, producing bloodier wars and more and more corruption.
This is not how our Lord intended us to neither live nor shine as an example to the lost world.
On a personal note: I have discovered that submission is the opposite of our sin natures, yet it is Christ himself that made himself a servant, rather than a master. This is the prime example of how spiritual authority actually works, seek the low place and it is God who will lift you up!
It has nothing at all to do with education, public stature, a position or title given within the “church”. It is a matter of the heart, and the quiet spirit given to you, when God chooses to speak to your heart.
You will not hear this calling while in an active rebellion, until God gets your attention. Be not deceived by other spirits, but as with all things take them to the Lord in prayer.
The times are wicked, and “if possible” even the elect would be deceived.
In closing, ask yourself if you are submitting to the Holy Spirit, or are you in rebellion to the order God has ordained in your life.
In Love,
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