CAN A CHURCH BE AN EFFICTIVE CHURCH WITH OUT A PASTOR???

[PASTOR CHARLES E BELL JR]

THERE WAS ONCE A VACENT CHURCH AND THE DEC STATE TO A VISTING PREACHER THAT A CHURCH DO NOT NEED A PASTOR IT CAN BE RAN BY THE DEC BOARD. WHAT IS YOUR INPUT ON THIS CAN A CHURCH BE EFFICTIVE WITHOUT A PASTOR. WHAT WOULD YOU HANDLE THIS?

[Lonnie Kluttz]

I here and see what you are saying, but none of you have answered more one question....Where in the scriptures does it say that the pastor is the head of the church. Don't add something that isn't there. Just show me that. If Jesus is the head of the church....you can't have another one

God Bless

[PASTOR CHARLES E BELL JR]

so true

[PASTOR CHARLES E BELL JR]

well put well said

[terrance douthard]

The Church Pastor

A pastor is an elder but an elder is not always a pastor. A pastor is the shepherd of the local body. The word pastor means shepherd. The responsibilities of a pastor are to teach and guide the local congregation in the things of God. A pastor provides spiritual direction and pursues a vision for the church. The church's vision is based on the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20. Any vision that distracts the pastor or the church from the Great Commission is not of God. To be a leader, one must be pursuing a worthy mission so that he may be an example by service and not by directing others only. Jesus provided the method of leadership in Matthew 20:25-28. The church is not to be like the world around us where a leader lords over those under him. In God’s plan, the leader humbles himself serves the brethren rather than sitting on a pedestal being served by others.



Reference:

1 Peter 5:1

28:19-20

Matthew 20:25-28



Pastors are ordained by God

God alone can ordain a pastor. Men may ordain a man that is not called by God, but man-made ordinations are meaningless. Man may refuse to ordain a pastor, but if God has called a man to be a pastor, He will equip him and use him regardless of whether the church organization acknowledges that call or not. The prophet Amos was rejected by the religious hierarchy of his day and was told not to speak the word of the Lord. When asked what gave him the right to speak God’s word, he said, “I am not a prophet or the son of a prophet. I am a shepherd and a tender of fruit. God called me out of the field and told me to go speak to His people.”



It is God that ordains and calls a pastor, elders and teachers. A man does not have the right to choose a calling that God has not chosen. A pastor does not have the right to resign from God’s calling either. God calls, equips and gives the increase. Throughout scripture, we see God choosing unlikely candidates that do not appeal to men. God looks on the heart and His strength is made perfect in weakness. He calls the humble and equips His servants to perform His work. Ordination comes from God alone. It may be acknowledged by the church that is faithfully following God’s plan; however, the call and ordination comes from God.



References:

Romans 13:1

John 15:16

1 Thessalonians 2:4

1 Corinthians 12:28

1 Timothy 2:5-7

2 Timothy 1:9



Pastors are empowered by God with the vision Jesus gave the church.

The vision of Jesus Christ was given to the church in Matthew 28:18-20. The only vision given is to go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them in Jesus' name and teach them to observe and obey all that has been commanded in the word of God. The pastor's role is to oversee this instruction to the local body, to communicate that vision to the people, find ways to equip others to answer that call, and implement this into the community through the local church body. God provides the vision and then commits the direction of the church to the pastor and elders of the church. A pastor should take care to seek God’s face and then faithfully execute the vision of the church to accomplish God’s purpose. A pastor should be consistently communicating the vision given by Christ to the local congregation while equipping them to take on the role God has ordained through each member.



References:

Matthew 28:18-20

Ephesians 4:11-16

1 Timothy 4:14-16

Ephesians 5:15-17

2 Chronicles 26:3-5



A Pastor serves

A pastor’s role is to serve the congregation in the way God has equipped him to serve. A pastor was never intended to sit high above the people or to be worshipped by the people. A pastor and all church leaders should be following the example of Jesus to humble himself and become a servant to others. Pride destroys but humility is always honored by God. A pastor is on equal footing with the lowliest position in the church. God equips and ordains each one for different positions within the church; however, each individual has equal worth and is measured by God according to faithfulness – not status.



References:

Matthew 20:25-28

Proverbs 16:18

James 4:10

1 Corinthians 12:14-23



Pastors are subject to accountability

A common error that is found in most churches is the misconception of pastor accountability. A pastor may take his direction and vision from God, but that does not nullify the biblical mandate for accountability. To neglect accountability is to set a pastor up for a fall and is contrary to scripture. A pastor is human and is subject to all the trials, struggles and temptations that are common to each believer. God never promised to shelter a pastor from temptation nor did He promise that a pastor would never deviate from God’s vision.



Pastors have high points in their life and pastors will all walk through the valley. No Christian will go through life without struggling spiritually from time to time. Every human will get excited about things that are not God’s will and allow emotions to drive their decisions at some point in life. Even a pastor can mistake emotions for God’s voice and God never placed the direction for the local body in the hands of one man. The Bible says that a wise man with knowledge will seek wise counsel and in a multitude of counselors, there is safety.



If we follow the Bible’s mandate for elders and church leadership, wise counsel will always be available to a pastor. It is easy for one man to get sidetracked on an issue, but if the elders of the church are all following God, it is very difficult for a church to go astray.



In scripture, examples for accountability are seen on every level of leadership. Moses was held accountable; godly kings were subject to accountability; elders in the church are held accountable to the pastor and each other; pastors are accountable to the elders and even the apostles were held accountable by elders and each other. No one was exempt from accountability. In error, some think that because the pastor is the head of the local body that he is accountable to God alone, but scripture teaches a different doctrine. If the apostles whom God used to write scripture were held accountable, and the great biblical leaders who led God’s people had accountability, why would we think that a pastor would not be? The first symptom of a spiritual struggle in a leader is the desire to break off accountability. Ungodly leaders in the Old Testament rejected accountability and even godly leaders like King David rejected accountability before falling into sin.



References:

Galatians 2:14-18

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Exodus 18:12-24

2 Samuel 19:2-8

Acts 17:10

Acts 15:6

1 Kings 22

2 Samuel 24:1-13

NO, A CHURCH CAN'T BE EFFECTIVE WITHOUT A PASTOR, IF IT COULD GOD WOULD NOT CALL PASTOR'S. BEING A DEACON MYSELF, WE HAVE THIS MISCONCEPTION OF OUR ROLE IN THE CHURCH,DO TO WHAT MAN THINK OUR ROLE IS. DEACON'S TODAY ARE TELLING PASTOR'S WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT,VOTING PASTOR'S IN,RUNNING CHURCH, MAKING DESISION'S,GOING AGAINST PASTOR'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THE PASTOR'S VISION. THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR ON THE DEACON'S ROLE,QUALIFICATION'S BUT MAN ALWAY'S PUT THEIR OWN TWIST ON IT. A DEACON AIN'T NOTHING BUT A TABLE SERVER (SERVANT) IN MY OPINION, EVERY LEADER IN THE CHURCH HAS A RESPONSIBILITY IF THEY DO IT AND PRAY FOR THE NEXT PASTOR GOD WILL SEND HIM.

[PASTOR CHARLES E BELL JR]

THIS IS WHY THE CHURCH IS OUT OF ORDER WHEN THE LEADER IS NOT SURE OF THERE POSTION BECAUSE OF WHAT THE WORLD SAY GOD IS NOT GOIN TO LEVE HIS FLOCK WITH OUT LEADER REV LUCKETT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT HOW THE DEVIL GET INTO THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF NO COVERING YES GOD IS THE ONLY HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND ITS GOD CHURCH NOT MAN . BUT MAN IS THE ONE WHO HVE TROUBLE WITH HAVING A PASTOR NOT GOD SO I TAKE GOD WORD AS HIS WORD FOR I KNOW I WILL BE JUDGE FOR THE WAY I LEAD GOD SHEEPS SO I CANT LET THEM LEAD ME AND BE EFFICTIVE YES THEIR ARE DIFFERENT MEMBERS WITH DIFF GIFT AND IT IS MY JOB TO STIR UP THE GIFT A DELOVEP THIS MEMBER AND YES I LISTEN TO WISE MAN AND WOMEN AROUND ME BUT GOD HAVE THE LAST SAY FOR I PRAY ABOUT EVERY THING YOU CAN CALL IT ROMAN CHURCH OR WHAT EVER BUT I AM DOING IT GOD!!! GOD!!! AND NOT MAN WAY!!!!!!! THIS IS WHY THE CHURCH IS SO POLICTAL NOW BECAUSE OF O LEADERSHIP FROM THE PASTOR I WOULD NEVER ACCEPT A CHURCH WHERE THE PASTOR ISNOT RESCEPT AS THE HEAD .

[PASTOR CHARLES E BELL JR]

I HAVE NOT ADD NOR HAVE I TAKEN ANY THING FROM THE WORD BUT THERE IS SOMTHING CALL UNDERSTANDING THE WORD.PRAY ON AND READ IT THERE IS NO DIFF BETWEEN BISHOP AND PASTOR I GUESS IT WHAT CHURCH YOU ARE ASSO. WITH BUT THE WORD IS THE WORD YOU CONT TO LET THE SHEEP LEAD YOU AND I WILL DO AS GOD SAID LEAD HIS SHEEP

[Lonnie Kluttz]

Pastor Charlse,

That's another thing I don't agree with. You are adding to the scripture. 1 Tim says that this is the qualifications for a Bishop. I know what a pastor is, but God said a bishop not pastor. Being a bishop is not part of the five fold ministry, but pastor is. As I suggested before, our whole concept of church is based off of the roman Catholic church. There isn't one scripture that says a pastor is the lead or head of the church.....Secondly pastor, please read that scripture again. It gives qualifications for a bishop, but doesn't say they can or will be the leader or head of a church. You have added that in there. Remember what God said about taking away or adding to the word of God.

God Bless

[PASTOR CHARLES E BELL JR]

BRO.LONNIE JUST AS GOD USE THE APOSTLES TO SET UP THE CHURCHES HE USE THE PASTOR TO LEAD THE CHURCH IF THAT WAS THE CASE THAT THE PASTOR IS NOT TO LEAD THE FLOCK THE HE WONT HAVE GIVEN QUALIFICATIONS FOR PASTOR IN 1 TIMOTHY 3;1-7 GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER SOME ONE HAVE TO SET ORDER IN THE CHURCH AND THAT THE PASTOR HE IS THE OVERSEER OF GOD SHEEP OR CHILDERN AND IT NOT JUST A TITLE FOR A MAN BUT FOR A MA WHO HAVVE A SPECIAL CALLING ON THERE LIFE EVERY ONE CANT BE PASTORS AS THE WORD SAY MANY ARE CALL BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN HE IS CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE AT THE CHURCH GOD PROVIDED FOR HIS SEASON AND IS RESPONSIBLE TO GOD FOR THE SP IRITAL WALFARE OF THE CHURCH ACTS 20:28 THE PASTOR IS CALL ELDER OVER 20 TIMES EMPHIASIZING HIS WISDOM AND MATURITY . HE IS CALL BISHOP EMPHASIZES THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION OF THE OFFICE.THE NAME PASTOR EMPHASIZING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CARING FOR THE CHURCH AS A SHEPHERD CARES FOR THE SHEEP, PEACHER EMPHASIZING THE MINISTRY OF PUBLICLY PROCLAMING GODS WORD . TEACHER THE PASTOR SHOULD BE APT TO TEACH . PASTOR IS ALSO SERVANT HE IS TO MINSTER TO OTHER,STEWARD MANGING THE PROPERTY OF OTHER (THE CHURCH OF CHIRST) TIMOTHY AND TITUS WAS PASTOR OF CHURCHES PAUL STARTED/ IT NOT STATED IN THE WORD YOU WANT BUT GOD IS LIKE HE HAVE HIS WAY OF STATING AND DOING THING YOU SHOULD BE WISE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THIS POSTION STARTED BY GOD HIM SELF AGAIN 1 TIMOTHY 3 4-5 STATE THAT . SO I CANT AGREE THAT IT NOT IN THE SCPRIPTURE JUST NOT THE WAY YOU WANT IT BUT IT SHOULD BE GOD WAY

[Lonnie Kluttz]

That's what we don't agree on. There isn't one scripture that I have found that says that a pastor is the head of the church or he is the lead. Satan is always going to run a mock with or without a pastor until Jesus comes back. A pastor doesn't stop that. I believe we are still in the mindset of the Catholic church and until we get out of that mindset....we will always be stuck.

God Bless

[Lonnie Kluttz]

I agree with you both in some ways and in some I don't. First, I don't think God ever said that the pastor was the only one he will give visions too. And if you really amit it, most of the visions people haver are their own, not God's. The church today is based off of the scale of the Roman Catholic Church. Things we do today are still in their setup. Where one man runs everything. I'm a pator myself and I have people I trust with the me and if there is anything I need to know and things I want, I bounce them off of the people I know are men and women of God. God has called me to teach people His word and not mine or anyone elses feelings. God gave us a five fold ministry, not a one fold and four helpers. We are all one body with one head and that is Jesus. He is the only head of the church not the pastor, bishop, prophet and so on.

Lonnie