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Dump the Pastor… it’s my turn now!

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It has a certain smell of mutiny doesn’t it?  I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I keep coming across this sentiment among those who are leaving the traditional church and are looking for greener pastures.  The sheep have dumped the shepherd seeing no need for his staff and rod and have gone out in the fields to take care of themselves.  Maybe they feel  beaten down by an overzealous exercise of authority.  Maybe they’re tired of feeling coddled like dependent babies and want to grow up in their walk with the Lord, tired of looking to a Pastor for everything.  Ok, I get that.  But here’s what bothers me…

GOD gave the church Pastors/teachers (Ephesians 4.11-13).  I’m sorry folks, you can’t just  dump Pastors without dumping God’s Word!

If there’s a problem in the way authority is being exercised then we need to deal with the problem.  If the sheep are being squashed, penned up, and kept as lambs instead of growing to maturity let’s address that, but you solve nothing by simply replacing one error with another.  Now I know someone will say, “Jesus is my only shepherd…”  That sounds very spiritual but Hebrews 13:17 tells us:

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

These men have been given a call by God to HELP you, not hurt you.  God has put them in your life to “keep watch over you” so that you will be strong healthy sheep.  These God called leaders of the church will have to give an account to God for how well they did that job.  If you’ve dumped Pastors and leaders you’re making it very hard for them to do what GOD called them to do!  And, you are missing out on the advantage of having them in your life.  That’s what God’s Word says.  You will be at a DISADVANTAGE if you reject the idea of leadership in the church.  It doesn’t matter if you’re meeting in a home or a mega church, this truth applies.

There seems to be the idea for many who have left the Institutional Church, that FINALLY we are now free of the shackles and tyranny of leadership.  We’ve thrown them off… we don’t need Pastors and leaders anymore!  Yes, my brother and sister in Christ, we do.

Tags: authority, Ephesians 4.11-13, home church, leadership, pastor, sheep, shepherd, traditional church