Dictatorial Pastors

[BlessedByTheBest]

Jer 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

Jer 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

Jer 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

what is the flock's responsibility when the pastor appears to be assuming the position of Christ, as Head of the Church?

is there any biblical guidance on such issues?

some examples:

1) dogmatic requirements of attendance.

2) public humiliation of members concerning personal matters.

3) shunning and slandering the names of members whom choose to leave the church.

4) insisting on a specific submission to any of the whims of the supposed authority of an elevated pastoral ministry.

5) generally, harsh and unloving methods of communication...

my question to my brothers and sisters in Christ is:

what would you do?

love to you all.

[back2thebible]

good trees produce good fruit

if I witnessed a bad tree as a pastor, I would seek out a good tree

[RejectedStone]

Jer 3:15 I will give you Pastors according to mine heart...

Trying to manipulate and control the lives of people isn't the heart of God. Even God gives us free will.

I would find a new Pastor.

[KC02]

If you don't feel that you can visit other churches, then the pastor is putting you in bondage. I would leave.

If there is a hierarchy (a bishop maybe) you could go over his head. Knowing me, I would go straight to the pastor and have a long talk. You could even drop an anomomous letter in the mail.

In any case, you should not have to deal with such a pastor. Leave. Leave. Leave.

[Guest]

I went through this in a small town in Texas once. Experience says you'll probably need a thick skin, but it's pretty simple: I'd confront him on it.

If he didn't want to listen or has the "deacons" taking his side also, I'd never return to that church and immediately start looking for a new one. When anyone but Christ starts trying to control your life its time to go.

[chloe_fantastic]

I would leave.

[Qnts2]

I have gone thru this, and honestly, have some war wounds to show for it.

In scripture, since this person is a leader, you can talk to him privately about your concerns, brother to brother. Then, if he does not hear you, scripture says to approach him with 2 or 3 elders who have also witnessed the issue.

1 Tim 5:19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

If no elders will witness to the issue, there are more problems in that church, so I will agree with everyone else, leave the church.

[*Zion*]

The very definition of Pastor, or Shepherd goes against dictatorship. This is a caring, nurturing role at its very heart. The shepherd takes care of the sheep from when they're little lambs and provides food, protection, guidance and leading for them until they are fully grown, and even then continues to do so. This is a servant's job. He who would be greatest in the Kingdom of God must become the servant of all. I love my Pastor. When he sees a need, he tries his best to fill the gaps. I've seen him putting out the chairs for the sunday service when the ushers scheduled in to do so for that particular week were late, and he couldn't wait anymore. We know that this man loves us, and takes care of us - not just spiritually, in God's Word and in prayer; but physically also. I pray that the pastor in question in the OP will realise this and stop trying to achieve his own agenda through his flesh.

Blessings.

[Mcgyver]

what is the flock's responsibility when the pastor appears to be assuming the position of Christ, as Head of the Church?

is there any biblical guidance on such issues?

some examples:

1) dogmatic requirements of attendance.

2) public humiliation of members concerning personal matters.

3) shunning and slandering the names of members whom choose to leave the church.

4) insisting on a specific submission to any of the whims of the supposed authority of an elevated pastoral ministry.

5) generally, harsh and unloving methods of communication...

my question to my brothers and sisters in Christ is:

what would you do?

Yes, there is in fact clear biblical guidance on this issue:

Matthew 18:15-17 says:

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

We have a tendency to place our pastors on some sort of pedestal, and unconsciously (I think) we have the mind-set that somehow the pastor is greater than the sheep, or that the pastor is somehow exempt from the rules that apply to the rest of the sheep.

Certainly, the pastor has been give a certain authority by God, but he is no different than the rest of us in that he is also subject to the Great and Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ...and when the pastor exceeds the authority and the role that has been given to him as the under-shepherd of God's flock, then IMO it is our responsibility to confront him in the matter in the spirit of Galatians 6:1.

The Apostle Paul went and told the Apostle Peter that he (Peter) was in the wrong. (Galatians 2:11-14).

The pastor's role is defined in Ephesians 4:11-13 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (emphasis mine).

The pastor IMO must to the best of his abilities emulate Christ...and Jesus who had every right as God to be a dictator or despot; was neither...and if the pastor does not emulate the love, concern, and tenderness toward God's people that Jesus Himself showed...then he needs to get another job or get his heart right before God.

Oh yeah...btw...I am writing this from a pastor's viewpoint, because I are one.

Edited April 10, 2013 by Mcgyver

[Leonard]

Run far, run fast.....