Does A Pastor Have The Right

[Iryssa]

Well, you could write to someone higher up in the denominational hierarchy. Do a search for that denomination's webpage...there may be contact information there. In an Anglican/Episcopalian setting, you could write a letter to the Bishop, but I don't know about other denominations.

[firehill]

A friend of mine just sent me a very disturbing email.

She has been faithfully paying tithes and giving offering to her church for years.

She has also been very supportive of, dedicated to and involved with many ministries of this church.

Some questions concerning the church's financial records came up.

She said she prayed about her decision to inquire and found the peace of God to do it, so she inquired.

She told her Pastor that the money God gave her to be a good steward over was part of the church's financial records,

but she was denied access to see where the church's money was being spent.

She disagreed and was told that since she felt that way she should just leave the church.

Then, the Pastor told the elders and some of the leaders in the church not to even communicate with her.

These are people she's been friends with for years!

I've always held the belief that God and I choose my friends; not man.

Does a Pastor have the right to tell you who you can and cannot communicate with?

[JesseB.]

A friend of mine just sent me a very disturbing email.

She has been faithfully paying tithes and giving offering to her church for years.

She has also been very supportive of, dedicated to and involved with many ministries of this church.

Some questions concerning the church's financial records came up.

She said she prayed about her decision to inquire and found the peace of God to do it, so she inquired.

She told her Pastor that the money God gave her to be a good steward over was part of the church's financial records,

but she was denied access to see where the church's money was being spent.

She disagreed and was told that since she felt that way she should just leave the church.

Then, the Pastor told the elders and some of the leaders in the church not to even communicate with her.

These are people she's been friends with for years!

I've always held the belief that God and I choose my friends; not man.

Does a Pastor have the right to tell you who you can and cannot communicate with?

I'm in the same boat. My old pastor told me that if I joined another church, he would not communicate with me. I was mad as I'll get out. He eventually came to his senses and realized how upset I was and seeked forgiveness. I was reluctant to give it to him. So in a way,. the pastor does have the right to tell you who you can and cannot commune with. It's when he/she takes that too far that you got to get out of the church.

[Natt]

Christ is the head of the church.

Where does it say that the pastor is the head?

[Guest LadyC]

So in a way,. the pastor does have the right to tell you who you can and cannot commune with. It's when he/she takes that too far that you got to get out of the church.

in what way? to deny fellowship with another member of the body of Christ for any reason seems very unbiblical all the way around to me. please point out where in scripture it gives a pastor ANY right to tell you who you can and can't communicate with.

[Guest man]

I would leave the church and report them.

Who would we report them to?

I would get on the internet and search for information on church audits.

Someone gave them their tax exempt status, find out who that is and go from their.

I'm sorry but I have no information to give you...I wish I did.

Perhaps you can start a thread requesting that info.

Sorry...I'm quite stupid when it comes to stuff like this.

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

I would leave the church and report them.

Who would we report them to?

I would get on the internet and search for information on church audits.

Someone gave them their tax exempt status, find out who that is and go from their.

I'm sorry but I have no information to give you...I wish I did.

Perhaps you can start a thread requesting that info.

Sorry...I'm quite stupid when it comes to stuff like this.

No, Man, you're not stupid.

Thank you for the input. You've given me a good place to start.

Gotta start somewhere, huh?

[Guest yod]

ANY CHURCH that doesn't make its finances public record (especially to its contributors) is hiding something.

ephesians tells us to expose every work of darkness

[Floatingaxe]

There are good reasons to disfellowship from certain people. Those who willfully sin, and do so without repentance, are to be left alone. In this case, it seems very strange that the church would disfellowship from this woman, unless she is gossiping or being seditious in any way, which are grounds.

Sounds pretty harsh to me, and she definitely deserves an explanation. This state of affairs can cause the downfall of the leadership there. There appears an unhealthiness there either because they are not openly declaring what the woman wants to know, or because the woman wants to know for an unwholesome reason and had communicated in such a way as to cause trouble. Who really knows? Doesn't look good, either way.

[Renaa]

If your friend had a reason to question the financial records then I can see where the pastor was probably wrong by denying her access, I have never has a reason to question I feel we are to pay out tithes and offering to the Lord and that is doing our part that God requires and if the church (Pastor) misuses it then God will deal with him/them sooner or later.

Renaa