Has Your Pastor Emailed You Lately?
- Thread starter SteveEpperson
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
And I would guess that most pastors don't. However, the people giving them business and marketing advice do.
So, as trusted colleagues, they convince pastors to take back their time at all costs. They tell them to set up gatekeepers such as:
My proposal is to keep the current model. But instead of calling these people pastors, give them the title of administrator. Their duties can include:
Then, have true pastors minister to the flock. They can go back to:
And instead of prayer request forms, let the disciple truly listen to those in need and pray for them in person. Also, there's no better way to train a new disciple than during a personal crisis. As it is now, we hold up a bunch of prayer request forms, arrogantly command God to handle it, and then go about our busy lives.
Above all, I think we have to stop letting Satan put fear in the minds of pastors and elders. We lowly parishioners are not going to start worshiping idols just because we don't have our pastor by our side when we go out and preach the Gospel. God gave us adequate intelligence to read our bibles.
I think the real reason church leaders are afraid to turn us lose is that they know they've failed in their discipleship responsibilities.
So, as trusted colleagues, they convince pastors to take back their time at all costs. They tell them to set up gatekeepers such as:
- Locked doors
- Office staff
- Websites
- Online contact forms
- Prayer request forms
My proposal is to keep the current model. But instead of calling these people pastors, give them the title of administrator. Their duties can include:
- Business oversight
- Building oversite
- Ministry oversight
- Hiring and firing
- Setting up all the goofy programs churches think they need
Then, have true pastors minister to the flock. They can go back to:
- Disciplining two individuals. Those will disciple two more, then two more, then two more
- Delivering the Sunday sermon. All the lighting, sound, and music can be handled by the paid administrator
- The occasional wedding and funeral are fine. But can't associate pastors also handle these functions?
And instead of prayer request forms, let the disciple truly listen to those in need and pray for them in person. Also, there's no better way to train a new disciple than during a personal crisis. As it is now, we hold up a bunch of prayer request forms, arrogantly command God to handle it, and then go about our busy lives.
Above all, I think we have to stop letting Satan put fear in the minds of pastors and elders. We lowly parishioners are not going to start worshiping idols just because we don't have our pastor by our side when we go out and preach the Gospel. God gave us adequate intelligence to read our bibles.
I think the real reason church leaders are afraid to turn us lose is that they know they've failed in their discipleship responsibilities.
Interesting thought. Thanks for sharing that.
I think what you're saying is that the chain between spiritual fathers and sons has been broken. And because of that, divisions have crept into the modern church culture.
And I certainly feel as if I have been orphaned by the established church leadership. But once again, to my original point, since I have a close relationship with the Lord, I am not as reliant on an earthly pastor.
I think what you're saying is that the chain between spiritual fathers and sons has been broken. And because of that, divisions have crept into the modern church culture.
And I certainly feel as if I have been orphaned by the established church leadership. But once again, to my original point, since I have a close relationship with the Lord, I am not as reliant on an earthly pastor.
For your consideration...
What you describe is written in Hebrews 10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is..."
Assembling is not "meeting together on Sunday". It is the fitting together of the body. Meeting together could create a box of cars parts. Assembling together creates a fully functional car.
The Holy Spirit fits us into the Body of Christ and attaches us to other parts where He sees fit; each part doing its share for the benefit of the others. A part of the Body, existing on its own, cannot be sustained. There is no "me and Jesus" in the Kingdom of God. Such an arrangement is the most common error in the boxed congregations: they have a meeting on Sunday and then live their lives Monday through Saturday as they see fit. There is no one to correct them, no one who knows their struggles, no one from whom they take counsel. They might say "Well, the Lord will correct me." As pious as that sounds, the man will choose what is best for himself and call it "God's blessing". In reality, such believers operate as an orphans apart from the family of God.
What you describe is written in Hebrews 10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is..."
Assembling is not "meeting together on Sunday". It is the fitting together of the body. Meeting together could create a box of cars parts. Assembling together creates a fully functional car.
The Holy Spirit fits us into the Body of Christ and attaches us to other parts where He sees fit; each part doing its share for the benefit of the others. A part of the Body, existing on its own, cannot be sustained. There is no "me and Jesus" in the Kingdom of God. Such an arrangement is the most common error in the boxed congregations: they have a meeting on Sunday and then live their lives Monday through Saturday as they see fit. There is no one to correct them, no one who knows their struggles, no one from whom they take counsel. They might say "Well, the Lord will correct me." As pious as that sounds, the man will choose what is best for himself and call it "God's blessing". In reality, such believers operate as an orphans apart from the family of God.
Rick warren has a lot to answer for it was mostly his book "the purpose driven life' which presented pastor as CEO.
That book was forced on a lot of churches.
I was forever getting rid of them at the church library. Apparently everyone was reading it in the 90s and trying to make 'their' church into a business.
That book was forced on a lot of churches.
I was forever getting rid of them at the church library. Apparently everyone was reading it in the 90s and trying to make 'their' church into a business.
Excellent points, all. So, in most cases, the only option we have is to meet in the buildings we call churches.
And maybe I'm contradicting myself, but that's really fine with me. And it would be super great if we could get the pastors out of the way so we can all have conversations about God, undirected, prayerful, and full of the Holy Spirit.
As it is now, pastors are the only ones allowed to speak.
We all sit for one hour a week listing to one person talk. Then we go home. Lather, rinse, repeat.
There are exactly 168 hours in a week. And churches are open an average of two of those hours.
Wouldn't it be great if we could wander in and say a prayer for someone who wandered in at the same time? In-person, without any phony prayer request forms?
Imagine if we had two more people wander in asking about Jesus Christ, who He is, and what all the fuss is about.
I would certainly stay for that. And I would even be willing to clean up after their bratty kids.
And maybe I'm contradicting myself, but that's really fine with me. And it would be super great if we could get the pastors out of the way so we can all have conversations about God, undirected, prayerful, and full of the Holy Spirit.
As it is now, pastors are the only ones allowed to speak.
We all sit for one hour a week listing to one person talk. Then we go home. Lather, rinse, repeat.
There are exactly 168 hours in a week. And churches are open an average of two of those hours.
Wouldn't it be great if we could wander in and say a prayer for someone who wandered in at the same time? In-person, without any phony prayer request forms?
Imagine if we had two more people wander in asking about Jesus Christ, who He is, and what all the fuss is about.
I would certainly stay for that. And I would even be willing to clean up after their bratty kids.
-
1
- Show all
Not necessarily. I left the box 23 years ago. I haven’t attended a ”church service” since. That was the direction I received from the Lord. The Lord never left me at any time.
If the Lord sends you out, the same will be true for you, He will not leave you. If He has you stay for a time, however, then you will know why. In these matters, the timing of Lord is most important.
If the Lord sends you out, the same will be true for you, He will not leave you. If He has you stay for a time, however, then you will know why. In these matters, the timing of Lord is most important.
Some clarification please: Do you mean how do I assemble or how should you assemble?
For me, I am thinking about starting back with the large church. However, I am seeking to plug into a smaller group as well.
When I started the journey there were others who also left. I met with them either in a rented building or in smaller gatherings in people’s homes. We would study the scriptures together and pray. As people received me as their spiritual father I spent more time with them just as a natural course of ministry. Most of our gatherings today are not “formal”. For instance, this evening my wife and I will meet 2 couples for dinner. The couples are part of my household in the Lord. We will be together and the Lord will be with us. Next week, the whole household will gather at our house. We will eat some food and I will share what the Lord has shown me. Everyone else will do so, too.