Bible Question (short): Elders not a pastor should lead church |
Question (full): Can someone give me a scripture from the bible that shows where one person (a pastor) is to oversee, feed, or lead a congregation? Every where that I read about the "government" of the early church in the bible,it was overseen,lead, and fed by elders (plural). I'm sure you bible scholars already know that the word "pastors" only appears one time in the NT. Many people (even pastors) say that's the way it is today, we can't change it. This says to me that what's in the bible doesn't matter. They certainly can't say they were led by the Holy Spirit to set up this "pyramid" type government. What should be the final authority in our lives...the bible, tradition, customs, just what ever we think? Why are we wholesale supporting something that is contrary to how the bible says the churches were organized. Read Acts 20:16,17,28; 1Pet.5:1-3; James 5:14, etc. While I'm on the subject, remember that the following words are synonyms (mean the same) pastor, bishop, elder, presbytery. These are not titles, but functions...it's what you do. My soul is grieved at the abuses I observe among the universal church. We have to stop saying we are going to "church" ...we need to "be the church". Bereaniam |