Dan Cartwright’s last blog post…Perspectives of Evangelism – Death and Judgment

But I am assuming your concern os over churches that have “Pastor’s” that don’t either qualify for that position or don’t belong in it? and also then, many churches don’t clarify what their stance on what a Pastor is?

Maybe you could clarify a bit mor for me.

thanks.

And actually I was getting to a larger issue that you either chose to bypass or don’t want to discusss. I probably broke a rule or something
in not sticking to the paycheck thing. Noticing other comments in here I don’t think I did.

Dan Cartwright’s last blog post…Perspectives of Evangelism – Death and Judgment

Pity. . .

That would seem to be very worthy of serious consideration, but that’s just baed on my opinion after having visited countless ‘church’ sites where almost everyone on staff is a pastor (Pastor of ‘Administration’? – what, ‘paper’ sheep?). Then there is the annoying (at least to me) complete lack of listing credentials/curriculum vitae, part of the larger issue of the same sites having no stated doctrine, or their doctrine buried three levels deep beneath the ’sans scripture’, bland, Peter Druckeresque ‘vision/values/what we believe’ statements designed for ’seekers’ who are by nature uncomfortable with any statement preceded or followed by actual scripture references.

Dan’s last blog post…Perspectives of Evangelism – Death and Judgment

My stance on the application of scripture being the litmus test for whether we do anything is not based on “if it’s not in Scripture don’t do it”, it’s based on the historical evolution of an institutionalized structure that has little biblical basis (at least the biblical basis has been diluted and often lost) for what it has become today. Many people share the concern that what we know today as the institution of church, and its many ‘traditions’ are held more sacred than actual biblical truth – to the point that they are fatally flawed, broken, wrong.

Nick – your caveat is telling and supports this assertion: “why do we put so much emphasis on those areas if Jesus is being preached?”

that is my point – I’ve been to too many churches where Jesus is not being preached. Period.

badguy’s last blog post…The Purpose Drive Blog

But what if a community decides they have no need for a traditional pastor? What if the community itself takes upon this role?

Currently I am attending a church where every month all aspects of the sevice are designed and built by a team of rotation volunteers. The benefits are that more people become involved, a much more diverse body of thought is experienced and the community actually comes to grow stronger through enhanced participation. (I would imagine this is not too different from Buddy’s simple church – correct me if I’m wrong here.)

That being said, we do have paid pastor, although she prefers the title ‘enabling minister’ – we are to follow Christ, not her ideas of God.

Christian Beyer’s last blog post…Have You Heard This One? A Lesbian, a Playboy and a Biker Walk Into a Bible Study….

I would love to know a logical explanation why anyone would believe that it is both scriptural and practical for a pastor to struggle or to have to sacrifice family time and personal time by having to work two maybe even three jobs to provide for their family and pay their bills because a church will not provide for their needs when they are providing for the spiritual needs of the people?

Nick, Hi… You’re argument makes sense under the assumption that the role pastors play in the modern church is ‘right’. I think the opposite argument is based on the foundational hypothesis that the way we do church and the role that modern pastors take is not the best, most effective, or at least not the only way to do it.

Thinking outside the box leads to the conclusion that perhaps a full time salaried pastor with benefits is not the best way to do church… at least for a growing number of people.

“For those who are asking for a scripture here and a scripture there to outline every detail of our lives and every detail of what the church does, will never find them, and it is a waste of time and a pointless argument to demand such a thing.”

Nick, thanks for joining in!

I think there is a thought that if the Bible doesn’t say it we shouldn’t do it. But I don’t agree with that. I think you’ve spoken well to that as well.

I loved Paul’s attitude. He was interested first and foremost to people hearing the message of Christ and knowing Him a part from man’s religious rules and ideas. I like that.

An zero worries on the length. Have at it