To the Pastors:

Heed the Word in James 3:1 when he admonished the believers to consider carefully whether they should become teachers. He was not saying that few teachers should exist, but that the position should never be taken lightly or for ambitious motives. To qualify as teacher one needs to strive to possess the qualities and gifts required for such an office. James is referring to the grave responsibility and accountability before God. To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a position that many should want. It can bring upon us a greater judgment and it can bring upon us intense persecution and satanic attack. Such a one should be striving to be an example of love, compassion, humility, and constant self examination, always allowing God to purify one's own heart. It should be a life of true sacrifice.

(Phil. 2:3-4) Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. [RSV]

In these modern times, the folly of institutionalized, religious education has brought upon us an institutionalized church, where worldly methods and formulas are depended upon and not the Holy Spirit of God, even among Pentecostals. This is especially true when much of the curriculum is focused on the business of running a church. In these elaborate institutions, would-be men and women of God, learn the psychology, finance, politics, etc., that will lead to the building up of a “successful” congregation. In these places one learns motivational skills that will produce the needed income to secure a worldly kingdom, disguised as a church. Sadly, miracles are often explained away in these lofty institutions. Scriptures are studied mainly for academic reasons, making a “scholarly clergy” appear superior to the “uneducated laity.” This creates an unspoken “class” distinction and implies that the common and “unlearned” Christian cannot possibly rightly divide the Word of truth or be trusted to speak in a “church” setting. “Laity” is looked down upon as being on a lower level than “clergy” and less able to understand spiritual matters.

Furthermore, these practices and principles install mere men as earthly representatives of Jesus Christ, causing other Christians to hear and obey a mortal, rather than the ONE TRUE HEAD OF THE BODY, JESUS CHRIST. Pastors and elders were to be a kind of overseer to protect and serve the Body and the Christian faith from unsound doctrine. They weren't instructed to have titles and positions of power and superiority. They were overseers, in a servant mentality, for the sake of protecting the purity of the faith, not dictators of the order of worship services or a shepherd to direct the lives of believers. Those who interpreted the words of Paul in the era of King James were conforming to the hierarchal thinking of the day. How could it be anything other than misinterpretation of leadership terms in 1st Timothy and other epistles? After all, would Paul have contradicted the Lord? Hear what Jesus said to His special chosen:

(Matt. 23:8-12) But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth father, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called teacher, for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. [NIV]

(Phil. 2:5-11) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [NIV]

Each one of those in the fellowship should be strongly urged to be responsible enough to study the Word for themselves, as well. If the mature members of the congregation know the scriptures, they will know whether the pastor is acting in accordance with God's Word, rather than in error or in the flesh. Furthermore, the pastor and the established brethren should encourage newcomers to learn the scriptures, too. If this were going on, there would not be such an invasion of worldliness, selfish ambition and other errors in the church, and it would be quickly dealt with, when it crept in.

In the less-developed, “unpolluted by Western thinking” countries, where it costs dearly to serve the Lord as a minister, elder, missionary, prophet or evangelist, there is no such foolishness. Men qualify themselves to preach the Gospel by their willingness to risk their very lives. They must lay down their lives, their homes, their income, their families--everything for the calling. Why should a pastor expect the power and authority of Christ unless he is willing to die for the Church, as was Christ? These are the credentials that God requires of His greatest servants and these men and women are the ones who will retain their positions of leadership in the eternal kingdom, alongside the great Church fathers. The rest will have already enjoyed their reward, here and now. The wealth and comfort and lack of sacrifice they had on earth will make them ashamed, in the presence of God's true servants.

God despises the political games that many modern clergy are often compelled to play. They must often cater to and brown-nose the wealthy of their congregation, neglecting the lowly members who have less to offer in assistance to the pastor's lofty ambitions and goals of accomplishment. Some leaders watch the records to see who gives large offerings and who tithes and who doesn't. (In all fairness, I do know of one pastor who refuses to view the records of offerings by members, lest he would favor or be prejudiced toward members, based on their giving, and I am sure there are others like him.) I have seen the poor and “undesirables” discouraged from coming to churches that prefer members who are “assets” and not “liabilities.” It is the well-to-do businessmen who are usually enlisted to be on the "board of directors" of many church bodies. There is a great deal of favoritism shown to the affluent, professional and gifted, while others are left out.

The “professionalism” that rules the world today extends its high-brow influence into the Church. The same people are always called upon to pray, play in the worship team and serve on the deacon body, service after service, while others wait perhaps a lifetime for an opportunity to feel the joy and humility of stepping out of the pew, and feeling God's grace, power and presence as He uses them to minister to and serve the Body. The presence of God in His Holy Spirit can be so strong and genuine when we are being used by him, it is a real faith booster that everyone needs to experience. When it comes to worship, surely the Holy Spirit responds more readily to sincerity, rather than professional excellence.

Sadly, the rest of the body is usually left to quietly remain unused by God, and in that state they fail to experience the many ways their faith is enriched by good works or in worship, prayer or sharing the Word. They become like stagnant cisterns of water, which eventually smell because the water of the Word, which has continually been poured into them, remains unused and wasted. The rest of the believers are crying to have an opportunity to pour out what has been put into them. They are not only given no encouragement to do so, but many are discouraged from going forth and venturing into the realm of preaching or teaching the Word of God. They become spiritual zombies, sitting week after week, receiving but never experiencing the growth that comes from putting it to use. They are not given any place to practice and improve their ministerial gifts because they are not among the popular or professional “chosen” of the church. Eventually their light dims, as they are repeatedly told they are “called” to minister in the home or workplace. They are taught that only “ministers” are allowed to speak or lead in the “church” without express permission from the “pastor.”

(By the way, witnessing or ministering in the home first is required of ALL Christians, including [especially] elders, deacons and pastors. Witnessing in the workplace is all well and good, and we are all to minister wherever we go, by our deeds, words and actions however, there is nothing godly about standing around, preaching and sharing scripture on company time. Your best witness at work is to do a good job, be honest, and give your employer his money's worth, with a cheerful heart. Telling the cashier about Jesus in a brief moment is fine, but laying out the whole Gospel while checking out your groceries will only serve to get him/her in trouble at work and make the customer behind you, angry. Quickly try to arrange an off-the-clock time to meet.)

The church is not intended to be a feeding trough on which the members come and get fuller and fuller until they bloat. The church is not meant to be a static institution, a miniature kingdom to bring glory to man. It is meant to be a training ground, where saints are equipped to go out and carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Pastors, if you are losing members because they are being called out to minister, then you are doing your job right. So repent of keeping your people bound to your little domain. They aren't here to keep your vision and dream of a “church” alive. If you aren't preparing them for a mission or service to propagate the Gospel, letting ALL of them practice before the body and sending them forth, you are failing your call.

Repent of manipulation and control of your congregation. I have heard pastors berate their members, scolding them for low tithes and offerings, low attendance and failure to help on a project. The worst thing I ever heard was a minister forbidding his congregation from praying in small clusters before the service. He accused them of being sneaky and told them if they had anything to pray about, they could share it with the whole body. What? Suppose a woman with a recent diagnosis of breast or cervical cancer would not be ready to share it publicly with the entire church? I don't know what was going on with that church, but that pastor's attempt to manipulate and control the people was evident with every word he said. As he spoke on, it was obvious he feared that members were speaking against him in these “prayer groups.” If the church has problems and the pastor has insecurities, he should be glad that the members want to pray about it. I never desired to visit that church again.

There are leaders who lay guilt trips upon the people, demanding participation in various programs, imposing all sorts of expectations, forgetting that many of their members are all working for a living, women who work actually have two full time occupations, so they might not be able to participate in anything else. Members are financially strapped as it is, then they are tithing their income, plus donating offerings to various other causes and funds related to the church. Be merciful to them, and you shall receive mercy.

(Matt. 23:15) Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. [NIV]

Most pastors have a fair or excellent salary plus benefits. How can such a one be critical toward members for a lack of faith or commitment? Chances are, many among the congregation are doing without health insurance and must rely on prayer and faith to keep them healthy. What can a pastor teach those members about faith and trust? You must practice compassion upon the flock.

Parents are both working and then running their children to all sorts of extra-curricular activities that this society dictates. (And the Lord has much for me to say about this, later.) They are coming home late and tired, only to be greeted with piles of dishes, laundry, and hungry kids with homework to do. In contrast, as a pastor, hopefully you have prepared for your message in prayer and fellowship with God and reading His Word all day. You become upset because these folks didn't come to the weekday evening service to hear what you had to say. Where is the mercy in that? (I realize that pastors also have hectic days with concerns and distractions, but if you aren't getting adequate preparation time, you need to simplify your life.) As a pastor, your first obligation is to the work of ministering to the people if the Lord has appointed you. Of course people need to hear the Word that will refresh and equip them. They need to simplify their lives from the social pressures of this world, so they can have room for God. But they don't need your nagging and brow-beating to keep your ministry going.

Pray that God will give you compassion and wisdom and patience. Then, begin to help your flock see that they need to drop a lot of the stuff they think they have to do. Show them that modern society is putting more demands on them than they can fill. Pray diligently for each of your congregation to discern what God's will is, for their lives. Teach them to live in a God-conscious state of mind, so that they are in constant fellowship with Him. Perhaps it isn't necessary for them to attend services three to five times a week, in order to keep from backsliding.

Remember the often used illustration about teaching someone to fish, rather than just feeding them? Why isn't this applied to new converts as far as learning the scriptures and practicing fellowship with Christ? Teach your members to dig for truth in God's Word for themselves. Folks who have been attending your “church” for twenty years, shouldn't still need you to eat, digest, regurgitate and feed them the Word, like some mother bird. What if end-times tribulation should isolate believers? How will they spiritually survive? What does “equipping the saints” mean to you?

(Eph. 4:11-16) It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, the Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. [NIV]

I pray that you, the pastor, aren't also caught up in worldly activities which keep you from being in fellowship with the Lord, for that is a greater abomination. You have nothing to give if you haven't been with Jesus. Teach the body members to eliminate as much burden and expense as they can. Preach to them to simplify and do it yourself, too, not only in your personal life, but you owe it to your congregation to simplify the needs of the “church” as well. Drop any unnecessary activities your church might take on. Weigh proposed social activities to the spiritual value it has for the body. Give to them, instead of constantly taking, as some pastors do. The Church needs more pastors who have a heart for their congregations and think of their needs first. I know of a pastor who obeyed God's voice and asked those in the congregation with financial stress to line up with their request for the amount of money they most urgently needed. She then proceeded to write them each a check, no questions asked. Needy members didn't have to gather the courage to approach the benevolence fund committee, with an explanation of their financial situation. They were invited to come boldly and receive. I thank God for her obedience. (While we are here, let's repent of needing thousands of dollars to run our “church” while the “benevolence fund” keeps a mere pittance by comparison. In the early Church, all the offerings basically were the “benevolence fund.”)

(Rom. 12:13) Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. [NIV]

Make sure that if you want God's children to give their time to assembling, that there is something worth assembling for. That is, see that you aren't using that time to push your own fleshly agenda. See that you don't force the Body to simply “attend a service” that is, to continually listen quietly to what YOU have to say. Make sure you speak truth from the Word, giving meat and substance to the Body. Prepare your flock for good works. Be filled up with the Holy Spirit through prayer and earnest seeking and then let the Holy Spirit work through all the believers so they can know the joy and excitement of being used of God and spoken to by His Holy Spirit. That way, things are fresh and God is in control, not you. Let LIFE flow, throughout the assembly. Drop the morbid, weary, traditional form. If you believe God is a God of order, let HIM be in charge. Things will go according to HIS plan and purpose and not by yours. Stand back and be amazed!

(1 Cor. 10:24) Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. [NIV]

A pastor, who is not intimately familiar with his or her sheep, either has too many sheep, and needs to appoint spiritually focused elders to minister to the needs of the body and keep him informed, or else he needs to be omniscient and omnipresent. Since only God has those qualities, we should reconsider just how effective these large “churches” really are. Sadly, too many pastors are hirelings and not shepherds. Your body of believers should be your beloved children and you are their mentor who teaches them how to seek and hear the Father for themselves. Their spiritual welfare should be your foremost concern in life. Your calling as a pastor is one of servitude, intercession, love, compassion, and earnest devotion. Your walk before them should be exemplary.

(Rom. 2:21-23) You then who teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? [RSV]

A true pastor should spend many hours in prayer for his sheep. He should know them each by name and intercede for every one of them. He should spend a great deal of time in the prayer closet, seeking discernment and the will of the Father. He should be involved with heavy spiritual warfare on behalf of his congregation, as the apostle Paul was. He (or she) should spend many hours of fellowship and communion with the Lord, having a deep and intimate relationship with the Savior. A pastor should understand that his service to each new body member is temporary, only to teach them to seek and know the Lord intimately for themselves, so that Christ Himself, becomes their shepherd. This is the will of Jesus Christ. There is something wrong when Christians still need a pastor to assist them in growth, after years of hearing the Word.

(Heb. 5:12) For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God's Word. You need milk, not solid food; [RSV]

I could say that as a pastor, you are in the wrong business, but the problem is that the Lord's work is not a business, nor was it ever intended to be. Men have made it so, with their carnal lust for money, prestige and approval of men. If a man or woman chooses to serve the Lord, it is a call to die to one's self, completely. Your flock must come second only to Christ. Therefore, if your spouse or children will make demands that rob you of your ability to serve the flock because their heart is not in your ministry, you need a secular job. That was why Paul advised it would be better to not take a wife, if you hope to be a teacher or leader. Repent of your sense of entitlement to a private life. The bondservant of Christ has laid his life down. Repent of any indulgence in the lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and boastful pride of life. It can have no part in a man or woman of God. Yes, a pastor is a very difficult calling. No one should enter into it or stay in it lightly. And if your spouse is not with you in your ministry, you should reevaluate your calling. It is more than a man or woman can do, if one's spouse is in conflict.

(Matt. 19:29) And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. [RSV]

God is looking for men and women, in this time of final harvest, who will heed the call to give their lives over completely to the Lord. They must be willing to suffer and to pour themselves out as a drink offering for the lost and the sheep. They must be contenders for the faith, considering all this world has to offer as nothing, in comparison to the prize of knowing Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings. We aren't talking about a hectic week at the church office, my friends, or a frantic month of speaking engagements and flight schedules. We aren't speaking of merely missing one's family, while leading a conference and collapsing on a soft bed in some luxury hotel. In many countries, true missionaries have spent years separated from their loved ones, in filthy prisons. What do Western evangelists and pastors have to complain about?

(1John 3:16) By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [RSV]

Finally, pastors who are ruling over their flock with the abomination of what is known as “shepherding” whereby they advise or command the people in their daily lives and decisions had better repent. Jesus said:

(Rev. 2:6) Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [RSV]

(1 Peter 5:1-3) So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. [RSV]