The Senior Pastor - NT Evidence: a final word
As we discussed earlier, it would seem that, not only is there no command or direct teaching in the New Testament with regard to a senior pastor figure, but also the passages used to support a senior pastor position seem to require some level of eisegesis to provide evidence for such views. Before evaluating the Old Testament support offered for the necessity of a senior pastor, an additional New Testament question also has to be raised. Proponents of all four views would agree that the three Greek terms, pastor, elder, and bishop, are all used to describe one single office, yet proponents of the traditional view and the leader of leaders view seem to identify the pastor as a separate or special elder. They see the Eph 4:11 pastor-teacher as "a distinct role among the elders,"[1] even though all elders should be "able to teach."[2] Since Eph 4:11 is a passage concerning spiritual gifting and not an office in the church, and since it is not a strict singular reference,[3] it seems more logical to conclude, as White does, that "since there is only one office of elder, as far as eldership itself is concerned, the elders would be equal to one another,"[4] or as Hammett states, "in the New Testament terminology, the pastor is an elder, and all the elders are pastors."[5]
In the next post, we will look to see if there is any Old Testament support offered for the necessity of a senior pastor. In the meantime, what do you think: is there a such a thing as "a distinct role among the elders"?
[1] Dever, 23 and Akin, 65.
[2] 1 Tim 3:2 (NKJV).
[3] The reference is actually in the plural, but due to the context of the "one body" of Christ (Eph 4:4) it should not be interpreted as a prescription of multiple pastors and teachers in the local body of believers.
[4] James R. White, “The Plural-Elder-Led Church: Sufficient as Established – The Plurality of Elders as Christ’s Ordained Means of Church Governance,” in Perspectives on Church Governance: Five Views of Church Polity, eds.
[5] Hammett, 185.
11 comments:
Mael,
What about Timothy and Titus? Not to mention Peter in 1 Peter 5. Those are questions that usually come up, though my view of "pastor" is much more radical than most.
Lionel:
I have heard of people pointing to Timothy, Titus, and Peter, but interestingly enough, they are not prominently portrayed in the literature I read.
Let us start with Titus, for he is the easiest one to deal with. Titus was left in Crete by Paul "that [he] should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as [Paul] commanded [him]" - Titus 1:5. We therefore see Titus working with multiple "local bodies", some estimate up to 50, in Crete. Now either Titus is a hierarchical-archbishop, and therefore not a senior pastor, or an apostolic aid, and therefore still not a senior pastor. I lean toward the second, after all Paul calls him so in 2 Cor 8:23. Even Akin (I think ... can't remember where I read it), an advocate for a senior pastor, agrees that Titus was not a pastor in Crete.
As for Timothy, there is much circumstantial evidence which would put him in the same category as Titus, and out of the senior pastor category.
As for Peter, in 1 Peter 5 he identifies himself as a fellow elder; in fact, the only mention made of a special shepherd status is in reference to Christ, Chief Shepherd.
Hope this answers your questions. What are your thoughts?
I agree Sir. I don't see any evidence for either being "pastor's" at all in the modern use of the word, Titus was "left" and Timothy was "sent". Both were temproary agents. I also don't see Peter as a "senior" pastor as it seems he traveled quite a bit and had a more apostolic ministry than an "pastoral" ministry. At least you can draw that conclusion from 1 Corinthians 9.
I agree that scripture bears out that a pastor is one elder among many.
However, not every elder today is able to devote him/herself to full time ministry. And as Jesus said in Luke 10:7, "...the laborer is worthy of his hire." That is someone in a church needs to be given over to leadership, to give attention to the mission of a church - watching the gate, as it were, full time. Right?
I cannot think of an instance in Scripture where the church was functioning well without an individual leader of some sort. Even when, as spoken of in Acts, they were of one mind (2:1) there were still those who rose to the top in leadership. In fact we are told to "obey [our church] leaders and submit to their authority" (Heb. 13:17). I recognize that the "their authority" could imply a "body of elders." But someone needs to be in charge of that body, someone needs to take the inituative. But "in charge" as a servant leader, as Christ (Mt. 20:25). As we see Paul yeilded to the body in matters pertaining to church governance.
Dave M.:
Welcome to my blog! Thanks for posting your comments and for the words of encouragement left elsewhere on this blog.
Since the concept of "pastor" refers to a spiritual gift (see my comments on Eph 4:11) that every elder should have, it seems to me that we can't truly differentiate the two.
In addition, I do believe that Scripture teaches us that all believers, not just pastors, are called to be full time ministers. With that belief, you really have to stop and consider the problems which come to your mind: 'How is that possible?', 'What would that look like in my life, in others' lives?'. It isn't easy, and we struggle daily in pursuit of God's answers to these questions.
As for Luke 10:7, it would seem that it applies to traveling missionaries, as do many of the references to money in the NT. BUT, if we want to expand the concept from missionaries to all "workers" then my question is: Why are we only applying it to a specific role in the body of Christ? What about the person who ministers by encouraging, or by giving, or by (insert any spiritual gift here)? Why are they not worthy of their wages?
I personally cannot think of a single instance where the church in the NT was functioning well with a single leader, because, with the possible exception of Diotrephes in 3 John, I do not see any picture of a single human church leader in the NT. I agree with you that there needs to be someone who needs to be in charge, but that role is the role of the head of the body: Jesus Christ. A push for a human head, while pragmatically justified, is not justified in Scripture, at least I haven't been able to find it. Can you give me Scriptural examples where the church WAS functioning well with an individual leader of some sort?
Thanks for the interaction. I look forward to hearing your feedback on this issue and on the rest of this series.
Hi Mael - sorry it's been a while...
I'm not arguing here that there is Scriptural evidence for a "senior" pastor. Only saying that someone would have to take the lead in the church. Historically, pastors who stayed at one church or church district were known as "settled" pastors. In the early 1900's a settled pastor, by some, was frowned upon. Before the "local" pastor the pastor took on the role of a missionary, or church planter. He would come into an area, hold a series of evangelistic meetings which might last up to a year and thus establish a church and move on. I think we see this model in the NT through Paul's ministry. Paul never forgot those for whom he labored and as a result, in part, of his burden for these churches we today have much of the New Testament.
I believe that the same model would be beneficial today for the spreading of the Gospel. The method of outreach would need to be different of course (don't know if the people would have the stomach for a series of evangelistic meetings that lasted one year). And the pastor/evangelist/church planter would need to be supported by an organizational body - that is not muzzling the ox...
Speaking of pay, the tithe is collected to support the ministry of Gospel workers - as the NT model suggests. And could be used as an argument for the "senior" pastor, or head elder in a church.
When you say, "I do believe that Scripture teaches us that all believers, not just pastors, are called to be full time ministers..." My question is, how is that possible in reality. A full time minister would then primarily be working "full time" in missionary endeavors. "Full time" would mean 40+ hours a week strictly given over to ministry and laboring for a living on the side. This again was the purpose for the establishment of the tithe in the NT. It is one thing to say, all believers should be "full time" minister; it is quite another for that to be a living reality. People just can't afford it. And so back to the need of someone(s) to be paid to do so by the people. And back to why we have "senior pastors." Again, I'm not arguing that their role is what it should be today...
Now to digress a bit:
Personally I'm weary today of the relationship between the pastor and the congregation - more of an actor and audience relationship. The music, speakers seem to be putting on a "show" for an expectant audience rather than all of us coming together corporately for worship. We are not there primarily to "receive" we are there to "give." To give of ourselves to God in worship, to be a blessing to Him. Things are certainly amiss today when it comes to "church" but the church, as faulty as it is, is still the apple of God's eye and He will see her through.
This again was the purpose for the establishment of the tithe in the NTHuh? Where is the tithe established in the NT?
This again was the purpose for the establishment of the tithe in the NTHuh? Where is the tithe established in the NT?
Well, I believe that it is. Here's why.
The last word we have on tithing in the OT is in found in Mal. 3:6 - 12 - a pretty clear promise if the tithe, as well as the offering is paid faithfully, and a rebuke to those who do not do so.
Fast forward to Jesus dressing down the Pharisees in Mt. 23:23 concerning tithing. He makes a clear statement that they were obligated to pay the tithe on their spices saying, ..."You should have practiced the former..."
Lk. 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:13, 14; 1 Tim. 5:18 address the issue of pay for the servants of God. The Corinthians passage is pretty clear (to me) making a link between the Levites of the OT system receiving the tithe (Deut. 26:1 - 15) and the "preacher" of Paul's day when he writes, "In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." These, while not ministering OT temple rites - are ministering, are handling the Word of God, and the emblems of Christ's body. Without a systematic method of payment then the ministry could not be sustained. Could it?
So, again, I believe that there is NT evidence for the tithe to be paid to the minister of the gospel. Also, to be honest with the text the tithe was also to be used to help the needy, the widow and the orphan (again the Deut. reference, vs. 12) - not usually done today.
Dave M.
I have not forgotten you and plan to reply ... I've just been very busy. I should get some time to write this coming week.
Dave M,
I noticed you left out the reference in Acts 20:34-35, which directly and specifically refer to "elders" and how they should receive support. In fact, in this passage, Paul clearly teaches all elder to work with their own hands in order to support themselves and others. What if we don't leave this passage out of the equation? What if the other passages that you mention occur in the context of all elders working to support themselves? (By the way, you might want to consider 1 Thess 3 also, where Paul teaches that everyone in the church - which would include elders, I think - should work with their hands in order to provide food for themselves.
-Alan
Thank you all for the great discussion.
Dave M. - you asked: When you say, "I do believe that Scripture teaches us that all believers, not just pastors, are called to be full time ministers..." My question is, how is that possible in reality.
I would say that it is possible when we consider that the term minister is really a translation for the term for servant and the term for fellow-worker. In the NT, "minister" is not a position, but a characteristic or an attitude that believers should have. Just like Christ was a servant, so we should be. Serving God can be achieved in everyday life and through everyday action done to the glory of God, but most importantly, serving God cannot be achieved by proxy.
You said: It is one thing to say, all believers should be "full time" minister; it is quite another for that to be a living reality. People just can't afford it. And so back to the need of someone(s) to be paid to do so by the people.
That is ministering by proxy. If Scripture taught us to minister by proxy, Eph 4:11-12 probably would read more like: And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the doing of the work of ministry, ... INSTEAD OF And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, ...
I think that your frustration with the "the relationship between the pastor and the congregation - more of an actor and audience relationship," could be caused by the fact that churches are ministering by proxy. The pastor(s) is(are) being paid to do what the congregation defines as ministry in their stead. On Sunday (or whenever) the congregation comes to observe the pastor/music leader/etc. perform the job of ministering that they are being paid to do; if the congregation is pleased with the ministry performance, they can go home and feel good that the pastor(s) is(are) doing a good job as a stand-in for them. I don’t think the congregation consciously does this, but if you analyze their expectations, grievances, and satisfactions, I think you can see this underlying ministering by proxy pattern.
As for the "pay" passages ... on top of what Alan added, can I ask you to look at the context of those passages? Is it really a pastor context, or is it more accurately an apostle context? I see it as the latter. If you want to contextualize it in today's terms: it's a missionary context.
I'm encouraged by your desire to deal with what you see is "amiss" nowadays. May I encourage you to keep on thinking, praying, and most importantly looking in Scripture.
Looking forward to more interaction.
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