The more ‘international’ my ministry becomes, the broader my understanding of the gospel and God’s Kingdom grows. As I interact with new cultures, I become ever more thankful for the grace of Jesus Christ to redeem humanity to Himself. As I see how the gospel has impacted nations, tribes, and communities, my faith is increased in the power of God’s restoration and grace.
However, as I have the opportunity to meet with all kinds of church leadership through conferences, training events, crusades, discipleship meetings, and more, I am also becoming more aware of the sinfulness inherent in every man and the proclivity to misuse the gifts and callings God has placed on us, for our own benefit.
Disclaimer
This brief series was inspired by a couple of Facebook posts from men I admire, which came on the heels of a difficult interaction with a few leaders I work with. My response was to be a brief comment in reply, which I then determined should be a brief live video instead to be able to explain my thoughts more effectively. However, as I began to jot down a few notes and scriptures for that video, I got sucked down the rabbit hole and came out with over ten pages of notes and what would likely be a 2-hour video teaching. I have therefore decided to put it out there as a blog series, which can easily be reviewed, the cited scriptures studied, and comments made directly.
Before I jump into what will likely be a sensitive topic, let me first say that I love the church, and I value the leaders God has called to this honorable work. My intention in writing is to edify and exhort; not to criticize.
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Statement: “Christians Must Submit to Their Pastor.”
Statements such as this are becoming a trend I am seeing come up, over and over again, in various nations and communities around the world. It is not a new view. In fact, it has affected the church since the earliest days of appointing leaders. I do believe it is becoming a strong point of contention once again, and one I find myself struggling to keep in balance as a leader of leaders.
I do not necessarily disagree with the statement, but I certainly do not agree with it either. The truth behind the statement can only be found in the intention of the one making it.
That is because so much of the statement needs clarification before we can ‘prove’ its validity:
- What does “submission” mean?
- Who is qualified to be a “pastor” deserving of submission?
- What makes you “their” pastor?
- What are the boundaries of the pastor’s authority over a Christian’s life?
As you can see, this gets complicated quickly. So over the next few weeks, I want to try to answer some of these questions and maybe a few more.
I want to give us some clarity on what biblical submission looks like and the boundaries God places around our authority as leaders.
But first…
I would like to hear from you.
- What has been your experience with calls to “submit” as a Christian?
- What expectations do you have as a Pastor for the believers in your church to obey your authority and leading?
- In your experience, what are some benefits of submission to godly leadership?
- What are some dangers that can arise in submission to a pastor?
- What questions do you have about submission in the biblical sense?
Please let me know in the comments.
I am posting this on Friday afternoon and will follow up with the first post of my series on Tuesday next week, but I want to incorporate my responses to your experience and questions in this series, so it would be a huge help if you take time to leave a comment below. My one request is that when you comment, please at least include the country where you live and serve, and if you’re comfortable and it adds to your post, you can also include the denominational background you come from.
Remember, this series is to build up and encourage, so keep that in mind with your comments. I ask that you DO NOT use this as an opportunity to bash any specific leader or group. If your comment has a sense of hatefulness rather than an air of “helpful critique,” it will not be posted.
If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!
© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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