Of the Five Ministries explained in Ephesians 4, none has taken on more of a leadership role than Pastor. For this reason, Jesus went to great lengths to explain how He wanted His church led, and it wasn't the way in which the disciples expected. It is telling that when Jesus spoke to His disciples about how they were to oversee the 'flock' after Jesus left them, his focus was more on how not to fulfil the task than how to do it. This was because the qualities the world sees as necessary for good leadership were forbidden by Him. Even today, many church leaders are still having difficulty coming to terms with that fact that Jesus categorically forbids the exercising of lordship or authoritive control over the church, though for centuries that is exactly what the church has done.
Mark 10:42-45: "But Jesus called them to him, and said unto them, Ye know that they which are appointed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
1Pe 5:2-3: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonourably motivated by the advantages and profits belonging to the office, but eagerly and cheerfully. Not domineering (arrogant, dictatorial, overbearing) as Lords over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."
Generally the line, "lord it over them" is thought to refer to Gentile leaders who rule with an iron fist, keeping the people under their thumb, so to speak. However, the text does not bear this out. The phrase "lord it over" is the Greek word kurieuo, which means "has jurisdiction over". There is no indication that Jesus meant it in a brutal or dictatorial manner. He even said that those who have authority over others are called "benefactors", i.e., doers of good. No, Jesus was not talking about those in authority who abuse their positions, though if the cap fits, wear it. He was speaking of those who require others to submit to their authority, including those who 'rule' in a beneficial manner, e.g., a benefactor. And He was saying that it shall not be so in the whole church. There is to be only one leader: Jesus Himself and it is to His authority alone that people should submit.
Jesus thus made it very clear that those in overseeing positions in His church were not given authority by Him to have any kind of jurisdiction over their congregations, nor were they permitted to act with any form of 'authority' over people. Nonetheless, there are thousands of churches around the world who are applying the principles of lordship to the local church situation. In such churches, pastors take on the responsibility to supply and maintain the essential spiritual services of the local church as well as spiritual law and order, believing that such authority is vested in them by God. Operating as benevolent dictators, they make up rules and regulations designed to 'protect' the church. Those who 'submit' to them get ahead in the church and are appointed to the most favoured and honoured positions. Those who don't are left out in the cold, being labeled as rebels or outlaws because they refuse to submit to the authority over them. Some are even punished for their non-compliance.
This authority is enforced by these pastors who tell the people that God has placed them in this position over them, and that they (the pastors) are answerable to God for their flock's actions, therefore it is God's will that they should submit to the pastor's authority. They say this in blatant contradiction to Mark 10:42-45 which clearly shows that, not only did Jesus not give them this authority, He forbade them to exercise any form of control or authority over the flock they were overseeing. These pastors perpetuate the deception further by telling their congregation that, as their pastors, they are in direct contact with God, and it is through them that God speaks to his flock, therefore the people should listen to them and submit to their authority. Some tell their flock to pay tithes and offerings on a regular basis "into the local storehouse" otherwise the people will miss out on the good things God has for them. Many control the assets of the local church and can do whatever they please with them, as control of these assets is vested in them. Jesus makes it quite clear in Luke 22 verses 25 to 29 that is NOT the way He wants His church run and those who run it that way are being disobedient.
When Peter discusses the matter in his first epistle, he warns of a motive for which pastoral leadership should not be conducted, that being "for filthy lucre". Lucre is not a term commonly used these days. It is generally translated as meaning money, and whilst money is lucre, lucre is not necessarily money. The word which translates closest is "assets" or acquired wealth gained through investment, as opposed to that inherited or earned in the form of wages. The only word derived from it still in common use today is lucrative. The word "filthy" as used here translates not so much as "dirty" or even "ill gotten" but questionable, round about or inappropriate, while still being legal. Thus Peter is saying, "don't use the oversight of the flock as a means to inappropriately gain personal wealth." An example of this is people (and churches) who set up a "ministry" (I use the term loosely), get people to give to that ministry, and then use the funds given to purchase personal possessions such as houses, cars, properties, businesses, aeroplanes etc). They name these assets as 'aids to their ministry', and quote scriptures like "Every many is worthy of his hire" to justify the personal use of the funds. Whilst they do not purchase goods with the funds illegally, the people who gave it did so having been led to believe they were giving to God, when in fact they were giving to an individual or an organization. Paul the Apostle made sure he didn't fall into the money trap. In 1Co 9:18, he wrote: "What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel."
The Elevation of the Role of 'Pastor'
When Paul lists the Ministry gifts in Ephesians 4.11, notice that he does not elevate a pastor above the others; in fact it appears second last. Yet, in many churches it is the pastor who is considered the leader - the authority - in the local assembly. How did that come about? In the book of Revelation, Jesus says to the local assembly in Ephesus that He hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2.6). There are a few theories on who the Nicolaitans were but this much is true. Nicolaitans is a descriptive word that means "controller (or conquerer) of the people". It is derived from two words: nikos, which means "to conquer or control" and laos, which means "the people". "Controllers of the People" sounds very much like those who would "lord it over" the local assembly. It is believed that John wrote the Book of The Revelation around 95 CE, almost 60 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Clearly, worldly ways of doing things had already begun to creep into the Church. As the Church was spreading throughout the world, and many Gentiles were being added to it, many pagan practices were also adopted with them. One of these was the addition of a head priest, which is thought to be where control by the Church leadership began and has been perpetuated to the present day in one form or another.
Man has always sought someone to intercede to God for him. We even see it in Israel when the people asked Moses to speak to God for them. That was not God's original plan. He wanted to speak directly to the people. In fact, God had intended for Him alone to be the sole ruler over Israel. He did not plan for any man to lead Israel; only Himself. It was Israel's idea for a king, not God's (1 Samuel 8.7).
So it was within the Church. Jesus never appointed leaders when He was on earth. Nor did He ever instruct the disciples on how to choose leaders. They were not to have any. He would be their only leader (I am not speaking of elders, who are not leaders, but men whose ministry is to act as examples to the local assembly, not to rule over them). As has already been stated, early Christians looked around and saw the system used by the pagan religions and also by the world. According to the book, 'Christian Priesthood Examined', Guildford and London, Lutterford Press, 1979, p. 100 "Christianity ... learnt from the example of pagan religions that most men find it difficult to understand or approach God without the aid of a man who in some sense stands for God, represents Him, and feels called to devote himself to this representative ministry". Instead of being satisfied with Jesus as the leader, a desire crept into the Church to have a man to stand in Jesus' place on the earth. The Catholic Church installed a man who acts as Jesus' representative here on earth and established a system of Saints who serve similar purposes. Though the Protestant churches were formed primarily to break away from this unscriptural practive and give back to Jesus His rightful place as Head of the church, many Protestant churches now elevate their leaders to the position of God's representative through which He vests his authority over the local church, just as the Catholic Church does. The practice is unbiblical and a deception.
Leadership in the Local Assembly
Let's look at some of the Scriptures that show that Jesus is the head of the Church, including the local assembly.
"He [Jesus] is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." (Colossians 1:18)
"For the husband is the head of the wife, as Messiah also is the head of the church, He [Jesus] Himself being the Savior of the body." (Ephesians 5:23)
"But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Messiah ..." (Ephesians 4:15)
It seems pretty clear from Scripture that Jesus is the head of the body.
God's view of a good pastor
The Greek word used by Jesus when he made reference to the Good Shepherd is "poimen", which is the same word translated as "pastors" in Ephesians 4:11. Clearly then, the role or function of Shepherd or Pastor in Ephesians 4:11 is the same as that spoken of by Jesus in John Chapter 10, though of course we must always remember, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, pastors are simply servants appointed by the Holy Ghost to act as overseers in his place as Acts 20;28 indicates: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." The way in which Jesus instructed pastors to oversee here is as a servant.
The Greek word for "servant" is doulos {doo'-los} n - servant 120, bond 6, bondman 1; 127
a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
What titles people in church leadership chose to give themselves says a great deal about how they see themselves. The word 'minister' means servant, and in the time when the New Testament was written, servant meant slave, but how many church leaders have a business card declaring them as 'Slave Fred Bloggs' or the slightly less in-your-face'Servant Mary Bloggs'. Most describe themselves as ministers of the Gospel of Christ, and rightly so for such they are, but how many would not want to be seen or known as a servant or slave, even though that it what they are called to be? Not content with such a lowly standing, some, and often it is the denominations they represent that dictate this, elevate themselves up the ladder a few rungs to be addressed as "Your Reverance" while others go all the way and become "Your holiness". Not bad titles for servants and bond slaves and the least among us, as Jesus described the greatest in His Kingdom as being.
It is interesting that servants - which is what God expects pastors to be when overseeing His flock - are at the opposite end of the pecking order to the type of person the world elects to oversee others. The world's choice is reflected in the job description - master. In the power and authority chain, the master is at the top; the servant is at the bottom. The master's word is all-powerful; the servant's word counts for nothing. The master tells others what to do; the servant does what others tell him to do. The master has authority over those under him; the servant has no authority as he has no one under him. The master gets others to do what he wants done; the servant does all the things no one else wants to do.
Taking God's word to its logical conclusion, to be a good pastor in God's eyes, your word must count for nothing (that is, you have no say in the decision-making process); you do what others tell you to do; you have no authority as you have no one under you, and you get to do all the things no one else wants to do. So why would God want someone so weak and feeble overseeing His flock? Surely He'd be better off with someone with a bit of charisma and flair; someone who could say, "Jump" and the people would respond, "how high?" Strange as it may seem, a Lord or Manager is exactly the kind of pastor that God doesn't want or need. Let me explain to you why.
In John 10, Jesus said, "I am the Good shepherd. My sheep hear My voice, I know my sheep and I am known of mine." He makes it very clear that He is the Shepherd. The only reference to anyone else's involvement in the management of the flock is that of hirelings (paid servants), the description of whom is far from complimentary. Jesus also makes it clear that the sheep don't belong to a church denomination, or to a pastor ("Who then is Paul? And who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed? … you are God's field, you are God's planting.1 Cor. 3:4-9) or even to themselves ("you are not your own … you are bought with a price" 1 Co. 6:19-20); they belong to Him. He talks to them, they know their shepherd and He knows His sheep. I don't know about you, but to me that leaves no room or necessity for anyone else's contribution or assistance in the maintenance of the relationship between shepherd and sheep. Let me give you an example of what I am saying. I have two sons and the lines of communication between us are open and functioning. They know me well and I know them well. They don't need an interpreter to understand what I'm saying and I don't need a go-between to relay messages to them. I speak to them and they hear and respond. That's the sort of relationship Jesus is saying He has with His sheep. He and His sheep are spiritual beings with an open line of communication between them - it goes without saying that if the sheep aren't hearing His voice, then they are either not His sheep, are not listening or have a hearing problem. Hebrews 12:2 states that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Again, no one else's involvement in the process is warranted. Another verse speaks of Jesus as being the one (and only) mediator between God and man.
So where do pastors fit into the picture? They are one of God's five gifts to the church, given by Jesus upon His selection and at His discretion to assist Him in the shepherding process. While their role is to provide pastoral care or shepherding, they are not shepherds with the authority of ownership but simply overseers (1 Peter 5:2) acting under the direction instructions of the Shepherd (Jesus) and the Operations Manager (The Holy Spirit). The only leadership authority pastors are given over the flock is that of a servant, which as we have just determined, is effectively no authority at all by human standards. Their leadership is to be by example rather than by control (1 Peter 5:3).
Sheep Follow Sheep, Not Instructions
If you've had anything to do with sheep, you will know that the two main behavioral characteristics of these creatures is that they are difficult to train and tend to follow one another blindly. You can train a dog to obey voice commands or hand signals but trying to train a sheep that way is a waste of time. The only way to get a sheep to do anything is either by force, or to get another sheep to do what you want them to do so that the others will follow. A shepherd is the only person who has any chance at all of giving directions to sheep that they will follow, and that occurs only because of the trust developed over a period of time between them. For that reason, Jesus was able to say, "My sheep hear my voice, they know me and I am known of them".
I believe it was not by accident that Jesus used the parallel of sheep and flocks of sheep to describe His children and His church, as we humans have the same characteristics &endash; we are difficult to train (our wills get in the way) and we tend to follow one another blindly (from the food we eat, the clothes we wear, our blind acceptance of what the media tells us, the way we buy what advertising tells us to buy to the way so many of us buckle under peer pressure).
So how does God want to use pastors to get His flock to do what He wants? As the Bible teaches, entering and staying in God's kingdom is an act of the will on the part of the subjects, and not an act of force on the part of the King. God forces no one to do anything and He expects all persons in leadership roles in His Church to follow suit. The use of force or blackmail to make the sheep do what God wants is not on God's agenda. If, for whatever reason, the sheep are not hearing or listening to the Shepherd (Jesus), the Shepherd uses is other ploy. As sheep follow sheep, he gets one sheep to do what he wants and the rest follow, and that's where pastors come in. They are his sheep also, so he gets them to be examples for the rest to follow. He knows that, by nature, sheep will follow them, which is why they are called to lead by example and not force. This leading takes the form of sharing Godly truths and the principles that they have learnt and living them out in their own behavior and conversation. As they move into these green pastures of spiritual nourishment and growth themselves, the flock will follow them into the same green pastures, just as, if they wander off and fall in a ditch, the flock will follow them into the ditch. That's the nature of sheep.
God's call to Christians, therefore, is to follow and not lead, except by example. Throughout the Gospels, just about every time Jesus selected someone, be it for healing, salvation or discipleship, the call was pre-emptied by the words, "Follow me". When Peter and Andrew were fishing, Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you to become fisher's of men". Even when the disciples were being briefed on what was going to happen after He was gone, Jesus didn't place any of them in positions of authority over each other or the church (they did receive authority, but only over the spiritual forces of darkness). They had spent plenty of time arguing among themselves who should score the top job but Jesus responded by saying He would send another member of the Godhead, The Holy Spirit, to run His Church who would lead them into all truth. Their role then, as ours is today, was simply to follow.
The Tasks of A Shepherd (and His Overseers)
1. A Porter
John 10:3 makes reference to the shepherd as a porter. The word 'porter' comes from the same root as 'port' and 'portal', that being a place through which something passes. The shepherd is the doorway from the fold to the pasture. The fold is where the sheep are cared for; the pasture is where the sheep are fed. The reference to those who come into the fold another way than by the porter as being thieves and robbers indicates that a major part of the shepherding process is to be a porter, that is, to ensure, under the Holy Spirit's direction, that only sheep pass through the doorway into the fold.
2. Feed the Sheep
In all the scriptures where the New Testament speaks of shepherding, be it those addressed to individuals or to pastors in general, the instruction to feed the sheep is the one common denominator. If we apply the parable in John Chapter 10 as depicting Jesus as the Shepherd, the Christians as His sheep and the Church as the fold, we come up with a few things that are quite contrary to what we generally accept as being the way things should be. For starters, the fold is not where the sheep are meant to live; it is simply a place of protection at those times when the sheep are at their most vulnerable to their prey. It's a place of shelter in a storm. Sheep are never fed in the fold unless they are sick or being cared for during a time of vulnerability. In normal circumstances they are fed outside of the fold in the green pastures of the big, wide world. Pasture is outside of the fold, not within it. The Bible indicates this applies in the spiritual context too, as Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture (nourishment)." This verse clearly indicates that when a person is saved they enter the fold, but then they are to go in and out for the purpose of finding pasture (nourishment) outside the fold.
Go to a sheep farm and you will see that sheep are not held by the nose and told, "Here, eat this, and if you don't come to the fold every Sunday to be fed, you are going to starve." Shepherds don't feed their flock by confining them to the fold, feeding them once or twice a week on a regulated diet and placing them under strict control to stop them leaving the fold and going astray. Sheep are fed by being sent through a gate and released out into an open field to find their own nourishment (which means growth or increase). John 10: 4 indicates it is the overseer's role to find green pastures and lead the flock to it. It is then up to the sheep to forage around freely and find what they want to eat. And where is this pasture into which the Good Shepherd wants His sheep to be released? The Bible says that we are the sheep of His pasture". Translated literally from the original Greek, that verse says, "We are His sheep and He is our pasture".
3. Provide Care For The Weak and Sickly
Those sheep that are too sick to go out and find their own nourishment stay in the safe confines of the fold until they are well enough to fend for themselves. Because of their condition and situation, they often must be hand fed by the shepherd in the fold. They are the only ones of the flock who require hand feeding and who are not given the freedom to find their own nourishment in the open pastures outside of the fold.
4. Send Out Others Into Their Ministry
Throughout the whole of the New Testament, the end result of people's acts of ministry was the release of others into their own ministries. Jesus released his disciples into ministry, the New Testament church released the apostles and evangelists like Paul, Barnabas and John Mark into their respective ministries. When this happens, the behavioral characteristic of sheep following other sheep kicks in and other sheep will follow those that move into these better pastures. The pastor doesn't need to worry about their safety &endash; that's the Holy Spirit's task. They also have Jesus, the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for them, they hear His voice, they know Him and He knows them so the sheep are in good hands. If one does go astray, the Holy Spirit has the elders of the Church on standby to point the sheep back to the green pastures. If they are injured, he'll call in the pastor to rescue them, take them back to the fold and give them whatever care or attention they need until they are strong enough to be released again. All the pastor has to do is be on standby and await for the Master's call, like any good servant would do.