The Senior Pastor Is Most Important

[rockytopva]

I believe "Bishop" is the closest term we can come to "Senior Pastor" or basic overseer of the church

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. - 1 Timothy 3

I do visit a SBC when they have 9AM services... Levels of pastors...

Senior (Lead) Pastor - Who I would refer to as Bishop
Worship Leader
Executive Pastor
Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Care
Young Adult Minister
Kids Ministry Director
Kids Ministry Assistant
Youth Minister
Administration helps

They probably pack in 3,000 in both Sunday services combined. - Northstar Church - Staff Leadership

I would attribute the success of this church to good leadership... All lead by a good senior pastor. I would also imagine the Apostle Paul longing for the fellowship of senior pastors as he would come to town.

 

[rockytopva]

I would also venture to say that any congregation this site deems "Christian" has the ability of producing Bishops, or good senior pastors. A good Bishop is one you can put a great deal of confidence in. It is also important that such people continue in good ethics and integrity...

"Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." Ecclesiastes 10:1

 

[shepherdsword]

I believe "Bishop" is the closest term we can come to "Senior Pastor" or basic overseer of the church

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. - 1 Timothy 3

I do visit a SBC when they have 9AM services... Levels of pastors...

Senior (Lead) Pastor - Who I would refer to as Bishop
Worship Leader
Executive Pastor
Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Care
Young Adult Minister
Kids Ministry Director
Kids Ministry Assistant
Youth Minister
Administration helps

They probably pack in 3,000 in both Sunday services combined. - Northstar Church - Staff Leadership

I would attribute the success of this church to good leadership... All lead by a good senior pastor. I would also imagine the Apostle Paul longing for the fellowship of senior pastors as he would come to town.

Job 32:21-22
Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

 

[Windmill Charge]

I think an important method of testing any church leader is to ask them,
" There has been a report of inapropreate touching of a young girl by your son." How would you deal with this?

There is only one real responce and that is to hand the matter over to another member of staff who will together with that childs parents go to the police.

It can be re worded to cover financal miss managenet, spiritual abuse etc etc, but any hint of trying to cover it up, leave that church telling them why, that they are untrust worthy.

 

[SavedInHim]

There's no such thing as a senior pastor or senior overseer in the ekklesia. It's a man-made doctrine.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

That's what most churches teach.... check your personal relationship with the Lord at the door and bow down to our "pastor" and blindly accept any and all things he says and never mind reading the Bible as they will tell you what to believe

 

[Dan Clarkston]

" There has been a report of inapropreate touching of a young girl by your son." How would you deal with this?

The fake OSAS so called "pastor" would say.... if he was actually being honest about what he believes.... "Well, we don't recommend adults touching young women in that way, but it's all good because all this guy's future sins are already forgiven so it's all good and there's no need for him to repent or anything"

 

[soberxp]

Past or? new one in!

 

[soberxp]

Birthday shop sell the Bible? Bishop

 

[Jay Ross]

A senior pastor without a congregation is a pretty lonely fellow.

Perhaps the congregation is the most important element of a church.

The next most important element of the church is to have a Shepard to tend the flock, one who has a heart for and cares for the congregation.

A senior dictator/controlling pastor should be not even entertained.

 

[quietthinker]

I believe "Bishop" is the closest term we can come to "Senior Pastor" or basic overseer of the church

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. - 1 Timothy 3

I do visit a SBC when they have 9AM services... Levels of pastors...

Senior (Lead) Pastor - Who I would refer to as Bishop
Worship Leader
Executive Pastor
Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Care
Young Adult Minister
Kids Ministry Director
Kids Ministry Assistant
Youth Minister
Administration helps

They probably pack in 3,000 in both Sunday services combined. - Northstar Church - Staff Leadership

I would attribute the success of this church to good leadership... All lead by a good senior pastor. I would also imagine the Apostle Paul longing for the fellowship of senior pastors as he would come to town.

Matthew 20:24-28
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

[soberxp]

20:27
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

 

[David Lamb]

20:27)
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Yes, and I cannot think of any bible passage that mentions the supposed office of "senior pastor" (or junior pastor, come to that ). The only verse where "pastors" are mention is this one:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” (Eph 4:11 NKJV)

No mention of different ranks of pastor.

 

[nedsk]

I believe "Bishop" is the closest term we can come to "Senior Pastor" or basic overseer of the church

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. - 1 Timothy 3

I do visit a SBC when they have 9AM services... Levels of pastors...

Senior (Lead) Pastor - Who I would refer to as Bishop
Worship Leader
Executive Pastor
Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Care
Young Adult Minister
Kids Ministry Director
Kids Ministry Assistant
Youth Minister
Administration helps

They probably pack in 3,000 in both Sunday services combined. - Northstar Church - Staff Leadership

I would attribute the success of this church to good leadership... All lead by a good senior pastor. I would also imagine the Apostle Paul longing for the fellowship of senior pastors as he would come to town.

Ignatius of Antioch disciple of the apostle John

"Now, therefore, it has been my privilege to see you in the person of your God-inspired bishop, Damas; and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius; and my fellow-servant, the deacon, Zotion. What a delight is his company! For he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus Christ” (Letter to the Magnesians 2 [A.D. 110]).

“Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and with the presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the business of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father from the beginning and is at last made manifest” (ibid., 6:1).

“Take care, therefore, to be confirmed in the decrees of the Lord and of the apostles, in order that in everything you do, you may prosper in body and in soul, in faith and in love, in Son and in Father and in Spirit, in beginning and in end, together with your most reverend bishop; and with that fittingly woven spiritual crown, the presbytery; and with the deacons, men of God. Be subject to the bishop and to one another as Jesus Christ was subject to the Father, and the apostles were subject to Christ and to the Father; so that there may be unity in both body and spirit” (ibid., 13:1–2).

“Indeed, when you submit to the bishop as you would to Jesus Christ, it is clear to me that you are living not in the manner of men but as Jesus Christ, who died for us, that through faith in his death you might escape dying. It is necessary, therefore—and such is your practice that you do nothing without the bishop, and that you be subject also to the presbytery, as to the apostles of Jesus Christ our hope, in whom we shall be found, if we live in him. It is necessary also that the deacons, the dispensers of the mysteries [sacraments] of Jesus Christ, be in every way pleasing to all men. For they are not the deacons of food and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They must therefore guard against blame as against fire” (Letter to the Trallians 2:1–3 [A.D. 110]).

“In like manner let everyone respect the deacons as they would respect Jesus Christ, and just as they respect the bishop as a type of the Father, and the presbyters as the council of God and college of the apostles. Without these, it cannot be called a church. I am confident that you accept this, for I have received the exemplar of your love and have it with me in the person of your bishop. His very demeanor is a great lesson and his meekness is his strength. I believe that even the godless do respect him” (ibid., 3:1–2).

“He that is within the sanctuary is pure; but he that is outside the sanctuary is not pure. In other words, anyone who acts without the bishop and the presbytery and the deacons does not have a clear conscience” (ibid., 7:2).

“I cried out while I was in your midst, I spoke with a loud voice, the voice of God: ‘Give heed to the bishop and the presbytery and the deacons.’ Some suspect me of saying this because I had previous knowledge of the division certain persons had caused; but he for whom I am in chains is my witness that I had no knowledge of this from any man. It was the Spirit who kept preaching these words, ‘Do nothing without the bishop, keep your body as the temple of God, love unity, flee from divisions, be imitators of Jesus Christ, as he was imitator of the Father’” (Letter to the Philadelphians 7:1–2 [A.D. 110]).

 

[Dan Clarkston]

A senior dictator/controlling pastor should be not even entertained.

They shouldn't watch TV, go to the movies, have internet access or listen to music or anything similar?

 

[rockytopva]

Yes, and I cannot think of any bible passage that mentions the supposed office of "senior pastor" (or junior pastor, come to that ). The only verse where "pastors" are mention is this one:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” (Eph 4:11 NKJV)

No mention of different ranks of pastor.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach.
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; - 1 Timothy 3:2

And to look up the word Bishop... "The overseer or presiding officer of a Christian church" - G1984 - episkopē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)

A Bishop according to the scripture must also have one wife and children.

 

[rockytopva]

And a man fulfilling the true calling of Bishop... Or Senior Pastor...

During this imprisonment Bunyan wrote and published his spiritual autobiography (Grace Abounding, 1666). It reveals his incarceration to have been a spiritual opportunity as well as an ordeal, allowing “an inlet into the Word of God.” Bunyan’s release from prison came in March 1672 under Charles II’s Declaration of Indulgence to the Nonconformists. The Bedford community had already chosen him as their pastor in January, and a new meetinghouse was obtained. In May he received a license to preach together with 25 other Nonconformist ministers in Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties. His nickname “Bishop Bunyan” suggests that he became the organizing genius in the area.- John Bunyan - Puritan Writer, Pilgrim's Progress, Allegory | Britannica

Very good for a man whose education has been dubbed, "undoubtedly slight." - https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/john-bunyan-the-man-preacher-and-author

 

[MatthewG]

It doesn’t matter how smart someone is—even if they wear the title “Pastor.”


People might come to you looking for answers. But if you become the answer man, then where’s room for God to be the one who truly helps?


“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5


I just point to Him. Jesus is the high priest.


“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” — Hebrews 4:14


So who are we—any of us—to tell someone how to believe or live, if it’s not by the Spirit of the resurrected Lord Yeshua?


“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” — 2 Corinthians 3:17


It’s honestly embarrassing how some preachers pass away and folks lift them up like they were Jesus Himself. That’s not the truth.


“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 2:5


I’ve gotten in trouble for speaking out in churches before… maybe that’s why I stopped going. That’s just my take. Still, I’ve been thinking about visiting random churches again—just to see what they’re teaching these days.


Probably the same old cycle: Sin, Satan, Hades, and Death.


“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” — 1 Corinthians 15:26


“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” — Revelation 1:18


All of it—already overcome by Jesus.

 

[David Lamb]

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach.
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; - 1 Timothy 3:2

And to look up the word Bishop... "The overseer or presiding officer of a Christian church" - G1984 - episkopē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)

A Bishop according to the scripture must also have one wife and children.

Yes, the word is used in the bible of all the overseers of a local church. For example, the epistle to the church at Philippi opens:

“Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” (Php 1:1 NKJV)

If there were bishops, plural, in the church at Philippi, "bishop" cannot mean "senior pastor." It certainly doesn't mean what Anglicans mean - somebody over a whole group of local churches.

 

[rockytopva]

Yes, the word is used in the bible of all the overseers of a local church. For example, the eistke to the church at Philippi opens:

“Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” (Php 1:1 NKJV)

If there were bishops, plural, in the church at Philippi, "bishop" cannot mean "senior pastor." It certainly doesn't mean what Anglicans mean - somebody over a whole group of local churches.

Can you name any Bishops that were the husband of one wife, ruling their own house well, having their children in subjection with all gravity?