The Destitution of the Pastor
Considerations and Reasons in which the Pastor should leave his office.
By David Cox
[Ch42] v1 ©2011 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.
The Destitution of a Pastor: considerations and reasons why the pastor should step down
By David Cox
[ch42] v1.1 ©2011, 2024 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes
There are often problems in churches between the pastor and the members. In general, the pastor is the one who governs and leads the church according to what God teaches him. In itself, the concept of a Pastor is to lead (or govern) the flock of God. The Bible does not indicate that the church can remove the Pastor, because it simply does not like a matter that he does, especially when it is of minor importance. But the pastor is not without his duties and responsibilities either. He cannot do whatever he wants. For some, the pastor is “untouchable.” Once he enters, nothing short of God killing him, or the pastor himself resigning that can remove him. But that is not the case.
Is it Biblical to Destitute the Pastor?
(to remove him)
In 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 3:1-7; and Titus 1:5-9, the Apostle Paul explained the requirements for the bishop, who is the one who cares for the church spiritually and governs it. In making requirements, God gives us to understand that (1) not everyone is qualified to be a pastor, and for this reason, there are requirements before entering the office of bishop. (2) if a pastor officiating and ministering as a bishop becomes disqualified, then he must step down from that position and ministry. It is not valid to dismiss the pastor because you do not like something he does. Each person has “his style” of leadership and of doing the ministry and being a pastor. It is his privilege to direct things as he sees fit. The dismissal must come because he does not fulfill his duties, or for reasons of breaking a biblical norm, a biblical example, or not being exemplary (according to what most men of God and more spiritual Christians in the group see). In 1 Timothy 5:19-20, it clearly speaks of an elder’s rebuke openly before everyone, so pastors are not untouchable.
Subject to Requirements 1Timothy 3:2-3
Many times, wolves or immature men can deceive with their cunning, and for this reason, God says that the deacons and the pastor must be tested first, and then exercise their ministry if they are blameless (1 Timothy 3:10), i.e. meet the requirements. Paul put “these also” with the deacons so that we understand that the test is applied to the pastor as well as the deacon. Likewise, in reading Jeremiah (19 times) and Ezekiel (9 times almost all in chapter 34), God rebuked the errors and faults of the shepherds of Israel (the spiritual leaders of the nation). God rebukes them and speaks repeatedly of their dismissal, and that God is going to exchange them for a man of God who would do the will of God.
Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God… 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
The pastor is the local living example of Christ (if not, he should step down). His leadership and ministry are one of demonstrating the will of God by the current and historical example of his own life. That is, before spiritual authority, before teaching or preaching, the pastor teaches and guides BY WHAT HE IS SPIRITUALLY. It is hypocrisy to say, “do as I tell you, not as I personally do.” So, if this is the basis of his ministry, when the pastor does not live correctly, he is not blameless like the example of Christ, he should step down or be dismissed.
The Requirements for Being Pastor
According to 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 3:2, it is expressly forbidden for a woman to serve as a pastor, or to preside, or to lead, or to preach, or to teach before the mixed group (men present) or in the general assembly (in any way speaking and being in front of the group in an official or authoritative capacity) or the church (when men are present). Simply put, the job of pastor-bishop is for men, not women.
It is equally forbidden if the pastor is not or does not continue to be “a one-woman man.” Homosexuals, adulterers, or divorced people are excluded from this ministry. The job of pastor is to teach and counsel the group by word and deed. If he does not live up to biblical standards, he should not enter, and if he should “change his mind” about the standards, he should either leave or be removed. God requires that the pastor “be blameless,” and this means that the pastor is an example of Christ, and has no defects, stains on his testimony, or is of bad report. We all sin, but the pastor must be a man who by his personal life’s achievement in following Christ is qualified to stand before others. He is not given to wine, vices, and addictions, but is free from them.
The Character of the Pastor
Although we can say that it is the privilege of each pastor to lead the group in general as he wants, there are conditions in this as well. First, it is appropriate to use this as a shield to not comply with God’s standards. These standards are obligatory for every believer, whoever he may be, but the pastor must especially manifest submission and obedience to them. The requirement of not being arrogant means not having an attitude of haughtiness, that is, that he is better than others, and does not care about the lives, feelings, or well-being of others. The pastor is there to give the flock the social, emotional, and spiritual support of God. His purpose of being over the flock is exactly this, to take them to a place of spiritual good, and to take care of them there, and any problem that exists, the pastor is there to correct it, to place the brothers in God’s will, or to give comfort if there is nothing else to do (such as the death of a family member). So, the biblical pastor is marked or distinguished from the evil pastor by being prudent and decorous, a host (1 Timothy 3:2). Prudence is saying the right thing, acting in a noble and healthy way, in a way that others see your behavior as the best in the world.
Being of good behavior and hospitable means having your life in order, everything as it should be, and having a “pro-people” attitude and actions. The biblical pastor wins others to Christ and serves the people of God by his attitude and actions of “being by their side” and not against them. Although sometimes the pastor must take the position of the beloved father who scolds his child, he loves, his actions, words, and attitude are always to benefit and edify the people (so that they walk in the will of God), and not to attack and destroy them. God has imposed that pastors live from this work, but the difference between the wolf and the beloved pastor is simply their attitude toward the will of God and the flock. The good shepherd wants to be God’s instrument to bless them and edify them so that they become adults, mature Christians. For this reason, the pastor does not stoop to the whims, tantrums, outbursts of anger, and the chatter of foolish old women. This is also involved with not being a novice (1 Timothy 3:6), but someone who, through his ALREADY ESTABLISHED experience in the ministry, demonstrates his spiritual and emotional stability. Titus 1:7 mentions “not soon angry” or hot-tempered as a character that disqualifies the person, and this is angry, emotionally explosive, always ready for, looking for and liking fights, arguments, and struggles. 1 Timothy 3:3 uses the phrases not a striker and not a brawler, or the concept of not being quarrelsome, which means that it is a person who loves to fight and win over others and to roll in fame and recognition of his superiority from others. The good shepherd is not like that, but he is controlled, demonstrating the way of God, the character of Christ by his own life, and this is the idea of “prudence.”
2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
In 1 Timothy 3:3, Paul specifically states that the person who occupies the place of leader-example of the church must be “gentle, mild.” This means that he is a person with patience, and that he is gentle in his dealings with others, a true “gentleman”. His life demonstrates the gentleness, calmness, and patience of Christ, and if not, then he should not enter, nor should he remain as a shepherd. Isaiah 40:11 also refers to this gentleness and mildness that should be the norm between shepherd and sheep.
Greedy Dogs and Insatiable
Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, everyone for his gain, from his quarter.
Furthermore, the Bible emphasizes time and time again that the false prophet always has his eye on money and how he can reap what is not rightfully his, and the man of God is a person “not greedy of dishonest gain” (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7).
How do you remove this a Bad Pastor?
There are two possibilities here, the nice way, and the ugly way. The Nice Way. When a Christian who has a viable and living relationship with Jesus Christ as his Savior enters the position of pastor of a church, and he falls into sin, or lets his testimony fall, or becomes bitter in his attitude, he by himself, by his own conscience, will want to step down from being a pastor so as not to tarnish the name of his Savior.
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
The true Christian cares a lot about how his life reflects on his Savior. Because of stains in his testimony (his way of living), others do not come to Christ, or they stumble over his bad testimony, and this should be a strong motive in any Christian not to fall into sin, and if he does fall, to correct his life quickly, and not to occupy places of prominence during or after his sin or bad testimony.
The bad way. Unfortunately, the wolf does not care about any of this, and simply his hold on power over the church and the brethren is exactly like a dog with a bone. You are going to have an ugly fight if you try to take away his prize. (This is why the process of selecting a pastor must take its time, be a calm, quiet process, and understanding the requirements and praying over them and each possible candidate before anything formal and permanent is done.) The only thing that causes a dog to give up his bone is a strong blow to the head with the shepherd’s staff. This is why they used this staff. They will defend “their prize” with vengeance. It will be a challenge to “touch not God’s anointed” (See my tract of this same title, Ch26).
Titus 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.
God wants us to rebuke the erring Christan sharply at times to bring about spiritual healing in our lives and churches. Unfortunately, at times, even pastors get out of line. The more spiritual men of the church should speak strongly to the pastor to remove him if he does not fulfill his duties and requirements. Strong words of exhortation and encouragement should be given (constantly) before a removal process is begun. The pastor needs to know that his people are not ignorant of the image of Christ we all must bow before, and that they are aware of the pastor’s testimony (good or bad).
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