The Bible and...: Part 4c: Pastors

The Bible and...: Part 4c: Pastors
Friday, April 12, 2024 by Dr. James W. Walraven

“I can no longer be a Christian because my pastor did ‘x’!" How often have you heard of or been directly told something like that?

Sometimes a pastor may commit what we’d consider a very serious sin, such as adultery. Being human and still having a sin nature, it does happen. That type of sin typically and rightfully has major repercussions for the pastor so involved. Nevertheless, we forget that even that sin is not unforgivable, even though we sometimes treat it as such.

But most of the time that isn’t what is being talked about, the reason for leaving a church, for “no longer being able to be a Christian”. Rather, what is referred to is some imagined, or accidental slight, a cross word said in haste, a church decision that didn’t go the way the person wanted. That the person may have wanted something unbiblical is besides the point. There are even cases where someone turns away from Christianity because their pastor voted “wrong” (we’ll deal with politics later on in the series).

Sadly, there are still churches, as well as individuals, who demand their pastors be 100% perfect. If expectations aren’t met, they’re gone: in a church, the pastor will be forced out (fired) or asked to resign. In all too many churches it seems that at least a few people think their job is to look for a pastor’s shortcomings, find them, and then voice them as forcibly as possible.

None of that is biblical, but we’re not talking biblical truth here, but rather human wants and congregational demands. Sadly, it is still the case that in some churches in the United States—especially smaller ones—the pastor is expected to do everything, including mow the lawn on Saturday; to always be available: no personal life allowed.

The toll is telling: one can find a variety of differing statistics, but in general it is fair to say that at least 40% of pastors think about quitting during any give year; 50% suffer from some form of burnout; about 50% feel unable to meet their requirements (God didn’t design a pastor, let alone any human being on the planet to be able to do “everything”). Over 75% of pastors suffer from serious stress, while many ultimately leave for financial reasons. When I was in seminary we were told that in a typical evangelical church the average pastor lasted two years (some statistics now say four years). You can’t be perfect and meet our congregational demands? See ya! And this doesn’t even consider our culture’s anti-pastor stance.

Are cultural expectations, both secular and within the church, biblical? In some cases one can answer that with a “yes.” There are churches that seek to follow the Bible in how they deal with their pastoral leadership. But often, secular cultural norms are brought into the church (such as a congregational votes to hire or fire the pastor).

One doesn’t even find the “American’ idea of a “pastor” in Scripture. No pastoral CEO model is found there. Rather, one finds a plurality of elders in charge, some of whom typically have preaching and teaching spiritual gifts.

Nevertheless, “Because my pastor did ‘X’, or failed to do ‘Y’, I cannot be a Christian anymore” is often the norm. What “I” want the pastor to do is what he must do. If he does not, I’ll be offended.

What does the Bible actually say about how to treat church elders, pastors and teachers? What does the Bible say to do if a genuine issue arises? All too often, church members don’t know, or worse, choose to ignore, what Scripture states. We will turn to that question in the next post.

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