What in the World is Happening? – Chad Thomas and Todd Hampson

Whom Do You Elevate: Christ or "Pastor"

As one brother (Larry Jones) described "pastors" as "pulpit people" these days, who elevate themselves causing "pew people" to elevate them too. God says this of these people:

Matthew 7:21-23

I Never Knew You

"21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

There are many "Christians" who are "pastors" today who have never been born again, they are very proud of themselves but have no relationship with Christ. God described them in Bible times too:

Matthew 23:4-6 "…4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,…"

Figuratively speaking many "pastors" today have very large phylacteries.

Phylacteries Definition: "a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law."

The modern-day "phylacteries" look more like seminary degrees. They value these degrees above the Bible and above anything else.

Many pulpit people are more interested in intimidating the pew people to keep rules they make than growing their brothers and sisters in holiness. They spend more time entertaining the sheep to keep them locked into praising the pulpit person while neglecting the important matters.

Matthew 22:23 "“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others."

Our modern-day pulpit people are more interested in being seen as "scholarly" than they care about feeding the sheep and evangelism.

Matthew 23:6-7 "6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.…"

Often I am grieved at the mentality of the pew people who have every manner of praise and accolades for their "one man paid pastor" than they ever speak of Christ. In fact, I hear often pew people saying things like "Pastor so and so" as though this is an elevated position worthy of more respect than other born-again believers. We do not see anywhere in scripture the use of "Pastor" as a title or a position.

The term "pastor" is referring to a gift given to several men in any gathering, not ordained of man but given by the Holy Spirit as a place of service, not one of elevated status.

Luke 14:11

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Sadly many men who come out of seminaries are not even born again. They lack the fruit of the Spirit and a servant's heart. I have seen the pride in so many that prevent them from humility and correction from other brothers and sisters. As I have watched them over the years I see them growing more self-absorbed, pleasure seeking, and self-exalted. This is why so many use joking and life stories much more than they use the Bible, to keep the pew people entertained. Flattery and motivational speaking has become the norm in the pulpits today.

Sadly many men who come out of seminaries are not even born again. They lack the fruit of the Spirit and a servant's heart. I have seen the pride in so many that prevent them from humility and correction from other brothers and sisters. As I have watched them over the years I see them growing more self-absorbed, pleasure-seeking, and self-exalted. This is why so many use joking and life stories much more than they use the Bible, to keep the pew people entertained.

These pew people are hirelings concerned about their salaries while lacking concern for the holiness of God's people. They do not have a heart for the lost to evangelize them, they draw in the unsaved through "church growing practices" to ensure their salaries.

We are living in an apostate age in which the people hate doctrine from God's Word, they resent correction and will not listen to good teaching, so the pulpit people dumb everything down to keep the bodies flowing into the pews.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"

Young teens will be ruined by the large gatherings, their focus is fun, play and pride. There have been those I have met who raised their children in the large gatherings with all its perks who lamented that their teens were taken away from Christ and led into superficiality, arrogance, and "pastor worship", having little desire for Christ or His Word.

My humble advice to those seeking a church gathering is to worship at home with your families until God presents a small gathering. The large gatherings have gotten that way by diminishing the gospel in favor of social programs.

The first-century church met in homes, they were few in number but mighty in faith. If God grows your gathering in the home wonderful, if He brings you to another small gathering of faithful believers somewhere else then praise Him. Whatever the case He must be the One Who leads you to be wherever He wants.