The "One-Man-Paid-Pastor" System is Disobedience.

The one-man-paid-pastor system has ruined the church and is not at all Biblical.

I love the way Larry Jones puts it in his videos, he called the people in the pew, "pew people" and the people in the pulpit "pulpit people." A sad division between the leadership in the church and those that would be seen as beneath the "pastor."

The pew people think the man in the pulpit knows more because they are not reading their Bibles at home, so about that they are right, but they look at the "pastor" in the pulpit as their mediator between them and God, so they do not question him or correct him.

In fact, I have been chastised by others for correcting those who call themselves "Pastor so and so." This is not Biblical to forbid the people in the gatherings from questioning or even rebuking the one who stands up front. The word "pastor" is a word that denotes a calling not a title or position above others.

This is all totally against what God taught in His Word. If people would learn to meet in small groups in homes as the first-century church did, they would not be able to hide in the pews and leave without someone knowing their life. All of the people even the elders would be accountable to everyone else.

Also, and this is a big also, we are not required to "join" a particular local church. We as born again believers are the church and can meet with anyone, anywhere at any time. When God said not to forsake the gathering together it had nothing to do with darkening the doors of a building in large groups. Meeting together was around the Lord's supper to worship Jesus Christ. There was teaching also to equip the saints to go out into the world to bring the gospel to those in their community. And, if led they would go to other parts of the world.

I see no language in the bible such as "church planting", I do see go into all the world and preach the gospel.

When people become born-again because of the preaching of the gospel God will compel them to meet together according to the Bible. Whether it is in a home, in a park, the wilderness, the back of a dog kennel or in a barn, wherever there is room for them to be together.

Building large buildings to meet in has caused people to believe the building is the church instead of the people. Many people cannot meet anywhere else except that building and even believe they cannot pray unless they are in one of those buildings.

If someone cannot pray and worship at home then chances are they are not praying and worshiping anywhere even in one of those man-made buildings. Following the instructions of others, do this, do that, stand, sit and all the ways the leadership controls the congregation, then we are not worshiping we are being manipulated to pretend to worship.

John 4:23-24 "…23 But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” "

Philippians 3:3

"For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--"

If we can only worship in those designated buildings, or study with a "pastor" who is ordained by men, then we have a wrong view of God's purpose and calling for all born-again believers.

Our God is more concerned about us being trained and taught by the Holy Spirit than He is about us being part of a human hierarchy or any buildings where we meet.

2 Corinthians 3:17

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

1 Timothy 1:17

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

May we learn to lean on Christ everywhere all the time with anyone who names the name of Jesus Christ.