Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Larry Jones: Imaginary "Pastor"
An imaginary sermon by an imaginary repentant pastor to an imaginary congregation....
“It was not the Lord Jesus Christ who authorized me to be the pastor of this assembly; it was flesh-and-blood that appointed me. If you find that hard to absorb, try to find me in the Bible. The New Testament teaches 'one another' ministry, not a salaried one-man overseer. (To verify, simply type in 'one another' in a searchable online Bible, i.e. Bible Gateway). No christian should have the degree of influence over you that I had. You assimilated my untruths, which were many, as well as truth. I want you to see that, as leader, I had a vile leverage over you. For example....
“If you did not call me pastor you would have paid a hefty price. I have learned over the years to efficiently deal with dissention. I have subtly intimated from this very powerful pulpit that the only way you can publicly serve God is through this assembly, or one similar, and you correctly sensed that to do so my approval is paramount. Also, you know your friends within this congregation will withdraw much of their warmth if they sense any dissention between me and you. Harmony is everyone's friend; tension is everyone's enemy. And so everybody was careful not to cross me. Not only is that the reason you called me pastor but it's why you submit to many other 'commandments of men' that I have imposed.”
An Imaginary Sermon by Larry Jones
An imaginary sermon by an imaginary repentant pastor to an imaginary congregation....
“I REMIND YOU THAT the Bible, not contemporary christianity, is God's standard. 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” I repeat that Scripture is God's standard. And I repeat that contemporary christianity is not God's standard.
“Under my oversight, and that of other evangelical controllers, you have adopted many practices that have gained you acceptance with me and each other, but are contrary to God's Bible. One example of many....
“Why did you call me pastor? Can you find one precedent in the Bible of one christian calling another christian pastor? The Bible declares “the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church” and yet many wives consider me, not their husbands, their pastor. Does anyone think Lord Jesus wants you to call someone other than Himself pastor? When you called me pastor you were implying that I was your spiritual shepherd (pastor means shepherd); isn't Jesus alone your Shepherd, your Pastor? Don't you think it's an insult to Jesus, “that great shepherd of the sheep”, to call a brother by that title?”
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