Does the Pastor have any Spiritual authority over us?

Quote:
If I were a member of the church (as accurately described in your comments) I would have asked for the pastor's dismissal. That kind of spirit should be "put out to pasture", not pastor.
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I agree. Where are the other church leaders (deacons, etc.). I think you need to meet with them and discuss your concerns before leaving. He was WAY out of line.

If nothing is done or if it gets too bad... go ahead and get out of there. You need a pastor that acts like a pastor.

 

This Pastor needs to read what makes up one called of God according to I Peter. This would never happen in my church as we would follow Gospel measures according to Ernie. He may be a man of God but he is also a member and should be treated as such. "He is not the church!"

I Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen... There is a definate difference between a Pastor and a Dictator... My apology to the Pastors on this board... but sometimes there is no difference!... Shake the dust off your feet and leave that Pastor and HIS CHURCH and don't look back!... Brother Glen

 

Don't do what I did--staying for 13 years after I
knew I should go, until the pastor kicked me out
personally.

 

We just came out of a similiar situation. We stayed until we knew for sure the Lord was telling us to leave. (If it were up to our feelings, it would have been alot sooner) There were several situations throughout the 8 years we were there, that we became very uncomfortable about (mainly seeing the difference made in expectations and exceptions to the rules, based on "Who" it involved.) Alot of things were swept under the carpet, and we were told to go to the altar and pray about it, and to never mention it again. The problem was still there, and even glorified. But we were expected to shut our eyes to it. When we left, I went to the pastor (in the sanctuary, after service, with others around) and told him about our decision to which he responded by laughing in my face, and telling me we were "fixin to really mess up" and that we were listening to the wrong things(?) Then the people who were my "family" for 8 years shunned me in public, and the churches radio ministry was used to tell how all who had left the church had "kicked out on God" (Several other families left before us and after us due to the same problems) I later was told that we left because of a rumor about the pastor and a young woman in our church. I never even heard about it until after we left. To make a long story short, the Lord has helped us so much. Ironically, we ended up in a church where the pastor is in contact with our former pastor, but oh, what a difference.Our pastor now is a humble shepherd who loves his people, has a burden for the lost and never has a bad thing to say about anyone. The Lord has shown us that you can love and pray for someone in error, and best of all that He can heal all the hurts and devastation. I can honestly say I have love and forgiveness for this man. I have went to him and told him this, but he wasn't receptive at all, but I have peace knowing I did all I could do to make things right. I pray for him and our former church often, for I know the Lord has helped us through him. I know the Lord has a place for you, and it may be the last place you might think of! Don't let this situation hold you back from getting "involved" again. I know how skiddish I was! I know the Lord can use these "stumbling blocks" as stepping stones and do more than you could ever ask or think! God bless you!

 

Oh, Vickic00! Your story sounds so like mine!
I had a very beautiful young daughter who was
very sweet and innocent, but the assistant
pastor set their sites on her as a wife for their
druggie alcoholic son. Unfortunately, most
of the church was his family, and he was fully
backed by the passtors as well. His family
members would call and tell me that if my
daughter would not go with him, he would go to
hell, and they told my daughter the same.

No matter what we did, she felt responsible
for him, and that man andd his wife provided
rides for her to skip school and be in their
house with the boy, often alone.

The boy started physically abusing her, and the
emotional abuse was rampant. She finally
wised up and booted him, but the father and
mother continued their harassment, and the
boy did, too, of course. And the church fully
backed them, with the pastor telling me I
needed to stay out of it.

After 13 years of this, with the last year mainly
leaving her and her little family alone but
harassing me, I got out, but not until the pastor
kicked me out for refusing to take my wedding
band off to enter HIS church. They got a new
pastor soon after, but this guy is worse than
the one who booted me.

It is incredible what people will put up with in
the name of religion. I finally realized that the
church was my god, and that was why I stayed.

 

I'd recommend the following book for anyone who has been in or is currently in an abusive church situation as described in several of these posts.

THE SUBTLE POWER OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE.
Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church.

Can be found at Amazon.com