I am curious as to what people define as proper Pastoral authority vs Abusive authority.... in particular, does your Pastor control finances (or the financial branch) of your church? Also in areas of personnel? Also the social aspects, does he need to approve of your sunday school socials for instance? Should one man control all these areas?
I have found that organized denominational churches are less likely to have a Pastoral abuse of power senerio.... I am looking for the valid, scriptual definition of Pastor vs the abusive power hungry kind.
Pastoral Authority
Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by free2know, Dec 10, 2001.
-
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>in particular, does your Pastor control finances (or the financial branch) of your church?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
No, we have business meetings, and vote. We have a fiancial committee, who has a certain amount of authority, we usually vote on a matter, like repairs for instance, and give them authority to do the work that needs to be done. Our pastor has no authority at all over the money in our church. And a pastor shouldn't either.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Also in areas of personnel? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nope. We have a personell committee (we have a committee for everything I think,but it keeps control of the church in the hands of the church.)
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Also the social aspects, does he need to approve of your sunday school socials for instance? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nope, thats up to us what our class does. We make our own decisions.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Should one man control all these areas? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
He's a pastor, not a dictator. There needs to be a ballance of power. Accountability. -
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by free2know:
I am curious as to what people define as proper Pastoral authority vs Abusive authority.... in particular, does your Pastor control finances (or the financial branch) of your church? Also in areas of personnel? Also the social aspects, does he need to approve of your sunday school socials for instance? Should one man control all these areas?
I have found that organized denominational churches are less likely to have a Pastoral abuse of power senerio.... I am looking for the valid, scriptual definition of Pastor vs the abusive power hungry kind.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The "Pastor" is suppose to help the "Church" be a "Church", his role is "Pastor", not "Church". -
A couple of years ago I picked up a book by Ronald Enroth entitled "Churches that Abuse," (1992, Zondervan).
I think he does a very good job dealing with subjects such as this question regarding pastors.
In our church, the pastor has the 'legal' position of elder, and thus is accountable to the other elders.