Pastoral Restoration Craze

I was asked by a questioner what the big deal is with this thread since he had never experienced this situation with the increase in the number of fallen "pastors" in modern times, especially those who are the super stars of religion and religious broadcasts of all types. As liberal as Christianity Today has always been, this seems to be an interesting take on their part contrary to Focus on the Family's unbiblical rants and raves about restoring "pastors" to their positions of leadership after copious counseling and therapy sessions with some Freudian psychobabelist who claims to also follow the Bible...

“Genuine forgiveness does not necessarily imply restoration to leadership,” former CT editor Kenneth Kantzer once wrote after the moral failure of several prominent evangelical leaders. Yet the impulse to link forgiveness with restoration to ministry remains strong. Here two pastor-theologians argue for the importance of keeping separate the restoration to the body of Christ and restoration to pastoral leadership." (https://www.christianitytoday.com/2015/09/should-adulterous-pastors-be-restored/)

The vast seas of horrendous ignorance and cultural liberalism that dominates much of institutional church model congregations has led to the gross misunderstandings that so many have about the differences between forgiveness and restoration. I know a man who had sexually abused his daughter and son, went to prison for several years, and who wanted "restoration" to that family unit, but that simply wasn't going to happen with a wife and mother who took seriously the responsibility to protect the children. I admired her strength and protective stance, but the betrayal has had lingering effects upon her forgiveness, and it's eating her up from the inside-out. She has gained 70+ pounds to her already morbid obesity, and is headed for an early grave as a result with all the health problems as a result.

Far too many men find themselves thinking with the wrong part of their anatomy. A large institutional church organization in Wichita, KS some years ago out on the west side of the city went through a split because of a whistle-blower who exposed his wife-swapping ring he formed among some of the membership and some outside the organization. His refusal to step down, although admitting to the sin, caused a split down the middle of the congregation, with half linking forgiveness to restoration, and the other half refusing to accept restoration, although agreeing with forgiveness.

So, all across the nation, for those who stand on the wall on guard, we are seeing many different types of scenarios playing out in the lives of hirelings, which is where all the super stars began their careers. They are the ones who run when they see the wolves coming, but refuse to exercise godly responsibility for their integrity and the qualifications they should meet to hold those positions.

I say that they "should" adhere to biblical qualifications because even though they are hirelings, they are still somewhat functioning in the position of doctrinal leadership with at least some of the body of Christ sitting among their audience of followers. Realistically, they are free to be pedophiles and perverse men since the institutional model is man-made, but when truly saved individuals choose to sit under such, they are living a dangerous livelihood to sit under the doctrinal leadership of such men, and worse yet, women.

The liberal elements will harangue at that last comment, which is on them. Yammering about context and such, as if that changes anything in the clear language of it all, and doing so on the basis so many tend toward to ignore the fact that universally true statements, when couched within a seemingly constraining context, cannot be held to said limitation only to that context. Attempting such only exposes gross ignorance and hypocrisy given that we all practice, on a daily basis, the use of universally true statements within contextual speech patterns, knowing full well that the universal truths are not held only to the context of our choosing.

MM

I believe if one ask oneself just what denomination Jesus Yeshua was, he will find total peace on this subject. It is my hope that I am also of His denomination. I think I am.

Fortunately, as you likely know, denominationalism are all creations of men who refuse to read scripture for what it says and rightly dividing the word of truth.

MM

Every institutional "pastor" I have ever seen or heard lays claim to have been "called by God into ministry." Those who violate the trust and the basic requirements for such a position are not at all "pastors" of biblical stature. They are renegades who sought a career to support them in the place of their lack of any real skills and education to make it in the world of working people. They are lazy sots who have no moral spine, for the Lord makes no mistakes in His REAL choices for pastors of biblical stature who serve more in the (C)hurch as opposed to institutional (c)hurhces. No man who has fallen behind the pulpit was at all ever chosen by the Lord.

This sheds a very bright spotlight upon the lack of discernment among those who attend and support those organizations headed up by a "pastor" who fell, or whose sermons are little more than milk-toast, wet noodle preaching that does little to nothing to inspire their congregations to grow in spiritual maturity and stature to the point that they can fly on their own without the crutches of institutionalism and all its dead practices, programs and "stuff" like real estate and fancy architecture. Those who attend one that meets in an older, less architecturally sophisticated structure are usually quick to brag on that account, but not to fast. Many a preacher in a quaint facility has also fallen headlong into grievous sin(s), this disqualifying themselves from ever again serving in that capacity.

This, then, ends at THE inevitable conclusion, in that they are ALL hirelings, no matter what good they perceive themselves doing. Those who fall are no better when a CEO seeking to fleece the company for all that he can get from it to satisfy his greed for "stuff," women, esteem, to satisfy his narcissistic warp in personality that lays hidden most of the time.

Yes, we forgive them, but not only for the sin(s) they commit whereby they compromise the requirements for that "title," but also their having dared lay claim to being called to that "service" for hire when in reality they were NEVER at all called by the God who is portrayed within scripture.

Those who fall are wolves in sheep's clothing, no longer worthy of the trust placed in them, and "restoring" them to ministry leadership, that's the cauldron of Satan, the endeavor of demons, for falling in that manner is not something that makes any man stronger, any more than a husband who has an affair outside his marriage is EVER going to erase from the memory of his wife what he had done, and the underlying mistrust that remains until death for his having violated that initial trust. He may indeed never even look at another woman, but that memory in the mind and heart of his wife will always remain in this life.

Blessedly, the institutional pulpit is not akin to marriage, and never should be in the minds of anyone! Leadership in the body of Christ is indeed akin to marriage, for none of those men ever compromise their service to the Lord, for they were not chosen by some hiring committee that is limited in the number of choices from which to choose. The Lord has a much larger population from which to choose than a feeble body of institutional followers of something fashioned by the hands of mere men.

There are spiritual giants walking this earth, raised up by the Lord, very few of whom ever get hired into an institutional model organization, for they stand head and shoulders above the many spiritual midgets who stand behind and bang upon the pulpit for emphasis in the place of their many, many weak points that do little to inspire growth and maturity.

MM

It appears that you're referring to 2 Peter 1:21. I invite you to consider my thoughts on the subject in the BDF, posts 3 and 12 of the following:

Did Some Illumination of Scripture only appear 1800 years after the Revelation? - Christian Chat Rooms & Forums

No pressure. Just for discussion.

No thanks. You know I'm allergic.

Funny you should mention that part about them having no skills and trying to support themselves with a trumped-up position.

Our pastor has a factory job. The pastor before him, who died last October, drove a school bus and built things as a carpenter. The assistant pastor, also now deceased, owned a grocery store with one employee... Himself.

Good point. Consecutively we can also consider this:

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

So, realistically, there is no thought from any man that is at the same level, nor that surpasses, what is already provided for and written to us. Isn't that fantastic? I love it.

MM

Some might ask what "pastor" doesn't sin. Folks, even when the Lord said this:

Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

The Lord makes no mistakes. He has never placed into that position men who were not spiritual giants in stature. Were any of those given by the Lord NOT sinners? Of course not, for ALL have sinned and fallen short. We're not talking about kings or priests of the tribe of Levi, etc., some of whom fell horribly, failing in their duties and calling. No, we're talking about "pastors" given by the Lord who are given by God, most of whom are not men standing behind pulpits within the institutionalized system of religion called "Christian." Most who are called and pastor in the body of Christ, and who are of biblical stature, are men who serve right out here within the organic soils of lives throughout the world. They do not have petty titles, being called "pastor" or "reverend" or any other trapping of the flesh whereby many elevate some above themselves and all others, as if they were men worthy of that merely by virtue of them having been hired into that position, allegedly "chosen and called by God...," allegedly.

Most spiritual giants are men who do not seek accolade and praise of men, shunning the limelight of the institutional, hireling pastorate and all its trappings. When it comes to the arena of praise of men and gaudy pageantry, those men are storing up treasure in Heaven that will survive the testing of fire, not burned up as will be the end of all the earthly achievements exemplified in buildings, real estate, parking lots, chandeliers, carpeting, programs, pews, lecterns, crosses, affiliations, money and all else upon which all the institutional systems were/are built.

MM

A basic overview of qualifications for pastorate positions within the Church:

1. Sexually/maritally faithful
2. Good manager of household
3. Humble
4. Gentle
5. Sober
6. Peaceful
7. Financially responsible
8. Hospitable
9. Self-controlled
10. Upright in character
11. Committed to holiness
12. Able to teach
13. Spiritually mature (not a new convert)
14. Respectable (and respected by outsiders)
15. A good example to the flock

What's been getting the most attention are the sexual issues, and almost never any of the other violations for positions of leadership within the Church.

The main problem is that the Church, which has no defining walls, roof, chandeliers, carpeting, offices and parking lots, they all do whatever they want, especially considering the sheer numbers of people who attend them who are on their way to Hell. They are, then, outside the constraints of scripture given that not ALL of the items in the list above are upheld as qualification for the positions they hire their hirelings.

Many will argue that the "lesser" items in that list can be highly subjective, and can therefore be argued, which is the typical position of the institutionally minded professors who claim to follow the REAL Christ portrayed within scripture. This, then, shines a very bright light upon denominationalism, with plenty of that light spilling out over onto those that claim to be "independent."

Each organization has its own doctrinal creed that it follows. Some change their creedal stance based upon who holds the pulpit's power in any given period of time. My mother married into a Mennonite family who attend an independent organization that has had a number of "pastors" who held differing stances upon even the mention of the name of Christ Jesus in their sermons, and thus no mention of the one Name by which men are saved. Others were more lenient by making occasional mention of that Name, and others more.

So, dare one bring up to the committee an emphasis upon any of the lesser items in that list as routinely violated by their "pastor," and such individual or people would find themselves faced with stoic indifference to the charge(s). I recall speaking to an evangelical "pastor" on the phone who demanded that our house church lacking an assigned, singular "pastor" over us all renders us an illegitimate gathering, who then hung up when I asked him where that was stated in scripture. There was/is a man who is not worthy of his position, but because he's a hireling, his employment will go on uninterrupted, with his board of "yes" men and women allowing him to continue on in his lack of qualification for the position.

Don't worry, though. I never did feel an inkling of consternation about his position exercising authority only over those foolish enough to attend and support "his" ministry. Those blind enough to follow after a hireling who is not at all qualified to lead in the Church, he leads ONLY within his pathetic little "c"hurch (small "c") filled with bleating sheeple, most of whom will never grow into spiritual giants walking this earth and assaulting the very gates of Hell.

By refusing to uphold the standards of the very Book they claim to believe, they are actually patching up the nicks, scratches and cracks in the gates of Hell, trying to keep them standing rather than to collapse into a smoldering heap where they belong.

MM

Well this tells me two things.

1. We have an excellent pastor. He actually fits all those qualifications. And I know you won't believe me, but it doesn't matter. He does anyway.

2. Apparently this is a hobby horse of yours. You mentioned arguing with somebody about this topic as though it is run of the mill for you, just another day in your life.

It's curious that you would spend so much time trying to run down pastors in general. I mean, one particular pastor who is a very bad example and is leading his church terribly astray, I can see calling him out. But you seem to hate all pastors and think it is a good thing to go around talking bad about all of them.

Have you learned nothing from Gamaliel in Acts chapter 5?