Pastor is not Pontiff

Statement: You are the representation of Jesus in our church.

Claim: The Pastor is the placeholder of Christ in the church.

Is a pastor in the church the place holder for Christ? No.

In the Catholic tradition the Pontiff/Pope is the embodied representation of Christ by the doctrine of Ex Cathadra.

We, as Baptists, do not hold to this view. The BFM 2000 hold Scripture as ultimate authority and final revelation.

Pastors are shepherds.

In Scripture pastors are called to be shepherds of the flock; Protecting the flock form wolves, both inside and out.

Pastors are always referred to in scripture in the plural sense.

Pastors, as all followers of Christ, are called to to be heralds of he king. 2 Cor. 5:14-21

2 Corinthians 5:14–21 ESV

14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The Pastor is part of the body, whereas Christ is head of the body.

Pastors are entrusted with the spiritual well being of the church as an overseerer to the Good Shepherd. Elder. John 10:1-19 Col. 1:18

John 10:1–19 ESV

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” 19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

Colossians 1:18 ESV

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Peter, the first elder, is called in submission to Christ. “Feed my Sheep” John 21:15-17

John 21:15–17 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Peter considered himself to be an elder among other elders of the same church in submission to Christ. 1 Peter 5:1

1 Peter 5:1 ESV

1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

Statement: This would cause division and destruction in the church.

Claim: moving to an elder model would ultimately destroy the church.

Do we believe the bible?

If we believe the scriptures to be God’s revealed word and model for church governance, polity and doctrine; do we follow scripture?

In scripture is there a single church set up with one Elder and many deacons? No.

Every church in scripture follows the model of plurality of elders.

The Church in Jerusalem was elder lead. Acts 21:17-18

Acts 21:17–18 ESV

17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

Every Church Paul and Peter planted were elder lead. Titus 1:5 1 Peter 5:1 Peter was an elder of many.

Titus 1:5 ESV

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—

1 Peter 5:1 ESV

1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

Divide & Destroy

When there was division Elders solved the problem. Peter/James Circumcision/no Circumcision.

When an elder got out of line, elders solved the problem Gal. 2:1-7

Galatians 2:1–7 ESV

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised