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What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

THE TREATMENT AND OFFICE OF THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH
I TIM. 3:1

We believe the office of "Pastor" to be a permanent office of the church of the Living God. We believe it is the highest office of the church, and that the office should be highly respected. Though he is not to be considered infallible or supernatural, a man who faithfully performs the responsibilities of a pastor is to be respected and honored above other men. We also believe it is a grave offense for anyone except he, who is the pastor, to attempt to perform the duties of the pastor.

We shall use the words pastor and bishop interchangeably. Although they do not originate from the same Greek word (poimen = pastor, shepherd and episkopos = bishop, overseer), the two words have very similiar meanings. Sometimes the word minister, from the greek word "diakonos" meaning servant, also refers to this special sanctified office.

I. Concerning placement into this office:

A. We believe a man should only enter the ministry, if God wills it for his life:

1. Though it is not his will for all, God does specifically will that some men take the oversight of his churches and be the Pastors:

a. He specifically commanded the Apostle Peter to "Feed my sheep (lambs)", John 21:15-17.

b. Acts 20:28 clearly says that "the Holy Ghost" makes "overseers" of some men.

c. Though it apparently was not God's will for Cornelius Acts 10, Aquila Acts 18:26, or the Philippian jailor Acts 16:33, it was for the apostle Paul who said, And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry," I Tim. 1:12.

d. Col. 4:17 indicates this ministry was not just a self-willed matter, but rather God's will for Archippus. Paul told him, "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it."

2. We believe God will reveal his will to those whom he wills to be in the ministry:

a. Though this lesson is not designed to prove this point, we believe that God's will, through providence, reveals his will to the man, who with a completely yielding and willing attitude, acts in harmony with God's word.

b. The number one act of God through providence to such a man is an unquestionable desire in the heart:

(1) Paul refers to this when he says. "This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. I Tim. 3:1.
(2) Jeremiah, who is a foretype of a God chosen minister, illustrates this inescapable burden and desire of the heart by saying, "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forebearing, and I could not stay." Jer. 20:9.

C. The working of God through providence is not merely strange occurances such as cloud formations, which seem to spell "G.P." (interperated by some to mean "Go Preach"), nor imagined voices in the night saying, "Preach":

(1) Providence is the opening or closing of doors of opportunity for you. Paul spoke of this Godly working in I Cor. 16:9, II Cor 2:12 and Col. 4:3.
(2) God speaks of this process in Rev. 3:8, "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it."
(3) The divine will of God is largely brought about by the fact that "things work together for good to them that love God." Rom. 8:28.

3. Those who have entered the ministry because they have preceived that it is God's will for their lives are the ones we consider God-called. It is not in some strange mysterious way, but in the clear-cut, spiritual sense as explained above that they are God-Called. Only those who are sure it is God's will for them should enter the ministry and all those should.

B. We do not believe God wills those to enter the ministry, who cannot meet his qualifications:

1. He clearly sets forth his qualifications in his word:

a. He must have a good testimony before unconverted men. I Tim. 3:7.

b. He must be blameless (not sinless) as a steward of God:

(1) Titus 1:7-10 This would include money, on time, talents, conduct, etc.
(2) He must not be a misuser of God's word. II Cor. 4:1-2.
(3) His life must not be a reproach on the ministry. II Cor. 6:3-4.

c. He must be a provider of things honest:

(1) This must be in the sight of God and man II Cor. 8:21, for a man dishonest with God will automatically be dishonest with other men and vice versa.
(2) He must think honestly (Phil. 4:8), walk honestly (Rom. 13:13), provide honestly (Rom. 12:17), speak honestly I Pet. 2:12, and be generally honest.

d. He must be willing to endure afflictions (II Cor. 6:4-10)

2. Women are told to keep silence in the church (I Tim. 2:12) and to "learn in silence with all subjection". I Tim. 2:11.

3. These things are the will of God for bishops, directed and expressed in Holy Writ by God Himself:

a. We do not believe God wills one thing, then turns around later and contradicts himself by willing the opposite.

b. Therefore, since God has expressed it to be against his will, we do not believe God wills such things as women preachers, preachers with two living wives, etc.

c. If these are in the ministry, we believe it is by their own will; not God's.

C. We believe those, who surrender to God's will that they be ministers, should be ordained by a church:

1. Ordination of overseers was a Bible day practice:

a. Titus 1:5 "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and (ordain elders) in every city, as I had appointed thee."

b. Paul and Baranabas did it. Acts 14:23, "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed."

2. Though laying on of the hands at present day ordinations does not confer the gifts of the spirit as it did when the apostles laid on the hands (I Tim. 4:14, II Tim. 1:6), it is a right and holy act which symbolizes the sanctity and gravity of the office of a bishop or minister. (And, it was practiced by men other than the Apostles, who alone could convey the spiritual gifts. Timothy practiced it (I Tim. 5:22), and he could not convey the gifts. Thus, we believe it is right today for a man's ordination in the ministry to be accompanied by the laying on of the hands.)

3. No church should ordain anyone into the ministry without exercising extreme caution in it. I Tim. 5:22 says, "Lay hands suddenly on no man."

II. The high office and responsibility of the pastor of the church:

A. The office of pastor is an office over the whole church:

1. It is the pastor who God first holds accountable for the whole church:

a. When the church which they pastor begins to grow carnal, wither, break up into fractions and generally deteriorate; many pastors blame the deacons, the location, some of the members saying they are unconcerned, etc.

b. It may well be true that these are the disrupting factors; but it is to commit the sin of Pilate (Mt. 27:24) for a pastor to consider himself unaccountable and guiltless in the matter.

c. He is the overseer, the number one man (as the following points show), and the one whom God ultimately expects to take the initiative and leadership to correct whatever danger might threaten the church which he pastors. Among mortals, when a church fails, the finger must first point to the pastor, for he is God's man responsible for leading it to victory. Others may be implicated, but he has the greatest accountability.

2. The Scriptures declare the pastor to be over the whole church:

a. He is called "overseer" in Acts 20:28; not a selfmade overseer, but made an overseer by "The Holy, Ghost." Consider again I Tim. 1:12 and Col. 4:17.

b. Six times the New Testament refers to him as bishop or bishops which also means superintendent as well as overseer, see I Tim. 3:1-2, Titus 1:7, and Phil. 1:1, etc.

c. I Thes. 5:12 very specifically decleares this truth "And we beseech you, brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you."

d. God even assigns the pastor the responsibility of rebuking, exhorting, and correcting:

(1) Read II Tim. 3:16 - II Tim. 4:2 where this strong authority is given.
(2) The pastor even has the God given authority to rebuke a transgressor openly, if he deems it in the best interest of the work of the church. See I Tim. 5:19-21.

3. It is a very serious offense against God and the office of the pastor for anyone besides the pastor to attempt to oversee the church:

a. The inspired Word of God tells the rest of the church, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief." Heb. 13:17.

b. I Tim. 5:17 refers to "the elders that rule" and Heb. 13:7 says, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God," which would establish that he speaks of the pastors, for they are the ones who speak the Word of God to the churches. That is their main responsibility as the following points show.

c. In many churches, an older charter member, someone who is bold and loud talking enough, the deacons, someone with lots of money, some "busybody" lady, or the likes really are the overseers of the church. It is they that usually see that their leadership prevails. What a violation of scriptural policy, for the pastor is to be the overseer or leader.

d. Two Old Testament examples foreshadow the terrible sin of anyone seeking to perform an office which is not his to perform, as someone other than a pastor attempting to oversee a church:

(1) Consider Numbers 16:35 where Korah and a large group of Israelite followers, who were already Levites and active in God's service (vs. 9), thought God's priests (Moses, and Aaron, who foreshadow pastors) had too much authority (vs3). They thought they should have just as much to say in matters as these priests (vs. 10). God was so vexed with them that he threatened to destroy the whole congregation (vs. 21) and he did destroy the leaders of this affair by swallowing them up in a great hole in the ground, (Vs. 31-35). (It is note-worthy that the Holy Spirit pointed out that this case does have present day application in Jude 11).
(2) Consider how greatly God was displeased with King Saul when even he, a king, intruded into the priest's office (foreshadow of the ministry) I Sam. 13:1-13.

B. The office of pastor carries great responsibilities:

1. As indicated above, the pastor has the oversight of the whole work:

a. He is the one who is to look ahead and plan and lead for the well being of the whole church.

b. He has the responsibility of seeing that people are visited, the music is right, the widows and orphans are cared for, the church has a teaching ministry, carnality and dissension are kept down, the church is reputable in its dealings, and a host of other things are done.

2. His number one responsibility is to administer God's word:

a. Jesus told his minister, Peter to "Feed my sheep (lambs)", John 21:15-17.

b. Acts 20:28 futher establishes this truth "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

c. The number one charge to the young preacher Timothy, was "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine," II Tim. 4:2.

d. And, the Spirit's commission to pastors through Paul is "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." I Tim. 4:6.

3. Though the pastor has the oversight of the church, he should not have to do all the work alone; but should have help from other members of the church:

The Bible teaches that every member should share in accomplishing the work:
(1) Eph. 4:16 speaks of "the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
(2) I Cor. 12:14-22 ends by saying all the members are "necessary."

b. The overseeing of the work and directing of the work so that it is kept spiritual is a full time work:

(1) This is illustrated in Num. 16:1-10 by foretype. Though Moses and Aaron were responsible for all that went on in Israel, they did not actually do every task. Instead, they set up certain Levites to care for the various works: to care for the sacrifices, offerings, moving the tabernacle and the candlestick.
(2) The Apostles emphasized this truth to be yet in effect by saying, "It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables", Acts 6:2.

c. Too many times pastors become so burdened down with the work that they cannot get nearly all of it done:

(1) This is often because other members won't get in and help and because the pastor shirks his responsibilities to take charge and remedy the situation.
(2) Ex. 17:8-12 illustrates how other workers should help with the work and support it, thus holding up the hands of the pastor.

III. A man who faithfully performs the office of pastor is to be highly respected and honored above other men:

A. He should be treated as one with authority:

1. God's word teaches the members to be in subjection unto him. Heb. 13:7 says, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their con versa tion.

2. Remember that Heb. 13:17 says, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves."

B. He should be highly respected:

1. Keep in mind that he has the charge and responsibilities of holy, divine things. I Cor. 4:1 teaches, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labour in the word doctrine. I Timothy 5:17. Double means twice.

3. Listen to Paul's admonition about how a church should feel about her pastor. "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake." I Thes. 5:12-13.

4. It is so out of harmony with these teachings to hear people call their pastor by his first name only, and not even address him as a brother in the Lord.

C. A pastor should be fully financially cared for by the church:

1. The word "communicate" means support when it is used in Gal. 6:6, "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things."

2. The Bible states, "the workman is worthy of his meat" Mt. 10:10, and remember I Tim. 5:17-18 says a pastor is worthy of "double" honor, which seems to include material help.

3. I Cor. 9:13-14 Teaches pastors should live of the gospel, even as did Old Testament priests.

4. Neh. 13:10-11 shows how God is displeased when God's overseers are not financially supported

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"