Understanding the Authority of the Pastor
J. Gerald Harris
Hebrews 13:7 & 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4
From time to time in evangelical circles there is a renewed emphasis upon the laity. This is an emphasis that should be welcomed in every church by both the pew and the pulpit. For too many years the laity has depended upon a professional clergy to carry on the Lord's work. On the other hand, many pastors have been remiss in "the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry." Today, there are many "performance or entertainment driven" churches.
Marsha West in an article for posted by the Stand Up for the Truth Website writes: "No question, we are a culture that loves to be entertained. Even churches have caught on to the public's desire for 24/7 entertainment. As a consequence, a large number of evangelical churches are now driven by a need to fulfill this desire in their congregants. And what better way to pack the house in ginormous auditoriums than to offer a 90-minute stage show enhanced with state-of-the-art sound, lighting and video systems.
To help spice up worship, a team of want-to-be actors treat the audience to a short skit that ties in with the message (sermon). As the lights dim and the actors scurry off stage, a hip cool pastor wearing skinny jeans, a logo T-shirt, and a five o'clock shadow ambles out to preach the "new" Good News. Hip cool pastors aren't your average run of the mill ministers. Some of these guys are genuine entertainers loaded with talent! They're bona fide performers. True showmen. And some of them are comics! In fact, most hip cool pastors could walk off the church stage onto a Las Vegas stage and feel right at home. No really, they're that good!1
The church functions at its best when every member is exercising his or her spiritual gift "for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12). Elton Trueblood, in his book Your Other Vocation, wrote, "If we should take lay-religion seriously as was done in the early Christi ...
J. Gerald Harris
Hebrews 13:7 & 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4
From time to time in evangelical circles there is a renewed emphasis upon the laity. This is an emphasis that should be welcomed in every church by both the pew and the pulpit. For too many years the laity has depended upon a professional clergy to carry on the Lord's work. On the other hand, many pastors have been remiss in "the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry." Today, there are many "performance or entertainment driven" churches.
Marsha West in an article for posted by the Stand Up for the Truth Website writes: "No question, we are a culture that loves to be entertained. Even churches have caught on to the public's desire for 24/7 entertainment. As a consequence, a large number of evangelical churches are now driven by a need to fulfill this desire in their congregants. And what better way to pack the house in ginormous auditoriums than to offer a 90-minute stage show enhanced with state-of-the-art sound, lighting and video systems.
To help spice up worship, a team of want-to-be actors treat the audience to a short skit that ties in with the message (sermon). As the lights dim and the actors scurry off stage, a hip cool pastor wearing skinny jeans, a logo T-shirt, and a five o'clock shadow ambles out to preach the "new" Good News. Hip cool pastors aren't your average run of the mill ministers. Some of these guys are genuine entertainers loaded with talent! They're bona fide performers. True showmen. And some of them are comics! In fact, most hip cool pastors could walk off the church stage onto a Las Vegas stage and feel right at home. No really, they're that good!1
The church functions at its best when every member is exercising his or her spiritual gift "for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12). Elton Trueblood, in his book Your Other Vocation, wrote, "If we should take lay-religion seriously as was done in the early Christi ...
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