It may be asked, “If we are to come together for meetings such as those suggested in the previous chapter, who would lead these meetings?”
We would like to answer this by saying that if we really believed that the Lord Jesus was in the midst as He has promised, we would want to let Him guide and direct by the Spirit. When Christ ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit into the world to dwell in the church for that very purpose (John 7:39; Acts 2:1-33). The main works of the Spirit in Christianity are: to exalt Christ, to unite the members of Christ's body on earth to the Head in heaven by His indwelling presence, and to guide the church in all things, whether it is in worship (Phil. 3:3), prayer (Eph. 6:18; Jude 20; Acts 4:31), ministry (John 14:26; 16:13-15; 1 Cor. 12:11), or evangelism (Acts 8:29; 13:1-4; 16:6-7). From the moment the Spirit of God was sent into the world at Pentecost, we look in vain in the New Testament for any church president except that of the sovereign guidance of the Holy Spirit! It is He Who is to lead the meetings of the church.
All church groups will say that they own the Spirit's presence, but the proof of whether we really believe in the Spirit’s power and presence, will be seen in our allowing Him to direct things in the meetings of the church. What Scripture demands of us is that there would be faith in the Spirit’s power, proved by leaving Him His due right to employ whom He pleases to speak in the meetings. For all who desire to meet according to God's Scriptural order, faith will be required. But this should be no surprise to us as Christians, since every step of our pathway should be in faith. “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). And again, “The just shall live by faith” (Gal. 3:11).
If it was by the Spirit’s power that God made the world and all in it (Job 26:13; 33:4; Gen. 1:2), surely then, He should be able to lead a few Christians who are gathered together for worship and ministry. With Someone as great and as competent as this divine Person present in the midst of the saints gathered together, it is not necessary for us to appoint a man to do His work, regardless of how gifted that person may be. C. H. Mackintosh said, “If Christ is in our midst (Matt. 18:20), why on earth should we even think to set up a human president? Why not give Him His rightful place and allow the Spirit of God to lead and guide in worship and ministry? There is no need for human authority.”
Notwithstanding, the denominations have set up a man (a “Pastor” or “Minister”) to conduct the worship. In the Bible, however, we do not find that God ever set up a pastor or minister to conduct the worship of the church. To put it in the language of W. T. P. Wolston, “There is a notion in Christendom that a pastor is a man set over a congregation. The idea is in people's heads, but not in Scripture!” If it is not God's order, then it is clear that it must be a human invention. To have a man set up in the assembly to “administer” the Lord’s supper is truly a monstrous mistake, for there is no such thing even hinted at in the Word of God, as a man, even an apostle, being set apart for such a thing. Scripture simply says, “The disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7).
Nevertheless, this human arrangement is so wide spread in Christendom that it can be seen from St. Peter's in Rome to the smallest evangelical chapel. Instead of believers assembling together for worship and ministry in the Lord’s name alone, waiting on the leading of the Spirit for guidance, one can scarcely find a prayer meeting without someone (a prayer-leader) appointed to conduct it. What is all this, but man usurping the place of the Holy Spirit! It is the sad fruit of unbelief in His personal presence in the midst of the saints. To set up a man, however gifted he may be, to lead and conduct assembly meetings, is a practical denial of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. It is really unbelief or ignorance in the competency of the Holy Spirit to direct the meetings. How sad that such human interference has set aside the simplicity of divine order. May the Lord deliver His people from such a system of things that is so contrary to His mind.
The Priesthood of All Believers
The root meaning of the word “priest,” is “one who offers.” (Heb. 5:1; 8:3; 1 Peter 2:5). A priest is one who has the privilege of going into the presence of God on behalf of the people. In Christianity, a priest exercises his priesthood in offering the sacrifices of praise to God, and in presenting petitions to God in prayer (Heb. 13:15; 1 John 5:14-15). Albeit, one of the causes of the weakness and confusion that prevails in the professing church, is that the priesthood in many cases, has been arrogated as the right of a privileged class of persons, some of whom are not even saved!
The truth of the matter is that all Christians are priests. That is what Scripture teaches. The book of Revelation states that they are made “priests unto God” through faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross (Rev. 1:6; 5:10). The epistle of Peter confirms this, saying, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5, 9). Furthermore, the epistle to the Hebrews exhorts Christians as a whole, to approach God within the veil, in the holiest of all (Heb. 10:19-22; 13:15-16). The fact that it says that the Lord is “an High Priest,” implies that there is a company of priests under Him. He would not preside as a “High Priest” if there were no priests under Him. Similarly, a person would not be called a leader of some company or group if there were not those whom he led. The exhortation in Hebrews 10:19-22 is to encourage Christians to draw near to God and exercise their priestly privileges.
In each of the passages of Scripture in the New Testament where priesthood is treated, there is no mention, not even a hint, that only some of the saints are priests. Nor is there any other place in the New Testament where such a notion is propounded. When the New Testament speaks of priesthood, it refers in the same breath, to all believers being constituted as such. Furthermore, not only do these verses tell us that all Christians are priests, we learn from them that we are priests with privileges that surpass those of Old Testament times. A priest in Christianity is entitled to “draw near” into the very presence of God, in the holiest of all. That is a place where no son of Aaron could come. Even when Aaron, the high priest in Israel, came once a year within the veil, he did not come boldly as we can now. On the day of Atonement he entered in with the fear of death, but we can enter with the “full assurance of faith.” Moreover, the Aaronic priests had largely an unintelligent service. They did not know why they were to do the things they were commanded. But we have an “intelligent service” (Rom. 12:1). We can carry out our priestly functions with an understanding of all that we do in His presence.
Now since Scripture teaches that all Christians are priests, and that we all have the equal privilege to exercise our priesthood in the presence of God, it is clear then that there is no need for a clergyman to perform these privileges on behalf of the rest. In meetings for worship and prayer (where Christians exercise their priesthood), we need only to wait on the Spirit of God to lead out the prayers and praises of the saints. If we allow Him to lead in the assembly, in the place that is His, He will lead a brother here and another there, to audibly express worship and praise as the mouth-piece of the assembly. (We realize of course, that we do not only exercise our priesthood at times when we are together in an assembly. At any time a Christian can enter into the immediate presence of God in prayer and worship and function as a priest. But the context of this treatise is to do with Christians meeting together in an assembly for worship and ministry.)
When we understand the nearness of relationship that all Christians have as being part of the body and bride of Christ, we can see how totally incompatible it is with the idea of a ministerial caste being nearer to God than the rest (Eph. 2:13; 5:25-32). To assert such a class for us as Christians is to deny that we are able as priests, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. It really obliterates the privileges of Christianity and in a sense, restores Judaism, or at least, brings us back to that level.
While few denominations will go so far as to have a clergyman with the title of “Priest” (intimating that the rest in that denomination are not), most of the evangelic type of churches call their clergymen a “Pastor” or a “Minister.” It makes little difference, for this position in the church is not according to the truth of Scripture. It is purely a man-made office.
The Difference Between Priesthood and Gift
It is important to understand the difference between priesthood and gift. They are two distinct spheres in the house of God. A priest goes to God on behalf of the people: a person exercising his gift in ministry goes to the people on behalf of God.
Gifts
Gifts are what the Lord, as the ascended Head of the church, gives to the various members of His body, so that they may be able to fill the place in the body where God has set them. The Bible teaches that every member of the body of Christ has been given a gift (1 Cor. 12:7; Eph. 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10; Rom. 12:6-8). However, not all the members of Christ’s body have a gift for ministering the Word. Some may have a gift that is distinctly recognizable; such as an evangelist, shepherd (pastor), or teacher (Eph. 4:4-16; Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-31). With others, it may be something less distinct such as “showing mercy” (Rom 12:8). Whether it be evangelism or “helps” (1 Cor. 12:28), one sure thing is that we all have something to do in the body of Christ. The purpose of gifts are “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: in order that we may be no longer babes, tossed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, which is in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error; but to holding the truth in love” (Eph. 4:12-15). This shows us that the gifts are for the spiritual benefit of the church.
The Difference Between Ability and Gift
In Matthew 25:14-30, the Lord makes a distinction between “ability” and “gift.” He told the story of a man traveling to a far country, and before leaving he gave to his servants talents (a sum of money), which they were to trade with until he returned. Some were given more, and some were given less. This is an obvious allusion to the Lord giving gifts to His people, who are to exercise them for Him in His absence. One day He will return again, and take account of what we have done with what He has given us in the way of gift. In that day, rewards will be given to those who have fulfilled their ministry faithfully (Matt. 25:19-23).
It is noteworthy that the man “gave” talents (a gift) “to every man according to his particular ability” (Matt. 25:15). Here the Lord distinguishes between these two things. Notice, those servants had their various abilities before the man called them unto himself to give them the talents.
Ability is something that is given to a person when he is born into this world. In providence, God singles out and fashions the vessel of His purposes long before he or she is even saved. In His school He gives and forms a person’s intellectual powers and abilities, even in his unconverted days. Gift, on the other hand, is something that is given to the person from the Lord by the Spirit, when he is saved. While ability is a natural thing; gift is a spiritual thing. Gift is given to a person in order that he might fulfill his ministry in the body of Christ. The wisdom of the Lord is seen here, in that He gives gifts according to our ability. For instance, He does not give the gift of an evangelist to a person who is reticent and lacks communicative skills. Someone who naturally likes to be with people and is talkative would likely be given such a gift. Likewise, the gift of teaching requires a certain measure of natural ability in the area of intellectual powers.
We mention this because there is a great deal of confusion on this point in the Christian profession today. We often hear Christians speaking of famous converted musicians or athletes; that their natural abilities are “their gift.” However, gift in Scripture is a spiritual manifestation in the body of Christ. It has to do with spiritual things (1 Cor. 12:1; 14:1). Nor do we see in the Scriptures that God would have the church having meetings where such persons can display their natural abilities. Often these famous persons are used for not much more than entertainment in so-called, “testimonial meetings.” But are believers being established in the truth through these sort of meetings? The gifts are not for our entertainment, but for the building up of the saints in the “most holy faith” (Jude 20).
J. N. Darby said, “It is wholly a false principle that natural gifts are a reason for using them. I may have amazing strength or speed in running; I knock a man down with one, and win a prize cup with the other. Music may be a more refined thing, but the principle is the same. This point I believe to be now of all importance. Christians have lost their moral influence by bringing in nature and the world as harmless. All things are lawful to me. But as I said, you cannot mix flesh and Spirit.”
What is Ministry?
In the minds of most people, “the ministry” is what Pastors and Ministers are in, as they carry out their work leading a certain church group. The Bible, however, teaches that ministry is simply the exercise of a person’s gift (1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Tim. 4:6; Eph. 4:11-12). Since all Christians have a gift, all Christians should be in “the ministry!” As we have said earlier, all may not have a gift for ministering the Word of God publicly, but all have a ministry to fulfill. Much ministry is service done for the Lord’s people where no public speaking is done.
The problem in the church today is that there are many like Archippus who are not fulfilling their ministry. The Apostle had to exhort him, “Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it” (Col. 4:17). This is a needful exhortation for us today. One of the reasons many are not fulfilling their ministry is that there is a vast man-made clerical system in place in the church that is hindering them. In a normal order of things in a typical denominational church, if the Spirit of God were to give a word to one in the company who had a gift for public ministry, he would be stifled and could not exercise it. If he were to proceed to do so, it would be disruptive to the services in process.
The common idea in Christendom today is that when a person feels that he is “called to the ministry,” he must be put through a system of education by which he acquires the status of a “Minister” or “Pastor.” And even then, he still cannot exercise his gift until a congregation chooses him (usually through a board of deacons) to be their Minister. Many who have good intentions, but are ignorant of God’s order, believe that if they are going to minister the Word that they must submit to this process and be trained in a seminary. Since tradition has established it, many feel that God is truly sending them to a seminary for that purpose. It seems quite logical to them since it is the recognized, conventional way of training “Ministers.” Without faulting the individual for his sincerity, we must say, that whole order of things is not found in Scripture.
The Bible teaches that if a person has a certain gift, the very possession of it is God's warrant to use it. It says, “As every man hath received a gift, even so minister the same one to another” (1 Peter 4:10). It does not say, “As every man hath received a gift, let him be trained and ordained by a seminary, and then so minister.”
The Scriptures say, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it in the ability which God giveth” (1 Peter 4:11). Notice again, it doesn’t say, “Let him go to school, and then let him speak.”
And again, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation” (Rom. 12:6-8). Again, there is not a word here about the person being trained by men before he uses his gift.
Moreover, Scripture says, “When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Cor. 14:26). Here again, we find no hint that a person must be trained before he can exercise his gift in the assembly. It simply says that if we have a doctrine (a teaching), etc., let it be done to the edifying of the church.
Now it is true that a person’s gift needs to be developed. This takes time and use (Acts 9:20-22; Gal. 1:17; Acts 9:30; 11:25-26; 13:1-14). The more a person matures in divine things, the more serviceable he will be in ministry (Acts 18:24-28; Mark 4:20). The Biblical way for a person getting taught in divine things, is through meetings such as we discussed earlier. The Lord uses these assembly meetings, led by the sovereign guidance of the Holy Spirit, to teach us the truth. He also uses books of ministry (or tape recorded ministry), by gifted and knowledgeable persons who are able to teach us the truth. But we will look in vain in Scripture to find any thought of a person going to a seminary to be fitted for a position as a “Minister” or a “Pastor” of a church. As we have already said, it is purely a man-made thing to fit a person for a position in a man-made system. Biblical Christianity simply does not need such schools. A lot of the learning that goes on at these seminaries is to train the Pastors-to-be how to run a church after that clerical system of things that is not found in the Bible.
Ministry in the Church
Turning to the first epistle to the Corinthians (chapter 11:17 to chapter 14:40), we see how the gifts are to function when the church is gathered together in its various localities. This section of Scripture begins with the Apostle saying, “First of all, when ye come together in assembly...” Before speaking of ministry, the Apostle Paul speaks first of the privilege of the Lord’s supper, which perhaps is the preeminent meeting of the church. This meeting is not for the exercise of gift, but for the remembrance of the Lord in His death. It is a time when we can exercise our priesthood in offering worship and praise to the Father and the Son.
After setting in order various things concerning the Lord’s supper, he gives the order for ministry in the assembly in the following chapters 12 through 14.
• Chapter 12 gives the great principles of Christian ministry.
• Chapter 13 gives the spirit in which that ministry is to be exercised—love.
• Chapter 14 gives the regulation of the gifts in the assembly so that the ministry would be for the edification of all.
Christ Must be Exalted in All Ministry
Looking more closely at chapter 12, we see that the first great principle of all ministry is the exaltation of Jesus as Lord. The evidence of the Spirit's leading in ministry, is that Christ will always be exalted and never spoken of derogatorily. He says, “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 12:1-3). “He [the Spirit] shall glorify Me” (John 16:14).
The Local Assembly Needs the Use Of All the Gifts in its Midst
The second great principle in this chapter on Christian ministry, is that since Christ has distributed gifts by the Spirit to the various members of His body: and that these gifts are not all held by one man; we therefore, need participation in the meetings from all who have a gift for it. The Apostle says, “To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another...” (1 Cor. 12:4-10, 29-30). It is perfectly clear from this passage that since the gifts are not held by one man, the assembly will need more than one man ministering, if they are going to get the benefit of the gifts that may be in their midst. But again, the clerical system in place in denominational Christianity hinders this.
Some might say, “Our church doesn’t have one man as the minister. We have two or three Pastors.” However, that is still missing the point in this passage. God’s mind is that the church would edify itself through every joint of supply, not just through two or three (Eph. 4:16). It is true that all may not have a gift to minister the Word publicly, but as we have mentioned already, the Scriptures indicate that all who are able should have liberty in the assembly to minister. It says, “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted” (1 Cor. 14:24, 31).
It is also true that a man might have more than one gift, but Scripture is definite that one person does not have all the gifts. In fact, the Apostle warns of the danger of not regarding the various gifts that God has set in the body. He says, “The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (1 Cor. 12:21). This shows that all the members in the body have something to contribute, even though they might seem insignificant to us. However, the clerical order of things in the churches is an arrangement where one or two persons do the ministering. It is a system that hinders (perhaps not intentionally) the other gifts from operating in the church; and is essentially saying, “I have no need of thee.”
Those who occupy this ministerial position in the churches strenuously object to this because they do encourage people in their church group to exercise their gifts—but it is only in a home Bible study setting. But the context of these chapters is the exercise of the gifts in the assembly meetings (1 Cor. 11:17, 18, 20, 33, 34; 14:23, 26). The question is, “Do they allow the liberty of the gifts in the church?” And the answer is that they do not.
The Spirit of God Should Employ Whom He Pleases to Speak
The third great principle of Christian ministry in the twelfth chapter of 1st Corinthians is that when we come together in assembly, the Spirit of God is to have His due right to employ whom He pleases to speak. As we have shown with priesthood, the Spirit is to be free in the assembly to lead whom He chooses to speak in the exercise his gift in ministry. The chapter clearly states that the gifts are to operate in the assembly by the selfsame Spirit who distributed the gift to the individual when he was saved. “All these [gifts] worketh that One and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will” (1 Cor. 12:7, 11). The New Testament knows no other order for ministry than that of the sovereign guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures assume faith in us in trusting the leading of the Spirit. If we allow Him to lead in the assembly, He will take whatever gifts that are there, and use them for the edification of the saints in ministry.
The principle is simple then. The Holy Spirit is in the church, using the gifts as He chooses for the edification of all. This is God's order for Christian ministry. Now we ask, “How is the Holy Spirit expected to divide to every man severally as He chooses, if the church has set up an order of things where a man occupies this place of leading the assembly?” The presidency of the Holy Spirit is denied in practice! He may desire to call on this person or that person for ministry, but He is blocked and hindered by human order. In many of the churches, the services are pre-arranged—sometimes days in advance! Yet we do not find such a thought in Scripture. All this may be done with good intentions, but it is not God's order.
The Gifts are to be Regulated by Love And Discernment
After speaking of the motive for ministry in the thirteenth chapter of 1st Corinthians, which is “love,” the Apostle gives the simple principles that are to govern ministry in the assembly in the fourteenth chapter.
The first part of the chapter emphasizes the care that love would have in making sure not to occupy time in speaking of things that others present cannot understand. This very thing was happening in Corinth. There were those who were speaking in the gift of tongues, without an interpreter. Consequently, those in the assembly did not know what was being said. Paul shows that if a person speaks without love and care for the edification of all, he is really speaking like a trumpet that is giving an uncertain sound. The people do not know how to respond to it because they don’t know what is being said. The Corinthians were misusing the gift of tongues, but regardless of what gift it may be, the principle is the same, and is a guide for us today. Someone takes part in the meeting in a way in which the people cannot understand is clearly not speaking to “edification, and exhortation, and comfort” of all. If that is the case, then it would be well for him to not speak. Love and care for the welfare of the others will regulate this (1 Cor. 14:1-11).
This underlying principle that should govern the meetings for ministry is that what is said must be for the edification of all. Paul said that it would be better to speak a little in the assembly (“five words”) and have all understand and profit from it, than to speak a lot (“ten thousand words”) and have nobody understand it (1 Cor. 14:12-17).
He also shows that if the church met together according to God’s order for ministry, where the Spirit of God is given His rightful place in the assembly directing the ministry, that there would be a powerful testimony to those coming in to such meetings (1 Cor. 14:23-25).
He goes on to show that when the saints come together, “every one” who has something to contribute, should have liberty to minister in the assembly for the profit of the others. The problem with the Corinthians was that their meetings had become a free-for-all. They all wanted to speak and were not waiting on the Spirit’s leading (1 Cor. 14:26). To correct this, Paul told them that though all might have something, it does not mean that all should speak. They must wait on the leading of the Spirit. On different occasions, various ones may speak as the Spirit would lead (1 Corinthians 14:27-28, 30-31). Prophesying in this chapter is not predicting future things, but the telling forth of God’s mind for the occasion.
There can be, and sometimes is, a person who will be prompted by the flesh, who will rush in and take up time with profitless speaking that does not edify the saints. However, the assembly is not to be a platform for the flesh. The Apostle said, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32). This means that the person should know how to exercise self-control and refrain from speaking on such occasions. Regardless of this exhortation, such a one often thinks that what he is saying is profitable and edifying; and consequently, insists on speaking. When this occurs, Paul shows that the assembly has recourse. He said, “Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others judge” (1 Cor. 14:29). A Scriptural assembly is responsible to “judge” the ministry in its midst. And if it is not profitable, the assembly has authority to exercise godly discipline, calling for such a one to be silent in the meetings (1 Cor. 14:27-33).
These instructions are especially important for Christians who assemble together according to Scripture, because when there is liberty in the assembly meetings, that liberty may be abused. These instructions would hardly have application to the average denominational system, because in their “services” they do not have an arrangement where there is liberty for such ministry. Let us remember, such a Scriptural arrangement is not our liberty (as some mistakenly thought), but the Spirit's liberty to lead whomsoever He will. We are not to speak unless we are led by the Spirit to do so.
Then, in verses 34-40 the Apostle shows the place that sisters are to take in the public meetings. More will be said on this in a later chapter. He then concludes the chapter by giving one final governing principle; “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).
The Local Assembly Must Uphold Sound Doctrine
Finally, in the fifteenth chapter of 1st Corinthians, Paul emphasizes that sound doctrine must be upheld in the assembly. The Corinthians were astray on the doctrine of resurrection, and he corrected their misunderstandings. This is an important principle for us. We must also maintain sound doctrine in the assembly.
Hence, we have God’s order for ministry in the church. But notice, we do not find anything said about having one or two men (so-called “Pastors”) set up to do the ministering for the rest. If God intended that that was the way for ministry in the church, then He would have mentioned it in these chapters that deal with the subject: But there is not a word here of such a thing.
Furthermore, if only a few were to have the place of ministering in the church (i.e. the clergy), then these chapters on ministry would have been written specifically to them. It would be something like the Mosaic system, where the Lord gave specific directions to that special company of persons (the Aaronic priests) who were set apart from the rest of the people to perform the services in the tabernacle. But there is nothing of that here in these chapters. The directions are given to the whole church.
"Does This Mean You Don't Believe In Having a Pastor?"
Some might take from this that we don’t believe in the existence of pastors in the church, but we most definitely do, because the Bible speaks of it (Eph. 4:11). A pastor is a person who has been given the gift of shepherding the flock of God. It is one of many gifts Christ has given to the church. It is what the denominational churches have termed “Pastor” that we object to. They have made that gift into something that is not found in Scripture. They have taken a Scriptural term and have attached it to the position of a clergyman, which is not found in the Bible. And what is so confusing about it all is that a person may occupy that position and not even have the gift of a pastor! He might have the gift of an evangelist or teacher etc., and yet bear the title of “Pastor!” What a sorrowful confusion this has brought into the house of God.
Flattering Titles
The church organizations in Christendom not only have created a position that does not exist in the Word of God, they have also attached various titles to that position that also do not exist in the Word of God. Titles such as: “Minister,” “Pastor,” or “Doctor of Divinity,” etc., are prevalent in most denominations.
It is true that the words “minister” and “pastor” are mentioned in the Bible, but they are never used as a title. As we have already said, a pastor is the description of a gift, not a title of a clergyman. In fact, the Word of God says, “Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away” (Job 32:21-22).
The Lord Jesus said, “Be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ: and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be called masters [instructors or teachers]: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matt. 23:8-12). Yet in the face of such a plain Scripture, some denominations have called their clergyman “Father.” As mentioned, some church organizations use the title “Doctor.” The word “doctor” comes from the Latin docere, which means to teach. Hence, a doctor is a teacher. But this is something that the Lord said we should not call one another! When a man is introduced as a “Doctor so and so” to an audience, the implication is that his words have added authority because of his degree. This, of course, is completely unfounded by Scripture. We are not saying that it is wrong to have the title “Doctor” in secular fields, but that it has no place in the things of God.
Other denominations have gone so far as to use the title, “Reverend.” Yet the Bible says that “reverend” is what the Lord’s name is! “Holy and reverend is His Name” (Psa. 111:9). Should men be taking what is ascribed to the Lord and attaching it to their names? Surely not.
When the Lycaonians attempted to give Barnabas and Paul exalted names they refused them, saying, “Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you” (Acts 14:15). The servants of the Lord today should also be refusing these flattering titles.
The Word of God teaches that pastors are just one of many gifts that Christ has given (Eph. 4:11). Why set up this one gift in the church with an official title as having preeminence over the others? There is not a line of Scripture that indicates that the church should do such a thing.
The Election of a "Pastor"
The practice of the church today in choosing a so-called “Pastor” is also something that is contrary to Scripture. We refer to the process of how a clergyman comes to preside in a local church. The usual procedure is that the would-be “Pastor” or “Minister” is invited to a so-called church where he will be given an opportunity to prove himself by giving a couple of sermons. If his preaching is acceptable to the people in the church, they will vote him to be their “Pastor.” This, again, is not God’s order.
First of all, the Word of God, which is ever to be our guide, gives no direction for such a thing. In fact, there is not one local assembly in the Bible that chose a pastor! Not one! Neither did an apostle, at any time, nominate a pastor for a local church. Scripture actually warns against the church choosing its teachers, saying, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3).
Secondly, the idea of nominating a “Pastor” is purely a worldly principle of democracy. The church is not a democracy. It is a mischievous thing to put the power of a vote into the hands of young people and new converts. They simply are not established in the truth, nor experienced enough in divine things to be able to form a spiritual judgment of such magnitude.
Moreover, it puts the man in a very awkward position. If he wants that position in the organization badly enough, he is tempted to give the people what they want to hear. Usually it is topics such as, “Love & Marriage” or “Prophecy.” Any kind of ministry to the conscience will likely be pretty far down on his list. Even after he gets the position in the church, he is constantly faced with compromising the truth for the people’s sake, because he knows that if the attendance goes down, his position and work will be reviewed. He must keep them happy. As a result, the people can, and often do, control the person and the type of ministry they want to hear. Living under this kind of obligation, he truly becomes their “Pastor.” Compare Judges 17:7-13 (“my priest”).
The Lord of the Harvest Directs the Gifts
When Christ’s Headship is referred to in Scripture, it is in relation to the corporate affairs of the church: when His Lordship is referred to, it is in connection with His sovereign guidance of individual believers. Hence we do not read of Christ being the Lord of the church. However, Scripture does say that He is the “Lord of the harvest” (Matt. 9:38). He, not the church, sends forth His individual labourers to where He would have them to serve. When Christ gives gifts, they are directly responsible to Him in their ministry. As we have already shown, the gifts flow down from Christ in heaven, and are for the spiritual profit of His body. A person with a specific gift should seek to minister to the whole church of God—when he can do so without compromising Scriptural principles. He should never confine himself to a sect that men have made in it. His gift is for the edification of the whole body.
Not only is Christ the source of these gifts, but He is also the Director of them. As the various servants are in communion with the Lord, He will direct them in their sphere of service. Since the source and guidance of the gifts is Christ in heaven, the gifts are above being controlled by any earthly religious (man-made) organization, as so often the case is in the churches in Christendom. We quite often hear people saying that “Pastor so-and-so” was sent out by a particular organization to carry on a ministry. But there is no such thing in Scripture as the church, or an organization within the church, sending a gifted person to a certain place to serve the Lord. We do not read of the gifts being under a mission board, and being directed by the board in their service for the Lord. This, too, is a man-made thing. Scripture says, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:38). And again, “As they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid their hands on them, they let them go. They therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia” (Acts 13:2-4).
It is clear from these verses that the Lord, by the Spirit, is the One Who sends His servants. The church should recognize a gift as being sent of the Lord, and should give the person “the right hands of fellowship”—which might include a practical gift of financial help (Gal. 2:9), but it does not send them. Those at Antioch encouraged Barnabas and Saul to go out, but they had no power to send them. They simply “let them go,” because they recognized that the Lord, by the Spirit, was sending them. As the passage shows, it is the Lord by the Holy Sprit that sends them.
J. A Trench said, “We may here pause for a moment to survey the work [in the book of the Acts]. Samaria evangelized, Gentiles admitted into the kingdom in Ceasarea, Greeks converted at Antioch: such is the record in brief. Besides the work in Judea and in Jerusalem, all was carried out without apostolic direction or human authority. The Holy Ghost opened out, as we have said, fields of labour independently of human direction. What He did then we may count on Him to do still. It is wise to let Him work as He will, and then, like the apostles, gladly to acknowledge what He has done. The exercise of ministry in the Word never was subject to apostolic direction in early days. Should it be subordinated to men now, however godly and earnest? We ask the question. The reader can surely answer it.”
If the Lord should send a person with the gift of a pastor among us, we are to recognize that gift, and let him minister as such. We are not to set up a vote choosing whether we want him as our “Pastor” or not: and if he is acceptable to us, to put him in an “office” in the church that does not exist in the Word of God! He is not our servant. He is the Lord’s servant. J. N. Darby said, “If Christ has thought proper to give me a gift, I am to trade with my talent as His servant, and the assembly has nothing to do with it: I am not their servant at all. ...I refuse peremptorily to be its servant. If I do or say anything as an individual, calling for discipline, that is another matter; but in trading with my talent, I act neither in, nor for, an assembly. When I go to teach, I go individually to exercise my gift. ...The Lordship of Christ is denied by those who hold these ideas; they want to make the assembly, or themselves, lords. If I am Christ's servant, let me serve Him in the liberty of the Spirit. They want to make the servants of Christ the servants of the assembly, and deny individual service as responsible to Christ. ...I am free to act without consulting them in my service to Christ: they are not the masters of the Lord’s servants.”
It is clear that a servant of the Lord who has God’s thoughts about the church, cannot be a Minister of a sect without compromising the truth. He may minister to those connected with sects if he should come across them because they are members of Christ’s body. But if he desires to be directed by the Lord, he could not confine himself to a sect, because then, he can only minister within its authorized circle of churches. The ground is too narrow. A. H. Rule said, “The Lord has the whole church before Him, and if the servant is responsible to Him, how can he submit himself to a sect, and be faithful both to it and the Lord? It is impossible. If a man is a Presbyterian Minister, it is plain he is not a Baptist Minister. If he is a Minister of any sect, it excludes him from all the rest, and his ministry is necessarily confined to the sect he is in, or to its interests.”
The servant of the Lord must not allow himself to be bound and fettered by a man-made denominational organization. The Apostle Paul did not allow himself to come under the power of any kind of man-made organization. He said, “Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). He also said, “He that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye servants of men” (1 Cor. 7:22-23).
We Cannot Rightly Hire God's Servant
Connected with the erroneous practice of electing a “Pastor” is the putting of that person on a salary. The Bible nowhere hints at this. Man (or an organization of men) must not hire God’s servant, for he is in the service of a higher Master. As we have already shown, it can be dangerous; because when one gets his salary from a particular organization, he tends to become the servant of that organization.
Of course, the church organizations do not view their salaried clergymen as being hired, but there are many things that could be cited that would show that the practicality of this arrangement is indeed not much more than that. A case in point is a letter we recently received from a man who included a business card identifying him as a “retired” Minister of a well-known denomination. If there came a point when he retired from that position, it necessarily implies that there was a point when he was hired. But does Scripture speak of God hiring and retiring His servants? It sounds like a business operation. We don’t want to question their motives, but still, it leaves a wrong impression before the world. People may conclude that it is a person’s employment. We realize that there are many who fill that place with zealous service for the Lord, and they do it to the best of their ability. Nor do we discount the fact that those in that position will be rewarded for their motives in a coming day, where the Lord sees fit to give a reward (1 Cor. 3:9-14; 4:4-5). Our point here is merely to point out that the position of a salaried clergyman cannot be supported by the Word of God.
How Should the Lord's Servants Be Maintained Monetarily?
The question might be asked, “How then, should the Lord's servants be maintained monetarily? If they are not to receive a salary, then how are they to be supported?” We must turn again to the Word of God for the answer. We find there that the Apostle Paul and others who served with him are an example of how the Lord’s servants are to carry on their service for Him (1 Tim. 1:16; Phil. 3:17). They were “servants of Jesus Christ,” not servants of a sect or division in the church (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1, etc.). They believed the Lord had sent them to their work. And that if He truly sent them, He would also take care of them. “Who ever carries on war at his own charges?” (1 Cor. 9:7). So they went forth “taking nothing of the Gentiles [the nations]” because they trusted that God would supply all their need (3 John 7; Phil. 4:19). To do this takes faith on the part of the servant. Hudson Taylor said, “God's work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.”
In those early days of the church there were two ways in which the Lord’s servants were maintained financially:
Firstly, they supported themselves by working with their hands. The Apostle Paul is an example of this. He worked as a tent-maker while he served the Lord (Acts 18:3). He said to the Ephesian elders, “Yea, ye your own selves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:34-35). To the Thessalonians, Paul also said, “Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us” (2 Thess. 3:8-9).
Secondly, the Lord’s servants were supported by gifts from the saints who desired to express their fellowship with the work that they were engaged in. These gifts came from two sources: from local assemblies, as Paul said to the Philippians, “Ye have done well, in that ye did communicate with my affliction” (Phil. 4:14-17); and from individuals, as he said to the Galatians, “Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things” (Gal. 6:6; Heb. 13:16; 1 Tim. 6:17-19).
However, the Lord’s servants were careful to take “nothing from the Gentiles [nations]” among whom they went preaching the Word of God (3 John 7). The “Gentiles,” here, are the unbelieving world among whom they went preaching. They did this to guard against giving a wrong impression to the world that the gospel is something that a person can buy. We believe that this is still the pattern for God's servants today.
Parachurch Organizations—A Help Or a Hindrance to the Gospel?
William MacDonald said, “In recent years there has been an organizational explosion in Christendom of such proportions as to make one dizzy. Every time a believer gets a new idea for advancing the cause of Christ, he forms a new board, corporation, or institution! One result is that capable teachers and preachers have been called away from their primary ministries in order to become administrators. If all mission board administrators were serving on the mission field, it would greatly reduce the need for personnel there. Another result of the proliferation of organizations is that vast sums of money are needed for overhead, and thus diverted from direct gospel outreach. The greater part of every dollar given to many Christian organizations is devoted to the expense of maintaining the organization rather than to the primary purpose for which it was founded.”
How true this is! We spoke to someone who was quite high up in one of the largest organizations in the world that gathered funds from churches to send to the foreign mission fields. When he had left the organization, he said, “Most people don’t know it, but only 9% of what they take in actually gets to the mission field! The rest is used in administrative salaries and overhead.”
Summary of the Main Errors Of the Clerical System
In the preceding pages we have conclusively shown that the concept of the clerical system—having a so-called “Pastor” or “Minister” set over a congregation of Christians to lead them in worship and ministry—is unsupported by Scripture. Not only is it unsupported; it is contrary to the teaching of the New Testament.
The following points are a brief summary of the principles we have covered in the preceding pages that show why the clergy system in the Church is not according to the Word of God:
1) The Spirit of God is not given His proper place of presiding in the assembly. Since He is present to direct and regulate the proceedings, the setting up of a clergyman in that place practically displaces the Spirit and interferes with His leading (Phil. 3:3; 1 Cor. 12:11).
2) As a result of the Spirit not being given His place to lead in the assembly as He chooses, the priesthood of all believers is violated in practice (1 Peter 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; Heb. 13:15-16). The Spirit of God should be able to use any brother He chooses to offer thanksgiving and praise on behalf of the whole assembly, but this system hinders it.
3) Another result of the Spirit not being given His place to lead in the assembly is that the free exercise of gifts in the assembly is prohibited by arbitrarily limiting ministry to one person (the so-called Pastor) who has an official right to it (1 Cor. 14:27-33).
4) Furthermore, there is little or no recourse to check and balance the teaching. Where there are one or two men responsible for the teaching in a local assembly, as is the case with a so-called "Pastor" or "Minister," there is a danger of one-sided interpretations, if not of erroneous doctrine itself. On the other hand, where the Holy Spirit has liberty to speak through the various gifts in the assembly, more facets of the truth are brought to light, and there is also a greater immunity from error when all the saints are assiduously comparing Scripture with Scripture (1 Cor. 14:27-32).
5) The clerical system tends to promote apathy among those in the congregation. Since it does not allow liberty for the people to contribute in the ministry, there often develops a lack of exercise in divine things. Many have the idea that they do not need to concern themselves with ministry since the church organization they belong to is paying someone (the clergyman) to carry on this service for them. Consequently, the development of spiritual exercise and growth in the saints is hindered by this arrangement (1 Cor. 3:1-4; Heb. 5:11-14).
6) The system caters to people gathering themselves around a gifted speaker, and thus violates God's principles of Christians gathering together by the Spirit unto the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone (1 Cor. 1:12-13; 3:3-4; Matt. 18:20).
7) The system interferes with the servant's immediate responsibility to the Lord in the exercise of his gift. The person (the clergyman) becomes answerable to the man-made organization over him, which looks after him in practical issues such as his salary. He is responsible to maintain its standards and methods of ministry, and to achieve the goals the organization set out for him; and thus, he tends to be controlled by the organization rather serving directly under the Lordship of Christ (1 Cor. 7:22-23; Gal. 1:10).
What Do “Pastors” and “Ministers” Think Of These Things?
Perhaps some will ask the “Pastor” of their denomination about these things, and will be told that these things are all wrong. This is quite understandable. Most likely he will not accept these truths because they condemn the very position wherein he stands. If these things are true, then where does it put a man who occupies the position of a “Pastor?” Being in “the ministry” as a profession, for him, the practical ramifications of accepting this truth means that he will be out his regular income. It is highly unlikely that a person in that position will ever accept these things.
We are not insinuating that these so-called “Pastors” and “Ministers” are only in “the ministry” for a job. They may do their work conscientiously, but to give up that post will cost such a person a lot. If the average Christian should want to give up the man-made order of things in the churches to practice Biblical Christianity, he doesn't have as much to lose as someone who is a clergyman. Yet if a clergyman will be faithful to God’s Word, and acts in obedience to the Lord, God will take care of him, for He has said, “Them that honour Me, I will honour" (1 Sam. 2:30; 2 Chron. 25:9).