Biblically Correct? PLEASE NOTE: 1. The following article has been selected to provide you, dear reader, with interesting and challenging subjects for your consideration. You will find that much contained herein, varies with traditional teachings and beliefs. However, it is my 'burden' to encourage as many as will, to honestly consider with an open heart and mind...then, trusting the Holy Spirit to teach each one as HE WILLS. =) 2. There are a few comments in the article that I personally question whether they are Biblically correct (smile). However, the writer has challenged me to study further and deeper for a clearer understanding of Truth! 3. Here are a few comments I received from a respected friend and brother in Christ. I had shared the article with him and had asked for his observation/s. Hi Jerry, Thank you so much for sending me that article which I just read through. Several friends of mine share this 'the congregation should have several pastors' teaching too. But to be frank, I am unconvinced. Parker Thomas - unless I am greatly mistaken - is a one man ministry! In the article he is occasionally guilty of putting 2 + 2 together and making...8! His logic is a bit loose at times. To say that one can search the New Testament and not find a 'one pastor congregation' is a bit like saying that one can search the New Testament and not find the principle of every service containing a sermon. If one was off-beat enough one could say, 'Search the New Testament and you will not find the principle of the 'closing prayer' at the conclusion of the Christian service! That is true but...so what? We know the guidelines of spritual worship. Here are four points i would make: 1. Say you have a fellowship of only about 20 people with only one of them having the gifts of ministry? I have occasionally preached in places with that number of members. They cannot afford (or so they say) to take on a pastor, but they can call in preachers (like me) and there is frequently a guy with strong leadrship abilities who is more or less 'acting pastor', before we criticize, in some cases all Christian witnessing in a village would have disappeared without such people. 2. Well I have already covered this point: that is, that the argument is somewhat logically flawed because the New Testament does not always contain the specific instructions we would like in many areas. Paul told Timothy to 'ordain' or, 'appoint' elders in every congregation; that is the main and important point! But it is hardly likely that there were too many around at that time who had the necessary gifts to infer he must have meant 'appoint several elders per congregation'. No, the argument falls short in a purely logical sense. 3. The answer to the 'overworked minister' problem which Thomas refers to is for the minister to delegate wherever possible. This should certainly happen, and in some fellowships which are large, I have no doubt that it does not happen enough. It is true that just occasionally a minister can get carried away by his own drive and ambition and even some mind control tactics can come in, but there should already be some check on this through the deacons and other leaders. I saw this happen in a fellowship close to me, the pastor was fire within 8 months! Thomas says, 'When the ministry is shared by others it is far more difficult for Satan to zero in on one man' I have looked at this and still cannot see what the writer means. In the first place every pastor of any worth would always say that a congregation effectively has a 'shared ministry' in order for it to be effective; many will be praying, others will be contributing in other ways, no pastor or minister would ever be able to be successful without the prayerful and loving support of the congregation. But there are only too many liberal and politically-correct congregations out there who have sold out to this society's standards and which no longer uphold the biblical gospel and while some are single minister fellowships, others have several pastors. Also, numerous charismatic groups now support this 'plurality of pastors only' approach yet they cheerfully uphold all kinds of doctrinal errors including the prosperity teaching and much else! Your point about mind control tactics is a valid one and I know something about it, having originally come out of a cult, and it is probably (though not necessarily) the case that it is more likely to be noted in a group or congregation which has just one powerful leader who then seeks to mentally enslave others. But to take the overall case presented by people like the writer of this article and by people like the baptist theologian, _____ ______, whom I actually greatly admire, I don't find their arguments too compelling. But thanks for sending that piece to me, it was helpful. NOW...I STILL FELT THE ARTICLE WAS WORTH CONSIDERING...HOWEVER, We're NOT gonna "twist yer arm"! *grin* "De ball is in yer court"! =) Here's the URL (LINK):  ONE MAN PASTOR