Within the average place called church there is one person that garners the attention, that one is called pastor.
When the people gather, this person has the authority to say how the meeting goes, what happens during the meeting, when to stand, sit, pray, worship, this person does the teaching and says when to leave.
The pastor gets a salary, housing, medical benefits, all without lifting a finger to do any type of work outside of the church ( they do not WORK as the people do ).
What do the Scriptures say about this.
First the ELDERS ( older men ), there are Biblical requirements for being an elder.
1 Timothy 3 verses 1 - 7
1 This is a trustworthy saying, that if a man desires Eldership, he desires a good work.
2 And an Elder ought to be one in whom no fault is found and is the husband of one woman, is of a vigilant mind, sober, orderly, loves strangers and is a teacher;
3And he does not transgress concerning wine and his hand is not swift to strike*, but he should be humble, not contentious, neither a lover of money, 4 And he governs his house well, and holds his children in subjection with all purity.
5 For if he does not know how to lead his own household well, how can he lead the Church of God? 6 Neither should he be a young disciple*, lest he be lifted up and would fall into the judgment of Satan*; 7 He ought to have an excellent testimony from outsiders, lest he fall into shame and into the trap of Satan.
Titus 1 verses 5 - 9
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
6 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,
9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict
1 Peter 5 verses 1 - 4
In verse one Peter says that he is a CO-ELDER, sumpresbuteros.
1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
The ELDERS ( plural ) have the oversight of the body of believers, not a shepherd ( single ).
In the council of many there is wisdom.
Where there is a pastor ( single ), i have heard the pastor say, they practise the Moses style of leadership, yet this denies the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit their place amongst the people as they meet.
Moses stood between GOD Almighty and the people.
GOD Almighty spoke to Moses, then Moses told the people what GOD Almighty had spoken, as the people feared to hear GOD Almighty talk with them personally.
Moses then was a type of Mediator, which would be fulfilled in Messiah, as Messiah is the only one who us able to mediate between GOD Almighty and man without sin, or prejudice.
Moses had seventy ELDERS under him, these elders were to judge the small matters the people had amongst themselves, Moses would take the hard ones as directed by his father in law Jethro.
In having a pastor over the people, the church shows that they have not moved beyond Moses, and they deny what the Word says about meeting together.
The pastor becomes the mediator, and the worship band usurps the place of the Holy Spirit.
