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Is this structure correct?

 Submitted: 9/15/2011
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Question: Issue: In my church we have like 6 pastors, and each pastor is assigned saints for them to pastor. They call this headship. Each saint is an understudy of the pastor they're assigned to without fully realizing it. Each pastor is subject to one pastor of the six who is called the 'Senior Pastor.' The 'Senior Pastor' dictates all that goes on in the church, referring to standards, ministry, etc... They call this ranking order 'headship.' Each saint is to be subject to the pastor above them, or they are considered to have 'No Head' and therefore out of authority or not in line with scripture. The Bible says the head of every man is Christ. Question: Is the way they're going about doing this biblically correct? Personal Opinion: I'm a man of God, and to say I'm ordered to put another man above me to be in line with scripture just seems anti-Christ.
Answer: We believe that every mature local assembly should be led by a team of biblically qualified men who work together to provide oversight and pastoral ministry to the people. We believe the senior pastor of every assembly is, and only can be, Jesus Christ Himself, since He is the Head of the church, which is His body. This idea is the core doctrine around which this website it built.

Having said that, we also believe that every believer ought to be respectful toward the leadership of the local assembly and submit himself to their watchful care. This is stated in Hebrews 13:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. You have indicated that you were 'ordered' to put another man above you. In our view, if submission is ordered it is not submission. In God's kingdom, submission to spiritual authority must be willing and voluntary.


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