Dripping
Springs, Church of Chirst
Dripping Springs Texas
C
A R L B. G A R N E R
PASTORS
/ POWER
/
PREACHERS
The
subject of power is on the minds of many today. Newspapers have been
replete with articles on who really possesses the power in the Texas
Longhorn football program. Pictures of the power-wielders were on a
recent front page of the paper. The question: Do these men have the
power to oust the football coach?
Power
is, of course, wielded in more than one way. During the Reagan years,
Nancy was often said to wield considerable power with her husband.
During FDR's presidency, Harry Hopkins and other friends had the
"ear" of the president, thereby possessing a form of power.
In our legislative bodies it is often said that the real
power resides in those who chair the congressional committees. In
many situations, it is invariably the person holding the purse
strings that is in charge.
It is not always the most obvious
person who holds the real power in a particular sphere of society.
Who wields power in the religious world? Church history has focused
upon this question. Is the pope the most powerful religious leader in
today's world? Or leaders of the Muslims, Hindus or Jews? It's hard
to say.
But who is it that holds the scepter of power in
Christ's church? The person holding the purse strings? Is it the
preacher? Or his wife? Is it some wealthy member? Is it Christ
Himself? Is this question even significant? Yes, it is, because there
are those who would like it better if elders were given no authority
at all. They like the way denominations do it, where the "pastor"
is in charge. He/she [she is OK now, you know] makes most of the
major decisions, usually with the advice and consent of a board of
delegates, deacons or "lay persons." In Austin recently we
saw the inner workings of a major denomination laboring over this
very question: who will wield the power and the purse in their
denomination in the state of Texas? It is never a pretty sight.
In
the body of Christ there have been preachers who seemed to think that
the power resides in them. If their following is strong enough, that
local congregation literally is ruled by him. The Bible says that
feeding the flock is the responsibility of the overseers. When it
comes to purchasing land, hiring or firing the preacher, supporting
missionaries, building facilities, and any other expedient matters,
the elders have been given "power," or authority, to do so.
It is right to ask, "to whom did God give authority to make
decisions regarding expedient matters in the day-to-day operation of
the church?" Someone must be responsible for making decisions.
Elders [pastors, shepherds] must not be lords, but they do have
sufficient authority to accomplish their work of oversight. It is
wise to realize that the issue of "who wields the power"
too often has its source in a disposition that is not truly
biblical.
The question of power may have other considerations.
If leaders have been irresponsible, either financially or
spiritually, the point is magnified. Preachers, like it or not, can
wield great power, merely because they are before the people on a
regular basis. He may have the respect of many because of his work,
but there is a temptation to allow that respect to result in a power
not approved by God. At this very moment, church buildings, bank
accounts, property, contingency funds and leadership are being stolen
by those who have formed a constituency, divided the church on some
doctrinal matter, and then manipulated a minority, taking control of
an entire congregation.
It is not easy for a group of Elders
(whom God intends to oversee the church) to bring about such a theft,
simply because the plurality of men often deters such action, but it
can happen. If it happens it is usually because elders have been
derelict in their oversight. One or two elders with a following, or
aided by the preacher, might usurp such control, but manipulation is
the key in such occurrences. Who
holds the power?
Doesn't this whole scenario rest on an ungodly attitude in some who
are entrusted with the "feeding" [not "fleecing"]
of the flock? This whole idea of power indicates a great deal of
misunderstanding. The real issue should be privilege, the fulfillment
of responsibility, not power. Leaders who see their place as one of
power are desperately in need of instruction. Preachers are
privileged
to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Elders are privileged
to take the oversight of the Body of Christ, 1 Peter 5:1-5. Full
authority and power rest in the person of Jesus, the only begotten
Son of God, Matthew 28:18. The greatest power wielded by a preacher
today is in the Gospel, God's
Power
unto salvation, Romans 1:16. Only a delegated
authority rests with those qualified and having been ordained as
elders or overseers of the church, Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5-11. Their
work includes stopping the "mouths" of gainsayers who say
or do things they ought not. The church is not like some political
body, governed by men in "smoke-filled rooms." We are
brothers and sisters, and would do well to remember both the words of
Jesus and Marshall Keeble's paraphrase of them: "We
all stand on level ground at the foot of the cross."
Read Matthew 23:1-11.