A Call for a Diversified Pastorate
People ask me all the time if I ever think about starting a church. My answer? No, not much. Only about twice per day.
I have thought through quite a bit what an “ideal” church looks like. You know the old saying, “once you find the perfect church, you better leave since your presence makes it no longer perfect” . . . or something like that.
No, I am not talking about the “perfect” church. There is no such thing. Ideal. That is the key. How would it be structured? How often would you take the Lord’s supper? Liturgy? Type of preaching? All of these are great questions. But I want to talk only about one here today. Maybe we will follow this up with other issues, but let’s focus now on my (loosely held) opinion concerning the pastorate:
Michael, what would your pastoral staff look like theologically? Calvinistic? Premillenial? Memorialist Lord’s supper?
No, none of these. I would propose a call for a somewhat theologically diversified group of pastors. I would not only allow for freedom in many areas of theology, but I would intentionally attempt to build a diversified staff, many of whom would disagree with me on issues about which I have very, very strong opinions.
I would have to distinguish between those issues upon which I have strong opinions and those which I am convicted are necessary for the proper functioning of the local church.
Non-negotiables:
- Belief in the central elements of the Gospel: The person and work of Christ (who he is and what he has done).
- Belief in sola Scriptura: Scripture alone is the final and only infallible authority for the Christian.
- Belief in sola fide: Faith is the only instrumental cause (from a human standpoint) that brings about justification (i.e., no works-based salvation).
- Belief in the future coming of Christ: i.e., cannot be a Preterist.
- Must be formally trained in Bible and theology (sorry, no online stuff).
(Oh, and then there is the 1 Tim requirements, but that goes without saying here).
Pretty Evangelical Protestant so far. Continue Reading »