How modern churches are contrary to the Bible

And why it’s unbiblical for a pastor to preach from a pulpit

If you’ve ever attended a church, you’ll certainly be familiar with the concept of a pastor or a priest preaching from a pulpit, where the whole congregation remains silent while listening to his speech.

However this way of having church has nothing to do with true Christianity and is totally unbiblical, and is actually very similar to the theaters once used by the Roman pagans.

Instead of the biblical concept of a pastor being a servant, who helps other Christians, modern pastors are stars, including those from the smallest churches. Not to mention the mega-churches, where you might find preachers cruising in from backstage on a red carpet surrounded by bodyguards, after arriving in a luxury Rolls Royce Phantom from his lakeside mansion worth millions of dollars.

And instead holding a two conversation where the pastor talks with other Christians in order to help them, modern pastors preaches to people in a one-way format.

There are many, many issues with going against the biblical orders of the church.

Firstly, that it opens up for heresies, where the pastor can preach false teachings uninterrupted. A one way communication pacifies the church members, which in turn makes them nonchalant to any false teaching the pastor might teach. This is also a reason why false prophets love this form of church.

Secondly, it’s dangerous for the pastor personally. God didn’t create us to hold power, stand on a scene while delivering speeches, and be highly admired and praised by the church members. Such a setup invites abuse and corruption, as we can see in a countless number of churches today. And furthermore, when a person defies what God has instituted, you cannot expect God to anoint and bless his work.

So here I will show from the bible what the correct way of leading a church is.

A pastor should be a servant, not a star

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In modern churches, the role of a pastor / leader has been reversed.

Instead of adhering to the bible’s instructions for a pastor, where he’s to have oversight of the flock of God as a humble servant, modern pastors act as lords and bosses, being the focal point of the show.

This problem isn’t something new – it stems back all the way to the Catholic church, and has been perpetuated by the Protestant denominations. However, the modern mega-church pastors have taken this to an unprecedented level, where they can be likened to cult-leaders. And even smaller churches have drawn inspiration from them.

Now what does the bible say about this? Let’s look at some examples.

The Apostles referred to themselves as voluntary slaves of Jesus Christ

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If you’ve read the epistles of the New Testament, you might have noticed how the Apostles started their letters:

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1)

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2Peter 1:1)

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” (James 1:1)

They have a common denominator – they call themselves a servant.

The word used for servant here is the Greek word δουλος (doulos), which means literally “a slave” – either involuntary or voluntary.

As we all know, words change their meaning, and when the King James Bible was originally translated in the 1600s, and the predecessors to the KJV in the 1500s, the word servant didn’t have the same meaning as today, but was more of a synonym to the word slave.

So in today’s terms, a more correct translation would be to use the word voluntary slave instead of servant, as the word servant has lost it’s meaning over the years, and is today sometimes even used as a title for a high position, like a civil servant.

And this is how the Apostles like Paul, Peter and James viewed themselves – as voluntary slaves and servants of Jesus Christ.

And not only the Apostles, but also other Christians like Timothy in Philippians 1:1 and Epaphras

in Colossians 4:3 are referred to with the same Greek word, meaning a slave.

This is also what our Lord Jesus instructed us to view ourselves, as we can see from what He tells us in Luke 17:10

“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”

Again the Greek word δουλος (doulos) is used here in the original text.

And it’s easy to see from the context of the rest of the bible, that this is indeed what a doulos means. Not a star, but a voluntary slave. Let’s look at some other passages from the bible on how Christians should think and view themselves.

How Christians should view themselves

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In Matthew 23, Jesus tells us that we are all brothers, and that the greatest among us shall be the other person’s servant:

“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:8-12)

(Now an interesting note here; the word translated as servant here is actually not the word δουλος (doulos), but rather the Greek word διακονέω (diakoneō ), which comes from διάκονος (diakonos), which means to be an attendant, to wait upon. This is in stark contrast to modern deacons (the direct English translation of diakonos), which is a position of power today.)

And when the disciples argued among themselves which of them should be accounted the greatest, Jesus said that the greatest among them should be the one who serves:

“And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.” (Luke 22:24-27)

And the bible also gives real life examples of how a voluntary slave ought to live and treat others.

For example, when the Apostle Paul was headed for Rome and was in a shipwreck outside the coast of Malta, he was the one who went and gathered wood for the fire after reaching land.

“And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.”

“And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.” (Acts 28:2-3 & 5)

Even the Lord Jesus Himself, showed us what we ought to do to each other when He rose up from the last supper, girded Himself with a towel and washed the disciple’s feet:

“He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” (John 13:4-5)

And afterwards He explained that we should do the same to one another as He did:

“So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” (John 13:12-16)

Now when was the last time you saw a pastor, priest or elder go and wash a church members feet?

When even our Lord Jesus, who is God and the Messiah, took up the work of a servant and washed His disciples feet, how much more shouldn’t we do it?

And especially since Jesus specifically commanded us to follow His example.

A church leader’s task is to oversee the flock

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From the bible, we can see that the apostles weren’t stars or lords, but rather servants who served others and preached the gospel tirelessly.

And we also see that this was obviously not a position of power, fame and wealth, like a church leader has become today.

Yes, the Apostle Paul even writes about how the apostles has been put last, being weak and despised, and even hungering and thirsting:

“For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.” (1Corinthians 4:9-13)

Needless to say, this is not the life of a star.

And we see again in the second epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians how he worked night and day to not be a burden:

“Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.” (2Thessalonians 3:8)

Here we see the mindset of the Apostles – how they rather worked day and night to be able to preach the gospel and support themselves financially than to ask for money, even though they easily could have done it.

Again, this is absolutely not something a star or a lord does – it’s the actually the complete opposite. It’s something a voluntary slave would do, to serve his Master which is in the heavens.

Now why did the Apostles do this you might ask? The answer is because God has set the Apostles as an example on how we should aspire to live and be like. The Apostle Paul writes for example:

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1Corinthians 11:1)

Which is why we see everywhere in the bible how the Apostles were down to earth people, who held two way conversations with other people and who did a honest job for a living. To give an example for other Christians to follow.

And that’s exactly what the church leaders, pastors and elders should – if anything even more as they are to be the overseers, and correct any heresy that might have infiltrated the church. And if they are the ones who are bringing in heresies, by not adhering to the instructions God has given us in His Word, we have a problematic situation.

God even specifically gives instructions to the elders of the church not to be lords over God’s heritage, but to be examples to the flock:

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” (1Peter 5:2-3)

As we see from this passage, the task of a leader is to feed the flock God, taking oversight thereof. Not to be lords and bosses like many modern pastors and elders, but to be examples.

Just like how the Apostles were examples.

And in his farewell talk with the elders of the church of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul specifically mentions these same things:

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

And later he also mentions how they, yes the leaders, ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that it is more blessed to give than to receive:

“Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:34-35)

In his first letter to Timothy, we can read more about the qualifications for a church leader:

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” (1Timothy 3:2-7)

The picture is clear.

The work of a church leader / pastor / elder is to feed the flock of God, having oversight thereof.

And to help others in need. Not to be lords or stars.

Unfortunately the tradition of a bishop being a position of power, came into the churches over 1500 years ago, and has been carried over to honest and well meaning Christians which have continued this sad tradition.

For example in England during the 1500s, the bishopric was such a powerful position in society, that being condemned by a bishop usually resulted in execution for heresy, by being burned at the stake.

And the bishops also held considerable political and economical power in society.

Today bishops and pastors don’t have that power, but many are still highly influential people in society as we can see especially in the USA, and they have immense power over their church members.

But as we see from the bible, this isn’t what a pastor should do.

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This is the first part of my new article on How modern churches are contrary to the Bible, in my series Debunking Heresies.

The next part will be coming out soon, where I will be going through the importance of two way conversations in a church.

JESUS IS KING!