a pastor's control

**lindaeverchanging** · 02-05-2012, 04:39 PM

How much control does a pastor have in regards to the people who attend the church he pastors? Such as what people do, where they make friends, going to Bible study elsewhere instead of the church they attend...

**LionHeart** · 02-05-2012, 05:52 PM

If that person goes to another church or Bible study and wants to teach/preach what they learned there it should be cleared through the Pastor. I would say something to a person if they were going to a Mormon Bible Study or Jehovah witness Study. Pastors can warn sheep without being controlling because that is their job. Need more specifics to answer this question......

**Firebrand** · 02-05-2012, 06:32 PM

Coming from the pastoral side...if a pastor says "no" in regards your wanting to do something you should be able to sense his love and care. If that is absent, it's probably a "lording it over you" (control) rather than pastoral care.

Linda, people will do what they want. A pastor should give you both sides of a situation (as God has shown him) but without any "God told me this about you" attitude.

**Mr.Joyriver** · 02-05-2012, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by LionHeart

If that person goes to another church or Bible study and wants to teach/preach what they learned there it should be cleared through the Pastor. I would say something to a person if they were going to a Mormon Bible Study or Jehovah witness Study. Pastors can warn sheep without being controlling because that is their job. Need more specifics to answer this question......

Pastors should firstly be pointing the people to Jesus, helping them grow in that relationship. If someone wanted to go to a Mormon bible study the Pastor wasn't doing his job right in the first place. Our purpose here on earth is not making people do things against their will (which is manipulation), but allowing Jesus to change their hearts.

**CatchyUsername** · 02-05-2012, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Mr.Joyriver

Pastors should firstly be pointing the people to Jesus, helping them grow in that relationship. If someone wanted to go to a Mormon bible study the Pastor wasn't doing his job right in the first place. Our purpose here on earth is not making people do things against their will (which is manipulation), but allowing Jesus to change their hearts.

I was going to post something along those lines. I like the word, "influence"......but there are many variables, here. For the newbies, there is more structure and involvement than with those older in the faith.

**Spirit Alive** · 02-05-2012, 10:02 PM

where the Spirit of the Lord is...there is freedom. If you can't sense the Spirit...then ?

**lindaeverchanging** · 02-06-2012, 12:34 AM

There is no teaching what you learned at a Bible Study and want to teach it at the church, it is attending on Bible Study at another, church, for instance going with a friend to a Bible Study at her church. The sermon just really hit me wrong, make your friends here at church and a bit more. It seems like there is some type of a control thing going on. I am not sure.

I just wondered. In the early 80's, the church I went to AoG got a new pastor, turned out to be in the sheparding movement. I knew nothing about it, but something just did not feel right, and that is the feeling I have gotten the last month, something does not seem right.

If there is a controling the congreation thing going on, I do not want to be there...

**FLAME** · 02-06-2012, 01:05 AM

From a pastor's point of view, those who consider that church their church home should want to be involved in the vision of the church and what they are doing. A church is for all to be involved, not just a pastor and a teachers, nor are the others to just come and sit then go home and do nothing . They see it as being faithful to their church family and most want to be. Now if they don't feel that way then they may want to change churches and plugged in where they are in agreement with the pastor and church.

As a pastor who loves and cares about the safety of the sheep, he should warn them and teach them about what type people to choose for friends, which should be godly friends. And even teach places that would not be the best place for Christians to go or get involved in because of being entangles in sin again or ruining their witness.

But that does not mean he is their boss and tells them how to live their life.

**FLAME** · 02-06-2012, 01:09 AM

Most pastors I've known are afraid of losing there members to other churches so try to get their members to stay in their own church. Not until I got involved in a non denominational church do they work together and are not as possessive.

**fuego** · 02-06-2012, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by lindaeverchanging

How much control does a pastor have in regards to the people who attend the church he pastors? Such as what people do, where they make friends, going to Bible study elsewhere instead of the church they attend...

Well for one thing, my leadership has no idea what I do and when I do it. How do they know I was going to another Bible study or teaching somewhere? I don't clear it with them. That never even crosses my mind. I don't really understand the concept of a pastor 'controlling' "what people do, where they make friends, going to Bible study elsewhere instead of the church they attend..."

I don't even understand that kind of thinking.