Carl wrote:
>
> With so many phony and fraudulent "Pastors," "Reverends," etc. on Usenet
> (Dave Raymond for example) it is in***bent upon those utilizing the
titles
> to know, understand, and exhibit the qualifications God has set
WHERE did a god so do?
[awaiting your verifiable proof.]
If you cannot prove your claim then we may just as easily
assume that man made up his own qualifications, regalia,
hats, orbs, scepters, even disregarding those similar garbs
and tools that are used by officers of completely different
religions, they all have them. [A lot of gods here giving
orders ! eh?]
for leaders
> in the Christian church. To whit:
>
> Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife,
> temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not
> given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a
lover
> of money. (1 Timothy 3:2,3; NIV)
>
> An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose
> children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and
> disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be
> blameless - not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to
drunkenness,
> not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable,
one
> who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and
> disciplined. (Titus 1:6-8; NIV)
>
> Furthermore, it is necessary for the leaders of Christian churches to
know
> what their duties are. There have been many excellent guidelines written
by
> various Christian authors. I present one by noted theologian John Owen.
>
> May God bless,
> Carl
> my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
> my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
>
> ---
>
> The Duty Of Pastors
> by John Owen
>
> The first and principal duty of a pastor is to feed the flock by
diligent
> preaching of the word. It is a promise relating to the new testament,
that
> God would give unto his church "pastors according to his own heart,
which
> should feed them with knowledge and understanding" (Jer. 3:15). This is
by
> teaching or preaching the word, and no otherwise. This feeding is of the
> essence of the office of a pastor, as unto the exercise of it; so that
he
> who doth not, or can not, or will not feed the flock is no pastor,
whatever
> outward call or work he may have in the church. The care of preaching
the
> gospel was committed to Peter, and in him unto all true pastors of the
> church, under the name of "feeding" (John 21:15-17). According to the
> example of the apostles, they are to free themselves from all
en***brances,
> that they may give themselves wholly unto the word and prayer (Acts
6:1-4).
> Their work is "to labour in the word and doctrine (I Tim. 5:17); and
thereby
> to "feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers"
(Acts
> 20:28): and it is that which is everywhere given them in charge.
>
> This work and duty, therefore, as was said, is essential unto the office
of
> a pastor. A man is a pastor unto them whom he feeds by pastoral
teaching,
> and to no more; and he that doth not so feed is no pastor. Nor is it
> required only that he preach now and then at his leisure, but that he
lay
> aside all other employments, though lawful, all other duties in the
church,
> as unto such a constant attendance on them as would divert him from this
> work, that he give himself unto it-that he be in these things labouring
to
> the utmost of his ability. Without this no man will be able to give a
> comfortable account of the pastoral office at the last day.
>
> It is in***bent on [pastors] to preserve the truth or doctrine of the
gospel
> received and professed in the church, and to defend it against all
> opposition. This is one principal end of the ministry, one principal
means
> of the preservation of the faith once delivered unto the saints. This is
> committed in an especial manner unto the pastors of the churches, as the
> apostle frequently and emphatically repeats the charge of it unto
Timothy,
> and in him unto all to whom the dispensation of the word is committed (I
> Tim. 1:3-4, 4:6-7, 16, 6:20; II Tim. 1:14, 2:25, 3:14-17). The same he
> giveth in charge unto the elders of the church of Ephesus (Acts
20:28-31).
> What he says of himself that the "glorious gospel of the blessed God was
> committed unto his trust" (I Tim. 1:11) is true of all pastors of
churches,
> according to their measure and call; and they should all aim at the
account
> which he gives of his ministry herein: "I have fought a good fight, I
have
> finished my course, I have kept the faith" (II Tim. 4:7). The church is
the
> "pillar and ground of the truth;" and it is so principally in its
ministry.
> And the sinful neglect of this duty is that which was the cause of most
of
> the pernicious heresies and errors that have infested and ruined the
church.
> Those whose duty it was to preserve the doctrine of the gospel entire in
the
> public profession of it have, many of them, "spoken perverse things, to
draw
> away disciples after them." Bishops, presbyters, public teachers, have
been
> the ringleaders in heresies. Wherefore this duty, especially at this
time,
> when the fundamental truths of the gospel are on all sides impugned,
from
> all sorts of adversaries, is in an especial manner to be attended unto.
>
> Sundry things are required hereunto; as-(1) A clear, sound,
comprehensive
> knowledge of the entire doctrine of the gospel, attained by all means
useful
> and commonly prescribed unto that end, especially by diligent study of
the
> Scripture, with fervent prayer for illumination and understanding. Men
> cannot preserve that for others which they are ignorant of themselves.
Truth
> may be lost by weakness as well as by wickedness. And the defect herein,
in
> many, is deplorable. (2) Love of the truth which they have so learned
and
> comprehended. Unless we look on truth as a pearl, as that which is
valued at
> any rate, bought with any price, as that which is better than all the
world,
> we shall not endeavour its preservation with that diligence which is
> required. Some are ready to part with truth at an easy rate, or to grow
> indifferent about it; whereof we have multitudes of examples in the days
> wherein we live. It were easy to give instances of sundry im****tant
> evangelical truths, which our forefathers in the faith contended for
with
> all earnestness, and were ready to seal with their blood, which are now
> utterly disregarded and opposed, by some who pretend to succeed them in
> their profession. If ministers have not a sense of that power of truth
in
> their own souls, and a taste of its goodness, the discharge of this duty
is
> not to be expected from them. (3) A conscientious care and fear of
giving
> countenance or encouragement unto novel opinions, especially such as
oppose
> any truth of whose power and efficacy experience hath been had among
them
> that believe. Vain curiosity, boldness in conjectures, and readiness to
vent
> their own conceits have caused no small trouble and damage unto the
church.
> (4) Learning and ability of mind to discern and disprove the oppositions
of
> the adversaries of the truth, and thereby to stop their mouths and
convince
> gainsayers. (5) The solid confirmation of the most im****tant truths of
the
> gospel, and whereinto all others are resolved, in their teaching and
> ministry. Men may and do ofttimes prejudice, yea, betray the truth, by
the
> weakness of their pleas for it. (6) A diligent watch over their own
flocks
> against the craft of seducers from without, or the springing up of any
> hitter root of error among themselves. (7) A concurrent assistance with
the
> elders and messengers of other churches with whom they are in communion,
in
> the declaration of the faith which they all profess .
>
> It is evident what learning, labour, study, pains, ability, and exercise
of
> the rational faculties, are ordinarily required unto the right discharge
of
> these duties; and where men may he useful to the church in other things,
but
> are defective in these, it becomes them to walk and act both
cir***spectly
> and humbly, frequently desiring and adhering unto the advices of them
whom
> God hath intrusted with more talents and greater abilities.
>
> (John Owen, Works 16, pp. 74-75, 81-83).
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