A true pastor is one who fulfills a duty for that gathering. Most of the time he would be indistinguishable from the rest of the flock.  But, under the control of Jesus the pastor would serve like a stealthy sheepdog, helping to keep the flock on the path that Jesus is taking them, and standing ready to confront those thieving robbing wolves. He would not try to monopolize the gathering by being the only sheep to be bleating while all the others are muzzled. Instead, he would do his best to make sure each voice was heard, so the entire assembly could benefit from the Holy Spirit’s work.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6

Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: ^{III John 1:6}

With pastors properly doing their work, the entire flock will grow to be a mighty voice in the world. Every man would become more and more polished in communicating the Gospel, not just a tiny few that are on the stage week after week, thus making everyone else weak. With full reliance upon Jesus, true pastors would do their best to bring other Christians forward on their walk with God, making sure everyone became seasoned (salt) veterans.

Sadly, after the early church period and the period of heavy persecution, the freedom to worship, under the Emperor Constantine, came with an invasion of preeminency. The most widespread titling for those in preeminence was the usage of priest which continues to this day in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. The title of pastor has a varied history but is almost universal among Protestant churches. This title has helped legitimize the wolves that ravage God’s flock.

 ²⁹For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ^{Acts 20:29-30}

The Apostle Paul predicted the rise of preeminency although he probably never imagined how solidified it would become during those 1,600 years. Paul was not one to sugar coat an issue. He affirms that all preeminent pastors are grievous wolves because they are usurping the preeminency of Jesus Christ and stealing away his sheep. And they accomplish this by speaking perverse things, either from their own desire or in support of the preeminent church establishment.

Perverse (Webster 1828)

Literally, turned aside; hence, distorted from the right. Obstinate in the wrong; disposed to be contrary; stubborn; untractable.

Like Paul, if you want to be a part of this critical reformation, you must be firm concerning those who are distorting Biblical truth to maintain the status quo. You can only do this by affirming that all preeminent pastors are bad pastors. That does not mean they are devious evil hell-bound people. Most of them are caught in this perverse system and need help to become unshackled. Paulo Freire talks heavily of bringing an awareness of this dilemma through the praxis, where you are not dealing with reformation as a theory but are engaged in a course of action to bring about a deep and personal reflection which can then lead to a transformation.

Most pastors will undoubtedly resist both reflection and transformation. Once you have had a taste of preeminent power, it is difficult to surrender, especially if attaining it required much sacrifice, and the rewards have been substantial. Only God can open their eyes and provide the means to fully surrender to the preeminence of Jesus Christ.

To further our reflection, let us take a general look at the damaging effect of preeminent pastors, focusing on the 20^th and early 21^st centuries. This damage will certainly continue unless the church goes through a reformation that will bring Christians together with Jesus in complete control.

Two intertwined elements stand out that perpetuate the damage: the lack of equality and the lack of dialogue. If these two elements were resurrected from the catacombs, ecclesiastical elitism would disintegrate and become a hideous relic of the past.

Pastors will dialogue with you one on one, but always from an elevated position. During their sermonizing, dialogue is virtually nonexistent. When teaching, there might occasionally be an awkward exchange, but there too from a pastorally elevated position.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ^{II Timothy 4:3}

The pulpit gives a sense that the pastor behind it is a conduit for God and his word. In reality it acts more as a shield to hide behind, a shield that allows them to mix truth with error with virtually no accountability. Often, a pastor’s words hold more weight than the Bible itself, especially where it soothes someone’s unrighteousness. Any individual protest is usually in private and can be easily dismissed. If an error is revealed, it is rarely publicly corrected.

Most pastors hate dialogue because of the fear of having their gnostic preeminence challenged. If you have been one to ever challenge a pastor, you might have had the unfortunate experience of seeing a pastor morph from one you always assumed to have a sweet disposition to something bordering on the demonic.

¹⁰Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. ^{I Corinthians 1:10-11}

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^{Romans 15:6}

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. ^{II Corinthians 13:11}

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ^{Philippians 1:27}

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ^{Philippians 2:2}

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. ^{I Peter 3:8-9}

In most cases, the preeminent ones think that being of “one mind”; having the “same mind” means everyone should conform to their mind on things. This attitude is reinforced by preaching and teaching without dialogue, forcing their mind onto those within their domain.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ^{Philippians 2:5}

Because they monopolize the elevated pulpit, they utilize that power to convince everyone that they have the “mind of Christ” and that is why everyone should listen to and follow them. They want everyone to believe that they are the conduit for God speaking to them; that their teaching and preaching has directly come from God. This attitude and action are directly counter to scripture for it is Christ’s mind that all are to conform to.

¹Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ²That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. ³For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ⁴Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: ⁵Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. ⁶For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. ^{I Peter 4:1-6}

The above is a partial list concerning the mind of Christ. That “mind” is not the mind of the pastor, elder, pope, or anyone else. It is the mind of Christ, that is tied directly to God’s revelation to each believer through the scriptures, requiring no intercessor.

Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation. ^{Luke 20:46-47}

Whether willingly or subliminally, pastors tend to far more emulate the scribes than suffering servants. Their ecclesiastical position automatically puts them into this elite status.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ^{Romans 12:3}

⁶And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. ⁷For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? ¹⁸Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. ¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. ^{I Corinthians 4:6-7, 18-19}

When believers, like myself, have ignorantly fallen into a position or in support of preeminence, it is understandable. When a sin is revealed is where the divide begins. Those remorseful, will fall to their knees in repentance before a forgiving God. Those who refuse to let go of their sin, set themselves on a course where the grace of God does not dwell. No one who calls himself a Christian should ever want to reside there.

Those who maintain their preeminence must work at it, which requires distancing themselves from being equal with those in a fellowship. One way is by “spoon feeding” them or just providing the milk of the word. This helps maintain their “higher knowledge” thus elevating them above those considered Biblically ignorant. Unfortunately, too many in our churches are happy with this arrangement as it alleviates them from any important responsibility.

Pastors have many ways of separating themselves from other Christians to help establish their preeminence. Here are some common elements that might be employed.

• Names prominently displayed in various places: billboards, on banners over a church entrance, in bulletins, on church business cards, on websites, etc.
• Ecclesiastical or fine garments that make them stand out: a Roman (white) collar on a black shirt; very fine clothing; robes; elaborate headwear; elaborate shawls; certain religious jewelry, etc.
• Use of titles such as pastor, father, reverend, padre, superior, and eminence.
• Prominent person presiding over a church service, funerals, marriages, baptisms, confirmations, dedications, and communions.
• Prominent one to dispense counseling services.
• Primary person who prays or is looked upon to pray within an assembly.
• Person requiring permission for most endeavors within the fellowship.
• Often conduct their activities from an elevated position that lends itself to elitism. This could be on an elevated platform or when standing on the same level where everyone else is seated.
• Dictating the entire service with full obedience expected: when to sit, when and what to sing, when to kneel, when to pray, when and what to recite, when to listen to the prepared speech, when to greet those around you, when to give funds to the church, when to listen to announcements, and finally, when to leave.

The damage increases as the pastor becomes more and more confident on stage. The speeches usually get better, the voice more confident, the ease of conducting marriages, funerals, communions, dedications, etc. all become activities that display increasingly honed skills. For the churches of today that sounds like a good thing that should help draw bigger and bigger crowds to a more professional performance.

However, what about those who have been muzzled through the decades? They become less and less confident as their pastor becomes more professional. This elevates the pastor’s position to become more and more above reproach and diminishes the body of believers into a position of subservience rather than the state of equality. As the memberships increase, the preeminent elite see this as an affirmation that God is blessing their ministry. The bigger the church, especially those reaching mega-church status, elevates the preeminent pastor to an almost worshipful status. Some have private planes or helicopters, separating them more and more from the persons who adore them.

This lust for bigger and bigger crowds comes with a watered-down Gospel, resulting in a flood of tares. These unbelievers become integrated into the church organization and have a powerful effect upon Biblical truth, profoundly impacting any chance of a true Christian fellowship.

The bigger the church, the more fellowship is diminished. Hospitality becomes almost non-existent and the concept of Christians being closer than one’s own family becomes a fantasy. These mega-pastors are the Christian rock stars that virtually every preeminent person aspires to become, with the same adoring mass following. Their intentions might appear noble and sound extremely righteousness but at the expense of relegating Jesus Christ into the shadows no matter how professionally their bands or choirs sing his praises.