Growing up · 2 of 2

Why does a church need more than one pastor?

Many churches quietly expect one person to preach, counsel, lead, visit the sick, look after the building and hold every relationship together. The Bible saw that problem a long time ago.

Moses sat from morning until evening settling the people’s disputes one at a time. His father-in-law Jethro watched for a day and told him the truth.

You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.Exodus 18:18

Elders, always more than one

When the apostles planted churches, they didn’t leave a single leader behind. They appointed a group.

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.Acts 14:23

Paul gave Titus the same instruction for every city in Crete (Titus 1:5). Elders share the weight, check each other and care for the people together. No one person carries the church, and no one person owns it.

Gifts given to the whole body

Paul also listed the gifts Christ gave his church, and said what they were for.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,Ephesians 4:11-12

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers aren’t there to do all the ministry themselves. They are there to equip ordinary believers to do it. A pastor is one of those gifts, not all of them. When the others are missing, the pastor wears out and everyone else is left watching.

None of this is a criticism of any pastor. It describes a load that was never meant for one person.

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