FBC Gallatin,
The apostle Paul wrote Timothy in Ephesus to give direction about right behavior in the church while also correcting wrong behavior. One area Paul spent considerable time in the letter explaining is the qualifications of both pastor/elders and deacons.
It is noteworthy that though churches normally have a plurality of deacons, oftentimes there is only one pastor or elder, however, we have been seeing that a plurality of both pastors/elders and deacons is the New Testament Biblical model as opposed to a solo pastor of just one guy serving the church in teaching and leadership.
Phil Newton in his book 40 Questions About Pastoral Ministry outlines the below 10 advantages and blessings of pastor plurality, and I want to list them for you again as I mentioned them in the sermon last week, but I also want to share a few words further highlighting the practical importance of plurality as well.
1.) Plurality shares the shepherding Load… Since the responsibility of pastoring is so high, and the work is unending, having more than one pastor working together as a team ensures that needs are not neglected and the burdens of the flock are shared amongst a team.
2.) Plurality Utilizes Multiple Gifts to Serve the Body… As I said in my sermon last week on plurality, there is not just one gift of preaching and teaching and leadership given to each church body, but there are more men gifted in this way who bless the church all together.
3.) Plurality compensates for a single pastors’ weaknesses by multiple strengths… No one person is perfect other than Jesus, and we all have strengths and weaknesses, and a team balances each other out and creates a whole shepherding team where strengths and weaknesses are supplemented by different personalities who are gifted and stronger in other areas that one man could possess all on his own.
4.) Plurality builds accountability… Pastors need pastors, and shepherds need plurality of peers who all oversee each other, and ensure that all the leaders are accountable to one another to care for each other’s souls.
5.) Plurality curtails authoritarianism… We have seen the headlines of pastors disqualifying themselves and hurting their churches by becoming harsh and domineering in their leadership, but plurality helps ensure no one leader gets out of control in ungodly leadership practice.
6.) Plurality is essential when dealing with disciplinary issues… When church discipline is necessary, leading the flock to consider action is so much healthier when led by a plurality of wise leaders, as opposed to the isolating reality of one pastor trying to lead the congregation on complex discipline issues.
7.) Plurality models maturity and unity for the church… The only one man who is the consummate example is Jesus Christ, and since the flock should look to their elders or leaders as examples, the more models and mentors and examples to the flock the better!
8.) Plurality provides consistency in leadership decisions… When there is a group of godly qualified and likeminded pastors helping lead the church, it brings balance and trust and even great wisdom over the years of ministry that blesses the church.
9.) Plurality multiplies ability to train and mentor future church leaders… Elders must be raising up future elders, and a team of elders can model and identify and disciple and mentor and train more effectively than if it were just one pastor doing this all by himself.
10.) Plurality cultivates stable leadership for the church… A godly team of pastors gives a kind of grounded lasting leadership regardless of slight changes over time, because the group continues to lead the church body even if there are pastoral transitions.
I am thankful for the blessing of being able to shepherd the flock alongside pastor Wood as my fellow elder/pastor the past 5 years, and I look forward to continue to pastor alongside him when he returns to the responsibility after his sabbatical and rest and work transition to later serve FBC as a non-vocational elder/pastor, and I pray that the whole flock would see the great biblical benefits of a plurality of pastors.
Sincerely,
Pastor Daniel Pelichowski
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