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What do you look for when searching for a pastor or church?
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What do you look for when searching for a pastor or chu... - 10/30/2009 2:59:47 PM
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Fritzpw_Admin
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quote:
How To Identify A Reliable Preacher
Tullian Tchividjian - Pastor and Author
Two weeks ago I mentioned in my sermon that God grows Christians by feeding them his Word. One way he does this is by providing the church with teachers and preachers. This means that if we are going to grow we need to be sitting at the feet of reliable carriers of God's truth. This, however, begs the question: how can we identify a reliable carrier of God's truth? The Bible makes it clear that there are many unreliable carriers of so-called truth. Satan masquerades as an angel of light seeking to deceive. So we need a lot of biblical discernment here. Just because a teacher or preacher comes in Jesus' name with a Bible under his arm doesn't automatically mean he is reliable.
Thankfully both the Bible and church history give us some direction here. So I want to provide you with a brief list of five questions (based on the five sola's of the Reformation) that can help you discern the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher.
Question 1 (Sola Scriptura): Does the preacher ground everything he says in the Bible? Does he, in other words, begin with the authority and sufficiency of Scripture? A reliable carrier of God's truth seeks to revel in, wrestle with, and expound from, the Bible. He starts with the Bible. All of his comments flow from what a particular passage in the Bible says. He doesn't simply use the Bible to support what he wants to say. That is, he submits to what the Bible says, he does not seek to submit the Bible to what he says. He cares about both the Old Testament and the New Testament. He refuses to take verses out of context. He recognizes the unity of the Bible. He acknowledges that both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell one story and point to one figure, namely that God saves sinners through the accomplished work of his son Jesus Christ.
Question 2 (Sola Gratia): Does the preacher freely emphasize that because of sin, a right relationship with God can only be established by God's grace alone? Beware of any teaching that emphasizes man's ability over God's ability; man's freedom over God's freedom; man's power over God's power; man's initiative over God's initiative. Beware of any teaching which subtlety communicates that a right relationship with God depends ultimately on human response over Divine sovereignty.
Read the rest of How To Identify A Reliable Preacher
What do you look for when searching for a pastor or church?
_____________________________
Fred "Fritz" Alberti
Director of Social Media
fritz@salemwebnetwork.com
Read today's Bible verse from my favorite online Bible
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/30/2009 3:11:47 PM
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Focusing
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#1 is the first and most important to me: that he base everything on the Word of God. If a pastor preaches something, but I cannot find Scripture to back it up, I become suspicious of him.
I am very blessed to have pastors who support their preaching with plenty of Scripture.
_____________________________
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/30/2009 4:08:19 PM
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daughteroftheking718
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I feel so spoiled/blessed that God put me where I was supposed to be. I look at whether or not the pastor preaches from the Bible and does not twist Scripture to make it say what they want it to say, but tells what it does. I feel incredibly blessed that I have a pastoral staff who is humble and loves leading and teaching the Word of God
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/30/2009 6:46:38 PM
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KaptZ
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I look for a good preacher. One who's sermons really make me think, that challenge me to look at my beliefs from a different perspective. I want to go home and still be thinking about the sermon on Wednesday morning. Better a provocative sermon than a boring one any day.
I also look for a nice mix of people of all types- couples, famillies, singles young, old....etc.
Is the church active in the community? Does it support social justice issues? I don't need political endorsements from the pulpit, but how is the church working for the good of all in the community and the world?
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/31/2009 2:38:27 AM
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kernsfamily
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in addition to what the others have said, when we were looking for a church 7+ years ago.....
not only were we looking for a "biblically strong church" with a pastor that preached challenging and "meaty" sermons...but, one that was growing...and relentless when it came to reaching out into the community to reach "the lost". One that served and ministered to old and young, single and married, and everyone in between.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/31/2009 10:18:12 AM
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rcjames
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Hebrews give some good guidance when searching for a Pastor;
(Heb 13:7) Remember those leading you, who have spoken to you the Word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conduct:
Word of God
Faith
Conduct
That's a start.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/31/2009 10:24:36 AM
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Szaftoo
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I want strong Biblical teaching without compromise where the gifts of the spirit are evident. I want to be challenged in my walk with the Lord. I also want uplifting praise and worship that ushers in the presence of God. I want a church that ministers to the local community and supports missions and one that has areas to serve.
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 10/31/2009 10:17:17 PM
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Sideways
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Well, dH and I attend a Lutheran church, which has a formal "call" process put out to all available Lutheran pastors (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to be specific). They've all been trained by LCMS seminary, but after that it's a matter of the pastor speaking to the church in question, giving a few sermons, the voting process, etc.
As long as their doctrine and faith appears to be solid, then it's a matter of God leading us to the pastor who is a right "fit" for our church. We're in the middle of calling a pastor right now, actually, as our last one left to become District President, per the Lord's leading.
_____________________________
Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. If you see a crocodile, don't forget to scream.
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 11/1/2009 12:36:18 AM
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buckifn
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KNOWING the Word is a good start. I cannot begin to tell you the applicant's we have turned away because they failed one of the first 5 questions. Repeat John3:16 and explain it's relevance to the church today. Some can't recite it and some say it's irrelevant. So some make the search a lot easier.
Along with knowing the Word, some other things we look at are:
Personal walk/example
family life
Acceptance of criticism
Burden for the lost
Background/references
finances/accountability
Guidance of the Holy Spirit
Although these are not in order praying and being led by the Holy Spirit is of utmost importance.
I believe it is an absolute necessity for a Leader to be a man of good report in and out of the church.
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 11/2/2009 9:36:35 AM
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DaveW
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The biblical model has the leadership rising from the ranks of the congregation. There is absolutely no biblical support or example of congregational leaders being "auditioned" from elsewhere.
In replacing a leader, he should be someone who has a history with the congregation. If your denomination or congregation requires academic qualifications, fine. But the person should be known to the congregation and that they meet the biblical standards and have had a positive view by the congregants.
_____________________________
Avatar is my daughter Laura and SIL David on their wedding 9/20/09 ====================================
Our CD is now available here:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dswaggoner
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RE: What do you look for when searching for a pastor or... - 11/3/2009 2:04:42 AM
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cwb
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From: Eastern NC
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The pastor is a spiritual chef.
He takes the raw ingredients (the Bible), assembles excerpts in to a spiritual dish, and serves it up.
We eat the spiritual food Mt 4 4 and assimilate it into our spiritual makeup. This is what sustains (and allows to grow) the Holy Spirit within.
I want to hear the name of Jesus.
I want to hear NO mention of the world. We go to church to take the church back into the world, NOT to take the world into church.
The pastor should know that events of the world (spiritual poison) do not elicit our spiritual appetite, they might make us spiritually sick (by allowing the spirit of fear to enter in), and he should know that if we are well-fed spiritually, it will be evident when we return to the world.
And of course, the pastor should NOT be afraid to speak words of conviction - smoking, drinking, overeating, sexual/co-habitation issues, etc., ...
You can hear those words now from a strong pastor, or you can hear them when Jesus returns. Which do you prefer???
_____________________________
We are to do the will of God from our heart. Eph Ch 6 v. 6
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