Church Transition

[Classik]

Church transition! Why do most church owners or bishops or pastors when retiring hand over power (transistion) to a member of the same family? He hands over power to his wife or son or daughter or close relative? Seems power will always circulate round the same family

And during such times there is usually rivalry for leadership - when an outsider thinks politics has been played against him. Everyone wants a big share. One thing: greed!!!

How things should be done: Pray for the transition thing - and God chooses HIS own leader. It mustn't be from the former pastor's family;) Don't kill me

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Classik, church is a business.
Therefore, politics will always come into play.
Quite often, it is not a good example to the congregation.
However, many congregations like their pastor very much.
When the time comes, they want the pastors' son to take over with hopes he will be just as good as his father.
Most people in congregations just go along with just about anything.
That's why the spiritual quality of the leadership is so important.
In music ministries, the leader wants his children to sing and play instruments over other qualified people.
Yes, people are hurt.
I see it all now as part of our spiritual growth.
Maybe you can't be part of ministries or leadership in a church, but God has something better for you if you seek him.
God has such a wide range of things he wants done and only a few can be leaders in a church.
I try to look at it all not as a negative thing, but a way for God to get us to where he wants us to be.

 

[Mountainshield]

Pastor=Power? Never heard of monarchy in church before. I guess this depends on the type of church. In Norwegian State Church appointments are not handed family too family but appointed by the Church Department. In the Pentecostal church I was affiliated with for some time anyone who wished could be a pastor. So Classic you need to define what church movement you are refering too.

 

[Classik]

So Classic you need to define what church movement you are refering too.

They will break my head. I won't mention any names.:shocked If a church owner or bishop or pastor dies or retires due to old age or health problems....who takes over? The church should prayerfully choose a new man. However, church things seems a family affair today.

 

[Aardverk]

Church transition! Why do most church owners or bishops or pastors when retiring hand over power (transistion) to a member of the same family? He hands over power to his wife or son or daughter or close relative? Seems power will always circulate round the same family

I wonder if this is a hang-over from the days when Christianity was spreading?

Politics, power and religion were once quite inseparable. The monarch always had a priest of some sort on hand to advise him AND to spread his commands. The priests were often some of the best educated people and therefore highly respected - probably as much so as the monarch. They wielded much power and many became extremely rich. Bishops even rode into battle in full armor using a mace to do their killing so that they didn't 'spill blood' :yes.

Pastor power is now much reduced but it is still a position of a little power and the habit of passing power down through your own little dynasty is probably hard to break.

 

[farouk]

In Acts 20, Paul's charge was to a plurality of elders, when he departed from them.