Standards

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On Tue, 8 Sep 1998 19:50:25 EDT ReedActs@AOL.com writes:

> Bro.  Welch:
> To end this particular point of the thread, do I understand you 
>correctly that you believe such use of Pastoral authority is an 
>abuse of such power (the totalitarian) and is wrong?
>
> Mike:
> Yeah man!  That's what I been trying to tell you. 

Okay, just wanting to make sure I understand what you are saying.
 
> Bro.  Welch:
>While I don't know what thieves have to do with this, my point that
>"power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" also works on
>Pastors. 
>
> Mike:
> Okay.  After rereading this, I can see how this may not be too clear. 
> My point is that there *are* men that become pastors that have mild to 
>serious character flaws.  

EVERYONE has mild character flaws.  The problem is when people have
authority to injure others with their character flaws and DO.

>There are men that could (and do) use the pastoral standards thing 
>as a whip and an ego bolsterer.  However, I still believe in pastoral 
>standards.  I think anytime you have an assembly of diverse opinions 
>on things such as modesty (and I hope you don't agree with one of 
>the other list members that modesty is *not* relative) there has to be 
>some sort of order established, thus, standards.

Perhaps for people on the platform, but I cannot condone a Pastor's
personal convictions being universally applied to members of his Church.

> You are correct that power can corrupt, but it doesn't always corrupt 
>does it?  And it doesn't always corrupt to a fatal flaw. 

Not at all; I am just saying that it is not just POSSIBLE, but that it
does occur and the damage done is vast.

> Bro.  Welch:
> My point is that you can't have totalitarians (which do TREMENDOUS
>wounding to the saints of God) if standards are not placed on the same
>keel as scripture....
> 
> Mike: 
> If I understand you correctly, I agree with this portion of your 
>statement.

I am just basically saying that a Pastor's personal convictions, EVEN if
he attempts to instill them in every person in his Church, should NOT at
any time be portrayed as DOCTRINE.
 
> Bro.  Welch:
>  ....or made a test of fellowship....
>
> Mike:
> This is where we may have problems.  Under some circumstances, too 
>great a differential in standards my cause a rift in fellowship.  Even
then it 
>may not, it would depend upon the situation.    (how's that for a
definite 
>maybe)?

Pretty good, but I can only talk about what I have seen and experienced
and any time you have two Churches that are close in a physical proximity
and their DOCTRINES are the same but STANDARDS are different, THAT is
when you have problems.

> Bro.  Welch:
>  If we willingly place stumblingblocks in front of saints, are we not
>responsible if they fall?
> 
> Mike:
> Indeed, but if we are unwilling to remove existing stumblingblocks, 
>are we not equally responsible?  I have told you before that I feel that
the
>placement of certain standards do just that, remove even more 
>hazardous stumbling blocks.
>
>   Mike Reed 

I would, of course agree with you.

Jerry Welch

www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2810/

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