An abuse of authority????

[kingdomapostle]

A Pastor notices unholy activity happening on someones fb page. While the individual is NOT a memeber of their church, the person is WELL aquainted with many people that are connected to the Pastor and neighboring churches.

After a moment, the Pastor updates their status message and warns the saints NOT to behave in the manner they saw displayed on the individuals page. In turn, the individual goes off on a tangent, and says that the Pastor is abusing his authority and not being Christ like. They resort to cursing and even publically bashing the Pastor, His ministry, and those that support him so that everyone who is connected with the both of them can clearly see the post. The individual even uses the Pastors entire name and encourages everyone on their page to say whatever they would like about the "abuse" that took place.

Who's right? Did the Pastor abuse their authority? Scriptures would help.

[deltaguitar]

Pastor has no authority over the individual who doesn't submit to him.

His mistake was mentioning a person publicly who he had no control over.

The problem is that so many pastors think that we are highly likely to start sinning or going off the deep end into sin. A true christian hates sin and doesn't want to be a part of it.

My question would be, why is it that pastors have this need to force people who don't want to line up line up to their way of thinking?

[kingdomapostle]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

Pastor has no authority over the individual who doesn't submit to him.

His mistake was mentioning a person publicly who he had no control over.

The problem is that so many pastors think that we are highly likely to start sinning or going off the deep end into sin. A true christian hates sin and doesn't want to be a part of it.

My question would be, why is it that pastors have this need to force people who don't want to line up line up to their way of thinking?

So are you indicating that if a Christian leaders sees another Christian behaving in a manner that is not Christlike, yet they consider one another "close enough" to be friends, the leader does not have the right to even loosely mention it in their status as to warn other believers? No names were ever mentioned, until the individual became angry at the Pastor's status. The Pastor never mentioned any names until it became obvious. There was no control issue.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

So are you indicating that if a Christian leaders sees another Christian behaving in a manner that is not Christlike, yet they consider one another "close enough" to be friends, the leader does not have the right to even loosely mention it in their status as to warn other believers? No names were ever mentioned, until the individual became angry at the Pastor's status. The Pastor never mentioned any names until it became obvious. There was no control issue.

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Forgive my feeble thinking, but its hard to advise this situation without knowing what happened... (I know you are being considerate of the situation..)

From what I know--- I would say, in this day we are living.. Pastors must use wisdom before they get involved in peoples business...


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[coadie]

Originally Posted by Thinker

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Forgive my feeble thinking, but its hard to advise this situation without knowing what happened... (I know you are being considerate of the situation..)

From what I know--- I would say, in this day we are living.. Pastors must use wisdom before they get involved in peoples business...

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Jonah was told to get into Ninnevahs business. He agreed with you and wanted to avoid confrontation.

It does take wisdom. The seeking of wisdom for the careful choice of words when they go on writing and the wisdom when to not say anything.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

A Pastor notices unholy activity happening on someones fb page. While the individual is NOT a memeber of their church, the person is WELL aquainted with many people that are connected to the Pastor and neighboring churches.

After a moment, the Pastor updates their status message and warns the saints NOT to behave in the manner they saw displayed on the individuals page. In turn, the individual goes off on a tangent, and says that the Pastor is abusing his authority and not being Christ like. They resort to cursing and even publically bashing the Pastor, His ministry, and those that support him so that everyone who is connected with the both of them can clearly see the post. The individual even uses the Pastors entire name and encourages everyone on their page to say whatever they would like about the "abuse" that took place.

Who's right? Did the Pastor abuse their authority? Scriptures would help.

Not an abuse of authority but a dumb thing to do publically to a non-member

[kingdomapostle]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Not an abuse of authority but a dumb thing to do publically to a non-member

What exactly did the Pastor do TO the "non-memeber." There was no mention of a name or anything. The Pastor simply commented that Christians should watch their witness and that participating in ___ behavior is not becoming to the saints.

Now, the individual who was obviously offended is KNOWN to participate in ____ behavior, but no names were mentioned by the Pastor.

How is it dumb for a leader to warn other Christians that God is not pleased with such behavior?

[Pragmatist]

It's dumb if it's obvious who he was talking about even if no names are mentioned.

I've heard many a preacher preach against something when it's obvious he's targeting a specific person or incident. Just not using names is not showing wisdom.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

What exactly did the Pastor do TO the "non-memeber." There was no mention of a name or anything. The Pastor simply commented that Christians should watch their witness and that participating in ___ behavior is not becoming to the saints.

Now, the individual who was obviously offended is KNOWN to participate in ____ behavior, but no names were mentioned by the Pastor.

How is it dumb for a leader to warn other Christians that God is not pleased with such behavior?

Publically humiliated that person..oh wait, now you introduce a new fact. IF there was no name mentioned how did this person know? See you were not that specific the first time good grief lol

Here it seems you indicate the Pastor names this individual by referring TO this individual

After a moment, the Pastor updates their status message and warns the saints NOT to behave in the manner they saw displayed on the individuals page. In turn, the individual goes off on a tangent, and says that the Pastor is abusing his authority and not being Christ like.

[deltaguitar]

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

So are you indicating that if a Christian leaders sees another Christian behaving in a manner that is not Christlike, yet they consider one another "close enough" to be friends, the leader does not have the right to even loosely mention it in their status as to warn other believers? No names were ever mentioned, until the individual became angry at the Pastor's status. The Pastor never mentioned any names until it became obvious. There was no control issue.

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

What exactly did the Pastor do TO the "non-memeber." There was no mention of a name or anything. The Pastor simply commented that Christians should watch their witness and that participating in ___ behavior is not becoming to the saints.

Now, the individual who was obviously offended is KNOWN to participate in ____ behavior, but no names were mentioned by the Pastor.

How is it dumb for a leader to warn other Christians that God is not pleased with such behavior?

What the pastor did in warning the saints was not such a bad thing. The fact that he did it on facebook after seeing someone else doing the exact same thing and embarrassing them is the problem.

If I see one of my friends posing picks on facebook of them at a strip club and then I put on my status about warning about the dangers of strip clubs then I could expect me friend to be embarrassed and possibly offended because everyone else can see it.

Facebook doesn't change the rules of behavior but it is allowing pastors to see people in a light that might be horrifying to them. If we are somehow caught off guard by sinners then we need to go spend some time around them to remind ourselves that if not for the grace of God we would be in the same place.

The pastor should have admonished his saints quietly and in a way that would not embarrass the sinner.