McMinnville pastor accused in suit of Defamation

[good samaritan]

[QUOTE=Godsdrummer;1379935][QUOTE]good samaritan;1379878]

The point is that nowhere in scripture do we find anyone standing before an audience teaching or preaching THE WORD OF GOD, this of course does not include proclaiming the good news to the lost, but again this was outside the general meeting of those that were saved. We are to go out and proclaim the good news not get them to come to church in order for a preacher to preach salvation. The examples we have of the early church was that they gathered together and broke bread together, they did not have church as we do today.

I agree to some degree. Do you think we should start selling our possession and let the apostles displace them so that all the church would have things common? I think you are taking the things like the roles of ladies in the church and saying it was cultural. In other words I am understanding that you are saying the early church had multiple pastors and we must be identical to be Biblical. I am understanding you also are saying that the teaching against women in authority, though was cultural and we don't have to be identical to that. It would seem that there is contradiction in the way you are coming to your conclusions.

Again I disagree there was ever a positional, pastor. That would go against Christ teaching on the subject.
Mat 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Positional leaders have authority only through the word of God. Pastoring is nothing but serving. In most cases pastors are not just bossing people around they are doing all they can to help people stay on track. I am sorry for whatever experience makes you feel like pastors are domineering over people.

Again it is not a positional office, there for a moot point. Both men and women can teach, preach, or prophesy to both men and women, because it is not a position of authority.

A bishop is a position.

12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence

How do you reconcile this other than saying it was cultural and just don't matter any more. This answer is not good enough for me. If anyone can offer a scriptural answer I will be glad to hear. Sis Alvear I have much respect for her spirit and the work she has done, but I still can't find peace in the scripture about ladies in authority over men. I promise I am not trying to be a chauvinists, but I just can't in good conscious.

This cannot speak of those in positions of leadership for they were ordained after their lives were proven that they were acceptable. The problem is a system that allows for wolves in sheep's clothing to to become leaders.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway

Just because someone is proven doesn't mean they cannot fall. They dealt with similar problems in the early church. Wolves has always been around.

Your are right church government is essential. But church government according to the examples in scripture not the way we do things today.

Your right the system is not broke, we have the wrong system period. I have another example different from you gun control example. Originally our government was "for the people by the people" in which the people placed into government those they felt would best work for the betterment of the people. It worked in the beginning because it was a good system. But the system in the church today does not work because it is not the system of the early church.

Leading back to the original subject of this thread. If church was conducted as it was in the early church this could never have happened, because there was not a singular man in position of authority that could bring shame on the church in general.

I disagree, sometimes the people who are imperfect cause the problems, but the system will work. The wheat and the tares come up together and one day it will get sorted.