INTRO

It is the nature of us humans to submit to leadership, while at the same time, it is the nature of sinners to rebel against authority. So, we have this war inside us all, pulling in opposite directions, which Paul spoke of in Romans 7:

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

The blessing of the Christian life is that the Holy Ghost, when we are submitted to him, will guide us into submission to the leaders God has placed over us, whether civil in Caesar's acre, on in the assembly of the saints.

There is a very grievous aspect to this. As we have arrived squarely in the Laodicean church age, we see that the vast majority of pastors, deacons, elders, evangelists, and other church leaders are unworthy to be called MEN OF GOD.

In the Old Testament there was one "man of God," or prophet if you like, who said this about the coming Messiah:

Numbers 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

This prophecy is about Messiah, Jesus Christ, and is to be fulfilled in the coming Kingdom of a thousand years. You can count on it coming true. You can teach it as absolute truth. And, you must also tell the listener that the prophet, Balaam, who gave this prophecy is now burning in hell. His "ministry" was perhaps among the top five most wicked in the whole Bible.

Today, we see this. Jack Van Impe preached the Gospel for many years, he memorized much of the Bible, and many people were born again as he preached the Gospel. He is now sold out to the Pope and Paul Crouch, and he mocks at the narrow way where we stand. I fully believe he never was born again.

Billy Graham preached Christ, and, in spite of the claims of Bob Jones University, Graham left nothing out and was more faithful to the the King James Bible than Bob Jones ever was. We have a friend who kept Ethel Waters, Graham's famous Black singer, in her home during the last days of Ethel's life. Stories this friend told, and others we heard in quiet corners, convince us that Ethel Waters was genuinely born again. Miss Waters made it clear in her testimony that, after years of trying to learn how to return from her raucous night club career to her mamma's faith in God, it was Billy Graham who made the way plain and lead her to faith in Jesus Christ. Thousands of people claim that the preaching of Billy Graham brought them to faith in Jesus Christ.

But, Billy Graham recently, as he came to the end of his life, went on the TV show of the 33rd degree Freemason and damnable pagan, Robert Schuler, and Graham made the statement that God will receive sincere Buddhists into heaven who have never believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. And Graham said hell is here and now, not for eternity. Billy Graham, by the witness of his own mouth, has denied the faith and will burn in hell if he does not repent. But, he preached the Gospel, and many were saved, and they will rejoice in their eternal reward. My only hope that I will see my grandmother, on my Dad's side, in heaven is that she claimed to have accepted Christ after listening to Billy Graham on the radio.

Now, what about your pastor, and the deacons or elders in your local church? Just because a man can shuck the corn and get some things right from the King James Bible does NOT mean he is a "man of God."

So, is a pastor a MAN OF GOD?

Fundamentalists have an exalted view of pastors. The word "pastor" is only used once in the New Testament, and it is never formally defined. The offices of a bishop, elder, and the deacon's office are well defined, but nowhere is the title "pastor" listed with the other offices. In fact, based on rules of interpretation, the pastor in the local church is not of any special consideration except as a shepherd to feed sheep. "Pastor" is the English equivalent of the Greek word for "shepherd."

The all powerful and brutal aspect of most pastors' behavior these days leads us to ask how we may discern if we have a shepherd or a bastard. [Please hit the link so you will understand this is a biblical concept.]

There are men who lead who are not bastards and brutes. They have serious faults, but their faults do not lead them to bash sheep and demand absolute obedience. God NEVER used a man in his service, from Genesis to Revelation, who was brutal on his people. If a good man turned brutal, God chastened him harshly.

We now make a study of the life of Jehu. He bashed up the wicked, but he was gentle and manly with the righteous:

1 Kings 19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

2 Kings 9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

2 Kings 10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

When Teddy Roosevelt lead his Regiment of Rough Riders up San Juan Hill in Cuba, there was only one man riding a horse-- Teddy Roosevelt. The rest of the soldiers were on foot. That means that Col. Roosevelt had to ride slow and hold his horse back so that he would not break away from his men and be all alone. It also means that he was an easy target. Why he was not killed is beyond explanation. As the battle was engaged, the Rough Riders were at the bottom of the hill and pinned down badly. Col. Roosevelt realized that if they were going to take the hill, and the command headquarters of the enemy on the other side of the hill, they would have to assault the hill suddenly. Col. Roosevelt did not stand in the rear and yell "charge." He rode out in the open, under heavy fire, and yelled, "Follow me."

As with Jehu and Roosevelt, if a man like this has faults, we may still love him. But he is only dangerous to the enemy, not to us. He leads into the battle and makes no demands on the saints that he himself has not mastered. God may, in his mercy, overlook some faults in a man who is a true shepherd, meek with the sheep, and rough on rats with the wolf. This was the case with Jehu.

God faulted Jehu because he did not destroy the calves of Baal worship, but he cleansed the land of evil and killed Jezebel, and God said:

2 Kings 10:17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

2 Kings 10:29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

But, Jehu did not bash and torment the sheep of God, Israel. King Saul killed priests and tormented God's people, and God made sure he and his son died ignominiously, pathetically, and so that all Israel could see their fall in disgrace.

Moses obviously had some rough concepts of serving God when he went into the streets of Egypt, and killing men was part of the plan. God took Moses into the backside of the desert and let him follow smelly dirty sheep and walk in their manure for forty years, and then, ONLY then, was Moses mild enough and wise enough to be a shepherd to the Hebrews.

Numbers 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

The only time Moses became enraged with the Hebrews was when he struck the rock the second time in disobedience to God's instruction. For that single loss of temper Moses missed the entrance into the Promised Land and all its glory. God does NOT look on jack boot brutes in the church house with patience. If they do not receive his severe discipline, you may be sure that they are NOT born again. They may preach the Gospel, and people may even be saved, but these men are damned to hell.

Finally, will you stay under their evil leadership, or will you discern them and leave? Many a submissive silly ass has stayed on and on under such preachers or pastors, and their kids rebel and learn to defame the Gospel and even hate God. The price of bland submission to evil men is high. Let us consider how you can discern the true MAN OF GOD.

IS THE "PASTOR" THE EXCLUSIVE "MAN OF GOD"?

There is only ONE place in the New Testament where the title "pastor" is used.

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

The next verse defines what these men are to be doing:

Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

They are not said to rule. Read that again please.

They are not said to be paid. Read that again also.

There are no elders of deacons in the list, so deacons and elders, as found in I Timothy and in John's epistles, are the only rulers in the assembly. A pastor is not an office holder in the Lord's Church, and he has NO basis to demand respect or obedience. Fundamental church pastors will tell you that a pastor is an elder. Well, the Bible does not say that. The conclusion is convenient, but it is urban legend.

If a pastor does not give himself to the perfecting of the saints, the ministering to the saints, and the edification of the saints, he is a mongrel pretender. He should be removed from "the ministry," and put under church discipline with no responsibility until he behaves like a servant again.

What does it mean to feed sheep in biblical terms?

Feeding sheep does NOT mean to scream and hack and bawl in the pulpit like a fool. It does not mean preaching the Gospel Sunday after Sunday to saved people. Is does not mean preaching on tithing every third Sunday. Is does not mean preaching from one verse followed by much joking and loonie typology. Feeding sheep consists of much study of the Word, and then teaching through books of the Bible. All topical teaching will be targeted to a specific need, such as understanding Bible prophecy or dealing with the cults in soul winning.

Finally, a MAN OF GOD who is really feeding sheep will not have to waste his time talking them down the aisle in altar calls to give them the warm fuzzies. Well fed sheep will go forth and do mighty acts for Christ six days between Sundays. This is why so many churches have revivals-- nothing is happening, and the sheep are starved. They need a week of high tension blather to give them the illusion that they are fully loaded. But when they go off Monday morning after the revival week, it is with a very weak pop.

THE "MAN OF GOD"
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
What distinguishes a man of God?

Samuel--

1 Samuel 9:6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
The man of God is honorable.

1 Samuel 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
The man of God does not have diarrhea of the mouth.

Elisha--

2 Kings 4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
The man of God is holy.

2 Kings 5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
The man of God is a healer.

2 Kings 6:8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
The man of God gives life saving counsel.

The man of God--

1 Kings 13:5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
His prophecy was fulfilled- He told the truth.

1 Kings 13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
He would not respond to flattery from powerful men.

1 Kings 13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
He would not respond to flattery from powerful men.
9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,
22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.
24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
When a true man of God disobeys God, he is chastened, even though he spoke for God and his prophecy was fulfilled.
A alleged man of God who sins willfully, in the Old Testament, is a Bastard.
Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Elijah--

1 Kings 17:17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
A true man of God ministers mightily to widows and orphans.

2 Kings 1:9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
The man of God has the power of God at his disposal.

The man of God--

2 Chronicles 11:2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
The man of God speaks for the Lord, which in the Church Age, means rightly dividing the Word of truth as a teacher. Screaming and wailing and preaching the Gospel Sunday after Sunday to saved people is NOT teaching saints.

Moses--

2 Chronicles 30:16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
Ezra 3:2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
A true man of God's words are not soon forgotten or disobeyed.

Numbers 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
The word "meek" and "pastor" are seldom used together today, in fact, most pastors consider a meek man as a wimp and worthless to his master plan for self-exaltation. Of course, these pastors would despise Jesus if he were to slip in the back door and sit down:
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

God promotes the meek-- Pastors promote themselves.
Psalms 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
Promotion comes out of the "sides of the North" where God's throne is, which is missing in the verse.
Proverbs 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Ps 90:1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
A man of God in the Old Testament, as with David also, was contemplative and creative. Both David and Moses, while mighty men of God, wrote very sensitive words for the saints to sing in worship. Lord have mercy on us, for we have ten thousand slow bellied slobs in American churches who never smell the roses, and who mock at tears. The most creative thing they do is bombast, bluster, and the bull. Oh yes, these slow bellies are great bird watchers at church dinners-- they love fried chicken.

David--

Nehemiah 12:24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.
A man of God did not have to only be a prophet in the Old Testament. David was a king. Can we imagine a MAN OF GOD being a Senator or IRS agent?

Some qualities we see in the men of God of the Old Testament:

1. Worldly possessions were not in their interests. In fact, they all bordered on poverty, and some lived in borrowed rooms. Elisha turned down payment from Namaan, and Moses left the royal palaces of Egypt to serve God.

2. The man of God ministered just as freely to the poor and failing saints as to kings and rulers.

3. The man of God did not cut and run. He stayed on the job until God provided a man to replace him.

4. The man of God was tender hearted. He is the man who said:

Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Does that sound like your pastor? Or is this your Psalm?

The pastor is my boss man, but he don't feed me much,
He keeps me in constant motion serving him, and all the church is in a frenzy;
He does not ask about my soul-- ever,
And I have to tell my kids not to talk like the pastor,
When I am sick, he never shows up, but he sure gets into a rage when I mess up;
When our family was broke, he never helped us, just said, "keep prayin', brutha."
The pastor pours oil on my head all right, but it is on fire;
When I go home Sunday night after church, my cup is pretty much empty.
But, I know he will follow me until I die, screaming-- "GET RIGHT !" and "GIVE !"
You know, I can't wait to die and go to heaven to be with Jesus.

THE "MAN OF GOD" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Here are the only two verses that use the words, "MAN OF GOD" in the New Testament .

ONE--
1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

The man of God is defined here as:

Paul's Man of God

The Man of God of the Vatican, the Reformation (Calvin and Zwingli), the Puritans, Evangelicalism, and the Fundamental Baptists (KJV only)

Righteous Godly Full of Faith Loving Patient Meek

Self-centered and demanding of praise and cash Preoccupied with earthly issues-- Lust for food, women, and authority Doubt the salvation of all men-- Demand the saints pay preacher's way 100% Never visit in homes or cafes with saints-- Hang out with other "men of God" Enraged and sarcastic with weak saints-- Denigrate those who are slow Always put themselves forward-- Dress in preacher clothes all week

So, a biblical "MAN OF GOD" is hard to find today in what we call a pastor.

We are not claiming that there are no godly pastors in the Lord's Church today, but if we allow even one, then every spiritual Bastard in Christendom will leap into the role of the one rare exception. You must understand that your pastor is very likely NOT a "MAN OF GOD" by Paul's definition.

TWO--
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Here we come to the final "MAN OF GOD" in the Church Age. He is ANY Bible believing man. In fact, "man" in the verse is clearly the generic or larger use of the word and includes born again ladies as used in I Peter 3:1-4.

 

THE MAN OF GOD AS HE IS

FALLEN CHURCHES

REVIVAL MEETINGS

FREE LOADER PREACHERS

PREACHING THE GOSPEL
VERSUS PREACHING DOUBT

FUNDAMENTAL CHURCHES
ARE WOLF PACKS

SECOND ARTICLE ON THIS TOPIC--
"CHURCHED"

"I NEED YOUR HELP, BROTHER...."

IS YOUR PASTOR A GOAT KEEPER
INSTEAD A SHEPHERD?

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

CHURCH TRADITIONS

LETTER FROM A READER

I want you to notice the many qualities in the above study of the biblical man of God which are violated by the preachers and their leaders in this lady's experience:

Dear Brother & Sister Van Nattan,

I emailed recently and I'm still reading your web site with much interest. You have touched on a number of things that had troubled me over the thirty years since I accepted the Lord.

First, I must say I appreciate how much you quote from Hebrews because it is one of my favorite books. Hebrews 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (The Trinity!) and many other verses.

Second, I appreciate your insight about using the Gospels for soul winning rather than the Epistles. I would often 'doubt' that I could have been 'really saved' because the "Roman's Road' was not the method of my salvation. As an unsaved Protestant, I read Proverbs in the 1974-era Living Bible paraphrase and I started thinking about God having a way for me to live that I never realized before. I was under conviction with 'it is better to dwell in the attic than with a quarrelsome, cranky woman' (LB).

Months later, I heard the Gospel of Luke preached on the radio and I especially remember Luke 2:52 "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." (KJV) Not your typical salvation passage! But it became 'real' to me that Jesus was God from Heaven in flesh, and I called on the 'name of the Lord' and He forgave me took away the burden of my sins -- alone in my car on the way to work. Not the Romans Road. Not an altar call. So, I often felt that maybe I didn't hear the 'correct' verses to really get saved, yet I knew that the Lord had come into my heart and I really was a "new creature" in Christ... I had new desires.

As a new Christian the Lord soon showed me the truth about the King James Bible preserved by God and I have taken a stand for the KJV Bible. For example, when our son was in Christian high school, a teacher wanted the class to memorize 2 Peter from the NASV. I spoke to the principal, and defended the KJV. He seemed to take in what I was saying but he had a lot of pressure from 'scholarly' families to use other versions and said to me, "What is truth?" An example I gave was I Pet 1:21 "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."(KJV). The NASV omits (holy) and (of God) ...so the NASV is left only with 'men' speaking.

I have had recent difficulties in two KJV Bible churches. I drove to a nearby KJV church where I was a church pianist for fifteen years attendance went downhill and the good pastor left. The next BJU preacher had his eye on coming into the church, and he had a 'plan'. Soon he made stops at our house and befriended my unsaved husband but never presented the Gospel to him. My husband is not gullible, but he did go with me to a church picnic. But this pastor was a 'user'. Once he realized my husband's skills and workmanship, the pastor tried to get him involved in repairs and installation of organ at the church, but my husband (wisely) didn't take the bait. But we did use our truck and gave him many things when we had to empty my mother's house. Watching him selectively search through some things gave me an uneasy feeling.

In church, he took notice of how I was dressed [I'm conservative!] and his eyes would go from my head to feet. (Was my hair the 'right' length, my dress 'long' enough-- midcalf) When he learned that I also could play organ, little did I know that he had a 'plan' for me. The impoverished country church received an expensive organ from an 'anonymous' donor, and 'guess who' was delegated to the organ while his wife went to the piano-- poor player but I tried to encourage her.

Although my husband and I had both our parents in local long term care, a couple left the church (trouble w/pastor) so I also took on that SS class along with the changes of switching to organ, etc. My dear brother died suddenly that same year which overwhelmed me. By year's end, I collapsed and was taken to the Emergency Room after a basic health screening test. The pastor didn't visit our home at either time of our troubles. And when I told the pastor that I no longer wanted to play the organ, his whole countenance changed in a moment. Due to distance and severe winter weather for six weeks, I emailed him or left a telephone message that I could not be at church, but not a word of acknowledgment from him. I don't know what he was thinking.

After six weeks, he sent emails asking if I would come back either on organ or piano. I over-explained myself by emails, then. I tried to talk to him by phone, but he would not return my calls. [I learned that he wanted everything 'in writing' ]. I had never had such an experience with a pastor as this! The severe weather broke and I went to church. His topic for the month was on 'love'. Have you ever watched a preacher get red faced and blazing with brimstone giving a sermon on 'love'? After that I stopped sitting alone and in front... although I should have left altogether, because it just got worse!

The lady did not understand what was happening here. She did not have a born again husband, or he would have been there with her and would have caught this. This filthy scum bag preacher was trying to wear the lady down as to submission and take charge of her mind. The trick then is, after she is broken and ready to submit, to transfer her submission from her husband ("after all, he is unsaved") to the preacher. The preacher's eyes tell me what comes next-- she will be counseled in fine detail about submission, she will be flattered and fawned over, she will be consulted on personal matters, and finally, she will be worked into bed with the preacher. As one animal in northern Indiana did when he asked his secretary, who was not his wife, to be his best friend. Sir, when you allow your wife to become the servant of the jerkawallah pastor, you need to start planning what to do with her after she comes crawling back to you sexually violated. Any preacher who has women serving him, even as church secretaries, is a dangerous man and a sex pervert. If a man is not available to be church secretary, it is not God's will for the church to have one.

When I asked to talk to him about the music, he was evasive. My husband and I went on a short vacation, and the very Sunday that I returned to church, lo and behold the pastor and deacon were 'ready to talk' to me in the office. [I was a lamb lead to the slaughter.] I admit I had grown angry about his evasiveness,. But rather than coming to an understanding about the music issue, he intimidated me with quoting from his printed-out emails to 'correct' me if I misspoke, and he opened his KJV Bible to I Peter 3.

As his eyes went from my head to toe examining me, he began to rebuke me about my not being in subjection to my husband -- because I was not in agreement with my husband about moving to another state as he wanted to do in retirement! (This was an ongoing discussion of pros and cons in our marriage, not insubordination!) Then the deacon chimed in with the pastor about my moving to another state-- because he also liked it there. I felt like I was being assaulted in that room!

I kept trying to make the situation 'right', but it kept getting 'worse'. Finally, without a lot of details, and only mentioning the organ/piano problem, I just asked my husband what I should do. Though unsaved, he has a LOT of discernment from the working world [remember, I was in an emotionally and physically weakened condition]. My husband said 'It's his church and he can do what he wants." What a relief! Soon I wrote a BRIEF letter to "withdraw" my membership... no reason given. He put his own 'spin' on why I left.

I began regularly attending a small, conservative KJV Bible church three miles from our home. The preaching was very deep and full of Scripture. But I again made the mistake of eventually telling this pastor 'why' I left the other church. [Why do I think I have to explain myself or my actions to other people?-- to be accepted by them? You'd think I had learned my lesson!] After six months, I felt shocked that this pastor was joining efforts with the previous pastor to reach the teens in both churches by taking them on adventures and supporting church events together. I really had an inner struggle, because I didn't want to harbor bitterness, but I was afraid that the pastors would talk about me. We live in the country, I didn't know where else to go to church, so I kept attending. I even considered joining, but I had inner turmoil, so did not join.

I tried to look for ways to be a blessing to folks-- take a meal for a widow, baby clothes for a single mother, be helpful and friendly. The pastor watched my actions. I felt the women were very guarded. The wife of the head deacon / Sunday School teacher asked for prayer in women's prayer group because their two young children were afraid of their Dad because of his anger. The pastor's mother is divorce and remarried, as well as another deacon and wife both divorced from unbelievers.

This pastor holds a Bible study in a local jail and the nursing home where my aging mother has Parkinson's, and he said he was able to lead her to the Lord-- but it's hard to tell.

Along with multi problems at the nursing home, I was getting depressed with the whole situation at church, and finally I just stopped attending. No one has called or visited, even though my mother was very sick, and the pastor had to have know. (Oh, yes, I should have guessed.... I'm not a 'member'.) The two things that troubled me about joining were that this pastor told me he is Calvinist, and this church is united with an incorporated fellowship of churches. I don't read "Inc." in my KJV Bible.

I feel I'm a person with some discernment and I don't consider myself 'stupid' (I have some college etc.)-- but after being a homemaker for many years, I just have not dealt with unsettling situations like this. I'm a quiet temperament, but friendly and I've seemed to get along with others. Now I just look for ways to stay close to the Lord, such as Blessed Quietness web site and I am finding that I need the strength of my dear but unsaved husband with his manly protection over me more and more. I play hymns on the piano at the nursing home for my mother (who first taught me), and others are also blessed. Also I'm gradually finding a few Christians there in various stages of growth.

Well, I hope you and your wife don't mind this long email. Your web site has been a help to me and I hope I'm not wrong in thinking I could share these things with both of you. If you have time, your spiritual insight would be helpful.

In Christian Sincerity,
Mrs. ______________

1. The "MAN OF GOD" is feared and finally fled from, but the wimp does not give the Gospel to man.

2. The "MAN OF GOD" rules the saints by intimidation and rage.

3. The "MAN OF GOD" is covetous.

4. The "MAN OF GOD" is a sex pervert and uses standards of modesty to hide his lust.

5. The "MAN OF GOD" does not love the sheep-- is not mereciful.

6. The "MAN OF GOD" builds a trail of paper for evil purposes.

7. The "MAN OF GOD" acts like a big baby when he does not get his way.

8. As the unsaved husband said about the jerk pastor above, "It's his church...."

Are YOU such a "MAN OF GOD"?

 

Last thought--
Once you discern that a pastor is a brute and a bastard,
do not explain yourself-- LEAVE.
You owe such a jerk nothing.

If you are born again, sir,
YOU are "THE MAN OF GOD" in your home, at work, and to your wife.
If you are not born again, sir, you still must not let any other man, under color
being the "MAN OF GOD," take any authority over your wife and kids.
Don't let any small greazzzzy scum take that God given position away from you.
What about the assembly of saints?
Who is the "THE MAN OF GOD" there?
Answer: All the born again men who attend.

Some tender foot will read this page and say, "This man is too harsh. He will undermine the respect of the saints for pastors in the churches."

To you I answer, "I am only sorry that Christian restraint does not allow me to be even harsher, and I do indeed hope to see thousands of Christ's sheep rescued from the wolves who prey on them."

AUT DISCE, AUT DISCEDE

LINKS:

The Jesus of the modern "Man of God"

ADMONITION TO FUNDAMENTAL PASTORS
If this study touched you where it hurt, this is my effort to help.

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