Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:19 – “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.” The office of an elder (pastor) is one that must be respected. God has called that person to that office and anyone who has an accusation against that man must be extremely careful in how that accusation is carried out. The Devil uses false accusations to harm pastors and their ministries, therefore, when a pastor is confronted with a sin it must be handled very carefully.
BEWARE: The one who accuses the pastor must do so in the proper manner. Paul said that accusations are to be made against a pastor in his presence with two or three witnesses. This is to be done in order to provide accountability and protection for the pastor in such accusations. This allows for the accusation to be heard, investigated, and substantiated before it goes before the entire church.
This statement by Paul completely outlaws accusations that are made privately in the form of gossip, text messages, e-mails, or over the phone behind the pastor’s back. Those types of accusations are nothing more than slanderous attacks against the office of elder (pastor) and God takes that type of thing very seriously. That is why Paul speaks of this in 1 Timothy 5:19.
John MacArthur writes:
There are always people eager to falsely accuse a man of God. They may do so because they resent his calling, reject his teaching, resist biblical authority, resent virtue, or are jealous of the Lord’s blessing on his life. Ultimately, however, they demonstrate by making such accusations that they have become messengers of Satan. Such false accusations are one of his most dangerous weapons. Joseph, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and our Lord Jesus Christ all suffered from false accusations (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Timothy, 221).
Hebrews 13:17 says, ” Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” It is an unprofitable thing to reject and undermine the leadership of your pastor according to the writer to the Hebrews. Anyone who seeks to gossip against or attack their pastor behind his back should be viewed as one who is in clear violation of God’s Word and a tool of Satan.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 says, “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” Again, we see that the pastor should be esteemed (respected) highly in love because of the work he is called to do. What work? The work of laboring in Word and doctrine and shepherding the flock of God.
BEWARE: The one who accepts accusations against their pastor must do so in the proper manner. According to 1 Timothy 5:19 – the elder (pastor) is to be accused before two or three witnesses – not in a private conversation behind his back. Therefore, any member of the church or leader in the church who accepts an accusation against their pastor in a private setting without hearing it before the pastor himself is guilty of sin. Why did God put these things in Paul’s heart as he wrote 1 Timothy? As Paul was writing to his young preacher named Timothy – he wanted to inform him of how pastors are to be accused of wrongdoing. Paul understood that the wolves would come out in opposition and attack the pastor who truly labors in the Word. So, he placed some guidelines for how a pastor is to be accused in order to prevent false gossip, the rumor mill, and wolves who have a thirst for blood from bringing an attack against their pastor that could destroy his ministry.
Therefore, it goes without saying, that if a pastor has sinned or done wrong, he should be confronted. This confrontation should be done in the proper manner. If the pastor does not repent, the accusation should be presented before the church in order to further admonish him and call for him to repent. If at that point, the pastor still does not repent, the church should move through their proper steps of removing him from serving since he has a hard heart and is unwilling to repent of his sin.
To confront your pastor of sin is a very serious charge and should be taken extremely seriously. No person should be on a campaign to constantly confront their pastor of wrongdoing unless their is absolute clear evidence of sin. Those people in the church who are constantly on a slander attack against their pastor should likewise be held to the standards of discipline found in Matthew 18. If they refuse to repent, they should be excommunicated from the church in order to protect the purity of the church and the office of the pastor. This should be done with the utmost care and respect – and in both cases – it should be done with a goal of restoration.
Therefore, true believers should work together, worship together, pray for one another, help one another and have the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace that comes through Jesus Christ. The church should always watch and beware of attacks against their pastor and against one another because the wicked one is always looking to stir up confusion and harm the ministry of Christ in the community.
For His Name and For His Glory!
Josh Buice
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Amen.
Well written…May God bless you, Brother Josh, as you preach and teach the Word of God. And may HE guard your heart and your back as you diligently do so… Incredible worship services today…in both ‘VILLE’s!
In and for Him…Christie
What is your thoughts on how a pastor should respond, when accused improperly (not according to biblical guidelines as you have thoughtfully addressed) and is “innocent” of such charges? I’d be interested in your thoughts.
Christie,
The worship services in Nashville yesterday were awesome. To be asked to preach in that setting for racial unity Sunday was an honor. It was good to see God move in the hearts of people.
Thank you for your prayers and your service to our Lord!
Mark,
That is a great question. I think that if you as a pastor are accused of something that you did not do, and the accusation is brought against you in an inappropriate manner, the individual doing the accusing needs to be confronted in a loving manner in accordance with Matthew 18. If that individual will not repent, they need to be brought before witnesses and eventually the entire church if they continually refuse to repent. In each step of discipline – the goal is restoration. However, if in the end the individual is still unwilling to repent, that individual should be excommunicated from the church in order to do the following:
1. Bring fear upon all who witness it so that they would not make the same mistake.
2. For the purity of the church – the bride of Christ. Anyone unwilling to repent is proving that their heart is either severely damaged by sin or unsaved.
3. For the protection of the pastor – God’s servant.
If the individual repents during the discipline process – you will have gained a brother or sister in Christ and that relationship will be stronger as a result of God working in the hearts of His people.
God Bless!
Josh,
Good blog spot. Maybe you could go deeper into who is the leadership of a Biblical church. Some may be confused on the standing of Hebrews 13:17. Meaning: Does this verse concur with Deacons ruling over the Pastor? Explain the “Obey them that have the rule over you…” Who may be “them”?
Jon,
The unfortunate thing in many churches today is that the deacons are “rulers” or “authority figures” in the church – when in essence – they were originally intended to do service work – not oversee or make decisions in the church. The word “deacon” itself actually means – servant.
In 1 Timothy 5:19 – the word “elder” is the Greek word – πρεσβύτερος
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πρεσβύτερος [presbuteros /pres·boo·ter·os/] adj. Comparative of presbus (elderly); TDNT 6:651; TDNTA 931; GK 4565; 67 occurrences; AV translates as “elder” 64 times, “old man” once, “eldest” once, and “elder woman” once. 1 elder, of age,. 1a the elder of two people. 1b advanced in life, an elder, a senior. 1b1 forefathers. 2 a term of rank or office. 2a among the Jews. 2a1 members of the great council or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people, judges, etc., were selected from elderly men). 2a2 of those who in separate cities managed public affairs and administered justice. 2b among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies (or churches) The NT uses the term bishop, elders, and presbyters interchangeably. 2c the twenty four members of the heavenly Sanhedrin or court seated on thrones around the throne of God.
Taken from the Enhanced Strongs Lexicon – Greek word #4265
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That being said – it does not take long to see the context is not referring someone of old age in this case. This word is being used in the context of church offices. The elders in the early church were titles for pastors. The pattern of the early church was to have multiple elders per church. Therefore, as Paul writes to Timothy – he makes sure he understands how accusations are to be presented against another pastor (elder).
Elders (pastors) are the overseers of the church. That is seen in Acts 20:17 – And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. Paul was talking to the elders (pastors) of the church. Later in Acts 20:28 he tells them that they have been given the responsibility of overseeing the ministry of the church. He tells them that the Holy Spirit has made them “overseers.” Therefore, it does not take long to see that the early church was managed, overseen, and guarded by the pastors – not the deacons. So, when we see other references such as Hebrews 13:17 – we understand clearly that it is not talking about deacons or any other leader in the church. It is simply referring to the pastors or elders of the congregation.
NOTE: It would be good to research the usage of words such as elder, bishop, and overseer in various translations. These words refer to the same office!
Hope this helps!
I have been sexually molested by a pastor from 11 to 28. The pastor has said sorry to me in private but will deny any wrong doings when confronted by others. My mother and brother chose to continue to attend this church after knowing what he has done. Some of the elders of the church are aware of this incident but chose to do nothing about it. The wife called me wanting to know what I wanted to do. She stated that she could be mad at me for sleeping with her husband. Which was a shock to me. I am at a stand still. What should I do. The pastor has send me nude pictures as far as 2007. I don’t feel that God is doing anything while I go through depression and numbness to life. I am seeking counceling. Doesn’t he need to repent infront of the church?
Help
Abused,
Please see your private e-mail that I sent you regarding this issue!
God Bless,
Josh Buice
what is going on in the churches today?i and family left a church the pastor there was gay!people walking around like nothing is happening one of the young ministers is reeping the benefits smoking crack get lost for awhile then his lover -bishop has to always find him!! coming back now to walk in a big convocation whwe this is such a trip!!so my family departed and fellowshipped with another church,,well i am dupped again,this time the young minister or rather elder get my attention..started out as friends for the lord,then texts phone calls ,phone masterbation…i am sick to the gut about all this i know just say no,but preach man came on real cool plus he is single, i find out he has beded half of the women in the church,how nasty! you should marry rather then 2burn,,,,,,, that is bible……….. i have no trust any longer in the body of christ!
yes in god but not in man..fail you ever time how gross,i need to vent thank you and the true god bless us!!
I think that’s exactly the kind of stuff we’re not supposed to be saying about God’s people. if what you say is true, have the guts to confront it within the church.
I agree with you, David. If these terrible things truly did happen, they need to be confronted like ASAP! I think we as Christians miss out on what can truly be a blessing when our fellowship is restored through the proper steps recorded in Matthew. My father is a pastor and was falsely accused privately and also quite publicly. The best thing to come about because of those accusations was how they were handled. That is the purpose of what our Lord spelled out for us in Matthew.
Hi Josh,
i read your article and i was really blessed.
i and some people were involved in speaking evil of a pastor.Talked about the discouragement experienced and doctrinal issues that makes it difficult to have a good relationship with the pastor.The same night i had a very bad dream about some things coming from my mouth and i was very frightened. I immediately started to pray for mercy.What can i do now and how can i prevent this from happening again? please can you advise privately.God bless you
Dear Josh
I am greatly encouraged and blessed by your article. I am pastoring a church and at an AGM (Annual General Meeting) I was being questioned about the finances of the church in a very disrespect manner by one of the members (20 year old young woman). I felt she has cast aspersions on my character and impugned my integrity in front of the church. Because I am accountable to the church, I deemed it necessary to answer all the questions. The church board members (consisting of another elder, the treasurer, and 2 deacons) did not say a word when this member (20 yr old young lady) spoke to me in that way. Neither did any other member say anything. A week and a half after the meeting, I spoke to her in private telling her that she was disrespectful and that she was malicious in having impugned my integrity, etc. I said to her I expect her to apologise to me in the presence of the congregation as what she did, was also in the presence of the congregation. She denied and said she can’t apologise because then she would acknowledge the allegations. I then took 3 witnesses. These all confirmed that my allegations were true. But she still said she can’t apologise. Her dad (one of the deacons) then said she must apologise but also in an “unrepenting” manner. It took her some time to say she will apologise which will happen this Sunday. I’m trusting God to speak to her so that she can do it from her heart. Because she seemed unrepentant right through confrontation. What if her apology is just going to be lip-service and not from the heart? I feel like removing her from all ministeries for a period of time to discipline her. Please advise.
Maybe you should let it go and let the truth speak for itself? If she was asking true questions and wanted clarification, you should have given that to her. The fact that she is 20 and a female, I’m guessing, is why you have taken such an issue here. If it had been a 70 year old male, would you have taken such a hard line? Removing her from ministry in order to discipline? Telling her she can’t serve God at church because you perceived her questions as disrespectful seems…um…harsh.
Val,
First of all, I would make sure I follow the exact specifications of discipline recorded in Matthew 18. Discipline is a necessary aspect of accountability and purification within the church – that is why Jesus commanded it. However, it must always be carried out in a biblical manner – for RESTORATION. If you find yourself doing discipline to get rid of a person, vindicate your own anger, or to harm a person – it will always be in error. That type of discipline is not discipline at all. And the result will never bring about a good ending. You may need to remove this person from leadership positions, but that is something that a pastor must decide as he oversees a specific ministry. If a person is living in open sin – that person should be disciplined and called to repentance. That process finally ends in excommunication from the church assembly if the individual is not willing to repent. Again, make sure you follow the steps in the Word of God – and do it all out of a goal of restoration and repentance.
God Bless,
Pastor Josh Buice
Many thanks Pastor Josh for taking the time to read and respond to my issue. I am satisfied with what you’ve written and definitely find it useful. My God richly bless you and the ministry.
Hello
I would like to know your thoughts on a matter. A couple of months bac k my u pastor wast accused of having an affair with a member, a person who was in ministry training. After the accusations, the pastor got in front of everybody and denied everything, he even blamed us for not protecting his good name. I have been told by the pastors Armor bearor that in fact these things are true. Some in leadership are aware but no one has addressed it. I am being lead to speak, but some are saying that love covers….blah blah blah. (Sorry for the tone) It seems nobody reads about the qualifications of an elder. I feel like
Im in an maze. this not not the first time accusations have been bought against him. Am I wrong? Am I rebellious?
God Bless you
Yasmine,
No you are not rebellious. You must confront any elder (pastor) who is living in sin. That is not judgmental. However, make sure you do not provide private accusations against him. Make sure that your accusations are brought before him with witnesses in order to be established. If it is proven true or if he continues his actions, he needs to be removed from his leadership position.
Make sure you follow specific Scripture and always remain faithful to the manner that God created and put into place through His Word. All other methods of dealing with it can lead to gratifying and satisfying your flesh rather than God’s will.
Pastor Josh
great stuff thx
Hi, I was reading your post and found a question by abused? but you responded in private,
please I would appreciate a sound input in this matter… when i came to the church I was given a close place with my pastors family, i felt like a son i most say, after sometime my pastor began to question me in matters of my sexuality, and finally he began to harass me sexually, I didn’t make a big and I wont go into details but it was nasty, I tryed to protect his family whom I love, but when staying in his house I had to lock myself in the bathroom, etc… finally I TALKED TO SOMEBODY IN the church staff, they confronted him, his wife was though with me, she accused me of having seduction spirits and I insisted that I always stopped him, nothing really happened, but it wasn’t easy, I was young and I wasn’t very bold, I had a hard time getting over it, I forgave him, and his wife. beside the sexual stuff he spoke a lot of things trying to manipulate me… (I could go into so many detaills)
this is the thing
some years have pass andrecently he is acting weird, missing church, she is seen crying everywhere, and rumors are starting to go everywere involving him with another young guy in our church,
just hearing the news gave me the chills, and I dont know what to do, should I forgive and leave everything in the past?
I already have a weird relationship with them, I tryed to leave everything behind and decide to see them in Gods gift, but this is making it difficult???
Should I leave? with my family and kids (and their stability)
how about words from the prophet saying that we are in Gods perfect will?
thanks for any sound input
we obviously love them as a family, but I am a little bit confuse
I am so guilty of not understanding these offices…I repent from speaking so foolishly and thank the Lord for enlightning me through His word on the truths of leadership…