Should We Question Our "Pastor"?

With regard to this question, the word "pastor" is a misleading term. Many denominations refer to their preacher as "the pastor" even though he is no more than a preacher or evangelist. A "pastor" is an elder, bishop, overseer, or presbyter, who holds an office for which the Bible gives specific qualifications (Titus chapter 1; 1 Tim. 3). Often the preacher has not met these qualifications, nor has he been appointed or selected for the office described by the apostle Paul. Thus, if you question what the man standing in the pulpit teaches, you likely are not questioning a pastor.

Now to the question proper: Should church members question their preacher? Many would say no because they have been taught to believe that the preacher is called of God and is therefore somehow inspired, i.e., God guides him in his thinking and teaching. The pope claims "infallibility," thus Roman Catholics feel confident that the teachings of the church are accurate. This, however, is not verifiable by scripture.

When Jesus said, "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matt. 24:4), surely He did not intend the listeners/readers to understand that the man who stands before them preaching is to be exempt from scrutiny. After all, didn’t Jesus say, "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray" (Matt. 24:11 (ESV)? What better place for false prophets to do their thing than in the pulpit of churches, regardless of what they call themselves?

The apostle Paul said, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1 ESV). He used the word "test." When church members sit back and swallow whatever "spiritual" food is thrown at them, this "testing" (a command of God) is NOT being done. The result is that if the teacher is teaching error, he gets away with deception and people are led astray.

The apostle Paul spoke of the Bereans as being "noble" or commendable for doing what many today think should not be done. He wrote, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11).

In view of the passages from which we have quoted above, disciples of Jesus should "search the scriptures" to determine if what teachers are saying is true. Paul commended the Bereans for doing this even when it was his own teaching that was being put to the test.