Thoughts from Pastor Toney

Part 2: “Call No Man Father”: What Did Jesus Actually Mean?

Ministry, Honor, and Status in the Church

Few things Jesus said about religious titles have sparked as much discussion as these words:

“Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.”

— Matthew 23:9 CSB

Some believers think the meaning is clear:

Christians should never call a spiritual leader “Father.”

Others note that Scripture uses the word ‘father’ for both biological fathers and spiritual relationships.

Paul called himself a father to believers.

Stephen spoke of “brothers and fathers.”

John repeatedly called believers his “little children.”

So what was Jesus actually forbidding?

Was Jesus setting a rule that certain words should never be used?

Or was he addressing a deeper issue among the religious leaders of his time?

To answer this well, we need to look at Matthew 23:9 in the context of the whole chapter.

We need to consider everything Jesus said in this passage.

When we do, we see that his warning goes far beyond just using the word ‘Father’ as a title.

Jesus was challenging a religious culture focused on status, recognition, hierarchy, and spiritual superiority.

This warning applies to every generation of the Church.

Start With the Context

Matthew 23 begins with Jesus addressing the crowds and His disciples concerning the scribes and Pharisees.

Jesus said:

“The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.”

— Matthew 23:2–3 CSB

Pay attention to this key point.

Jesus recognized their position while confronting their character.

That alone teaches us something about biblical authority.

A position can be valid even if the person in it acts wrongly.

Jesus did not value position by itself.

He cared if a person’s life matched what they taught.

Then He identified several problems.

They put heavy burdens on people.

They wanted their religious devotion noticed.

They wanted prominent positions.

They wanted public recognition.

And they loved prestigious religious titles.

Jesus said:

“They do everything to be seen by others.”

— Matthew 23:5 CSB

That sentence helps interpret everything that follows.

The issue is not merely vocabulary.

The issue is religious self-exaltation.

They Loved Being Recognized

Jesus continued:

“They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.”

— Matthew 23:6–7 CSB

Notice the repeated emphasis.

They loved the place of honor.

They loved the front seats.

They loved the public greetings.

They loved being called Rabbi.

There is something appealing about being seen as spiritually important.

This is the setting for Jesus’ next words.

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.”

— Matthew 23:8 CSB

Then:

“Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.”

— Matthew 23:9 CSB

And then:

“You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah.”

— Matthew 23:10 CSB

We should not separate verse 9 from verses 8 and 10.

Jesus mentions three categories:

Teacher.

Father.

Instructor.

Then he makes a bold statement:

“You are all brothers and sisters.”

This is the main point of the passage.

Jesus Was Dismantling Spiritual Elitism

Jesus wasn’t denying leadership.

He Himself appointed apostles.

The New Testament later recognizes elders, overseers, deacons, pastors, teachers, prophets, and evangelists.

The Church clearly has leadership.

But leadership does not make anyone a better Christian than others.

Before God, we all stand as equals.

Pastors need the same blood of Jesus as everyone else.

Prophets need the same grace.

Bishops need the same Savior.

Teachers need the same Holy Spirit.

Apostles need the same forgiveness.

Both the preacher and the person in the last row enter God’s Kingdom through Christ.

They may have different roles, but everyone has the same access to God.

That’s why Jesus says:

“You are all brothers and sisters.”

The Kingdom has leadership.

But in God’s Kingdom, no one takes the Father’s place or becomes a spiritual celebrity.

But Didn’t Paul Call Himself a Father?

Here, we need to let Scripture explain itself.

Paul told the Corinthians:

“For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

— 1 Corinthians 4:15 CSB

That’s significant.

If Jesus meant that ‘father’ could never describe a spiritual relationship, then Paul would seem to go against Jesus’ teaching.

But Paul was not asking the Corinthians to call him ‘Father Paul’ as a title.

He is describing his relationship to them.

He had brought the Gospel to them.

He had cared for them.

He had invested in their spiritual development.

He was speaking in family terms.

Paul similarly told Timothy:

“To Timothy, my true son in the faith.”

— 1 Timothy 1:2 CSB

If Timothy could be called Paul’s son in the faith, then Paul could also be seen as a spiritual father.

The relationship isn’t the problem.

The problem is putting someone on a pedestal.

Scripture Uses “Father” in Several Ways

The Bible clearly uses ‘father’ for biological fathers.

The fifth commandment says:

“Honor your father and your mother.”

— Exodus 20:12 CSB

Jesus Himself quoted this command.

So Matthew 23:9 cannot mean Christians are forbidden from saying, “That’s my father.”

Scripture also uses father-language historically.

Stephen addressed Israel’s leaders:

“Brothers and fathers, listen.”

— Acts 7:2 CSB

Paul similarly addressed a crowd:

“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”

— Acts 22:1 CSB

Clearly, the word itself is not wrong.

Jesus was challenging people who used their religious status to lift themselves above others.

The Real Danger: Replacing God’s Position

Jesus’ warning includes another important point.

He says:

“You have one Father, who is in heaven.”

This protects something very important.

No spiritual leader should take God’s place.

A pastor can guide you.

A teacher can instruct you.

A mentor can counsel you.

A mature believer can disciple you.

Someone may even function like a spiritual father or mother in your life.

But no one else stands between you and God.

Paul writes:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus.”

— 1 Timothy 2:5 CSB

That position belongs to Jesus alone.

This is where spiritual leadership can go wrong.

When someone begins implying:

“You need me to hear God.”

“You cannot fulfill your calling without my approval.”

“You cannot leave my spiritual covering.”

“God speaks to you through me.”

“Your blessing depends upon your connection to me.”

At that point, we have left healthy discipleship behind.

A godly leader helps people depend more deeply upon Jesus.

An unhealthy leader makes people depend more and more on the leader.

That difference is important.

Spiritual Fathers Can Exist Without Becoming Spiritual Lords

Some believers have genuinely played father-like roles in people’s lives.

They discipled them.

Encouraged them.

Corrected them.

Prayed for them.

Helped them mature.

Celebrated their victories.

Walked with them through failures.

That kind of relationship is special.

Paul modeled it.

But Paul never asked for blind loyalty.

In fact, he told believers:

“Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.”

— 1 Corinthians 11:1 CSB

Notice the condition Paul gives, as I am following Jesus.

Paul was not the goal.

Christ was the goal.

Healthy spiritual leadership always points people to Jesus, not to itself.

Another reason to be careful about reading Matthew 23 as a total ban on certain words is that Jesus says:

“You have one Teacher.”

Yet Ephesians says:

“And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.”

— Ephesians 4:11 CSB

God clearly gives teachers to the Church.

So Jesus was not saying that no one could ever teach; he was showing who the true source of authority is.

Christ is our supreme Teacher.

Human teachers serve under Christ’s authority.

The same idea helps us understand how ‘father’ is used.

God is our ultimate Father.

Any earthly or spiritual fatherhood is under God’s authority and can never take His place.

Be Careful When Titles Demand Allegiance

Changing words alone does not solve the problem.

Someone could refuse every religious title and still become controlling.

Another person could be respectfully called “Pastor” without ever seeking status.

What matters most is the heart.

But sometimes, titles show what is really going on inside.

We should become concerned whenever a spiritual title begins demanding:

special treatment,

automatic obedience,

unquestioned loyalty,

financial privilege,

exclusive access,

personal allegiance,

or immunity from correction.

Jesus did not create a group of untouchable religious leaders.

He called for leaders who serve others.

“You Are All Brothers and Sisters”

Perhaps the most overlooked statement in this entire passage is Matthew 23:8:

“You are all brothers and sisters.”

Take a moment to reflect on that.

The person preaching is your brother.

The person leading worship is your sister.

The elder is your brother.

The missionary is your sister.

The evangelist is your brother.

The prophet is your sister.

They might have different responsibilities.

They might have different gifts.

They might have real authority within the right biblical limits.

But they are still part of the same family.

No title can change that.

The Greatest Still Serves

Jesus finishes this section by saying:

“The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

— Matthew 23:11–12 CSB

This is how leadership is measured in God’s Kingdom. Not:

How impressive is your title?

But:

How faithfully do you serve?

Not:

How many people recognize your authority?

But:

How closely do you resemble Jesus?

Not:

How important is your position?

But:

How willing are you to take the lowest position?

Some people in the Church have no title at all but show great spiritual maturity. Others may have impressive titles, but their character does not match their position. Jesus tells us where greatness is found.

Serving others.

So Should We Call Someone “Father”?

Christians will continue to disagree about whether “Father” should be used as a formal religious title.

Some believers avoid it completely because they believe Matthew 23 requires that conclusion.

Others understand Jesus’ words primarily as a prohibition against spiritual status and recognize biblical uses of father-language.

We should be careful not to judge faithful believers on either side of this issue.

But one thing should be clear:

No spiritual leader should ever occupy the place in someone’s life that belongs to God alone.

Someone can mentor you without owning you.

Someone can disciple you without controlling you.

Someone can correct you without becoming your mediator.

Someone can function like a spiritual father without replacing your heavenly Father.

Every true spiritual leader should help you depend more on Jesus, not on themselves.

The goal of ministry isn’t to gather spiritual sons and daughters around ourselves.

The goal is to help God’s sons and daughters grow into maturity in Christ.

That is a big difference.

We can honor people without putting them on a pedestal.

We can accept leadership without giving up Christ’s authority in our lives.

We can value spiritual relationships without turning people into spiritual royalty.

Because Jesus has already told us who we truly are:

Brothers and sisters under one Father, following one Messiah.

Coming Next — Part 3

Pastor Is a Function Before It Is a Title

Is “Pastor” actually a biblical title?

We will examine the Greek word poimēn, the relationship between pastors, elders, and overseers, and something that may surprise many Christians:

The New Testament says far more about what a pastor does than what people should call one.

Part 1: When the Title Becomes the Identity

Ministry, Honor, and Status in the Church

There is nothing inherently wrong with calling someone “Pastor.”

It’s not inherently spiritual either.

That distinction matters.

Somewhere along the way, parts of the Church began treating titles as evidence of spiritual authority. Pastor. Bishop. Apostle. Prophet. Reverend. Doctor. Overseer. Elder.

Sometimes the title identifies someone’s responsibility. Other times, however, the title begins communicating rank.

Occasionally, the title becomes more important to the person carrying it than the ministry it is supposed to represent.

That is where we have a problem.

The New Testament absolutely recognizes leadership. It recognizes apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. It speaks of elders, overseers, and deacons. Scripture commands believers to recognize godly leadership and to honor those who faithfully labor among God’s people.

So the biblical answer is not:

“Titles are bad.”

The better question is:

What place should titles have in the Body of Christ?

Because there is a significant difference between a title that describes your service and a title that defines your significance.

Jesus Had Something to Say About Religious Titles

One of the strongest passages concerning religious recognition comes from Jesus Himself.

In Matthew 23, Jesus confronted the scribes and Pharisees.

His criticism was not simply about what they believed. He exposed something happening in their hearts.

Jesus said:

“They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.”

Matthew 23:5–7 CSB

Notice the progression.

They wanted to be seen.

They wanted places of honor.

They wanted public recognition.

They wanted people to acknowledge their position.

The problem wasn’t merely the word Rabbi.

The problem was what the title had come to represent.

Their identity had become attached to recognition.

Jesus was exposing religious pride.

That same temptation still exists.

We can change the terminology while keeping the same heart.

Instead of “Rabbi,” it can become:

“Pastor.”

“Bishop.”

“Prophet.”

“Apostle.”

“Reverend.”

“Doctor.”

The vocabulary changes.

The temptation doesn’t.

Would You Still Serve Without the Title?

Here is one of the most revealing questions any ministry leader can ask:

If nobody ever called me by my title again, would I still do what God called me to do?

Would you still preach?

Would you still pray?

Would you still visit the hospital?

Would you still disciple people?

Would you still counsel struggling marriages?

Would you still serve the forgotten?

Would you still clean the church?

Would you still feed people?

Would you still share the Gospel?

Would you still shepherd people if nobody called you “Pastor”?

Would you still prophesy if nobody called you “Prophet”?

Would you still equip and establish ministries if nobody introduced you as “Apostle”?

Because if the calling disappears when the title disappears, we need to ask whether we were serving the calling or serving the identity the title gave us.

Jesus never taught His disciples to pursue religious status.

He taught them to serve.

Jesus Turned the Leadership Pyramid Upside Down

The disciples themselves struggled with status.

James and John wanted prominent positions in Jesus’ kingdom.

The other disciples became angry, but Jesus used the situation to explain how Kingdom leadership works.

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all.”

Mark 10:42–44 CSB

Then Jesus gave Himself as the example:

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45 CSB

That completely changes our understanding of ministry leadership.

In the world, authority often means:

People serve me.

In the Kingdom, authority means:

I have greater responsibility to serve them.

The higher the responsibility, the more willing we should be to bend.

Jesus demonstrated this dramatically when He washed His disciples’ feet.

The King knelt.

The Lord became the servant.

The One possessing all authority picked up the towel.

That is biblical leadership.

The New Testament Recognizes Roles

We also have to avoid swinging the pendulum too far.

Some people read Jesus’ warnings about titles and conclude that recognizing ministry offices is somehow unbiblical.

Scripture doesn’t support that conclusion.

Paul writes:

“And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.”

Ephesians 4:11–12 CSB

These ministries are real.

But notice their purpose.

They weren’t given so certain Christians could become spiritually important.

They were given for equipping the saints.

The gift isn’t primarily about the person carrying it.

The gift exists for the Body.

A pastor exists to shepherd people.

A teacher exists to teach people.

An evangelist exists to proclaim the Gospel and equip others in Gospel ministry.

A prophet serves God’s purposes in the Body.

An apostolic ministry serves the mission and establishment of Christ’s Church.

Whatever our understanding of these ministries, Ephesians tells us their direction:

Toward the Body, not toward the ego.

A Title Cannot Produce Authority.

This is especially important in modern ministry culture.

Putting “Pastor” before your name doesn’t make you a shepherd.

Putting “Prophet” before your name doesn’t make you prophetic.

Putting “Apostle” before your name doesn’t make you apostolic.

Putting “Bishop” before your name doesn’t automatically make you an overseer.

Putting “Dr.” before your name may represent legitimate academic achievement, but it doesn’t automatically make someone spiritually mature.

A title can identify something.

It cannot create it.

You can print a thousand business cards saying “Pastor,” but eventually the sheep will know whether you shepherd them.

Fruit reveals ministry.

Character reveals maturity.

Service reveals the heart.

Jesus said:

“You’ll recognize them by their fruit.”

Matthew 7:16 CSB

Not their title.

Not their platform.

Not their social media following.

Not their introduction.

Their fruit.

When Correction Becomes an Alarm Bell

One thing that should concern us is when someone becomes deeply offended because another person failed to use their title.

Imagine someone saying:

“You will address me as Apostle.”

“It’s Bishop, not Pastor.”

“Don’t call me by my first name. I’m Prophet ______.”

“You need to address me as Doctor.”

Cultural and professional contexts may call for titles that communicate respect. Courtesy isn’t sinful.

But when recognition becomes a demand, we should examine what is happening in the heart.

Jesus said:

“The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:11–12 CSB

Kingdom authority doesn’t need constant verbal reinforcement.

A shepherd doesn’t become a shepherd because everyone remembers to call him Pastor.

He shepherds because God called him to do it.

Honor Is Still Biblical

This conversation must not become an excuse for dishonoring spiritual leadership.

Scripture says:

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and to regard them very highly in love because of their work.”

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 CSB

Notice why they are honored:

Because of their work.

Biblical honor recognizes faithful service.

Celebrity culture elevates personalities.

Those are not the same thing.

We should honor faithful pastors.

We should appreciate elders.

We should recognize those who teach us the Word.

We should respect godly leaders.

But biblical leaders should never need the Church to inflate their importance.

Honor should be given freely, not demanded forcefully.

Your Greatest Identity Isn’t Your Ministry

This may be the most important point.

Before you are a pastor, you are a follower of Jesus.

Before you are an apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, bishop, elder, deacon, missionary, worship leader, or ministry director, you belong to Christ.

Your deepest identity isn’t your assignment.

Your identity is found in Jesus.

Ministry can change.

Positions can change.

Churches can change.

Assignments can end.

Platforms can disappear.

Titles can be removed.

But your identity in Christ remains.

Paul wrote:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

That’s an identity worth holding tightly.

The Towel Matters More Than the Title

There is nothing necessarily wrong with someone calling you Pastor.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with recognizing someone as an elder, bishop, evangelist, prophet, teacher, or apostle when those descriptions accurately reflect biblical ministry.

The danger begins when we need the title.

When we crave it.

When we demand it.

When we measure our importance by it.

When we believe it places us above other believers.

When losing the title feels like losing our identity.

Jesus offers us something better than religious status.

He gives us a towel.

And perhaps one of the healthiest questions any leader can regularly ask is:

Am I more concerned about what people call me or whether I am faithfully doing what Jesus called me to do?

Because at the end of our lives, Jesus isn’t going to be impressed by what was printed before our names.

What matters is whether we faithfully followed Him.

Let the title describe the service.

Never let the title replace the servant.

Coming Next: Part 2

“Call No Man Father”: What Did Jesus Actually Mean?

We will walk carefully through Matthew 23 and examine Jesus’ statements about Rabbi, teacher, father, religious recognition, and spiritual authority.

Because before we build a doctrine around one sentence, we need to hear that sentence in the context in which Jesus actually spoke it.

There’s a story about a group of soldiers who trained together for years. They were close friends, Rangers who had spent countless hours preparing for the day they would be called to serve. The night before deployment, they went around the barracks, sharing high-fives and fist bumps, excited for the battle they had worked so hard to face. But when they reached the tenth man’s bunk, he was missing. His boots, uniform, and packed bag were all there, but he was gone. The next morning, only nine men left for deployment. One stayed behind.

That picture should make every follower of Jesus pause and think.

In many ways, the church today is like that empty bunk. The boots are there, the Bible sits on the nightstand, the Christian t-shirt is folded in the drawer, and the worship playlist is ready to go. But when it’s time to step up and take action, too many of us are missing. We know how to gather together, but we rarely get in the game.

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In Luke 9:23-27, Jesus isn’t giving advice. He gives clear instructions. He speaks to everyone, not just his closest followers or religious leaders, and explains what it really means to follow him: Deny yourself. Take up your cross every day. Follow me.

These aren’t just tips from a life coach. They are the words of a King, telling his people what it truly costs to walk with him.

Denying yourself isn’t something you do just once. It’s a choice you make every day. Each morning, you face the same question: who is in charge of your heart today? The world constantly tells you that your comfort and your own plans matter most. But Jesus says something different. He reminds you that you were bought at a price, and because of that, he has the right to guide your life.

That is the part we quietly resist. We are glad to have Jesus as Savior. We are far less eager to have him as Lord. We want the rescue without the surrender. But denying yourself means agreeing, every single day, that your life is not your own. It means putting other people in front of yourself not because it is convenient or comfortable, but because that is exactly what Jesus did when he left heaven, took on flesh, and walked to a cross he did not deserve.

Taking up your cross isn’t easy to hear, and we haven’t helped ourselves by making the cross just a piece of jewelry. In Jesus’ time, the cross wasn’t a decoration. It was a tool for execution, something a condemned person carried to their own death. When Jesus tells us to pick up our cross every day, he’s asking us to let our old ways die so that something better can take their place.

This is what Luke 9:24 is talking about when it describes the core paradox of following Jesus: if you try to save your life, you’ll lose it, but if you give up your life for Jesus, you’ll find it. If you want to live, you have to let go. If you want to receive, you need to give. If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, serve others. The world doesn’t teach this way of thinking, but it’s how God’s kingdom works, and it always proves true.

Following Jesus means taking action. It’s not just a mindset or a feeling, and it’s not something that stays hidden in your private life. You can’t follow someone by standing still. It means getting up, stepping out, and sometimes going places you wouldn’t have picked for yourself.

This is where many well-meaning believers get stuck. They listen to the teaching, go to church, and agree with what they hear. But they never take the next step. The group keeps gathering, but no one actually puts the lessons into practice. All the preparation never turns into real action.

But following Jesus isn’t always about big, dramatic moments. Sometimes it’s as simple as holding the door and being kind to a stranger. It could mean helping clean up when no one else wants to, or sitting with a widow just to keep her company. It might even be buying a meal for someone who was rude to you, because God cares about people, not just their mistakes, and he wants you to care too.

Jesus also warns in Luke 9:26 about the danger of being ashamed of your faith in public. If your faith only shows up behind closed doors, it’s not really following Jesus—it’s hiding from him. Who you are in private and in public should be the same, because eventually, everything hidden comes out. The enemy is already looking for ways to reveal your inconsistencies.t.

The struggle is real. Life isn’t getting any simpler, and the challenges aren’t going away. Marriages are facing problems, families are feeling the strain, and people around you are struggling while the church stays comfortable and inactive.

The real question isn’t whether you believe Jesus is the Messiah—most of you would quickly say yes. The harder question is this: if you believe it, what are you doing about it?

Get up. Deny yourself. Pick up your cross. Take action.

The battle won’t wait until you feel ready.

Part 8: Jesus Is the Head

Recovering the New Testament Family

Throughout this series, we’ve asked some difficult questions.

Do spiritual fathers exist?

What about spiritual mothers?

Does every believer need a spiritual covering?

What does biblical submission actually mean?

Does “Touch not my anointed” mean spiritual leaders cannot be questioned?

Do believers need a leader’s permission before obeying what they believe God has called them to do?

And what is the real purpose of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers?

These questions matter.

But I don’t want to finish this series merely talking about what the Church shouldn’t become.

I want to talk about what the Church should be.

Because the answer to unhealthy spiritual authority isn’t rejecting spiritual authority.

The answer to controlling leadership isn’t leaderless Christianity.

The answer to an unhealthy church isn’t isolation.

The answer to abusive submission isn’t rebellion.

The answer to unhealthy spiritual fathers and mothers isn’t eliminating discipleship.

The answer to misuse of apostolic or prophetic ministry isn’t automatically rejecting everything supernatural.

The answer is actually simpler, but also more challenging.

We need to recover the New Testament picture of the Church under the absolute lordship of Jesus Christ.

Because when Jesus occupies His proper place, everybody else begins finding theirs.

JESUS IS THE HEAD

Paul couldn’t be clearer.

Colossians 1:18 (CSB)says:

“He is also the head of the body, the church…”

Not:

The senior pastor is the head.

Not:

The bishop is the head.

Not:

The apostle is the head.

Not:

The spiritual father is the head.

Not:

The denominational leader is the head.

Jesus is the Head.

This is more than just theological language.

It should affect how churches actually operate.

A body receives direction from its head.

The head coordinates the body.

The head gives direction.

The body exists in submission to the head.

So if Christ is truly the Head of the Church, then every other form of spiritual authority must remain beneath His authority.

Every pastor.

Every elder.

Every apostle.

Every prophet.

Every evangelist.

Every teacher.

Every ministry leader.

Every Christian.

All of us are under Christ.

THE CHURCH BELONGS TO JESUS

Pastors sometimes say:

“My church.”

I understand what we mean.

I might use the phrase conversationally myself.

But spiritually, we need to remember:

It isn’t our church.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18:

“I will build my church…”

His Church.

Jesus purchased her.

Jesus builds her.

Jesus leads her.

Jesus protects her.

Jesus disciplines her.

Jesus loves her.

Jesus will present her to Himself.

Pastors are stewards.

We aren’t owners.

That’s why Peter tells elders in 1 Peter 5:2:

“Shepherd God’s flock among you…”

Whose flock?

God’s.

That should profoundly affect pastoral leadership.

When I’m dealing with someone in the congregation, I’m dealing with someone who belongs to Jesus.

When I counsel them, they belong to Jesus.

When I correct them, they belong to Jesus.

When I preach to them, they belong to Jesus.

When they disappoint me, they still belong to Jesus.

When they disagree with me, they still belong to Jesus.

Even if they eventually leave the congregation, they still belong to Jesus.

A pastor who remembers that will lead differently.

JESUS IS THE CHIEF SHEPHERD

Peter gives pastors another important reminder in 1 Peter 5:4:

“And when the chief Shepherd appears…”

Jesus is the Chief Shepherd.

That means every other shepherd is an under-shepherd.

Pastors really do have authority.

They really do oversee.

They really do correct.

They really do protect.

They really do lead.

But always under Jesus.

A shepherd cannot legitimately use authority contrary to the Chief Shepherd.

That’s the boundary.

GOD IS OUR FATHER

This brings us back to where the series began.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:9:

“Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.”

As we discussed earlier, Jesus wasn’t prohibiting normal biological language.

Paul himself uses father imagery.

But Jesus was confronting religious status and hierarchy.

And immediately surrounding that statement is another beautiful declaration:

“You are all brothers and sisters.”

That’s the family Jesus is creating.

God is our Father.

Jesus is our Lord.

And we are brothers and sisters.

That doesn’t eliminate leadership.

It changes the spirit in which leadership operates.

The pastor isn’t a king ruling subjects.

He is a brother entrusted with shepherding responsibility.

The apostle isn’t royalty.

He is a servant sent by Christ.

The prophet isn’t an oracle whose words can never be questioned.

Prophetic ministry operates within Christ’s body and is evaluated biblically.

The teacher isn’t the source of truth.

The teacher serves the truth God has revealed.

Different responsibilities.

Different gifts.

Different levels of maturity.

But one family.

JESUS REDEFINED LEADERSHIP

The disciples struggled with this.

They argued about greatness.

They wondered about position.

They wanted prominence.

It sounds remarkably modern.

Jesus responded in Matthew 20:25–28 by pointing out how Gentile rulers “lord it over” people.

Then He said:

“It must not be like that among you.”

That statement should be written across every Christian leadership conference.

“It must not be like that among you.”

Kingdom leadership must look different.

Jesus continues by explaining that greatness in His kingdom is demonstrated through service.

Then He points to Himself.

The Son of Man didn’t come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.

That’s our leadership model.

Not celebrity.

Not corporate power.

Not religious royalty.

Jesus.

JESUS WASHED FEET

John 13 gives us one of the most powerful pictures of spiritual authority imaginable.

Jesus knows exactly who He is.

He knows where He came from.

He knows where He is going.

And what does He do?

He takes a towel.

He washes feet.

Think about that.

The highest authority in the room performs the lowest servant’s task.

That’s kingdom authority.

Secure authority doesn’t constantly need to prove that it is in charge.

Jesus didn’t need a special chair.

He didn’t need everyone carrying His Bible.

He didn’t need people announcing His titles.

He knew who He was.

So He served.

Imagine what church leadership would look like if John 13 shaped our understanding of authority as strongly as Hebrews 13:17.

Yes, believers should respond appropriately to spiritual leadership.

But leaders should also wash feet.

Not necessarily literally every Sunday.

But in posture.

In humility.

In service.

THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN GOD’S PEOPLE

Another reality radically shapes New Testament community.

Under the New Covenant, the Spirit of God doesn’t dwell only upon a few elite leaders.

He dwells within God’s people.

Paul asks believers in 1 Corinthians 6:19 whether they know that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit isn’t reserved for the pastor.

The Spirit isn’t reserved for the prophet.

The Spirit isn’t reserved for the apostle.

Every genuine believer has the Holy Spirit.

That doesn’t mean every believer is equally mature.

It doesn’t mean everybody has the same gifts.

It doesn’t mean we don’t need teachers.

But it does mean spiritual leaders must never act as though they have access to God that ordinary Christians cannot.

THE WORD IS AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE

Imagine living centuries ago when ordinary believers didn’t have personal access to Scripture the way many of us do today.

Now many Christians have multiple Bibles.

We have Scripture on our phones.

We can compare translations.

We can study context.

That privilege creates responsibility.

Don’t outsource your Bible reading to your pastor.

Listen to sermons.

Absolutely.

Receive teaching.

Absolutely.

But open Scripture yourself.

Read.

Study.

Ask questions.

Learn.

Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who examined Scripture to see if what they heard was true.

Healthy pastors should celebrate that.

WE NEED PASTORS

After everything we’ve discussed, someone might conclude:

“So pastors aren’t that important.”

That’s not my conclusion at all.

We desperately need pastors.

Real pastors.

Shepherds.

People who know the sheep.

People who preach truth.

People who protect against wolves.

People who sit beside hospital beds.

People who counsel broken marriages.

People who bury loved ones.

People who celebrate restoration.

People who correct error.

People who pray.

People who teach.

People who carry burdens nobody else knows about.

People who watch over souls knowing they’ll answer to God.

We don’t need less pastoral leadership.

We need more biblical pastoral leadership.

WE NEED SPIRITUAL FATHERS

Yes, after an entire series questioning some uses of that terminology, I believe we need spiritual fathers—in the relational sense Paul demonstrated.

We need mature men who will invest in younger men.

We need older ministers helping younger ministers.

We need believers who can say:

“Walk with me.”

“I’ve made some mistakes you don’t need to repeat.”

“Let me show you what I’ve learned.”

“Let me pray with you.”

“Let me correct you.”

“Let me encourage you.”

“Let me help you become everything Jesus is calling you to become.”

That’s beautiful.

Just don’t build a throne out of it.

WE NEED SPIRITUAL MOTHERS

We need Titus 2 women.

Women who have walked with Jesus.

Women who know Scripture.

Women who have endured difficulty.

Women who can teach younger women.

Women who can encourage.

Women who can correct.

Women who can demonstrate faithfulness.

Women who can love someone so deeply that, like Paul speaking of Rufus’s mother inRomans 16:13, somebody can truthfully say:

“She became like a mother to me.”

That’s beautiful too.

Again:

Relationship.

Not rank.

WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY

Nobody should walk alone.

Especially leaders.

Pastors need people who can ask them hard questions.

“How is your marriage?”

“How is your thought life?”

“What are you watching?”

“How are you handling money?”

“Are you becoming prideful?”

“Are you exhausted?”

“Are you treating people well?”

“Are you secretly struggling?”

Those conversations matter.

A title doesn’t provide accountability.

Relationships do.

I would rather have three people who genuinely know me and can confront me than fifty famous names supposedly serving as my “covering” but who know nothing about my life.

WE NEED SUBMISSION

Submission isn’t a dirty word.

Pride doesn’t become spiritual merely because someone had a bad experience with leadership.

Sometimes we need to submit.

Sometimes our pastor sees something we don’t.

Sometimes an elder’s correction hurts because it’s true.

Sometimes we need to stop defending ourselves and listen.

Sometimes we need to trust leadership decisions.

There are times maturity means saying:

“I was wrong.”

But biblical submission never requires replacing Jesus with another human being.

WE NEED DISCERNMENT

John tells believers in 1 John 4:1 not to believe every spirit but to test the spirits.

Paul tells believers to test everything.

Prophetic speech is evaluated.

Teaching is measured by Scripture.

Discernment isn’t rebellion.

It’s part of Christian maturity.

But discernment isn’t cynicism either.

Some Christians become suspicious of everyone.

Every pastor is controlling.

Every large church is compromised.

Every prophet is false.

Every ministry is corrupt.

That’s not discernment.

That’s suspicion.

Biblical discernment is humble enough to test and humble enough to receive what is good.

WE NEED EACH OTHER

The New Testament doesn’t envision Christianity as:

“Me, Jesus, and my Bible.”

It envisions a body.

1 Corinthians 12 describes many members working together.

You need people.

And people need you.

You have weaknesses; somebody else’s gift can strengthen them.

You have gifts somebody else needs.

You have blind spots.

So do I.

That’s why isolation is dangerous.

The answer to unhealthy church culture isn’t abandoning the body.

It’s pursuing healthy biblical community.

THE GOAL ISN’T DEPENDENCE ON LEADERS

Return to Ephesians 4:11–16.

Christ gives leaders to equip saints.

The saints do ministry.

The body grows.

Believers mature.

They become stable.

They speak truth in love.

And then Paul describes the entire body growing from Christ.

That’s the goal.

Healthy leadership doesn’t say:

“How can I make these people need me more?”

It asks:

“How can I help these people know Jesus better?”

That’s a radically different ministry philosophy.

WHAT DOES A HEALTHY CHURCH LOOK LIKE?

Imagine a church where pastors genuinely shepherd but don’t control.

Where leaders are honored but aren’t idolized.

Where prophetic ministry operates but is tested.

Where teachers teach Scripture while encouraging people to study on their own.

Where apostles serve Christ’s mission rather than building personal empires.

Where evangelists equip ordinary believers to share Jesus.

Where mature believers disciple younger believers.

Where older women teach younger women.

Where older men invest in younger men.

Where questions are welcomed.

Where correction is received.

Where sin isn’t hidden to protect reputations.

Where accusations aren’t automatically believed either.

Where truth matters.

Where grace matters.

Where accountability matters.

Where restoration matters.

Where everybody understands:

Jesus is Lord.

That sounds like a family worth belonging to.

THE FAMILY TABLE IS ROUND

Maybe we’ve pictured the Church incorrectly.

We sometimes picture a pyramid.

Someone at the top.

Everybody else underneath.

But the New Testament repeatedly gives us another picture.

A body.

A family.

A flock.

A temple.

A bride.

In every picture, Jesus occupies the central position.

He is the Head of the body.

He is the Chief Shepherd of the flock.

He is the cornerstone of the temple.

He is the Bridegroom of the bride.

And through Him, God is our Father.

We may need fewer pyramids and more family tables.

At the family table, there are elders.

There are younger people.

There are mothers.

There are fathers.

There are brothers.

There are sisters.

Different ages.

Different maturity levels.

Different responsibilities.

But nobody is pretending to be the Father.

THE SAFEST PLACE IS UNDER CHRIST

This series is called:

UNDER CHRIST.

That’s intentional.

Because ultimately, that’s where every one of us belongs.

Pastor:

Under Christ.

Apostle:

Under Christ.

Prophet:

Under Christ.

Evangelist:

Under Christ.

Teacher:

Under Christ.

Spiritual father:

Under Christ.

Spiritual mother:

Under Christ.

Church member:

Under Christ.

Every one of us.

We don’t need leaders who stand between people and Jesus.

We need leaders who stand beside people and continually point toward Jesus.

We don’t need spiritual parents collecting sons and daughters.

We need mature believers raising disciples.

We don’t need “coverings” that make people afraid to leave.

We need communities so healthy people are grateful to belong.

We don’t need pastors afraid of questions.

We need pastors confident enough in Scripture to say:

“Open your Bible and check what I’m telling you.”

We don’t need followers who refuse correction.

We need humble believers who remain teachable.

We don’t need untouchable leaders.

We need accountable leaders.

We don’t need Christians who are independent.

We need Christians who are mature.

ONE FATHER. ONE HEAD. ONE FAMILY.

That could summarize the entire series.

One Father.

God.

One Head.

Jesus Christ.

One family.

The Church.

Inside that family, there are countless relationships.

Pastors.

Elders.

Teachers.

Mentors.

Fathers in the faith.

Mothers in the faith.

Brothers.

Sisters.

Friends.

Disciple-makers.

Counselors.

Leaders.

Servants.

People who correct us.

People who encourage us.

People who walk beside us through our darkest seasons.

Thank God for every one of them.

Honor them.

Love them.

Learn from them.

Listen when they correct you.

Seek their wisdom.

Walk in accountability.

Submit where Scripture calls you to submit.

Serve faithfully within Christ’s body.

But never give another human being the place that belongs uniquely to Jesus.

Because the best spiritual father will eventually point beyond himself and say:

“Follow Jesus.”

The best spiritual mother will say:

“Follow Jesus.”

The best pastor will say:

“Follow Jesus.”

The best apostle will say:

“Follow Jesus.”

The best prophet will say:

“Follow Jesus.”

The best teacher will open Scripture and say:

“Look at Jesus.”

And the healthiest Church will continually remind every person who enters its doors:

You belong to Jesus.

He purchased you.

He saved you.

He restored you.

He filled you with His Spirit.

He placed you within His body.

He gave you leaders to equip you.

He gave you brothers and sisters to walk beside you.

He gave you gifts so you could serve others.

And He is growing you toward maturity.

So honor leaders.

Receive discipleship.

Walk in accountability.

Stay teachable.

Serve the body.

Love the family.

Test everything by Scripture.

And above every other voice, title, relationship, ministry, movement, network, and personality,

keep Jesus where He belongs.

At the center.

At the top.

At the Head.

Because when Christ is truly the Head, nobody else needs His seat.

UNDER CHRIST

One Father.

One Head.

One family.

And all of us under Christ.

Part 7: The Fivefold Ministry Was Given to Equip You, Not Own You

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers Under Christ

Apostles.

Prophets.

Evangelists.

Pastors.

Teachers.

Depending on your church background, these words might sound completely normal, or some might make you feel uneasy.

Some Christians believe apostles and prophets belonged only to the Church’s earliest period.

Others believe all five ministry functions described in Ephesians continue operating today.

That’s an important topic to discuss.

But there’s another question that often gets missed.

No matter what we believe about whether these ministries continue and how they function, we should ask:

Why did Jesus give leaders to His Church in the first place?

Paul answers that question directly.

And his answer should shape everything we believe about spiritual leadership.

JESUS GAVE GIFTS TO HIS CHURCH

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11–12 (CSB):

“And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.”

Notice where ministry leadership originates.

“He himself gave…”

Jesus gives these ministries to His Church.

This shows us something important right away.

The apostle belongs to Jesus.

The prophet belongs to Jesus.

The evangelist belongs to Jesus.

The pastor belongs to Jesus.

The teacher belongs to Jesus.

And the Church belongs to Jesus.

Jesus is the one who designed ministry leadership.

But ministry leaders aren’t the Head.

Christ is.

Leaders are gifts from the Head to the body.

That difference is very important.

WHAT ARE LEADERS SUPPOSED TO DO?

Paul tells us:

“to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”

This might challenge how some of us think about church.

For many Christians, the unspoken model looks something like this:

Pastor = minister.

Congregation = audience.

Pastor studies.

Pastor preaches.

Pastor prays.

Pastor counsels.

Pastor evangelizes.

Pastor visits.

Pastor ministers.

And everybody else attends.

But that’s not Paul’s picture.

According to Ephesians 4, leaders aren’t given to the Church to do all the ministry.

They’re given to equip the saints to do ministry.

This changes everything.

The pastor’s job isn’t simply to minister to you.

Part of the pastor’s responsibility is to prepare you to minister.

The teacher doesn’t merely give you information.

The teacher helps you understand truth so you can live it and communicate it.

The evangelist doesn’t merely preach the gospel while everybody watches.

The evangelist helps awaken and equip the Church for gospel mission.

The prophet doesn’t exist to make people permanently dependent upon prophetic words.

Prophetic ministry should point people toward God’s purposes, God’s truth, and faithful obedience.

The apostle doesn’t exist to build a personal empire of people beneath him.

Apostolic ministry serves Christ’s mission and the establishment, strengthening, and maturation of His Church.

No matter which ministry role we’re talking about, the goal should always be the same:

Equip God’s people.

THE SAINTS DO THE WORK OF MINISTRY

Read the passage again.

“To equip the saints for the work of ministry.”

Who does ministry?

The saints.

That’s you.

If you belong to Jesus, you’re not just someone who receives ministry.

You are part of the ministry.

You may never preach from a platform.

You may never carry a church title.

You may never lead a large organization.

But God has placed gifts, opportunities, relationships, and responsibilities in your life through which you can serve His kingdom.

The ChuThe Church is at its best when everyone understands:try isn’t something I watch.

Ministry is something I’m equipped to participate in.

LEADERS SHOULD BE PRODUCING LEADERS

Think about Jesus.

Jesus gathered disciples.

He taught them.

Corrected them.

Answered their questions.

Modeled ministry.

Allowed them to watch.

Then He sent them out.

Jesus didn’t set things up so the disciples would always just watch while He did all the work.

He equipped them.

That’s discipleship.

Healthy leadership should reproduce.

A healthy pastor should eventually produce people who can teach.

People who can disciple.

People who can pray with others.

People who can evangelize.

People who can lead ministries.

People who can recognize truth and error.

People who can help hurting believers.

People who can eventually help equip somebody else.

Paul tells Timothy in2 Timothy 2:2 (CSB):

“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Look at the generations contained in that verse.

Paul.

Timothy.

Faithful people.

Others.

That’s multiplication.

Paul isn’t collecting followers.

He’s producing disciple-makers.

THE GOAL IS MATURITY

Paul continues in Ephesians 4:13:

“until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”

There is the goal again.

Maturity.

This idea keeps coming up in this series because it’s at the heart of New Testament leadership.

Healthy spiritual leadership should help believers grow up.

That doesn’t mean we outgrow the need for the Church.

It doesn’t mean mature Christians stop needing pastors.

It doesn’t mean we become independent.

Maturity doesn’t mean being alone.

But our relationship with leadership should produce increasing spiritual stability.

We should know Scripture better.

We should pray more confidently.

We should recognize error more quickly.

We should understand our gifts.

We should become more capable of serving.

We should increasingly resemble Jesus.

Notice how Paul describes maturity:

“measured by Christ’s fullness.”

Not:

Measured by the apostle.

Measured by the prophet.

Measured by the pastor.

Measured by the spiritual father.

Measured by the spiritual mother.

Measured by Christ.

Jesus is the standard.

IMMATURE BELIEVERS ARE EASILY CONTROLLED

Paul explains why maturity matters.

Ephesians 4:14 (CSB)says:

“Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.”

When people are immature, they are more easily influenced.

Every new teaching sounds exciting.

Every confident preacher sounds authoritative.

Every prophecy sounds divine.

Every viral sermon clip sounds profound.

Every charismatic personality seems trustworthy.

But mature believers learn discernment.

They ask:

“What does Scripture say?”

“What is the context?”

“Does this teaching actually follow the text?”

“Does this glorify Jesus?”

“Does this produce godliness?”

“Does this align with the gospelThat’s why healthy leaders aren’t afraid of church members who know the Bible well.ons.

They want them.

A healthy pastor shouldn’t think:

“If these people start studying Scripture for themselves, they might question me.”

He should think:

“Good. I want them rooted deeply enough in Scripture that nobody—including me—can easily deceive them.”

That’s shepherding.

THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRY ISN’T A CORPORATE LADDER

This is where modern church structures can cause problems.

Sometimes Ephesians 4 gets turned into a hierarchy.

Apostle at the top.

Then prophet.

Then pastor.

Then everybody else.

But that’s not what Paul is describing.

He isn’t drawing an organizational pyramid.

He’s describing Christ’s gifts to His body.

Different functions.

Different graces.

Different assignments.

Same Head.

Jesus.

The apostle isn’t more valuable to Jesus than the older woman faithfully praying for her church.

The prophet isn’t spiritually superior to the person quietly serving meals.

The pastor isn’t more loved by God than the new believer sitting in the congregation.

Having different roles doesn’t mean some people are more valuable than others.

Paul makes this incredibly clear elsewhere when describing the Church as a body.

THE BODY NEEDS EVERYBODY

In1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains that the Church functions like a human body.

Different parts.

Different functions.

One body.

The eye can’t say to the hand:

“I don’t need you.”

The head can’t say to the feet:

“I don’t need you.”

Every part is important.

That’s a radically different picture from celebrity Christianity.

Celebrity Christianity says:

“Look at the important person on the platform.”

Body Christianity says:

“Look at what Jesus is doing through His entire people.”

Some parts are visible.

Others aren’t.

Some preach.

Others pray.

Some lead publicly.

Others serve quietly.

Some evangelize crowds.

Others disciple one person at a kitchen table.

But every part matters.

APOSTOLIC MINISTRY ISN’T OWNERSHIP

If we recognize apostolic ministry today, then we need to define it biblically.

An apostle isn’t a Christian CEO who owns churches beneath him.

Paul’s apostolic authority was real.

But look at how he describes ministry in2 Corinthians 4:5 (CSB):

“For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.”

That’s apostolic ministry.

Jesus Christ as Lord.

Ourselves as servants.

That’s very different from making a ministry all about an apostle’s personal importance.

PROPHETIC MINISTRY ISN’T CONTROL

The same principle applies to prophetic ministry.

If we believe prophetic gifts continue, then New Testament instructions concerning prophecy still matter.

1 Corinthians 14:29says prophetic words should be evaluated.

That means:

“God told me”

doesn’t automatically end the conversation.

Healthy prophetic ministry doesn’t control people’s lives.

It doesn’t replace Scripture.

It doesn’t make decisions for people.

It doesn’t create dependency upon the prophet.

Prophecy operates within the body under Christ and remains subject to biblical discernment.

PASTORS ARE SHEPHERDS, NOT OWNERS

Peter tells elders in1 Peter 5:2:

“Shepherd God’s flock among you…”

Notice whose flock it is.

God’s.

Pastor, those aren’t your people.

They’re God’s people.

Yes, God entrusted them to your care.

Yes, you have responsibility.

Yes, you exercise oversight.

Yes, you’ll give an account.

But they’re His.

Then Peter warns against “lording it over” those entrusted to leadership.

Pastors shepherd.

Jesus owns.

Don’t mix up these two roles.

TEACHERS SHOULD MAKE PEOPLE HUNGRY FOR SCRIPTURE

A teacher’s greatest accomplishment isn’t getting people to say:

“I could listen to that teacher forever.”

It is helping people say:

“I want to know theGood teachers don’t make the Bible feel out of reach.em inaccessible.

They help believers learn how to read it.

Understand context.

Recognize sound doctrine.

Ask good questions.

Study responsibly.

Apply truth.

Eventually, the student should be able to teach somebody else.

That’s multiplication.

EVANGELISTS SHOULD AWAKEN THE CHURCH TO MISSION

Evangelists have a beautiful gift.

They proclaim the gospel.

They call people to Jesus.

They often have an extraordinary ability to communicate the good news clearly.

But Ephesians 4 places evangelists among those equipping the saints.

That means evangelistic ministry shouldn’t merely produce people who say:

“Bring your lost friends to the evangelist.”

It should also help ordinary Christians understand:

“I can tell somebody about Jesus too.”

Equip the saints.

That’s how it’s meant to work.

THE PLATFORM EXISTS FOR THE PEOPLE

We may need to reverse some of our thinking.

The congregation doesn’t exist to build the leader’s platform.

The leader’s platform exists to build the congregation.

The people aren’t there to make the pastor famous.

The pastor is there to help the people become faithful.

The Church isn’t successful because thousands know the leader’s name.

The Church is successful when people increasingly knowJesus.

Imagine churches where the question wasn’t:

“How many people attended?”

but:

“How many people are becoming disciples?”

Not merely:

“How many watched the sermon?”

but:

“How many are learning to serve?”

Not merely:

“How large is the platform?”

but:

“How mature is the body?”

These are very different ways to measure success.

HEALTHY LEADERSHIP WORKS ITSELF OUT OF DEPENDENCY

A good parent understands this.

When your child is two years old, you do almost everything for them.

But if you’re still doing everything for them when they’re thirty-five, something has gone wrong.

The goal of parenting is maturity.

Spiritual leadership should operate similarly.

At first, a new believer may need a lot of help.

“Where should I read?”

“How do I pray?”

“What does this verse mean?”

“How do I know what’s true?”

That’s completely normal.

But years later, you should grow.

Eventually, that believer should be helping someone else.

The relationship remains.

The pastor remains valuable.

The Church remains necessary.

But as people grow, they become less dependent.

LEADERS SHOULD CELEBRATE WHEN PEOPLE OUTGROW DEPENDENCY

This can test a leader’s heart.

What happens when someone you discipled becomes influential?

What happens when the young preacher becomes an excellent preacher?

What happens when someone you taught begins teaching others?

What happens when somebody’s ministry becomes larger than yours?

Can you celebrate?

John the Baptist gives us beautiful language inJohn 3:30:

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

That’s what ministry is really about.

Not:

“How do I make sure everyone remembers who their spiritual father is?”

But:

“How do I make Jesus bigger in their eyes?”

THE REAL TEST OF FIVEFOLD MINISTRY

Want to know whether fivefold ministry is functioning healthily?

Don’t only look at the titles leaders carry.

Look at what is happening to the people.

Are saints being equipped?

Are believers maturing?

Are people learning Scripture?

Are gifts being discovered?

Are disciples making disciples?

Are evangelists raising witnesses?

Are teachers raising students of Scripture?

Are pastors raising shepherd-hearted people?

Are prophetic voices helping people respond faithfully to God?

Are apostolic ministries strengthening and extending Christ’s mission?

Is the body being built?

And most importantly:

Is Jesus becoming more central?

Because that’s the whole point.

GIFTS FROM CHRIST, UNDER CHRIST, FOR CHRIST

I believe Christ still gives ministry gifts to His Church.

And because they are gifts, we should receive them.

We need pastors.

We need teachers.

We need evangelists.

We need prophetic ministry operating biblically.

We need apostolic ministry operating biblically.

We shouldn’t take lightly what Christ gives.

But we also shouldn’t put Christ’s gifts in roles He never meant for them to have.

A gift from Jesus should never take His place.

The apostle isn’t the Head.

The prophet isn’t the Head.

The evangelist isn’t the Head.

The pastor isn’t the Head.

The teacher isn’t the Head.

Jesus is.

And every genuine ministry gift should function in such a way that the body becomes stronger, healthier, more mature, more discerning, more active, and more dependent upon Christ.

The fivefold ministry wasn’t given to collect servants around leaders.

It was given to produce servants of Jesus.

It wasn’t given to create dependency.

It was given to produce maturity.

It wasn’t given to build human kingdoms.

It was given to build Christ’s body.

It wasn’t given so leaders could own people.

It was given so leaders could equip them.

And when that happens, something beautiful emerges:

A mature Church.

A serving Church.

A discerning Church.

A reproducing Church.

A Church where every member understands that they have a place in God’s mission.

A Church where leaders are honored without being idolized.

A Church where authority is exercised without domination.

A Church where gifts operate without creating hierarchy.

A Church where spiritual fathers and mothers raise disciples rather than collect followers.

A Church where everyone, from the person preaching to the one quietly serving, understands one basic truth:

We belong to Jesus.

COMING IN PART 8 — THE CONCLUSION

Jesus Is the Head

Recovering the New Testament Family

We’ve talked about spiritual fathers.

Spiritual mothers.

Spiritual covering.

Submission.

Control.

“Touch not my anointed.”

Permission and calling.

Fivefold ministry.

Now we need to put everything together.

If we’re going to question unhealthy models of spiritual authority, we must offer something better.

And Scripture does.

In Part 8, we’ll examine the beautiful New Testament picture of the Church:

God as our Father.

Jesus as our Head and Chief Shepherd.

The Holy Spirit dwelling within God’s people.

Pastors and elders faithfully shepherding.

Fivefold ministers equipping.

Mature believers discipling younger believers.

Brothers and sisters carrying one another’s burdens.

Every believer growing toward maturity in Christ.

The answer to abusive authority isn’t no authority.

The answer to unhealthy submission isn’t rebellion.

The answer to bad church isn’t isolation.

The answer is to return to Christ’s design for His family.

And at the center of that family sits no apostle, pastor, prophet, spiritual father, or spiritual mother.

At the center is Jesus Christ.

Part 6: Do You Need Your Leader’s Permission to Obey God?

Counsel, Confirmation, and the Voice of Christ

“Has your pastor released you?”

“Did your spiritual father approve it?”

“Did your covering give you permission?”

“I know you believe God told you to do it, but you need to wait until your leader releases you.”

Statements like these raise one of the most difficult questions surrounding modern teachings on spiritual authority:

Do Christians need a human leader’s permission before they can obey what they believe God has called them to do?

We need to answer that question carefully.

There are two extremes we need to avoid.

One extreme says:

“Nobody can tell me anything. God speaks directly to me.”

This might sound spiritual, but it can lead to pride, recklessness, and a lack of accountability.

The other extreme says:

“I cannot obey God unless my spiritual authority gives me permission.”

This may seem submissive, but it puts a person in a place that, according to Scripture, belongs only to Christ.

Both of these extremes are unhealthy.

The New Testament offers a better way.

Believers hear God through Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s work.

They walk in community.

They receive counsel.

They test what they believe they’re hearing.

They recognize godly leadership.

They remain teachable.

They welcome correction.

But in the end, each Christian is personally responsible for following Jesus Christ.

No one else can take on that responsibility for you.

“GOD TOLD ME” DOESN’T END THE CONVERSATION

Let’s start with the first problem.

Sometimes Christians use:

“God told me”

as a way to avoid accountability.

Someone says:

“God told me to marry this person.”

But everyone who knows them sees serious warning signs.

“God told me to quit my job.”

But they have no plan for providing for their family.

“God told me to start a ministry.”

But they refuse to serve faithfully anywhere before demanding a platform.

“God told me this doctrine is true.”

But they cannot support it with Scripture.

When questioned, the response is:

“You can’t tell me what God told me.”

That’s not mature discernment.

That’s just using God’s name to make our own wishes seem beyond question.

The Bible teaches a much healthier approach.

WHAT WE HEAR MUST BE TESTED

1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 (CSB)says:

“Don’t despise prophecies, but test all things. Hold on to what is good.”

Pay attention to both parts of this instruction.

Don’t automatically reject what may be from God.

But don’t automatically accept it either.

Test it.

Paul gives similar instructions in1 Corinthians 14:29:

“Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate.”

We are called to evaluate.

This is an important idea.

Even prophetic speech within the New Testament church was subject to discernment.

So when someone says:

“I believe God is leading me to do this,”

there is nothing wrong with mature believers asking:

“Does this agree with Scripture?”

“Does this reflect Christ’s character?”

“Have you prayed about this?”

“Have you sought counsel?”

“Are your motives healthy?”

“Are there warning signs you may be overlooking?”

This isn’t about controlling anyone.

It’s about helping them discern what’s right.

SCRIPTURE IS OUR FIRST TEST

The clearest boundary is Scripture.

God will not lead you in a way that goes against what He has already revealed in His Word.

If someone says:

“God told me to leave my spouse because I met my soulmate,”

we don’t need three prophetic confirmations.

We have Scripture.

If someone says:

“God told me to lie about this situation because the truth would hurt the ministry,”

we don’t need to discern whether that was God.

God has already spoken about truthfulness.

If someone says:

“God told me I don’t need Christian community or accountability anymore,”

we compare that claim with Scripture.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t contradict the Word He inspired.

This is why knowing the Bible is so important.

When people don’t know Scripture well, it’s easier for someone else’s so-called revelation to influence them.

THE BEREANS DIDN’T OUTSOURCE DISCERNMENT

We’ve already looked at the Bereans in this series, but they deserve another mention.

In Acts 17:11, they received Paul’s message eagerly while examining Scripture daily to determine whether what they were hearing was true.

They didn’t say:

“Paul is the apostle. Whatever he says must automatically be right.”

They examined Scripture.

And Scripture calls them noble for doing it.

This means that mature Christians don’t let others do all their discerning for them.

Pastors help us discern.

Teachers help us understand Scripture.

Prophets may bring something that requires evaluation.

Mature believers provide wisdom.

But ultimately, every believer has responsibility before God to know truth.

COUNSEL IS A GIFT

Now let’s address the opposite extreme.

Some people hear teaching like this and conclude:

“Great. I don’t need anybody.”

That’s not biblical.

Proverbs repeatedly emphasizes the value of wise counsel.

Proverbs 15:22 (CSB)says:

“Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Wisdom lies in asking other people.

Especially people who know you.

People who aren’t impressed by you.

People who can tell you no.

People who understand Scripture.

People who have experience.

People who don’t have anything to gain from your decision.

People who love you enough to tell you what you don’t want to hear.

That kind of honesty is a real gift.

I would be concerned about someone making major decisions while refusing all counsel.

The issue isn’t whether we need counseThe real question is whether seeking advice turns into needing permission.permission.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNSEL AND PERMISSION

Suppose you believe God is calling you to plant a church.

You go to your pastor.

A healthy conversation might sound like:

“I believe God may be calling me to plant.”

Your pastor responds:

“Let’s pray about that. Let’s examine your character, calling, gifting, preparation, family situation, finances, and timing. Let’s make sure you’re ready.”

That’s a healthy way to approach things.

Your pastor may even tell you:

“I believe you’re called, but I don’t believe you’re ready yet.”

You would be wise to take that seriously.

You may be hearing the what correctly but missing the when.

Maybe God really has called you, but you need preparation.

Good advice can help us tell the difference between excitement and true readiness.

But now imagine something different.

“I believe God is calling me to plant.”

The response:

“You cannot plant a church unless I release you. God placed me over you. If you go without my permission, you’ll be operating outside your covering.”

But now, this is a different kind of claim.

The question becomes:

Where does Scripture give that leader universal authority over another believer’s calling?

That’s much harder to prove from Scripture.

ACTS 13 SHOWS COMMUNITY CONFIRMATION

Acts 13 gives us a beautiful model.

The church at Antioch is worshiping and fasting when the Holy Spirit says:

Acts 13:2 (CSB)

“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Notice who called them.

The Holy Spirit.

Then the church fasted, prayed, laid hands on them, and sent them off.

That’s a powerful example.

There is both:

Divine calling

and

community confirmation.

These two ideas can work together.

The Spirit calls.

The Church recognizes.

The Church prays.

The Church commissions.

The Church sends.

That’s healthy.

But notice, the church is not shown as the source of the calling.

God is.

The church recognizes what God is doing.

WHAT IF LEADERS DISAGREE?

This is where things become difficult.

What happens when you sincerely believe God is leading you one direction and your spiritual leaders believe you’re wrong?

Don’t immediately assume they’re controlling.

Listen.

Pray.

Slow down if possible.

Ask why they disagree.

Maybe they see something you don’t.

Maybe your motives are mixed.

Maybe your timing is wrong.

Maybe you’re unprepared.

Maybe you’re hurt and calling escape “calling.”

Maybe you’re ambitious and calling ambition “anointing.”

Maybe they’re right.

We should always be humble enough to consider that possibility.

But leaders also need to consider another possibility:

They could be wrong.

Pastors aren’t infallible.

Elders aren’t omniscient.

Prophets don’t know everything.

Apostles aren’t God.

Sometimes leaders misunderstand what God is doing in someone else’s life.

PETER AND JOHN FACED A LIMIT

Acts 4 and 5 give us an extreme example of the limits of human authority.

Religious authorities commanded the apostles to stop preaching Jesus.

Peter and John responded in Acts 4:19by asking whether it was right before God to listen to them rather than God.

Then in Acts 5:29 (CSB)Peter and the apostles say:

“We must obey God rather than people.”

But we need to use this passagewisely.y.

It isn’t a license for Christians to say:

“My pastor asked me to arrive at church at 8:00, but God told me 8:30.”

That’s not a serious example.

Acts 5 involves authorities directly commanding the apostles to stop obeying Christ.

Even so, the principle here is important:

No human authority is absolute.

Whenever human authority directly contradicts God’s authority, God wins.

Every time.

PAUL’S CALLING CAME FROM CHRIST

Paul says something interesting in Galatians 1:15–17.

When God revealed Christ to him and called him to preach among the Gentiles, Paul emphasizes that he didn’t immediately consult human beings or go to Jerusalem to the apostles before him.

He went away and later returned to Damascus.

Paul isn’t teaching independence from the Church.

His later ministry clearly demonstrates deep relationships with churches and other leaders.

But his calling didn’t originate in Jerusalem.

It originated with Christ.

That makes a real difference.

Human beings may recognize a calling.

Human beings may confirm a calling.

Human beings may help develop a calling.

Human beings may provide opportunities for a calling.

But ultimately:

God calls.

A CHURCH DOES CONTROL ITS OWN PULPIT

We need another important distinction.

Suppose someone says:

“God called me to preach.”

Does that mean your pastor must let you preach next Sunday?

No.

Your calling doesn’t obligate another leader to surrender responsibility God has entrusted to them.

A pastor has responsibility for what happens in the congregation he shepherds.

Church leaders can say:

“We don’t believe you’re ready to teach here.”

They can say:

“You aren’t authorized to lead this ministry.”

They can remove someone from a leadership position when necessary.

They can establish standards for people serving within that congregation.

That’s an example of proper authority.

But there is a difference between saying:

“You cannot exercise that ministry here.”

and saying:

“God cannot use you anywhere unless I release you.”

One deals with stewardship over a particular congregation.

The other claims authority over another person’s calling.

These are not the same thing.

YOUR PASTOR ISN’T THE HOLY SPIRIT

Pastors should help people hear God.

Not replace Him.

A pastor should be able to say:

“Here’s what Scripture says.”

“Here’s what I believe wisdom suggests.”

“Here’s what concerns me.”

“Here’s what I think you should pray about.”

“Here’s what I’ve learned through experience.”

And sometimes:

“I strongly believe you’re making a mistake.”

That’s pastoral care.

But we should be very cautious about saying:

“God told me what you’re supposed to do, therefore you must obey me.”

That’s a very serious claim.

If I’m wrong, I haven’t merely given bad advice.

I’ve attached God’s name to my opinion.

That’s a serious matter.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE BEFORE GOD

Romans 14 deals with disputed matters among believers.

Paul repeatedly emphasizes personal responsibility before God.

Romans 14:12 (CSB)says:

“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

Each of us.

That means one day I cannot stand before Jesus and say:

“But my pastor told me to.”

Neither can I say:

“My spiritual father made that decision.”

Or:

“My covering approved it.”

I am responsible before Christ for my obedience.

Leaders can guide me.

They can teach me.

They can correct me.

They can warn me.

But they cannot assume my responsibility before God.

DON’T CONFUSE INDEPENDENCE WITH MATURITY

Mature believers don’t say:

“I don’t need anyone.”

They say:

“I need the body of Christ, but Christ is stiThat’s the balance we need.s the balance.

I need pastors.

I need brothers and sisters.

I need people who can correct me.

I need wisdom.

I need accountability.

I need people who can recognize blind spots.

But none of those people become Jesus.

FIVE QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU SAY “GOD TOLD ME”

Before making a major decision based upon what you believe God has spoken, ask yourself:

1. Does it agree with Scripture?

God won’t contradict His Word.

2. Have I genuinely prayed, or have I already decided what I want?

Sometimes we ask God to confirm decisions we’ve already made emotionally.

3. What are mature believers saying?

Not just people who always agree with you.

Ask people who will tell you the truth.

4. Are there repeated confirmations?

Circumstances alone don’t determine God’s will, but sometimes God graciously confirms direction through Scripture, counsel, opportunity, gifting, and providence.

5. Am I willing to hear “no”?

If every person who disagrees with you automatically becomes “religious,” “controlling,” or “unable to hear God,” you may not actually be seeking counsel.

You may be seeking agreement.

AND FIVE QUESTIONS FOR LEADERS

Leaders should examine themselves too.

Before telling someone what God supposedly requires of them, ask:

1. Is this clearly Scripture—or my preference?

Those aren’t the same thing.

2. Am I giving counsel or demanding control?

3. Would I respond differently if this person’s decision didn’t affect my ministry?

That’s a revealing question.

4. Am I afraid of losing this person?

Sometimes leaders call something “rebellion” because they’re afraid someone is leaving their influence.

5. Am I pointing this person toward Christ or making them dependent upon me?

That question should sober every leader.

THE GOAL IS MATURE DISCERNMENT

Healthy leadership produces believers who can eventually say:

“I’ve searched Scripture.”

“I’ve prayed.”

“I’ve listened to counsel.”

“I’ve examined my motives.”

“I’ve invited correction.”

“I’ve waited when necessary.”

“And after doing those things, I believe this is what obedience to Christ requires.”

That is very different from impulsively saying:

“God told me, so leave me alone.”

And it’s also very different from saying:

“I cannot move until another human being gives me permission.”

The first can be arrogance.

The second can lead to bondage.

Biblical maturity lives somewhere between them.

CHRIST IS LORD

Pastors are gifts.

Mentors are gifts.

Spiritual fathers and mothers, understood relationally, can be tremendous gifts.

Prophetic voices can be gifts.

Wise counselors are gifts.

Accountability is a gift.

But none of these gifts can take the place of the Giver.

Jesus remains Lord.

The Holy Spirit remains present within His people.

Scripture remains our authoritative standard.

The Church remains a community where discernment happens.

And every believer remains responsible before God.

So seek counsel.

Please seek counsel.

Especially before major decisions.

Listen when mature believers disagree with you.

Don’t become defensive.

Don’t baptize every personal desire with the words:

“God told me.”

Remain teachable.

Remain accountable.

Remain humble.

But also remember:

No pastor died for you.

No apostle died for you.

No spiritual father died for you.

No spiritual mother died for you.

Jesus did.

No pastor will ultimately judge your faithfulness.

Jesus will.

No human leader owns your calling.

Jesus does.

And no human being has the right to occupy the place in your life that belongs uniquely to Christ.

Good leaders understand that.

They don’t demand that you hear God through them.

They help you learn to recognize God’s truth for yourself.

They don’t need you to be permanently dependent on their approval.

They want you mature enough to obey Christ faithfully.

Because the goal of discipleship isn’t producing Christians who constantly ask:

“What does my leader want me to do?”

The goal is producing mature disciples whose lives increasingly revolve around one question:

“Jesus, what would You have me do?”

Then they open Scripture.

They pray.

They listen.

They seek counsel.

They test.

They discern.

And when they know what obedience requires—

they follow Christ.

COMING IN PART 7

The Fivefold Ministry Was Given to Equip You, Not Own You

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers Under Christ

Jesus gives leaders to His Church.

Ephesians 4:11–12identifies apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers and explains exactly why Christ gave them:

“to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”

That raises an important question.

If leaders were given to equip the saints, why do some ministry structures leave believers permanently dependent upon the leaders?

In Part 7, we’ll examine Ephesians 4:11–16closely.

We’ll talk about the fivefold ministry.

We’ll talk about apostles and prophets.

We’ll talk about pastors and teachers.

We’ll talk about spiritual authority.

And we’ll examine the goal Jesus Himself established for ministry leadership:

Not control.

Not celebrity.

Not building personal kingdoms.

Not collecting spiritual sons and daughters.

Equipping God’s people until they grow into maturity in Christ.

Part 5: “Touch Not My Anointed”

What That Verse Actually Means

“Be careful.”

“That’s God’s man.”

“You shouldn’t say anything about him.”

“Touch not God’s anointed.”

If you’ve spent much time in church, you’ve probably heard some version of those statements.

Sometimes the warning comes from a sincere desire to protect unity.

And that’s understandable.

Christians shouldn’t enjoy attacking other Christians.

We shouldn’t spread rumors.

We shouldn’t gossip about pastors.

We shouldn’t make accusations without evidence.

We shouldn’t dishonor faithful leaders simply because we disagree with them.

Scripture takes slander seriously.

Scripture takes false accusations seriously.

Scripture teaches us to honor godly leaders.

But this issue has another side.

Sometimes people use the phrase “Touch not my anointed ones” as a way to shield leaders from honest questions, biblical evaluation, correction, or accountability.

A pastor’s teaching is questioned:

“Touch not God’s anointed.”

A prophet’s prediction doesn’t happen:

“Don’t attack God’s prophet.”

A leader behaves wrongly:

“You better be careful what you say about God’s man.”

Someone asks for financial accountability:

“You’re operating in rebellion.”

A church member raises a legitimate concern:

“Don’t put your mouth on the anointed.”

But is that what the Bible means when it says:

“Do not touch my anointed ones”?

Let’s look at the text.

WHERE DOES “TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED” COME FROM?

The statement appears in Psalm 105:15 and 1 Chronicles 16:22.

Psalm 105 recounts God’s covenant faithfulness throughout Israel’s history.

The psalm describes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and God’s protection of His covenant people.

Immediately before the famous statement, Psalm 105 describes God’s people wandering among nations.

Then we read:

Psalm 105:14–15 (CSB)

“He allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their behalf: ‘Do not touch my anointed ones, or harm my prophets.’”

Notice the context.

This isn’t a pastor standing before his congregation saying:

“Nobody is allowed to question my leadership because I am God’s anointed.”

God is protecting His people from hostile kings and nations.

The word“touch” isn’t referring to asking questions.

It isn’t describing examining someone’s teaching.

It isn’t talking about respectfully disagreeing with a leader.

It is talking about real harm and oppression.

This is very different from how people sometimes use the verse.

DAVID AND SAUL

Another story frequently connected to this idea involves David and King Saul.

Saul was trying to kill David.

David eventually had an opportunity to kill Saul.

But David refused.

In1 Samuel 24:6, David essentially says he will not harm Saul because Saul is the LORD’s anointed.

Later, David again refuses to kill Saul in1 Samuel 26.

This shows something admirable about David’s character.

David refused to seize the throne through violence.

He trusted God.

He wouldn’t murder Saul to accelerate God’s promise.

That’s worth preaching.

But notice something important.

David refused to kill Saul.

David did not refuse to acknowledge Saul’s wrongdoing.

Read the entire relationship.

David knew Saul was acting wickedly.

David fled from him.

David challenged Saul concerning his actions.

David didn’t pretend Saul’s behavior was acceptable because Saul was anointed.

That is a very important difference.

Honoring Saul’s position didn’t require David to submit himself to Saul’s spear.

HONOR DOESN’T MEAN PRETENDING WRONG IS RIGHT

Sometimes Christians have confused honor with silence.

But biblical honor does not mean being dishonest.

If a leader sins, saying:

“That behavior is wrong”

isn’t automatically dishonor.

If a pastor teaches something contrary to Scripture, saying:

“I don’t believe that teaching is biblical”

isn’t automatically rebellion.

If a prophet makes a prediction that fails, evaluating the prophecy isn’t an attack against the Holy Spirit.

Scripture actually commands discernment.

1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 (CSB)says:

“Don’t despise prophecies, but test all things. Hold on to what is good.”

Notice the balance.

Don’t despise.

But test.

This is what healthy Christianity looks like.

We don’t reject everything.

We don’t accept everything.

We test everything.

THE BEREANS TESTED PAUL

Acts 17 gives us one of the strongest examples.

Paul arrives in Berea preaching the gospel.

The Bereans receive the message eagerly.

But they also examine the Scriptures daily to determine whether Paul’s teaching is true.

Think about who they’re examining.

Paul.

An apostle.

A man who encountered the risen Jesus.

A man through whom God performed extraordinary miracles.

A man who would write a significant portion of the New Testament.

But Luke praises the Bereans for comparing Paul’s message with Scripture.

Apparently:

Testing teaching isn’t dishonoring the teacher.

If Paul could be examined by Scripture, so can I.

So can your pastor.

So can your favorite preacher.

So can the prophet.

So can the apostle.

So can the bishop.

So can the television evangelist.

So can the conference speaker.

So can the bestselling author.

No ministry platform rises above the Word of God.

PAUL CONFRONTED PETER

Now things become even clearer.

Galatians 2:11 (CSB)records Paul saying:

“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.”

Cephas is Peter.

Peter wasn’t an obscure church member.

Peter walked with Jesus.

Peter saw miracles.

Peter was present at the transfiguration.

Peter witnessed the crucifixion and resurrection.

Peter preached on Pentecost.

Peter was unquestionably a major leader in the early Church.

And Paul confronted him.

Publicly.

Why?

Because Peter was wrong.

Did Paul violate the principle of “touch not God’s anointed”?

No.

Paul wasn’t attacking Peter’s calling.

He wasn’t murdering Peter.

He wasn’t slandering Peter.

He was confronting conduct that contradicted the gospel.

Clearly, biblical honor and confrontation can go together.

NATHAN CONFRONTED DAVID

Go back to the Old Testament.

David was unquestionably God’s anointed king.

Yet after David’s sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront him.

Nathan tells David a story.

David becomes angry about the injustice described.

Then Nathan delivers one of the strongest confrontations in Scripture:

2 Samuel 12:7 (CSB)

“You are the man!”

Imagine if David had responded:

“Nathan, watch your mouth. I’m God’s anointed.”

But that’s not what happened.

Nathan confronted the anointed king because God Himself demanded accountability.

Being anointed didn’t place David beyond correction.

In fact, his position made him even more accountable.

SAMUEL CONFRONTED SAUL

Saul was also God’s anointed king.

Yet Samuel repeatedly confronted him.

After Saul disobeyed God’s command, Samuel didn’t say:

“Well, he’s anointed, so nobody should question him.”

Samuel told him the truth.

In1 Samuel 15, Samuel confronts Saul’s rebellion and announces the consequences.

Again, the pattern is clear:

Anointing never meant immunity from accountability.

LEADERS ACTUALLY FACE GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY

James gives teachers a sobering warning.

James 3:1 (CSB)says:

“Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.”

Think about that.

Leadership doesn’t reduce accountability.

It increases it.

Teachers face stricter judgment.

Pastors will give an account for the flock.

Elders must meet specific character qualifications.

Public ministry carries public responsibility.

So the idea that a leader’s anointing makes them less accountable is the opposite of what the Bible teaches.

WHAT DOES “ANOINTED” MEAN FOR CHRISTIANS?

Another important New Testament reality matters.

Sometimes modern church language suggests that only certain elite leaders are “the anointed.”

But listen to John’s language toward ordinary believers.

1 John 2:20 (CSB)says:

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”

Later, 1 John 2:27 again speaks about the anointing believers have received.

The New Testament certainly recognizes different gifts and leadership responsibilities.

But the Holy Spirit isn’t reserved for celebrity preachers.

Every believer belongs to Christ.

Every believer has the Spirit.

We should not create a special group where only a few leaders are called “the anointed” and everyone else is beneath them.

BUT BE CAREFUL—CRITICISM CAN BECOME SIN

Now we need balance.

Everything I’ve written could be misused.

Someone could say:

“Great! Now I have biblical permission to attack pastors.”

No.

You don’t.

Biblical accountability isn’t an excuse for slander.

There is a difference between:

Correction and character assassination.

There is a difference between:

Discernment and gossip.

There is a difference between:

Exposing genuine wrongdoing and enjoying someone’s downfall.

There is a difference between:

Questioning teaching and attacking someone’s character.

The internet has made this especially difficult.

Entire ministries can be built around criticizing other ministries.

People can spend more time investigating preachers they dislike than studying Jesus.

That is not healthy either.

ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ELDERS ARE SERIOUS

Paul gives Timothy specific instructions concerning accusations against elders.

1 Timothy 5:19 (CSB)says:

“Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.”

That’s important.

Rumors shouldn’t destroy pastors.

One angry person shouldn’t be able to invent an accusation and destroy someone’s reputation.

Evidence matters.

Truth matters.

Due process matters.

But notice what comes next.

1 Timothy 5:20 (CSB)says:

“Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will be afraid.”

That’s remarkable.

Verse 19 protects elders from false accusations.

Verse 20 refuses to protect guilty elders from accountability.

That’s biblical balance.

Don’t believe every accusation.

But don’t cover genuine sin either.

PROTECTION ISN’T THE SAME AS COVER-UP

The Church has sometimes made a tragic mistake.

We want to protect the ministry’s reputation.

So we hide wrongdoing.

“We don’t want people talking.”

“We need to protect the church.”

“Think about what this will do to the ministry.”

But hiding real sin to protect an institution does not protect the Church.

It’s damaging it.

TrutIt actually harms the Church.n Christ’s Church.

Sin does.

When wrongdoing occurs, follow biblical processes carefully, truthfully, fairly, and without sensationalism.

Victims should not be sacrificed to preserve a leader’s platform.

Nor should leaders be condemned merely by accusation.

Truth should be more important than reputation.

JESUS IS THE ONE WE PROTECT

Sometimes we become so concerned about protecting leaders that we forget whose reputation ultimately matters.

Jesus.

The Church belongs to Him.

If a leader behaves in a way that dishonors Christ, hiding the behavior doesn’t protect Jesus.

Repentance honors Jesus.

Truth honors Jesus.

Justice honors Jesus.

Restoration honors Jesus.

Accountability honors Jesus.

We do not need to protect Jesus from the truth.

THE RIGHT QUESTION

So what should we do when we have concerns about spiritual leadership?

Ask:

Is this true?

Not:

“Do I like the leader?”

Not:

“Do I dislike the leader?”

Not:

“Is this person popular?”

Not:

“How large is the ministry?”

Not:

“How anointed do they seem?”

Ask:

What does Scripture say?

Is the teaching biblical?

Is the accusation credible?

Are there witnesses?

Has proper process been followed?

Is the concern about actual sin or merely preference?

Is correction being pursued for restoration or revenge?

These questions are important.

HONOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY BELONG TOGETHER

We shouldn’t have to choose between honoring leaders and holding leaders accountable.

Biblically, those ideas belong together.

Honor means I don’t casually attack you.

Accountability means I don’t pretend you can’t be wrong.

Honor means I refuse to gossip.

Accountability means I refuse to cover serious sin.

Honor means I recognize your calling.

Accountability means your calling doesn’t place you above Scripture.

Honor means I pray for you.

Accountability means I may sometimes need to speak truth to you.

This is what a biblical family looks like.

NOBODY IS UNTOUCHABLE

The phrase“Touch not my anointed ones” is Scripture.

We shouldn’t mock it.

We shouldn’t dismiss it.

We should understand it.

God protected His covenant people.

David refused to murder Saul.

Those passages offer powerful lessons about trusting God, refusing vengeance, respecting what God has established, and not taking justice into our own hands.

But those passages do not create an untouchable class of Christian leaders who cannot be questioned, evaluated, corrected, or held accountable.

Peter could be confronted.

David could be confronted.

Saul could be confronted.

Prophecy could be tested.

Teaching could be examined.

Elders could be disciplined.

Even Paul allowed his preaching to be measured against Scripture.

So yes:

Honor God’s servants.

Pray for pastors.

Respect faithful leaders.

Refuse gossip.

Reject slander.

Don’t celebrate people’s failures.

Don’t attack someone’s family.

Don’t destroy reputations casually.

Don’t confuse personal preference with biblical wrongdoing.

But never allow someone to use:

“Touch not God’s anointed”

to close your Bible, silence legitimate questions, hide genuine sin, or make a human leader spiritually untouchable.

Only One never needs correction.

Only One never teaches error.

There is only One whose motives are always pure.

Only One has never abused authority.

Only One’s words never need to be tested against a higher standard.

His name isJesus.

Every other leader stands beneath Him.

Every pastor.

Every prophet.

Every apostle.

Every bishop.

Every teacher.

Every spiritual father.

Every spiritual mother.

Every one of us.

And genuine honor begins when we stop protecting leaders from accountability and start loving them enough to want them walking faithfully before Christ.

Because accountability is not the enemy of anointing.

Sometimes accountability is one of the very things God uses to protect it.

COMING IN PART 6

Do You Need Your Leader’s Permission to Obey God?

Counsel, Confirmation, and the Voice of Christ

Should Christians seek pastoral counsel?

Absolutely.

Should mature believers help us discern major decisions?

Absolutely.

But what happens when counsel becomes permission?

What happens when someone believes God has called them to ministry but they’re told they cannot move until another person “releases” them?

What happens when a leader claims the authority to determine whom you marry, where you serve, where you attend church, or whether you can pursue what you believe God has called you to do?

In Part 6, we’ll examine Acts 5:29, Acts 13, Acts 17:11, Galatians 1, 1 Corinthians 14, Proverbs, and the New Testament pattern of discernment.

Because mature believers seek counsel.

Mature believers welcome correction.

Mature believers don’t operate independently of Christ’s body.

But ultimately:

No human leader gets to become the Holy Spirit in someone else’s life.

Many of us have had this happen with GPS. You are driving a road you know well, feeling sure of your route, when the device suddenly says, “Rerouting.” Your first reaction is to resist. You know this road. You have driven it so many times. Why would you need to take a different route?

Life can reroute us as well. Sometimes a doctor gives you unexpected news. A relationship ends in a way you never saw coming. A job ends suddenly. A loved one needs hospice care. Suddenly, your future looks nothing like what you expected. In those moments, we all face the same question: Will we trust what we know, or will we trust the One who knows?

This question is at the center of one of the most powerful moments in the Old Testament.

Standing at the Edge of the Impossible

In Joshua 3, Israel faces this exact situation. They stand at the edge of the Jordan River during flood season, with the water overflowing and rushing by. Behind them are forty years in the wilderness. Ahead is the promised land. Between them is a river that seems impossible to cross.

To make things even more uncertain, their leader who had guided them through every challenge was gone. Moses, the only leader most of them knew, had died. Joshua was new. The way forward was new. The land was unknown.

Joshua 3:4 says, “You have not traveled this way before.” This is more than just a comment about geography. It is a spiritual truth that everyone faces at some point. There will be times when nothing in your past has prepared you for what is ahead. The diagnosis is new. The grief is new. The uncertainty is new. In those moments, it is tempting to go back to what is familiar, even if that means returning to the wilderness.

God Brings You to the Impossible on Purpose

Here is something worth considering about the Israelites standing at that flooded river: God knew exactly what the Jordan looked like. He was not surprised by the flood season. He did not miscalculate. He brought them there intentionally.

God will sometimes bring you to the impossible because he wants to demonstrate that he is God and you are not. If you could solve it yourself, you would not need him. If the situation had an obvious human solution, the credit would go to human ingenuity. But when you are standing at the edge of something that cannot be explained, something that has no reasonable path forward, that is precisely where God tends to show up in ways that leave no room for any other explanation.

The Israelites stood at that river for three days. Three days of staring at the impossible. Some of you know what that feels like. You are in the waiting room of an impossible situation right now, looking at something that has no clear resolution. That waiting is not wasted. It is part of the process of understanding just how much you need the God you say you serve.

Follow the Presence, Not the Pattern

Before the Israelites crossed, Joshua gave them an instruction that carries profound weight: consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow. Before anything happened on the outside, God required something on the inside. Cleansing. Surrender—preparation of the heart.

This principle holds in every generation. God wants to work in you before he works in front of you. When life reroutes you into unfamiliar territory, the first response should not be panic or problem-solving. It should be a return to God’s presence. Psalm 23 reminds us that even in the darkest valleys, the Lord is our shepherd. But valleys have a way of pulling our eyes away from the one leading us through them.

Joshua also told the people to keep the ark of the covenant in their sight, staying back far enough that everyone could see it clearly. The ark represented God’s presence. The instruction was simple: keep God in your vision. When the obstacle is overwhelming, when the situation is unfamiliar, when fear is loud, keep your eyes on his presence.

A New Method, the Same God

When Israel had faced an impassable body of water before, at the Red Sea, Moses stretched out his staff, and the water parted before anyone stepped in. But at the Jordan, God gave different instructions. The priests carrying the ark were told to step into the water first. The miracle would not come before the step of faith. It would come in response.

This distinction matters. God did not change who he was, but he changed how he worked. The same miracle was accomplished differently, through a different leader, for a different generation. Just because God moves differently than he did before does not mean he is absent. It means he is doing something new.

Isaiah 43:19 speaks of God doing a new thing, making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The same God who stopped the Red Sea also stopped the Jordan. He did it differently.

The Stones You Are Supposed to Tell About

After Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground, God instructed Joshua to have twelve men each carry a stone from the riverbed and build a monument on the other side. The purpose was explicit: when your children ask what these stones mean, you tell them. You tell them what God did. You tell them about the impossible road and the God who made a way through it.

Every person reading this has stones. There are moments in your story that you cannot fully explain, situations that resolved in ways that defy logic, relationships that were restored when they should have been finished, health that returned when the prognosis said otherwise, provision that appeared when there was no visible source. Those are your stones.

The question is whether you are telling anyone about them. The world around you is filled with people standing at their own flooded rivers, staring at their own impossible situations, wondering if anyone or anything is big enough to help them through. Your story, the road you never expected to travel and the God who walked it with you, is exactly what someone near you needs to hear.

You have never traveled this way before. But you do not travel it alone, and you do not travel it without purpose. Trust the One who knows the way, and then tell everyone what he did when you got to the other side.

Part 4: Submission Is Biblical, but Control Is Not

When Spiritual Authority Crosses the Line

“Submit to your leaders.”

That’s biblical.

“Obey your pastor.”

Depending on what is meant, that statement can reflect biblical truth.

“Don’t rebel against spiritual authority.”

Again, Scripture takes rebellion, disorder, pride, and divisiveness seriously.

But sometimes the conversation goes even further.

“Don’t question your leader.”

“God told me what you’re supposed to do.”

“If you disagree with me, you’re in rebellion.”

“You can’t leave this church unless I release you.”

“If you leave without my blessing, you’re stepping outside God’s protection.”

“You need my permission before you pursue that ministry.”

“Your job is to submit even when you think I’m wrong.”

At this point, we need to ask another question:

Is that biblical submission—or spiritual control?

These are not the same thing.

The Bible teaches spiritual authority.

The Bible teaches pastoral oversight.

The Bible teaches submission.

The Bible teaches honor.

But Scripture never gives human leaders unlimited authority over another believer’s life.

Every pastor is under Christ.

Every elder is under Christ.

Every apostle is under Christ.

Every prophet is under Christ.

Every teacher is under Christ.

And every believer ultimately belongs to Christ.

So biblical submission must always stay within biblical boundaries.

HEBREWS 13:17 IS REAL

We shouldn’t avoid passages simply because people have misused them.

Hebrews 13:17 teaches believers to respond appropriately to their leaders because those leaders keep watch over their souls as those who will give an account.

This is a serious responsibility.

God expects pastors and spiritual leaders actually to lead.

A pastor isn’t merely someone who gives a sermon once a week.

Shepherds watch.

Shepherds guide.

Shepherds warn.

Shepherds protect.

Shepherds correct.

Shepherds sometimes have to say difficult things.

Believers also shouldn’t get offended every time spiritual leadership challenges them.

Sometimes the pastor isn’t trying to control you.

Sometimes he’s correcting you.

There is an important difference.

Sometimes the leader isn’t trying to manipulate you.

He’s trying to protect you from something you cannot yet see.

Sometimes what we call “control” is actually godly counsel we don’t want to hear.

Let’s make this clear:

Biblical submission is real.

But Hebrews 13:17 gives leaders responsibility.

But it does not give them absolute authority.

THE LEADER WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT

Hebrews 13:17 contains something leaders should notice as much as followers.

Leaders are described as people who will give an account.

To whom?

God.

That means the leader isn’t the highest authority in the relationship.

The leader himself is under authority.

Every sermon preached.

Every correction given.

Every decision made.

Every person counseled.

Every exercise of church discipline.

Every use of spiritual influence.

Pastors will answer to God for how they handled His people.

This should keep spiritual leaders from becoming arrogant.

The congregation isn’t the pastor’s personal kingdom.

The church isn’t the pastor’s possession.

The people don’t belong to the preacher.

Jesus purchased the Church with His blood.

Pastors are stewards.

And stewards answer to the Owner.

PETER PUTS LIMITS ON LEADERSHIP

Peter speaks directly to elders in1 Peter 5:2–3.

He tells them to shepherd God’s flock and exercise oversight.

Notice both ideas.

Shepherd.

Oversee.

Those are authority words.

But then Peter immediately establishes boundaries.

He tells leaders not to exercise their ministry through compulsion, greed, or“lording it over those entrusted to you.”

Instead, they are to set an example.

This is very important.

Biblical leaders have authority.

But they are specifically forbidden from becoming domineering.

Jesus said something similar.

JESUS REDEFINED GREATNESS

InMatthew 20:25–28, Jesus contrasts kingdom leadership with worldly leadership.

The rulers of the Gentiles “lord it over” people.

Jesus says:

“It must not be like that among you.”

Instead, whoever wants to become great must become a servant.

Jesus doesn’t eliminate leadership.

He changes it.

Worldly authority says:

“You exist to serve my vision.”

Kingdom authority says:

“God has entrusted me with responsibility to serve you.”

Worldly leadership asks:

“How many people answer to me?”

Kingdom leadership asks:

“How faithfully am I serving the people God entrusted to me?”

Worldly leadership protects the leader’s position.

Kingdom leadership protects the sheep.

This difference is important.

SUBMISSION DOESN’T MEAN SURRENDERING DISCERNMENT

One of the most dangerous misunderstandings of spiritual submission is the idea that submitting to leadership means surrendering your responsibility to discern truth.

Scripture never teaches that.

Consider the Bereans.

Paul and Silas arrive in Berea and begin teaching.

These people are listening to an apostle.

Not just any preacher.

Paul.

Yet Acts 17:11tells us they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what Paul taught was true.

And Luke calls them noble for doing it.

Consider this.

They checked an apostle’s teaching against Scripture.

And the Bible praises them.

Imagine if Paul had responded:

“How dare you question my teaching! I’m God’s apostle!”

He didn’t.

Because genuine spiritual authority isn’t afraid of Scripture.

Healthy pastors should want people checking what they preach.

Open your Bible.

Read the context.

Ask questions.

Study.

Search.

Compare.

If what I preach cannot survive an open Bible, you shouldn’t believe it simply because I am standing behind a pulpit.

The pastor isn’t the final authority.

Scripture is.

YOU CAN HONOR SOMEONE AND STILL DISAGREE

The Church needs to recover this.

Disagreement isn’t automatically dishonor.

Questions aren’t automatically rebellion.

Concern isn’t automatically division.

A believer can say:

“Pastor, I love you and respect you, but I don’t believe that interpretation is correct.”

That’s possible.

A church member can disagree with a ministry decision without becoming an enemy.

A leader can receive criticism without assuming the critic is demonically influenced.

A mature leader doesn’t need everyone to agree with him to feel respected.

In fact, secure leaders can listen.

They may ultimately disagree.

They may maintain their decision.

Leadership sometimes requires that.

But they don’t need to demonize everybody who asks questions spiritually.

PAUL WAS CORRECTED—AND CORRECTED OTHERS

Consider Galatians 2.

Peter was a prominent apostle.

He walked with Jesus.

He witnessed the resurrection.

He preached at Pentecost.

Thousands responded to his preaching.

Yet Paul tells us that when Peter acted wrongly at Antioch:

“I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.”

—Galatians 2:11

Peter’s position didn’t make him beyond correction.

Imagine Peter responding:

“Paul, be careful. Touch not God’s anointed.”

That’s not what Scripture records.

Even apostles were accountable to truth.

This is extremely important.

If Peter could be confronted, your pastor can be confronted.

If Peter could be wrong, your apostle can be wrong.

If Peter could make a bad decision, your bishop can make a bad decision.

If Peter’s title didn’t make him infallible, neither does anyone else’s.

“GOD TOLD ME” CAN BECOME A WEAPON

One of the easiest ways spiritual leadership becomes controlling is through claims of divine revelation.

A leader says:

“God told me you’re supposed to…”

Now what happens?

If you disagree with the pastor, you’re no longer simply disagreeing with the pastor.

You’re supposedly disagreeing with God.

This puts a lot of pressure on people.

We should be extremely careful when speaking for God.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit gives someone insight, wisdom, prophetic encouragement, or conviction about another person.

But New Testament prophecy isn’t presented as something believers receive without discernment.

1 Corinthians 14:29says that prophets should speak and others should evaluate.

Evaluate.

Discern.

Test.

Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 tells believers not to despise prophecies but to test all things and hold on to what is good.

So even when someone says:

“I believe God showed me something for you,”

The biblical response is not blind obedience.

It is discernment.

A healthy leader understands that.

COUNSEL IS DIFFERENT FROM CONTROL

Suppose someone comes to a pastor and says:

“I’m thinking about marrying this person.”

A good pastor might say:

“I have serious concerns.”

He may point out character issues.

He may identify warning signs.

He may provide biblical counsel.

He may strongly advise against the marriage.

The believer would be foolish to dismiss wise counsel simply because they don’t like it.

But there’s a difference between:

“As your pastor, I strongly believe marrying this person would be unwise, and here’s why…”

and:

“God has placed me over you, and you are forbidden from marrying this person without my permission.”

One is pastoral counsel.

The other approach may become controlling.

The same applies to:

Where you work.

Where you live.

Whether you buy a house.

Whether you start a business.

Who your friends are.

What ministry you pursue.

Whether you move to another city.

Whether you attend another church.

Wise believers look for good advice.

But pastors are not a substitute for the Holy Spirit.

CAN YOU LEAVE A CHURCH?

This is another area where spiritual control sometimes appears.

A member feels God leading them somewhere else.

Leadership responds:

“You cannot leave until we release you.”

Where exactly does the New Testament establish that requirement?

Now, there are good and bad ways to leave churches.

Leaving because you’re angry over correction may reveal immaturity.

Leaving while spreading gossip is wrong.

Leaving to avoid reconciliation isn’t healthy.

Leaving every church whenever someone tells you something you don’t want to hear will keep you from growing.

Whenever possible, believers should leave graciously.

Have conversations.

Seek reconciliation.

Honor people.

Try not to end relationships on bad terms if you can avoid it.

But the idea that a pastor must spiritually “release” a Christian before that Christian can attend another congregation is difficult to establish from Scripture.

Pastors shepherd God’s people.

They don’t own them.

MUTUAL SUBMISSION MATTERS TOO

Discussions of submission often focus exclusively on what church members owe leaders.

But the New Testament contains a broader culture of humility.

Ephesians 5:21says:

“submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.”

Christian community isn’t supposed to be built around everyone fighting for position.

We serve one another.

Listen to one another.

Honor one another.

Bear one another’s burdens.

Correct one another.

Forgive one another.

Encourage one another.

Leadership exists within that family.

Pastors don’t graduate out of being brothers.

Elders don’t graduate out of needing correction.

Teachers don’t graduate out of needing accountability.

Apostles don’t graduate out of humility.

Everybody remains under Christ.

CONTROL CREATES DEPENDENCY

This is one of the clearest warning signs.

Healthy leadership produces maturity.

Controlling leadership produces dependency.

Healthy leadership teaches you Scripture.

Controlling leadership teaches you to depend upon the leader’s interpretation.

Healthy leadership teaches you to pray.

Controlling leadership makes you believe the leader hears God better than you ever could.

Healthy leadership gives counsel.

Controlling leadership requires permission.

Healthy leadership welcomes questions.

Controlling leadership labels questions rebellion.

Healthy leadership admits mistakes.

Controlling leadership protects its image.

Healthy leadership releases people into ministry.

Controlling leadership makes ministry revolve around loyalty to the leader.

Healthy leadership points people toward Jesus.

Controlling leadership gradually positions the leader between people and Jesus.

PAUL REFUSED TO LORD OVER FAITH

Once again, Paul’s statement in2 Corinthians 1:24gives us an extraordinary standard:

“I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand by faith.”

Workers with you.

That’s apostolic authority speaking.

Paul could correct.

Paul could confront.

Paul could discipline.

Paul could teach.

Yet he understood there was a boundary.

Your faith belongs to God.

THE ANSWER ISN’T REBELLION

We need to be equally clear about the opposite error.

Some believers use “Jesus is my authority” as an excuse for refusing all accountability.

Nobody can correct them.

Nobody can question them.

Nobody can tell them they’re wrong.

They bounce from church to church.

They reject pastors.

They refuse correction.

Then they call their independence “freedom.”

This is not true biblical freedom.

Sometimes God uses leaders to tell us things we desperately need to hear.

Sometimes submission means accepting correction when our flesh wants to fight.

Sometimes honoring leadership means trusting a decision we wouldn’t personally make.

Sometimes spiritual maturity means admitting:

“My pastor was right, and I was wrong.”

So the answer to controlling leadership isn’t rebellious Christianity.

The answer is biblical leadership and biblical submission.

CHRIST DEFINES THE BOUNDARIES

The ultimate question isn’t:

“Do I have to submit?”

The better question is:

“What does biblical submission look like under the lordship of Christ?”

Jesus remains Lord.

Scripture remains authoritative.

Pastors remain shepherds.

Elders remain overseers.

Believers remain accountable.

The Church remains a family.

And nobody gets to take Jesus’ seat.

Healthy spiritual authority doesn’t say:

“You need me to control your life.”

It says:

“God has entrusted me with responsibility to help you follow Jesus faithfully.”

Healthy submission doesn’t say:

“I’ll surrender my conscience to another human being.”

It says:

“I will walk humbly, receive biblical correction, honor godly leadership, seek wise counsel, remain teachable, and ultimately obey Jesus.”

This is not rebellion.

This is maturity.

And perhaps the simplest test for any spiritual authority structure is this:

Does it make Jesus more necessary—or the leader more necessary?

If leadership consistently points people toward Christ, Scripture, maturity, service, and personal responsibility before God, something healthy is happening.

But if people become afraid to make decisions without the leader…

Afraid to ask questions…

Afraid to disagree…

Afraid to leave…

Afraid to test what they’re being taught…

Afraid that God’s protection will disappear if they disappoint their leader…

Clearly, something is wrong in this situation.

Because Jesus didn’t die to transfer us from the bondage of sin into the bondage of religious control.

He brought us into His family.

And within that family there is leadership.

There is authority.

There is accountability.

There is submission.

But above all of this is Jesus Christ.

Submission is biblical.

Control is not.

COMING IN PART 5

“Touch Not My Anointed”

What That Verse Actually Means

Few phrases have been used more effectively to silence questions about spiritual leadership:

“Touch not God’s anointed.”

But what did that statement originally mean?

Was Scripture teaching Christians never to question pastors, prophets, apostles, or other leaders?

Does criticizing a preacher mean you’re “touching the anointed”?

And if God’s leaders are never supposed to be confronted, what do we do withNathan confronting David, Paul confronting Peter, Samuel confronting Saul, and the New Testament’s repeated commands to test teaching?

In Part 5, we’re going back to Psalm 105, 1 Chronicles 16, 1 Samuel 24, Galatians 2, and the broader biblical context to examine one of the most frequently misunderstood phrases concerning spiritual authority.

Because honoring God’s leaders is biblical.

But using Scripture to make leaders untouchable is not.

Part 3: Who Is Your Covering?

Is “Spiritual Covering” Actually Biblical?

“Who is your covering?”

If you have been part of certain churches, ministry groups, or leadership circles, you have likely heard this question before.

Sometimes it simply means:

“Who are you accountable to?”

If that is all someone means, there is not really a problem. Accountability, pastoral leadership, elders, and submission are all biblical. Believers are not meant to live in isolation, without anyone to question, challenge, correct, or guide them.

But sometimes “covering” means considerably more.

You may hear statements like:

“You can’t operate without a covering.”

“You need to get under someone’s covering.”

“Who released you into ministry?”

“You shouldn’t start a church without your spiritual father’s blessing.”

“If you leave your covering, you open yourself to spiritual attack.”

“Your anointing flows through your covering.”

“You need someone above you spiritually.”

That raises an important question:

Where does the Bible actually teach that?

Not:

“Can we find verses about leadership?”

Of course we can.

Not:

“Does Scripture teach submission?”

Absolutely.

Not:

“Should pastors be accountable?”

Without question.

The issue is more specific:

Does the New Testament teach that every believer or minister must have another human being functioning as their spiritual covering to be protected, authorized, or legitimately used by God?

That’s the question we need Scripture to answer.

START WITH THE WORD “COVERING”

One of the first things to notice is that the New Testament does not create an office or doctrine called “spiritual covering” as people often use the term today.

That doesn’t automatically make the terminology wrong.

We use theological terms that don’t appear word-for-word in Scripture when those terms accurately summarize biblical teaching.

The question isn’t merely:

“Does the phrase appear in the Bible?”

The better question is:

“Does the concept being taught by that phrase appear in the Bible?”

This is where we need to be careful.

If by “covering” someone means:

“I belong to a local church.”

“I have pastors and elders who shepherd me.”

“I welcome accountability.”

“I don’t operate as a lone ranger.”

“I seek godly counsel.”

“I recognize legitimate spiritual leadership.”

Then much of what they’re describing is thoroughly biblical.

But why not simply call those things what Scripture calls them?

Shepherding.

Oversight.

Leadership.

Discipleship.

Accountability.

Submission.

The concern comes up when “covering” starts to mean something beyond those biblical ideas.

This is especially true if it suggests that someone else stands between you and God as the source of your spiritual protection or authority.

WHAT ABOUT HEBREWS 13:17?

Hebrews 13:17 is one of the most frequently referenced passages in discussions about spiritual authority.

The verse teaches believers to respond appropriately to their leaders because those leaders keep watch over their souls and will give an account.

That’s serious.

Pastoral oversight is real.

Church leadership isn’t imaginary.

God entrusts shepherds with responsibility for His people.

A pastor shouldn’t say:

“I’m just another guy here. Nobody has any responsibility to listen to me.”

Scripture gives elders genuine responsibility.

But Hebrews 13:17 doesn’t say:

“Your leader is your spiritual covering.”

It doesn’t say:

“Your protection from spiritual attack flows through your leader.”

It doesn’t say:

“You need your leader’s permission before obeying God’s calling.”

It doesn’t say:

“Leaving your leader removes God’s protection.”

Those ideas go beyond what the text actually says.

Hebrews 13 gives leaders responsibility.

It doesn’t make them mediators.

This is an important difference.

SHEPHERDS WATCH—JESUS OWNS THE SHEEP

Peter gives us an incredibly helpful picture of pastoral authority.

1 Peter 5:2–4 (CSB)tells elders to:

“Shepherd God’s flock among you, exercising oversight…”

Then Peter warns them not to lead by “lording it over those entrusted to you,” but by being examples to the flock.

And then Peter points to someone greater:

“When the chief Shepherd appears…”

That phrase establishes the entire structure.

Pastors are shepherds.

But Jesus is the Chief Shepherd.

Pastors oversee.

But the flock belongs to God.

Leaders serve.

Jesus owns.

This means every pastor has authority that is given to them, not authority they hold on their own.

A pastor cannot rightly say:

“These are my people, therefore they must do whatever I tell them.”

That is not correct.

They are God’s people.

The shepherd will actually give an account to God for how he treated people who belonged to God.

That shThis should lead every spiritual leader to be humble.ABOUT 1 CORINTHIANS 11?

Another passage sometimes connected with covering is1 Corinthians 11, particularly Paul’s discussion of head coverings and headship.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Whatever position someone takes regarding the cultural and continuing application of physical head coverings, one thing should be clear:

Paul isn’t establishing the modern doctrine of pastoral covering.

The passage addresses order, headship, worship, men and women, and the Corinthian assembly.

It doesn’t say:

“Every Christian must find another Christian to be their spiritual covering.”

It doesn’t say:

“Every pastor needs a higher-ranking pastor covering him.”

It doesn’t establish a chain where:

Believer → Pastor → Bishop → Apostle → God.

In fact, Paul’s statement begins:

“Christ is the head of every man.”

This point is very important in this discussion.

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

The New Testament is remarkably clear about who occupies the supreme position over the Church.

Colossians 1:18 (CSB)says:

“He is also the head of the body, the church…”

Ephesians 1:22–23 (CSB) says, God:

“subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body…”

Jesus isn’t merely at the top of a human pyramid.

Jesus is the Head of His body.

Every pastor serves under Him.

Every apostle serves under Him.

Every prophet serves under Him.

Every teacher serves under Him.

Every believer belongs to Him.

Nobody replaces Him.

WHAT ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY?

This is where people sometimes misunderstand the argument.

If we say:

“I don’t believe the modern doctrine of spiritual covering is clearly established in Scripture,”

someone may immediately respond:

“So you don’t believe in accountability?”

That is a false choice.

We don’t have to choose between an extra-biblical authority structure and complete independence.

Biblical accountability is real.

Proverbs repeatedly praises wise counsel.

The New Testament teaches mutual correction.

Galatians 6:1–2instructs spiritually mature believers to restore someone caught in wrongdoing.

James 5:16tells believers to confess sins to one another and pray for one another.

Hebrews 10:24–25teaches believers to gather and encourage one another.

Pastors shepherd.

Elders oversee.

Believers submit appropriately.

Brothers and sisters correct one another.

That’s a deeply interconnected Christian life.

But notice something.

Much of the accountability in the New Testament is about relationships and community, not just about hierarchy.

The New Testament uses a tremendous amount of “one another” language.

Love one another.

Serve one another.

Encourage one another.

Carry one another’s burdens.

Forgive one another.

Confess to one another.

Teach one another.

Admonish one another.

Pray for one another.

The New Testament Church wasn’t designed around spiritual isolation.

But it wasn’t designed around one untouchable person sitting at the top of everyone’s spiritual life.

WHO COVERS THE PASTOR?

This question often comes next.

“If the pastor doesn’t have a spiritual covering, who holds him accountable?”

That’s an excellent question.

And every pastor should have a good answer.

But again, accountability and covering aren’t necessarily the same thing.

A pastor should absolutely have accountability.

Depending on a church’s structure, that may include fellow elders, overseers, trusted ministers, denominational relationships, boards, accountability teams, or mature believers with permission to ask difficult questions.

No one should be above accountability just because they are the senior pastor.

In fact, leadership increases the need for accountability.

But accountability works best when it’s genuine.

Putting another minister’s name on your website and calling him your “covering” accomplishes very little if he never asks you hard questions.

Real accountability knows you.

Real accountability can confront you.

Real accountability can tell you no.

Real accountability isn’t impressed by your title.

Real accountability cares more about your soul than your platform.

This matters much more than simply listing someone’s name above yours on an organizational chart.

PAUL DIDN’T LORD IT OVER PEOPLE’S FAITH

Paul’s words in2 Corinthians 1:24deserve to appear repeatedly in conversations about spiritual leadership:

“I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand by faith.”

Consider Paul’s authority.

He was an apostle.

He planted churches.

He corrected doctrine.

He appointed leaders.

He exercised church discipline.

Paul clearly believed in authority.

Yet Paul deliberately established a boundary:

“We don’t lord it over your faith.”

That’s extraordinary.

Biblical aThis is remarkable.es.

Pastors aren’t dictators.

Apostles aren’t kings.

Prophets aren’t unquestionable.

Teachers aren’t infallible.

Leaders don’t own people’s consciences.

Christ does.

THERE IS ONE MEDIATOR

Perhaps the most important theological boundary is found in1 Timothy 2:5:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus.”

One mediator.

Jesus.

That means no pastor stands between you and God.

No apostle stands between you and God.

No prophet stands between you and God.

No spiritual father stands between you and God.

No spiritual mother stands between you and God.

You may receive tremendous help from those people.

You may need their counsel.

You may benefit from their correction.

You may be accountable within a church they lead.

But they aren’t your mediator.

Jesus is.

SOMETIMES “COVERING” BECOMES FEAR-BASED

This is where the teaching can become spiritually harmful.

Someone feels God calling them into something.

They seek counsel.

Their leader disagrees.

Now they’re told:

“If you move forward without your covering’s permission, you’re in rebellion.”

Or someone believes God is leading them to another church.

They’re told:

“If you leave this covering, you’ll become vulnerable to the enemy.”

Consider what that message sends.

It can teach believers that their spiritual security rests partly in remaining attached to a particular human leader.

But Scripture points believers somewhere much stronger.

Psalm 91:1 (CSB)says:

“The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Our security is ultimately in God.

That doesn’t justify rebellion.

It doesn’t mean every impulse someone feels is God’s voice.

Sometimes the pastor saying “don’t do this” may be completely right.

That’s why counsel matters.

But advice should never be used to control people or trap them spiritually.

COUNSEL IS NOT THE SAME AS PERMISSION

Some decisions genuinely require church authority.

Church leaders decide who teaches from their church’s pulpit.

Church leaders establish ministry standards.

Church leaders exercise discipline within the congregation.

Church leaders have legitimate responsibilities over ministries entrusted to them.

But that doesn’t mean the pastor possesses universal authority over every personal decision in a believer’s life.

Should I marry this person?

Should I take this job?

Should I move?

Should I start a business?

Should I pursue this ministry calling?

Should I buy this house?

Wise believers seek counsel.

But the pastor does not take the place of the Holy Spirit.

A good pastor helps people discern God’s will.

He doesn’t replace their responsibility to discern it.

HEALTHY LEADERSHIP POINTS UPWARD

Imagine a pastor standing before his congregation.

Healthy leadership says:

“Follow me as I follow Christ.”

That’s Paul’s language in1 Corinthians 11:1.

Notice the qualification.

Follow me as I follow Christ.

The leader is not the goal.

Christ is.

The leader is not the highest authority.

Christ is.

The leader is not the source of a believer’s spiritual life.

Christ is.

Healthy leaders don’t panic when believers mature.

They celebrate.

Healthy leaders aren’t threatened when people study Scripture for themselves.

They encourage it.

Healthy leaders do not need everyone to depend on them.

They want everyone to depend on Jesus.

MAYBE WE SHOULD USE BIBLICAL LANGUAGE

One of the simplest solutions is to use the language Scripture gives us.

Instead of asking:

“Who is your covering?”

Maybe ask:

“Who shepherds you?”

“Where are you planted?”

“Who can correct you?”

“Who knows your life?”

“Who are you accountable to?”

“Who speaks truth to you?”

“Who walks with you?”

“Who are your elders?”

These questions address what really matters without creating a teaching that Scripture does not clearly support.

Because accountability matters.

Submission matters.

Church membership and participation matter.

Pastoral leadership matters.

Spiritual authority matters.

But Jesus is far more important than all of these.

SO WHO IS YOUR COVERING?

If someone uses “covering” simply as shorthand for biblical pastoral oversight and accountability, I don’t believe we need to fight over vocabulary.

But we should be clear about what we mean.

Because the words we use shape what we believe.

And if “covering” means that another person must approve your calling, act as a go-between for God’s protection, give you permission to obey, or stand between you and Christ, we should look for clear biblical support.

Not tradition.

Not ministry culture.

Not “That’s how we’ve always done it.”

Scripture.

The New Testament gives us pastors.

It gives us elders.

It gives us apostles.

It gives us prophets.

It gives us evangelists.

It gives us teachers.

It gives us discipleship.

It gives us accountability.

It gives us submission.

It gives us church discipline.

It gives us spiritual family.

But over every one of those relationships stands Jesus Christ.

He is the Head.

He is the Chief Shepherd.

He is the Mediator.

And ultimately, every legitimate spiritual leader should help people live faithfully under His authority.

We don’t need less accountability.

We need biblical accountability.

We don’t need less leadership.

We need Christlike leadership.

We don’t need less submission.

We need biblical submission.

And we don’t need human leaders taking responsibility God never gave them.

Because the safest place for a believer is not under someone else’s personality, position, or reputation.

It is faithfully living under the leadership of Jesus Christ.

COMING IN PART 4

Submission Is Biblical—Control Isn’t

When Spiritual Authority Crosses the Line

The Bible absolutely teaches submission.

But what does biblical submission actually mean?

Does submitting to spiritual leadership mean obeying whatever your pastor says?

Is disagreement rebellion?

Can you question leadership?

Can a pastor tell you whom to marry, where to work, whether you can leave a church, or what ministry you’re allowed to pursue?

And what happens when a leader uses phrases like“rebellion,” “dishonor,” “Jezebel spirit,” or “touch not God’s anointed” to silence legitimate questions?

In Part 4, we’ll examine Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:1–4, Ephesians 5:21, Acts 17:11, and 2 Corinthians 1:24to distinguish something the Church desperately needs to understand:

Submission is biblical.

Control isn’t.