Church Emasculation

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In this study I directly challenge certain practices of churches and Christianity in general.  These practices are widespread, just like sin is.  I am not challenging all practices of these institutions of course; neither do I see these practices in every institution, at least to the same degree.

Emasculate – to castrate (remove the testicles); to deprive of virility, force or strength
An emasculated man cannot reproduce himself.

Men are continually being told by the organized church that they need to rise up and be men!  They need to take the lead, be leaders by example.  They need to be the men God intended them to be!  They need to be good husbands, leading their household.  They need to be good fathers, being strong, disciplined, tender-hearted examples to their children.  All the while they are being castrated and castigated by the very structure of their church.

Castigate – to punish by blows or by severe criticism  
A man who’s been castigated will grow afraid to venture forth into new territory.

In many if not most organized churches their is one head.  Usually with the title “head pastor” or “senior pastor” or even “lead pastor.”  (always capitalized, which is why I intentionally left them uncapitalized).  You don’t do things in the church without his approval.  He “sets the vision.”  He “leads the flock.”  He is “responsible before God” for what goes on in the church, over the which “God has made him the overseer.”  Oh sure, there are “junior pastors”, but they are all appointed by the head guy, and all answer to him.

When prayer needs to be made, he’s the one asked to pray.  When the Word of God needs to be shared, he’s the one who teaches.  When an understanding of Scripture needs to be clarified, his is the final authority.  And not only in things spiritual, but also physical.  Committees, governance, administration, etc.  He’s the head.

I went to an organized church for a couple of years.  Because at first the head pastor listened to my gospel, was influenced by it.  At first it felt like we were a team.  But little by little, over time, because of the influence of his congregation, and the idea he had of his position and responsibility in his church,  he started putting a harness on me…..a little here, a little there.  And the women…..oh, they hated that their pastor’s decisions were questioned, that I didn’t just toe the line in everything everyone else did.  That I wasn’t where I was supposed to be, when I was supposed to be there, doing what I was supposed to be doing.  And the men….they were passive aggressive.  They themselves couldn’t take the lead, so they sure as heck didn’t want me to!

I didn’t like having my spiritual balls cut off, so I left.  And I am so glad I did.

I Corinthians 4:1, 2  Let a man so account of us as of the ministers (literally “under-rowers” – we bring Christ wherever he directs us) of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.

In the early church, there is absolutely no indication that a single individual had the ultimate authority in any church.  Not a single example in the Bible of what is so powerfully exhibited in almost every single organized church body in the world today.

Ephesians 4:11 And he (Jesus Christ) gave (to his body, the church) some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.

Because of the above truth, you have to wonder how “head pastor” came to be.  Where are the prophets?  Where are the evangelists?  Where are the apostles?  Instead, what we have in a whole lot of churches, is this:

I Timothy 1:5-7  Now the end (goal) of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and unhypocritical faith.  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling.  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor of what they affirm.

The young men who attend church and have a heart to serve God see that the only way to do it is become a teacher in the church, like the head pastor.  That’s the only way to succeed, because that is the only example they have.  And like that head pastor held a tight reign on them, so they hold a tight reign on others, needing their own vision of spiritual success to be the only right direction for everyone else.

(Many go off to seminaries, where their spiritual virility and inspiration can be toned down, modified, pacified and passified (made passive), harnessed and made subservient to the dogmas of that particular organization.  Then they come back and are interns to those they hope to be like, thinking it a blessing that they can “run and get their coffee.”  Is this really the best God can do?)

And the result of the above paradigm?  A church full of men with no spiritual balls.  They’ve tried to take the lead with Christ, but have been chastised and castigated.  And they eventually get worn down, and end up leaving it to their wives, who are used to serving in a supportive role.  It’s not that the men aren’t supportive….they love God.  But there is no way to take the lead, when there’s only one ultimate leader in their church, the head pastor.

I Corinthians 14:29-31  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other (prophets) judge.  If anything be revealed to another that sits by, let the first hold his peace.  For you may all (prophets) prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

Where’s the head pastor in this church of the first century?  There is no such thing!  There is no such title, no such responsibility, no such leader!  

Acts 14:23  And when they (Paul & Barnabas) had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

This word “ordain” means to vote for.  So Paul and Barnabas voted for elders in every church they had helped start only months before.  They met with the group of believers (the Church) and they asked, “Who is really hungry and has shown himself to be disciplined and has wisely moved ahead with the things of Christ since we were first here?”  And after conferring with the believers, they then said something like, “Okay, our vote is for Gary and Bob and Lucius to be elders of this church.  Look up to them and be blessed.”

Within a short period of time after they’d departed, I’m sure, Paul & Barnabas would expect that those elders would have voted for other elders, as the church grew.  There is just no indication that a single individual was elected or placed at the top of an organized hierarchy, like we see in the organized church today.

And just like elders will come, elders will go.  When an elder stops doing what qualified him to be an elder in the first place, then he disqualifies himself from being an elder, and should be recognized as such.  A man serves as a pastor, he isn’t appointed a pastor.  A man serves as a prophet, he isn’t conferred the title of prophet.  The gift ministries to the church are just that… ministries (services). No one is conferred the title of pastor, or prophet, or apostle, or evangelist, or teacher.  That’s just what they do!

Telling everyone else what to do is not a service to the church that Christ has put in place.  Setting the vision for everyone else is not a ministry ordained by Jesus Christ.  Being the only teacher, the head administrator, the full-time paid “lead pastor”…… these are constructs of man and fall far short of God’s vision and directive to the church which He is always seeking to establish in Christ.

Men,  be men.  You don’t need to grow a pair, just use the pair you’ve been given by Christ.  You feel that power inside already.  You sense it, powerfully, excitedly growing and flowing within you.  Let it out!  Let it loose upon the world!  See what Christ in you, as your head, can do!  And don’t look up to any other man, as if you need his approval.  Oh, keep your heart open for the voice of God speaking through others, perhaps especially to those who are elders.  But the real approval you seek is only Christ’s to give.

Ephesians 4:14, 15  That we be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, that has a view of systematizing error.  But living out the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, Christ.

One of these “systems of error” is the organized church body that has a full time paid head pastor, where men are being subjugated to the will of a single man, are being held back from growing into men of God.

Men, grow up into Christ as your head!  Follow his lead, and your unique service to the body of Christ will begin to be expressed in a way that defies anyone else being your head.  It is not your duty to obey another man, only Jesus Christ, your spiritual head.  Respect others, yes; but do not become castigated to their authority so that they take the rightful place of Christ in your life and in your ministry.  Glory in the working of the holy spirit of God in your life.  Enjoy the unique expression of Christ through your life.  Thank God there is no one else like you, and look forward to becoming more and more like Him in a most unique way.
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See related studies:
What or Who is antichrist?
The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24