Support your Pastor...they are facing a much tougher spiritual warfare than we are

Unconfessed sin to the elders is an automatic disqualification. Pastors are to meet with the elders weekly or every other day for prayer, encouragement and discussing any temptations they are facing. Pastors CANNOT face temptations alone. This is why we have ELDERS. They pray and help their pastors to resist temptation with the Holy Spirit.

Lack of accountability between Pastors and elders. Elders are our spiritual stewardship who are looking for members spiritual needs and to look at their lives spiritually in from God's perspective. In 2 Corinthians 7:2 says that we "make room for others in our hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one." This is where "accountability" comes in. In 1 Timothy 3:1-3: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

1 Thessalonians 4:12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders. Churches, Elders and Pastors (teachers) are to "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12).

I know there are ONLY few churches that have "accountability" ministry between elders and pastors. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. Pastors and Elders are sinners like we are however, they have to live in higher standards than regular Christians because they are our spiritual leaders. The first and most important step in initiating spiritual intimacy between pastors and elders.

They are to meet, confess, discuss, pray and edify one another. Elders/Bishops have oversight of the church (Acts 20:28; I Pet. 5:2-3) and are thus responsible to rule the congregation (I Tim. 3:5; 5:17; I Thes. 5:12; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24). They judge among the brothers (cf. I Cor. 6:5) and, in contrast to all the members, they do the rebuking (I Tim. 5:20) and the exercise of discipline (Matt. 18:17; I Cor. 5:1-5). I have learned to join a local church that have a STRONG eldership that will make sure the Church will stay pure.

I know pastors and elders will never be sinless but they can live in holy lives according to God's will. By holiness does not mean they will be sinless but they can be blameless. Their roles as a spiritual leaders takes work and requires the commitment of their heart, mind and body. During their training for righteousness along with their struggles with sin, they are to meet and discuss their weaknesses and struggles before they commit sin.

The only authority any pastor or elder has is the Word of God. When you step beyond the Word of God, you’ve overstepped the bounds of your authority. God reveals Himself primarily through the pages of Scripture; that is why I believe the Bible as my absolute authority. 1 Peter 4:11 instructs me to handle biblical truth: "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God." If the Bible is true, then it is also authoritative. As divinely revealed truth, it carries the full weight of God's own authority. A church must understand that Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15) and that He mediates His rule in the church through godly elders (1 Thess. 5:13-14; Heb. 13:7, 17).

The elders have been recognized by the whole congregation as men of integrity and trustworthiness--men who have made commitment to themselves and to God that they are to serve the church by following as best they can the principles of God's Word and giving leadership and direction to the procedures of following that Word, no matter what the consequences or where it will lead. The elders are obligated to make a very careful and detailed investigation of the whole issue, to research it and go through the evidence, to hear testimony and bring in witnesses, to see what is going on, how it has arisen, and get to the bottom of the issue. That is their duty and their responsibility before God for the welfare of the congregation. If the charge or charges can be proved and the situation does appear to be serious, then the matter is not to be over-looked because Paul says, "Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may also fear" (1 Timothy 5:20). If the investigation concludes that yes, there is doctrinal or moral sin of serious nature, then the pastor should be addressed and rebuked publicly by the congregation. While we ALL understand that pastors (as well as Elders) are not above sin as well as they are not above the temptations, which are both doctrinally and morally. When a pastor is guilty of doctrinal or moral sin in a way that hurts the local Church, then this pastor should be dealth with in a biblical way.

How often do we face temptations? Peter said in 1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Jesus said in Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Jesus told His disciples in Luke 22:46 "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." While Christ was praying, He asked His disciples to pray also. Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:5 "Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." In Galatians 6:1-3, Paul wrote: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

We all need to understand that we all have weaknesses. Spiritual leaders are often alone because they are so busy "serving" others but NO ONE is "serving" the leader. This is why Elders are important to the local church and the pastor. Accountibility is an issue. As a Christian, I still can have sinful desires, foolish desires, proud desires and at the same time, have godly desires. How can I distinguish my desires? Sinners (even though I am saved) I am not basically good without Christ in me because I live in body that carries sin and my struggle will be in the core of my heart. Obviously, my human heart is very selfish. My heart is the source of my emotions, thoughts and motives. My heart is the place of conscience. My heart is the part of my being where I desire, deliberate, and decide. I just have to know what God wants and if I don't glorify correctly, my spiritual actions will be worthless.

I desire accountability with my wife and my fellow Christian men in my local church. This is where Paul write in Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Also in Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Galatians 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.