The Pastor Chasers

by Van Robison

Christians, even though with innocent and good hearted intentions, are pastor chasers. Pastors are not Jesus Christ, they only give the pretense of being God. This would be denied by pastors, but nevertheless they want personal followers, and lots of them. Christians chase pastors all over the country and into pastors "camp meetings", "revivals", "purpose driven churches" "seminars", and into the church buildings, cathedrals, and temples of "worship". For millions of Christians, life revolves around pastors. Christians seem to be unable to function in life without pastors doing their thinking. Pastors are idols in the lives of countless millions. Christians are addicted to pastors, because even though they would deny it, they think pastors are the key to salvation, the way to eternal life.

Anyone who reads the teachings of Jesus Christ would have to wonder how it is that Christians have chosen to follow pastors instead of following Jesus Christ. Christians have had the idea that somehow pastors have a special relationship with God, that normal human beings can't or don't have. They tend to think that pastors are smarter, holier, more righteous, wiser, have greater understanding of spiritual truth, and are spiritual fathers who must be followed throughout life. Pastors are placed on a pedestal, exalted, waited on hand and foot, and generally almost worshiped by countless pastor chasers.

Christians have to have their weekly fix, by going to church, and listening to another sermon, while they sit obediently in pews like sheep who hear only the voice of pastors. Jesus said, "MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE." Christians think they hear the voice of Jesus Christ through pastors and through going to church, even though Jesus Christ lives in each individual through the Holy Spirit, if the Holy Spirit is indeed dwelling in the individual. For those who have read the Bible for themselves instead of what the pastors say the Bible says, when Jesus Christ was crucified, the veil of the physical temple was destroyed. Entry into the presence of God by each individual was made possible by Jesus Christ, and that personal one-on-one relationship with the Father/Jesus Christ is what most Christians seem to not comprehend. Christians think their relationship with Almighty God is through the pastors and through the church buildings, by following pastors and sitting in pews.

Salvation and eternal life do not come by pastors, nor by going to church. Salvation and eternal life is the exclusive domain of Jesus Christ. Any Christian knows very well John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It does not say that, "whosoever believeth in pastors, or goes to church shall not perish, but have everlasting life," and yet the world of churchianity is equated to as being the way to salvation. So deeply embedded is the idea of churches and denominations that pastors and Christians alike see pastors and churches as essential to having eternal life, and to being a Christian.

Any Christian who was ever associated with a cult group should have no problem being very cautious toward human leaders. Just because many Christians believe they are in "mainstream" Christianity, does not make them exempt from false teachings, false doctrines, and being pastor chasers. Pastors are just as prone to sin, to error, to false beliefs and doctrines as anyone else. They are not superhuman, even though many of them think they are.

Millions of Christians have placed pastors in front of their lives, when the real Shepherd should be Jesus Christ. Pastors are leaders who want followers. They also want your money. They want you to believe they know and understand truth. They want you to regard them as special. They want your endless lifelong support. If they were real shepherds, they would point you to Jesus Christ and not to themselves. If they were real shepherds they would follow Jesus Christ, instead of following man-made traditions themselves. The "clergy/laity" system is a man-made tradition of long standing. Do you know any "pastors" who refuse to have personal followers?

Did Jesus Christ ever teach "follow your pastors" and be pastor chasers? The purpose driven church would lead you to believe that pastors are your infallible, inerrant spiritual leaders. They would also have you believe that you cannot live without your pastors. The one great fear all church pastors of every persuasion have is that you will STOP following them and their teachings. The reason is because when Christians STOP following pastors, then pastors will lose their power, their prestige, their comfort zone, their free money, their pride, their position, their authority. When this happens, people will only have one chose left: either they follow Jesus Christ, or they reject Jesus Christ. Does anyone ever consider that chasing pastors is a rejection of Jesus Christ? Is it complete heresy to say that churches are idols of worship? Do we worship pastors and churches, or do we worship our heavenly Father in Spirit and in truth?