Андрей Викторович Шибанов - Leave Your Pastor

the Council of Trent (1545–63) sitting in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. The Roman Inquisition suspected Galileo of violating the decrees of the Council (Museo Diocesano Tridentino, Trento).

This practice is erroneously justified by the Scripture when apostles and elders met together in Jerusalem to correct the false teaching related to the law of Moses which originated in the same city. These Scriptures do not anyhow support the current practice of regular meetings of church leaders behind closed doors.

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." – Acts 15:1

The meeting of apostles and elders occurred as a response to contradiction between two parties, so the apostles and elders had to resolve the conflict:

But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses. The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. – Acts 15:5-6

Peter stood up and concluded:

…But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will. – Acts 15:11

James also agreed:

…Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God… – Acts 15:19

After the meeting, the apostles and elders, with the whole church sent a letter to the church in Antioch:

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers… – Acts 15:22

So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. – Acts 15:30

As you can see from above, apostles and elders in Jerusalem did not initiate any regular meetings but just gathered together once to correct the false teaching.

In our days, regular meetings of church leaders, pastors and priests behind closed doors have a hidden purpose to show the believers who are the authority, the decision-makers, the head. By conducting those meetings, they demonstrate their pride and arrogance. This practice divides believers into classes and setting up a hierarchy just like in any other human-made organization. What can your church leaders discuss that other disciples are restricted to hear? The truth is that nothing is covered that will not be revealed:

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. – Luke 12:2-3

By tolerating this practice, you reject Jesus as the head over you and the church. You must meet, make decisions and discuss important issues on a common assembly, this what fellowship of believers is for.

To appoint a church leader

You must not appoint anyone on any position except the position of an elder, because this is the only position which is approved by God. Appointing of elders must be done by respected disciples of Christ from another town, the way Timothy and Titus used to appoint elders:

This is why I left you in Crete so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. – Titus 1:5

The elders need to be appointed by a believer from another town in order to avoid the creation of a hierarchy, when one elder appoints those loyal to him and by doing so, he concentrates power in his own hands:

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. – Acts 14:23

“Young Christian” title

Do not call anyone a young Christian to dominate over this person, rather teach new converts obedience to God. Any believer can be mature or immature regardless of the time when a person was converted. The matter of fact is not all old disciples are mature, and not all young disciples are immature. As the scripture says:

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5:12-14

Do not judge by appearance but you must judge with right judgement:

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” – John 7:24

Wrong practice of “counting the cost” with church leaders

Do not count the cost before baptism with church leaders or pastors because they baptize people into their organizations, not into Christ. If you have counted the cost with the church leaders or pastors, you must confess your sin and repent from your ignorance.

Calling “prideful” those who disobey church leaders

Do not call anyone prideful when he or she disobeys the Antichrist: church leaders, pastors and priests. People are prideful if they rebel against God and do not obey His commands. Do not exalt church leaders, pastors and priests above God by calling prideful those who refuse to obey them. Pride is a sin of the devil who rebelled against God. Just like the devil who exalted himself above God, so do the church leaders exalt themselves. They will receive their reward in full. You must not humble yourself before church leaders but instead humble yourself before God:

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. – Isaiah 66:2

Calling fellowship a “spending time”

Do not call a fellowship of believers a spend time. If you walk in the light, then you need to fellowship with other believers, not merely spending your time:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. – 1 John 1:7

Calling others a “spiritual father” or “discipler”

You must not call anyone a spiritual father or discipler:

And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. – Matthew 23:9

The term discipler is a synonym of the term spiritual father which is adopted by Catholics. Instead of calling someone a spiritual father or discipler, you must encourage each other daily:

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. – Hebrews 3:13

Calling “Korah” those who oppose the Antichrist

Do not call others Korah or Korah’s rebellion when they oppose church leaders, pastors and priests. Korah opposed Moses who have been appointed by God himself to lead His people out of Egypt:

They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" – Numbers 16:3

Church leaders, pastors and priests have never been appointed by God because these are the illegitimate positions, so they must be confronted for the very same reason. They disclose their cunningness by occupying those positions. The only position approved by apostles is an elder. An elder does not lord over believers the way church leaders do. Church leaders, pastors and priests are Korah of our time --">