Not Pastor like you think

New International Version
And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 1 Cor 12:28

I might draw your attention to the fact "pastor" was not mentioned.  Opps! God did not give to the church what we call "pastor", but rather He gave to us the work of shepherding to a group of men in any assembly that so desired it and qualified for that position.  The position was that of an elder and not a "little king".  The position was plural and not singular. It was a group of men who was appointed by other men whose function in the assembly was to feed the sheep, tend for them, watch for their safety.  It was a servant's position and not one of a ruler!

We have created of our own "pastor" by making a entire system from a word found only once in the New Testament.  Our modern pastor role is more patterned like the role of a papal priest than a Book of Acts elder.  Shame on us for not reading with understanding.   

Let me say, if you get the top wrong the all that follows will be wrong also.  If the cornerstone of our faith is built upon the wrong layout then the whole building will be structured wrong.  Skewed! 

The modern pattern of our "pastor and church" is completely out of balance with the pattern given us by the Book of Acts apostles.   They met house to house, breaking bread (for a meal), continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship.   They did not build little priestly kingdoms for themselves to rule over.  It was not more about money and control than helping the poor and the widow.  It was not based upon the vanity of belonging but about the sacrifice of self!

If the pattern is wrong then the building is wrong.  Some still think God will reform Babylon but let me echo the voices of those gone before me:  God will not reform Babylon but will call His people out.  Out of darkness into light.  Out of bondage into liberty.  Out of Egypt into Israel.  Out of slavery into Promise Land.   Come out of Her, My People, and be not a partaker of Her sins.  Rev 18:4

Be blessed, Billy and Jan 

What Every Christian Should Know About Paying Tithes

The following things all modern Christians should know about tithes or paying tithes:

1. Tithes were only paid to the Levites.

2. Tithes were only paid to the Levites when Israel was in their own land.

3. Only farmers and herdsmen paid the tithe.

4. The poor were exempted from the tithe.  The 10th animal that passed under the rod, so a man with only 3 animals paid nothing.

5.  The tithe was never paid in money.

6.  Abraham only paid tithe one time on the spoils of of one war and not one cent of his own money.

7.  Modern Israel does NOT pay the tithe today, because there is no Levite to receive it.  The Jew is smarter about the tithe than most Christians.

8.  Not one example exists where tithes were paid or collected by the Book of Acts Church.

9.  Modern tithe paying in Christian church is disportionately a greater burden to the poor.   A man who only earns $1,000 per month suffers more than a man who earns $10,000 per mon by being taxed 1/10.

10. A dead man is freed from the Law of the Tithe and we died in Christ.  We are free and not under bondage of the tithe.

11. Tithing did not come to the Christian Church until 700 years after Calvary.

12.  The New Testament Church is admonished to remember the poor, orphans and widows and no mention of the Church paying tithes is recorded in the entire New Testament.

13.  If a pastor receives the tithe in money according to the Law of Moses then he violates the Law of the Tithe as only a Levite is commission by God to receive the tithe.

14.  Malachi 3:6 is taken out of context.  The New Testament Christian does not buy a blessing by paying tithes.  We are blessed in Jesus because of Grace not buying a blessing.

15.  Jesus never asked for nor received a tithe.  He was from the tribe of Judah not Levite.

The modern practice of taxing the people of God under the burden of the so called "tithe" is not Biblical nor correctly dividing the Word of Truth, but is a perversion of the Good News.  Remember the "poor" does not mean the "poor pastor".