Should Pastors Rebuke Parishioners from the Pulpit?

I have had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of a “pastoral rant.”

As a senior in high school, I had chosen (at the encouragement of my parents), to attend a community college for 2 years before heading off to Bible college. The speaker at our Cola War that year was a “staff evangelist” from a particular Christian university that was heavily endorsed by my church. During the week, the “evangelist” made a point of visiting me in my house to recruit me for the university. I explained the situation (and my parent’s involvement). Then, in my living room…with my mom in the next room…he explained how Psalm 1 was a command from God that I attend a Bible college; I should follow that command at all costs, even with the disapproval of my parents…interesting advice. I fear that I was then characterized as a rebel because I asked about the difference between direct commands and applications of biblical principles.

That Sunday evening, he “preached” one final message to the entire church. He then presented a somewhat generic message on mindsets that prevent us from obeying God completely. He then chose “random” men from the congregation to stand up and represent the various mindsets. He pointed at various men to have them come up. He then called me up (by name) to represent the mindset of stupidity/rebellion. He then began to rail against the mindset, slapping me on the chest while doing so. By pure random chance, one of the examples of this mindset was refusing to attend Christian university….

I don’t remember his sermon that well…but I remember the shock and hurt that I felt that a “man of God” would seek to publicly humiliate me. Needless to say, I stayed at community college and transferred to a Bible college that was quite far away from that particular Christian university.

May Christ Be Magnified - Philippians 1:20 Todd Bowditch

Let me say my intent was not to defend what this pastor did. My intent was to encourage people to not trust what “the world” reports about what a preacher did. Thus, I encouraged people to watch the entire sermon.

Years ago the Attorney General of the state in which I lived was a Christian man who was under fire for his stands on issues. He came one Sunday and gave a message at the church I was attending. The fallout in the news and local papers, and even national media, over that message was intense. The spin, including video, made it sound like our pastor had endorsed this guy, thus violating the 501c3 restrictions, that we had given this public official money for a public speech (which is not allowed), etc…They made the AG and the church look horrible. It simply was not the case at all. Thus, my intent to give the situation a fair view before deciding.

[Mark_Smith]

Let me say my intent was not to defend what this pastor did. My intent was to encourage people to not trust what “the world” reports about what a preacher did. Thus, I encouraged people to watch the entire sermon.

Years ago the Attorney General of the state in which I lived was a Christian man who was under fire for his stands on issues. He came one Sunday and gave a message at the church I was attending. The fallout in the news and local papers, and even national media, over that message was intense. The spin, including video, made it sound like our pastor had endorsed this guy, thus violating the 501c3 restrictions, that we had given this public official money for a public speech (which is not allowed), etc…They made the AG and the church look horrible. It simply was not the case at all. Thus, my intent to give the situation a fair view before deciding.

Understood, but you might want to hitch that wagon to a different mule.

I think it might be fair to say that we shouldn’t distrust something merely because its been reported in the media. Sometimes they get things right…

May Christ Be Magnified - Philippians 1:20 Todd Bowditch

This pastor is guilty of spiritual abuse. It is indefensible behavior. Still, this would make a great survey question.

Where I have heard individual or group rebuke from the pulpit, it has almost always been misguided. I recall visiting some future relatives on a date with my wife to be, and the pastor was preaching a message against Central Seminary, from which I had recently graduated. It was a KJVO church.

As a Bible college student, we would have to make it back at a certain time, and we would sometimes leave services early on Sunday night to get there. An evangelist flipped out when we left in the middle of a service once.

I’m sure lots of folks have recollections like these.

Just try not to have your own to add to the collection!

I think it would have been funny if the camera would have swung to the floor as the camera operator walked out. We couldn’t pull off a weekend without the many volunteers who give of their time, talent and gifts to support ministry. I can not come up with any reason this would ever be ok and rather a perfect example of “man centered” ministry.

I watched the five minute clip on YouTube last night while watering some flowers.

This is a perfect example of ego-centered, lording it over the flock mentality that runs completely contrary to ‘pastoring’, and it was easily more than twice as bad as I expected it could have been. There is so much that I could say that I could write for pages, but Mark 10 and I Peter 5 really say it all:

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd [not rule] the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The fact that this person - who has completely disgraced Christ by his shameful and foolish actions - is pleased with the controversy and how this played out is even worse. He is glorying in what should be a shame to him.

"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells

[Mark_Smith]

Let me say this, speaking for myself, I’d rather a pastor walk up to me and hit me verbally right between the ears telling me to straighten up than to let me fall right off of a cliff…I personally have seen man after man let others walk right into the minefields of life, and no one said anything.

Mark,

Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you creating a false dilemma, as if the only options of correcting someone within a congregation is rude, arrogant behavior or nothing at all. Shouldn’t II Timothy 2:24-26 be a third option? 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

I deleted that comment

My experience is that Pastors who do this may not be handling the situation properly in personal interaction. In fact I believe this is something that most Christians (myself included) tend to be weak on. As fundamentalists we rally for the gospel and are quick to defend biblical separation but we may be hesitant to rebuke a believer privately so it doesn’t get to “disobedient brother” status.