Ok, I don't know much about this local assembly, but something that's puzzling to me about this scenario (and this also applies to a lot of denominations) is the fact that there is not a mature believer (or mature believers) in that congregation that can help steer that local assembly under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit?
Why do we have "pastors" applying for church position? This idea of the professional pastor is really troubling.
If there are no mature believers in that congregation to lead the assembly, then what exactly has the pastor been teaching his flock all these years???
Paul's instructions about appointing overseers for the local assembly was choosing someone from within that local assembly...
Ofcourse, sometimes, the believers in newly established local assembly will be new in the faith, so they need someone who is already grounded in the faith to lead them.
But, eventually, the local assembly should have enough mature believers to function as church leadership.
We see that in Paul's ministry over and over again. He established local assemblies in places, left Timothy and/ Titus to take care of the place but eventually, they were to appoint overseers from within that local assembly.
But today, we have too many professional pastors who "apply for the job and get the offer..."
Our problem is far bigger than just scandals. Our pastors need to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. It's not enough to just attend "church" on Sunday and Wednesday to just keep hearing sermons over and over again.
In fact, Pastors should not be preaching all the time. Let your flock also teach (
1 Cor 14). How do professional pastors even know if their flock is growing spiritually, when it's just hear a sermon every sunday and wednesday over and over again???
Man, we need the body ministry real bad...
Anyhow, carry on...just my musings...
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