- Q & A for Pastors -

Here at XOFC, we have received notes and comments about how a person can select a Church. We have suggested that the answer is to talk to those who attend regularly, but also to talk to Pastors. In this day and age, we encourage people to find (not Seeker-friendly Churches in the official "so-called" "Church Growth movement" ), but simply User Friendly churches, which are led by Pastors who are flexible, and who do not consider talking to their congregations something which is demeaning or "for someone else" to do. 

We encourage those trying to find a church home to ask pastors for their time, and to ask challenging questions for pastors. What we suggest is that Pastors should be open to having questions asked, and being willing to give honest answers. The conclusion we share with others is this: "If the Pastor is not willing to work with newcomers or with the church congregation, then this often shows up in the answers to the questions that he is asked".  Pastors who say that they proclaim truth usually do not have trouble sharing that. Those who care more about Church numbers, often attempt to defer or sidestep questions. The solution to "Spiritual Customer Choice" is theological clarity, and direct teaching from the Bible (not fads). 

We believe that if Pastors had more effective means of Biblical descipleship (which they could actively teach to their staffs), that the staff would be able to handle more adminstrative functions, and the Pastor could concentrate more on his God-given role as the one who feeds and educates the Church - as his primary mission. 

A few questions that we suggest to ask Pastors (all pastors)  include:

- If you went to Seminary, where did you go to Seminary ?

- What seminary would the pastor recommend, to someone who might be interested in studying to be a pastor ?

- Who are your favorite Bible Teachers ?

- From those who are on the Radio or TV, who would be

your favorites ?

- What 5 books would you recommend to someone who has

just become a new believer in Jesus Christ ?

- Can a person ever loose their salvation?

- What role does Baptism play in the eternal salvation of a

person ?

- What is the pastor's position on the Eucharist, and whether

the teaching of the presence of the Body of Christ, is true or

not ?

- Are we in the end times ?

- Was Jesus Pre-existent before He came to Earth ?

- Did or does the Church replace Israel or is the Church

grafted into Israel Spiritually ?

- Is the Jesus of the New Age the same Jesus as the one

in the Bible ? IF they are different, what are the differences

and how would one tell ?

- What does the Pastor think of "A Course in Miracles" ?

- Was Mary the mother of Jesus either Sinless or born without Sin ?

- How does the Pastor feel about the Reformation or Protestant Reformation ?

- If he has any heroes from the Reformation, who might they be ?

- Has he PERSONALLY read any of the authors of Reformation completely through...even one book ?

- Is Satan a real spiritual being or an impersonal force ?

  [45% of born again Christians deny Satan's existence. (2001) ]

- Is Freemasonry something that the Bible approves of ?

- Are any Church Pastors, Elders or Deacons Freemasons ?

- IF a person wanted to deeply study the Bible (inductive Bible study) on their own, what are the top 5 or 6 tools or books that should be used for this ?

- At what point does it become morally right for a church to split of or splinter from a denomination, if either the denomination or the leaders in it, are teaching material that is contrary to the Bible ?

- is the Bible a book that should be taken litterally or should it be taken mostly metaphorically ?

- Is there any aspect of the Gay lifestyle that the Bible does not condemn ?

- Is being Gay something which Biblically should be understood as a personal choice or is it something which should be understood as a genetic fact ?

- Has the pastor, or would the pastor, consider hiring anyone who was Gay, especially to be in a position of church leadership ?

- If he could train people to be teachers or leaders and they were willing to devote 20 hrs a week for 3 months to learn this, what would he want to teach them ?

- Is the pastor or senior pastor willing to spend regular time each month with the teenagers of the church, hanging out, answering questions, about the church, theology, etc...

- what is the most controversial public stand that this pastor has taken ?

- What are the top 3 lessons that - as a pastor - he would advise someone else - to pay attention to, especially if they were to consider being a pastor today ?

- According to this pastor, is He and other pastors doing enough to teach young people...the doctrines and specifics of church history, biblical history, and how a person can grow into a mature spiritual life on their own ?

- Are their issues or questions that the Pastor fails to address or confront with teenagers, because of fear of men, or of the parents - that the parents do not want the pastor to address, because they are not where they are supposed to be spiritually themselves ?

- explain the correlation between scripture (bible) memorization and the spiritual strength and understanding a person can have.

- Is the Pastor comfortable in his heart of hearts, that most of the people in the church would know how to continue feeding themselves spiritually...if he somehow were not to be available ?

- If the nation state of Israel is being carved up into 2 right now, and if what is being given to the Palestinians is the ancient places of Galilee, Judea and Samaria, then does this mean that the Land no longer belongs to those who are Jewish ? If the land does not belong any longer to those who are Jewish, then does this mean that God was not serious when he Gave the Land to Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob ?

If the Land was given to Abraham, and yet Pres. Bush is doing all he can to give this land to the Arabs (called Palestinians), then - even though Bush "says" he supports Israel, does this mean that President Bush is working on the side of Almighty God, or against Him ?

- How can a person increase their spiritual discernment in these days, to be sure that they are not spiritually deceived ?

- IF you (the pastor) died today, and a funeral was held for you, then what would you want to be most remembered for, concerning your ministry and the long term impact you would like to have hoped - you would have had on those who sat under your ministry ?

- Are Pastors doing enough to teach the individuals and men in their congregations to learn to conquer fear, have courage, and learn to be mature spiritual leaders, in order to get their strength and significance from the Lord (and not their circumstances) ?

- If this Church Building had to close its doors tomorrow because of special circumstances, then how well would its members do, in being able to feed themselves directly from the Bible, and in being able to grow and develop their own Spiritual Walk? 

- As the Pastor here, or one of the Pastors, do you believe that the present Church Structure leaves you free enough to teach and preach in the manner and way that you believe would best serve your highest calling in accordance with the Call of God upon your life ?

- What kind of "personal descipleship program" does this church offer, either one-on-one or in a small group ?

We Also encourage people to hand this list to their leaders and Pastors, so that these questions can serve as the basis for additional discussions between Pastors and those who attend. 

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