On Authority in the Church

This gentleman "gets it" about authority, IMNSHO. It's always good to see someone who can't simply be dismissed as merely a woman, a feminist, a liberal, an arminian, an egalitarian, or any of the other pejoratives often lobbed at those who question the status quo of worldly hierarchies masquerading as God's way in the church.

Kind of difficult for the hierarchalists to "yeah-but" a Bible Belt Southern Baptist pastor and evangelist with over 50 years in ministry who says:

Authority is to be experienced in the assembly because of the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit obvious through people. In one sense, the entire body shares authority. [Eph. 5:21, 1Peter 5:5] This means we recognize one another's gifts, knowledge, or experience in the Lord and we choose to serve/submit because the Holy Spirit has placed some as gifts and has annointed the ministries of those gifts. That is the key to understanding Pastors/Elders and their function. No one has authority BECAUSE they have a stronger personality, knows more Bible, or they hold an office. That is foreign to the New Testament.

Amen and amen, Paul Burleson!

This article is well worth reading in its entirety.