“But many who are first will be last, and the last first." (Mark 10:31)
How can the first switchover to the last and vice versa in the church? It is possible only when they change their mind for the value of position, which is called overturn of value. Firstly, it is better to raise a question as to how supremacy is exercised practically.
Generally speaking, pastor occupies the topmost rung of the church hierarchy. There are pastors who insist on their qualification and ability as vital criteria for one to mediate between God and man. It is not an exaggeration to say that the arbitrary decision and activities of a pastor is one of the important factors for the sickness of a church in Korea. So you can imagine well how the people who founded a church without a pastor.
However, nowadays, the supremacy of pastor has been considerably reduced. Except a few Churches, pastors now have become mere nominal heads of the churches. Real supremacy rests on the collective efforts and responsibility of the church elders who exercise their power through meetings and implementation of their resolutions so passed in a more practical manner. The elders generally get the hegemony of the church in a power struggle with a pastor. It is a helpless situation for a pastor that he will have to hold his position temporarily at the mercy of the church elders and the general public. On the contrary, the elders normally stay in their positions for life time. The power struggle between a pastor and the elders will be intensified and pastors will be gradually relegated. I would like to omit the reasons for this.
The male supremacy in Korean church shows its strength more evident than any other phenomena. Female is completely excluded from church political structure. The fact that a female pastor cannot even be invited as a pastor in-charge is a clear evidence of their exclusiveness in matters of church politics. Fixed idea and prejudice of the members are the reasons for not allowing the female to hold the position of a pastor in a church. However the responsibility of female believers is also great in the healthy growth of a church.
How can we change such supremacy so designed? How can it be truly happened that the first become the last and the last become the first? Can you see any symptom of changes in you and your society? If not, we are still overhearing the Lord’s word in vain.
How can the first switchover to the last and vice versa in the church? It is possible only when they change their mind for the value of position, which is called overturn of value. Firstly, it is better to raise a question as to how supremacy is exercised practically.
Generally speaking, pastor occupies the topmost rung of the church hierarchy. There are pastors who insist on their qualification and ability as vital criteria for one to mediate between God and man. It is not an exaggeration to say that the arbitrary decision and activities of a pastor is one of the important factors for the sickness of a church in Korea. So you can imagine well how the people who founded a church without a pastor.
However, nowadays, the supremacy of pastor has been considerably reduced. Except a few Churches, pastors now have become mere nominal heads of the churches. Real supremacy rests on the collective efforts and responsibility of the church elders who exercise their power through meetings and implementation of their resolutions so passed in a more practical manner. The elders generally get the hegemony of the church in a power struggle with a pastor. It is a helpless situation for a pastor that he will have to hold his position temporarily at the mercy of the church elders and the general public. On the contrary, the elders normally stay in their positions for life time. The power struggle between a pastor and the elders will be intensified and pastors will be gradually relegated. I would like to omit the reasons for this.
The male supremacy in Korean church shows its strength more evident than any other phenomena. Female is completely excluded from church political structure. The fact that a female pastor cannot even be invited as a pastor in-charge is a clear evidence of their exclusiveness in matters of church politics. Fixed idea and prejudice of the members are the reasons for not allowing the female to hold the position of a pastor in a church. However the responsibility of female believers is also great in the healthy growth of a church.
How can we change such supremacy so designed? How can it be truly happened that the first become the last and the last become the first? Can you see any symptom of changes in you and your society? If not, we are still overhearing the Lord’s word in vain.
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