THE PASTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD, THE FLESH, AND THE DEVIL
Don Hawley
As the chosen leader of God's precious flock, the pastor has an awesome responsibility. He is accountable to God for making decisions, often difficult ones, that affect the spiritual welfare of the entire congregation. Without becoming dictatorial, he must shoulder his responsibility with courage.
Members of the congregation are called by God to respect their pastor's leadership role. Even one who is gifted in the prophetical must not assume he or she can operate outside the pastor's authority.
Leaders who oversee a spiritually dead congregation will face problems, but when a congregation becomes alive in the Holy Spirit the challenges really increase. The devil doesn't need to expend much energy or attention on a lukewarm flock; they pose no significant threat to his kingdom. However, the renewal now sweeping through the world has him terrified. It could bring his reign to an abrupt halt.
When a congregation earnestly moves into renewal, the pastor must prayerfully exercise his authority in three particular areas:
GOD
Most congregations are not used to seeing the third person of the Godhead move in power. When he does manifest himself, there is a tendency on the part of many to misjudge. We forget that the Holy Spirit is sovereign God, and he will do what he wants, when he wants, and how he wants, without our permission. We would like to write his agenda for him, but that is not our prerogative. The Bible makes it clear that God often has done unusual things--as he did at Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, their behavior was so strange they were accused of being drunk!
When anyone's behavior invades our comfort zone, we're tempted to become critical. We might even attribute the manifestations of God to an ungodly source. The sternest warning in the Word deals with that serious error.
I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Matt. 12:31, 32.
I personally have been involved with renewal for several months in many parts of the country, and believe I have witnessed all the more common manifestations of the Spirit. Although at one time my hair would have stood on end, I now am quite unaffected. The reason for this is that I have followed the Bible admonition to test the fruit, and have found it to be exceedingly good. Who am I to tell the Holy Spirit what he can or cannot do?
In renewal it is the pastor's responsibility to lead his members gently into understanding the Spirit's working in their midst. I believe it is also his responsibility to discern and deal with those manifestations that are not the moving of the Spirit.
THE DEVIL
When I first visited renewal, I expected to be mightily challenged in discerning what was of God and what might be of the devil. It didn't turn out that way at all. I hadn't been at my first meeting more than 30 minutes, before I knew what I was seeing was the Body of Christ joyfully praising their God. I sensed the devil and his associates would be extremely uncomfortable in such surroundings. Of course they can't afford to boycott such gatherings entirely, but it must be a painful assignment for the powers of darkness.
But when the devil does show up, are we at his mercy? Hardly. God promises plainly that when his people come hungrily searching for the bread of life, he will not allow them to receive a stone instead. Although many don't seem to comprehend it, God's power to protect is much greater than the devil's power to deceive.
God has equipped those who walk with him to discern the work of evil spirits. I experienced this truth firsthand while attending an intercessory prayer meeting in Toronto, Canada. We had just spent about 15 minutes in complete silence in order to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts. Those who felt they had received something special from him were then invited to come to the microphone to share their blessing. Some who had seen a visual image drew what they had witnessed on a small sheet of paper.
During the quiet time, many in the room were manifesting some way in response to the moving of the Spirit. I was acquainted with, and comfortable with, such manifestations. However, my attention was drawn to one young man in particular. What was happening to him bore no resemblance to what others in the room were experiencing. His face was contorted into an ugly mask, and his hands and arms were moving in grotesque fashion. My spirit said, "demonic," but in the past I had been tempted to react critically to perfectly normal manifestations. So I told myself to quit judging and turn my attention elsewhere
A few moments later I saw this young man waiting in line to testify, and again my spirit told me something was decidedly wrong with his behavior. When he stepped up to the microphone this became evident; he held up the little picture he had drawn and it was a depiction of the New Age all-seeing eye along with a pyramid! He was under the influence of the demonic.
The person in charge of the meeting was a diminutive little lady I call "the head-shaking grandma." I refer to her this way because when she prophesies in public her head shakes rapidly from side to side. She once told God she would just as soon do without this head-shaking bit, but he didn't comply. Now it was up to her to deal with a demonized person, and she handled it with aplomb. Within seconds the picture was whipped away and the young man was on his back on the floor. What happened after the service I do not know, but he was no longer a threat until that time. I'm sure many weren't even aware of what transpired, but I was comforted to know that the leadership of that congregation are trained to deal with any eventuality.
In any congregation experiencing renewal, the pastor should be equipped to deal with such an occurrence, and should train his principle leaders as well. What might present a more difficult challenge is dealing with the flesh.
THE FLESH
In a renewal congregation some will manifest markedly, some moderately, and some hardly at all. This signifies nothing vital; when the Holy Spirit comes upon people they respond differently. The response, or lack thereof, should never be seen as a means of determining the person's spirituality; it isn't.
Unfortunately there will always be some who long to manifest heavily, and who will mimic others with self-induced actions. Often these are people with low self esteem, who are still maturing in their Christian experience. Frequently it is best simply to overlook such behavior. However, this need to be in the spotlight sometimes can prove a distraction to others, and can be a hindrance to congregational worship.
Let me point out an example. In one renewal congregation I attend, members are properly allowed time to come forward to share any prophetical word the Lord has given them for the Body. This is a time of blessing for all. However, one young lady seems to need special attention. When she comes forward she explodes into violent action accompanied by loud yelling and shouting. So convulsive is her behavior that one cannot even make out what she is trying to say.
I've become careful about judging, but I can't help but believe this is a problem of the flesh. I've witnessed wonderful words from the Lord that are attended with rather heavy manifestations, and I can handle that. But since one can't even make out what this lady is saying, how can the Body be blessed? How is the Lord glorified? Those experienced in renewal won't be devastated, but what about visitors? Those who come for the first time with grave reservations are apt to head for the exit. Even those who have come hungering and thirsting for more of God's Spirit could easily be offended. They would sense something out of place.
Now it is not the part of one member to deal with another member concerning such a problem. Instead, the pastor and his trained leaders should be sensitive to the situation. For the pastor to stand back and take a "hands off" attitude regardless of what transpires is to shirk his God-given responsibility. The person involved should not be put to a public embarrassment, but should be counseled gently and privately. However, it should be understood that for the good of the Body the offensive behavior cannot continue.
Shepherding a flock of dead sheep may not be much of a problem, but a true shepherd would rather face the challenge that living sheep present. And to lead them into pastures of renewal should be seen as a tremendous privilege--problems not withstanding.