There is no reason for a Christian, irrespective of Pastor or a common Church goer to be depressed. In every job there is pressure, but if our goal is to please Lord and work for his glory then we will not be anxious. The example of Elijah that is given in this thread is an Old Covenant example. No one can prove that Timothy was depressed, no scriptural evidence of it.

The fundamental problem is the concept of Pastor and Church in most of the Churches are unbiblical. Let me list them,

1. Only a calling from God will determine whether a person is a pastor or not. No theological learning can make someone pastor. Sadly in mega Churches today, a person is selected purely based on educational qualification. If there is no spirit given life then no education can replace it. The lack of life and presence of serious unrepented sins is the cause for most failures.

2. A pastor should never be elected by Church or appointed by Board that runs a Church. Such a practice is unbiblical. He should come from the Church and appointed by an Apostle (A man of God who planted the Church like Paul).

3. He should never get a salary from Church. This will make him a slave to Church than to Jesus. The pastor has to maintain a certain count in the Church to get a healthy salary which is clearly unbiblical. A Pastor can accept gifts but not paid based on a contract. I agree with the way George Muller had an offering box for his expenses alone which was independent of the Church offering.

4. Paul always appointed elders and not a single elder. So it is clearly unbiblical for a single person to lead a congregation. Jesus always sent his disciples in pairs for ministry. New Covenant is different from Old where there was only 1 prophet at a time. In New Covenant, it is fellowship say Paul and Barnabas, Peter and John etc.

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Sreeram

The fact of the matter is just because “we” here on sermonindex do not believe that a one pastor system is correct doesn’t help those who are “IN” a one pastor system and struggling.

Can you or I step out of our “belief” box to help another WITHOUT giving them a lecture on what is right or wrong with their system?

These pastors are still dying by their own hand while you guys debate the one shepherd system. It’s not helping anyone. This is what’s wrong with the church today, people are dying while others are debating.

What are you going to do about it? Debate, lecture or actually be help in the spiritual realm and pray?

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Lisa

Sree stated

I would like to concur with a point Soloman made. Any believing saint who desires to minister has ample opportunity. And you do not need the permission of the local church.

A few years ago I was introduced to conference call praying. About that time God put within my heart to start Persecution Watch. It was a matter of calling a conference call center and getting a number and access. Then letting people know. Eventually God brought the intercessors to pray. For the last 3 or so years we have been lifting up the persecuted church 3 nights a week. Presently we are in nightly watch through the month of December where we are lifting up the persecuted church and global harvest on a nightly basis.

In the providence of God, Persecution Watch in partnership with other ministries has hosted 3 national conference calls on the International Day of Prayer. Thus providing a 12 hour venue for saints to come and lift up prayer for the persecuted church.

To the best of my knowledge we are the only prayer call in the US and maybe Canada dedicated to praying for the Persecuted Church.

I share this to not boast or brag. But to illustrate Soloman's point anyone can do ministry who has a vision from God. Persecution Watch was birthed by God. It is overseen by the Holy Spirit not a church. I was not discouraged by any church as I was not attending a local church at the time. Though the devil sure brought discouragement. But even in that Christ was victorious.

I hope this testimony will encourage others who have a desire for ministry to do so. Our call is small compared to other calls that have large gatherings of people. But God is using Persecution Watch to pray over strategic parts of the globe and lift up the persecuted. Also to pray for the harvest out of those nations.

I tell our team that we may not see the immediate answers to our prayers this side of glory. But God be praised for those glory stories in heaven that await us.

To God be the Glory. Great tbings He has done.

Blaine Scogin

I think Lysa, that people are helping and praying. The question from Greg, was "Why are they committing suicide?" and some of the posts are exploring that question and in their posts are answers but many don't want to hear of "stepping down", taking a sabbatical and reassessing their position.

Sree,

I find your statement incredulous and void of reality.

"There is no reason for a Christian, irrespective of Pastor or a common Church goer to be depressed."

Even Paul despaired of life. Jesus had much heaviness in the garden of Gethsemane.
2Co_1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

Solomon, many pastors have no idea what they are getting into. They don't bring on very much themselves. They truly want to minister to people but what happens is that they become the object of Satan's fiery darts from the "congregation". This wreaks havoc with them, their marriage and their children. There is not end to the nastiness and evil that is hurled at them. We are saying that the religious system is somewhat setup for that type of thing because it is setup like a worldly, hierarchical corporation and because money is involved then the Pastor's position becomes a results oriented, be better than the church down the block type of thing. This is plain on all of our noses but not often on their noses.

The religious system sets men up for failure. There are over 20,000 church splits a year in America. I would say, that sounds like failure to me.

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Sreeram

Thank you Lysa and Solomon101 for your inspiring posts!!! There are many responses here to brother Greg’s question, “why so many”. But unfortunately questions like these give us the opportunity to display our "enlightened knowledge" of all that is wrong with the church rather than stir up the compassion of Christ for others. I too am tempted to get on my soapbox (of which I have many) but what good is that? How will this help these hurting brothers – many of whom are serving the Lord diligently, the best way they know how? When I go off on my rants (and I do often) I am about as useful to these pastors as the guy who throws both ends of a rope to a drowning man:)

The bigger question is not what is the cause, (for those are endless)…but what are we doing about this problem as the members of the body of Christ? Are we just sitting on the sidelines criticizing these guys for all the things that they are doing wrong or for being in the wrong vocation or wrong system or structure? Is that all we are good for? That’s actually quite sad when you stop and think about it:(

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Sreeram

Awakened said, "My point is that I know LOTS of pastors that are called, equipped, good hearted men of God. When you are attacking them, as has been done in this thread, you are in grave error .... seriously grave error."

Awakened, I can't speak for the others whose comments you have criticized, but I feel quite deeply misunderstood by you. I know a few pastors myself like those you describe above, and have a great respect for them, and love for them. They are doing the will of God the best way they know how.

But, Awakened, it is not "attacking them" to state that the problem of one-pastor leadership is a fundamental problem in "the Church." Speaking for myself, it is out of love for these men that I said what I said-- that the one-pastor system is simply not the order God established in the early churches. I made my comment in answer to the original question: why are so many pastors taking their own lives? Yes, these men need to be encouraged and strengthened. Yes, we must sympathize with them. But what about getting to the root of the problem so it can be STOPPED? Do we love these men that deeply? Yes, it would mean radical change. A spiritual revolution, in fact. But can't we see how deeply this is needed?

Perhaps you missed my earlier post. I mentioned a friend, who several years ago attended one of David Wilkerson's highly-esteemed pastors' conferences. They addressed many issues-- the burdens on pastors, the overwork, the stress that comes on their own families, pastor burnout, and many other problems. My friend said it was all very good, and many were helped. But, he added, they failed to even so much as touch on the problem that underlies all these others-- that it was not God's intention in the first place that His churches be led by one single ministry.

You are no doubt a Bible lover, brother. I challenge you to go to your Bible with an honest heart... and this question: Is the one-pastor system so prevalent in our churches God's order?

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Allan Halton