[George]

Aloha brother Will,

For another excellent defense of the words of God (as found in the King James Bible), and for a sound Biblical exposition concerning the office of a "bishop"!

Your observations are clearly Scriptural, and it's a shame that most modern day "Christian" churches have SUBSTITUTED a College "Education (i.e. "SCHOOLING" - Seminary, "Bible" School, etc.) for EXPERIENCE, i.e. SEASONED, and TESTED!

The "single pastor model" in most modern day "Evangelical" and "Fundamentalist" churches has led to so much ABUSE of the legitimate "spiritual power" that bishops/elders/pastors possess, that there are literally thousands (hundreds of thousands) of believers that have been "offended" by the "abuse" of that "power"!

The modern day Evangelical and Fundamentalist churches have adopted the "worldly standard" (i.e. "SCHOOLING"/"EDUCATION") for QUALIFYING for the office of a bishop/elder/pastor with disastrous results!

1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

And if you will notice - many of those who join the AV1611 Bible Forums, and who contend AGAINST the King James Bible being the Christian's FINAL AUTHORITY (Perfect, Holy, Inspired, and Infallible) are those (young) University (College or "Bible" School) graduates, who, other than possessing a "DEGREE", would be deemed UNFIT for the ministry - if today's churches were following the Scriptures (instead of "emulating" the world) in choosing a bishop/elder/pastor.

Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. {HOW can these College or University ("Bible" School) graduates - "give themselves" to the "ministry of the word" - WHEN they DO NOT know WHAT it is, or WHERE it is? And are continually "sniping", "nit-picking", and "questioning" (or WORSE) the Holy "words" of God as found in the King James Bible?}

In one of my Posts last year I said:

In the early church there was no clergy–laity set up as in almost all modern day churches. There was no one individual “pastor” over the church, or in the larger churches – a “senior pastor”; “assistant pastors”; “youth pastor”; “Choir Director”; or so-called “Christian Counselors” - dispensing pagan philosophy within the church, or today’s’ modern equivalent - Humanism, Psychiatry, & Psychology.

The leaders in the early church were called elders and were always plural in number and they shared whatever power and authority they had – equally. No division existed between the congregation and elders-pastors. [They (elders-pastors and the congregation) all were brethren – with no distinctions!]

An elder’s (pastor’s) authority over the brethren was, and still is, very limited – spiritual only!

An elder (pastor) is not to exercise dominion over the brethren or over their faith!

The complete Post can be found at the following Link: http://av1611.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3631&postcount=107

Again, thank you for your excellent studies and all the effort you put into defending our HOLY BIBLE. I greatly appreciate that "effort" - even though I don't always acknowledge it!