elders

Why Doesn't Midtown Have a Lead Pastor?

If you've ever visited the leadership page on our website, you'll notice that there is no singular lead pastor listed. Since many churches in America do operate with a singular lead pastor, we thought it might be good to explain why we don't. Elders are the leaders of the church who in the Bible are also called pastors, bishops, and overseers (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 5:2). Elders are to be men chosen for their ministry according to clear biblical requirements (1 Timothy 2:11-3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) and a elder’s duties include ruling (1 Timothy 5:17) managing (1 Timothy 3:4-5), tending (1 Peter 5:2-5), giving account (Hebrews 13:17), living exemplary lives (Hebrews 13:7), using authority (Acts 20:28), teaching (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Timothy 3:2), preaching (1 Timothy 5:17), doctrinal instruction (Titus 1:9), and discipline (Matthew 18:15-17).

When the bible speaks of pastors/elders at the local church level, it speaks in plurality. From our best understanding of scripture, it was always the goal for local churches to have multiple qualified elders serving together as a safeguard for both the church and the elders. This protects the church from inappropriately being built around one person, often a charismatic leader. It also protects the pastors from being crushed under the weight of leading a church alone.

The Bible calls Jesus the Chief Shepherd, or senior leader, of the church (1 Peter 5:4). Within Midtown's leadership, we reserve the title of Senior Pastor for Jesus, and with him as our leader, we have worked hard to train up and empower qualified pastors and leadership. Our hope is that, by God’s grace and through a team dynamic, being a pastor of our church will be more of a joy than a burden, and though the weight is heavy it would never be crushing.