The Pastors’ Club

This book challenges pastors to step down from their exalted position and return to the New Testament form of local church leadership by a council of elders-men whose character, not their gifts or degrees, qualify them to lead God’s family on earth.

It takes a tortured twisting of the words of Jesus and his disciples to defend the professional positions of today’s clergy.

The division between the clergy and the laity violates the teachings of Jesus and the practice of the apostles. Jesus did not appoint one of his disciples over the others. After his resurrection, none claimed such a role. Neither Jesus nor his disciples was a member of the religious hierarchy or a trained scholar. Yet he entrusted to them the mission of carrying the good news to the whole world.

America needs a family, yet our churches look like any other corporate organization or political government.

In The Pastors’ Club, author Paul S. Lyon provides an analysis of the teachings of Jesus and his disciples demonstrating that only elders are called to collectively pastor and oversee the local church. A single local leader-pastor, bishop, priest, or even chief elder-has no basis in scripture.