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Virginia. I'm too involved to just walk out but there are too many variables at play. I have never liked the Methodist model. The pastor has too much power. Our pastor does not abuse his power, he just sees no need to involve too many people in the decisions. And he is really too busy. If you ask the youth pastor about something, he says he has to talk to the head pastor. The head pastor blows him off so you get blown off by proxy. It's annoying.

The largest problem is that all our wives are in an uproar over the problems. Many people have spoken to him about theology and several have openly said they think he is unSaved. I don't think that is true. I just think he isn't comfortable with the mystery of God so he tends to overthink. Then he has the Hindus going to Heaven. The core group "opposing" him are almost all Emmaus-types(ie extremely grounded) and all have kids coming into youth activities. They have said they don't want the head pastor influencing their kids.

My biggest problem is that the pastor has absolutely no heart for the lost. He could care less if people go to Hell. If he believes in Hell at all which I doubt he does. So when we do mission work, it is all secular work.

We have unified and we have objected. But I sure am coveting that non-denom down the street. I wouldn't have to deal with liberal bishopettes or annual conferences or boards or any of that liberal pap that comes with being a mainstreamer.

You are in a conference (Virginia) that currently is headed by an apostate (Bishop Kammerer), and I don't envy you that. We had the same in Ohio for a while with Bish Craig. I doubt you'll get much relief for a few years until she's gone.

The only way to get relief is to quit giving your money and to have others do the same. (How large of a church is it?)

Our church polity is no more inclined to pastoral dictatorship than is any other model. That really is something that happens at the local level.

In fact, all of the committees are elected by the church.

1. The "Nominating Committee" is the most important. This year have 3 people you want to see on the nominating committee. Nominate them from the floor if you have to. Next year do another 3. You will then have the group in place to bring about change throughout the entire system.

2. Start working on the Pastor Parish Committee. You can nominate from the floor for that, too, until you get the nominating committee fixed. This is the committee that officially approves and disapproves of the pastor's behavior. It recommends a pastor stay or go.

3. The trustees "own" all the buildings and property.

4. All the other committees are significant. They deal with some aspect of what the church does: worship, education, missions, evangelism. Get workers on those to DO what you want to do, and then you can safely OVERRIDE and ignore any liberal pastor that gets sent your way.

This is the path to the people owning their local church.

I don't believe it's any different in the non-denom down the street. They have their in-groups, dictator pastors, bad doctrine, etc.

And, there is no "independent" church in the New Testament. They were linked. (See Acts 15.)