Is it ok to criticize a pastor?
Luke Humphrey
Transcript
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“Touch not the Lord’s anointed.”
Have you ever heard that used to protect the ministry of a pastor or a church leader? Does this mean that it is wrong to criticize a pastor? Or is it ok to criticize a pastor? What should we think about this?
The verse quoted comes from Psalm 105. It’s worth hearing it in full for the context:
Psalm 105:12–15 (ESV) — 12 When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, 13 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, 14 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, 15 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!”
This passage is not talking about pastors but actually about the nation of Israel who were set apart for God’s purpose. According to Psalm 105 God protected his covenant people in their wandering from nation to nation. It would be inappropriate to take this and apply it to pastors.
But does that mean that it is ok to criticize a pastor then? Yes and no.
The Bible teaches that pastors are to be above reproach and that they are to be held in honor. For example 1 Timothy 5:17 says:
1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV) — 17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
Faithful elders are worthy of honor, which means we should be slow to criticize and not criticize lightly. In fact, the normal pattern of Scripture is that elders are to be obeyed:
Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) — 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
So, we should obey our pastors and submit to them in a way that allows for them to joyfully shepherd the flock. This means that there are certainly times when we shouldn’t criticize our pastors.
However, in Hebrews 13 we see that elders are not above accountability. In fact, the way elders shepherd the flock is “as those who will have to give an account.” This is an account to the Lord, but insofar as it is appropriate is also an account to man.
In fact, right after Paul tells Timothy that elders are to be held in honor, he writes this:
1 Timothy 5:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
This strikes the right balance between honor and accountability. We honor the elders by not allowing for one person’s criticism or charge to stand by itself. But there is an appropriate process to rightly criticize—bring a charge against—an elder on the evidence of two or three witnesses. And if this charge is demonstrated to be true and the elder is recognized as being in sin and continues without repentance, then Paul commands the church to “rebuke them [the elders in sin] in the presence of all [the church].”
So, pastors are called to be honored, but only as far as they are faithful. The Bible allows and in fact commands appropriate criticism of pastors who are twisting the Scriptures or living in an unrepentantly sinful lifestyle. Unfaithful pastors can’t hide behind the verse to “not touch the Lord’s anointed.”