The Bible has much to say about the role of pastors and how Christians should relate to them. Overall, the scriptures teach that pastors are given authority by God to lead and shepherd church congregations, and believers are called to submit to and obey their pastoral leadership—but this must be balanced with discernment and an understanding that pastors are still imperfect people who can make mistakes.
Here are some key principles the Bible offers on obeying pastors:
Pastors are given authority by God to lead the church
Several verses indicate that pastors have a God-given authority and responsibility to lead their congregations. For example, Acts 20:28 tells elders to “care for the church of God,” 1 Peter 5:2 instructs elders to “shepherd the flock of God,” and Hebrews 13:17 says to “obey your leaders and submit to them.” The role of a pastor/elder is likened to a shepherd who guides and protects the sheep.
This authority means pastors are responsible for teaching biblical truth, providing spiritual guidance, protecting the congregation from false teaching, making wise decisions for the church, and generally leading the body of believers. Their authority comes from God, not themselves.
Christians are called to submit to and obey their pastors
Along with giving authority to pastors, the Bible calls Christians to submit to that authority within reason. Passages like 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, and Hebrews 13:17 instruct believers to honor, submit to, and obey their spiritual leaders.
What does this obedience look like? It means respecting their teaching, following their lead, and accepting correction and spiritual guidance. It means supporting their decisions for the church, trusting their discernment, and not undermining their leadership. Of course, it does not mean blindly following commands that contradict Scripture.
But pastors are still imperfect people who can make mistakes
At the same time, the Bible is clear that pastors are still fallen, imperfect people who are capable of making errors in judgment and teaching (Acts 20:29-30). While their office deserves respect, pastors should not be put on a pedestal or expected to be infallible.
Therefore, the Bible also instructs Christians to exercise wisdom and discernment. Believers are called to diligently study the Scriptures for themselves (2 Timothy 2:15), use spiritual discernment (1 John 4:1), and “test everything” their leaders teach against the truth of God’s word (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
The Bereans were called “noble-minded” for examining even the Apostle Paul’s teaching to ensure it was biblical (Acts 17:11). So while we are to submit to pastoral authority, the Bible balances this with the responsibility for each person to discern truth.
When pastors teach truth accurately, obey and submit
When pastors preach, teach, and lead in alignment with Scripture, Christians are called to obey, submit to, and honor their leadership. We should follow their lead in matters of doctrine, church policy, spiritual guidance, and counseling when it matches God’s word.
Of course, we are all still learning and growing in understanding the Bible accurately. When a pastor teaches truths from Scripture in the power of the Spirit, we should accept their instruction with humility and obedience in order to learn, even if we don’t yet fully understand.
When pastors’ teachings seem questionable, test them against Scripture
If a pastor teaches something that seems theologically unsound or contradicts God’s word, we are called to gently but boldly raise questions and test their doctrine against Scripture (1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11). Their teaching should be examined through the lens of the Bible, not personal opinions.
A pastor’s instructions are not to be followed if they lead a believer into sin or clearly violate biblical commands. In such cases, we ultimately answer to the authority of God’s word above any human leader. But this discernment should be practiced with humility, not an unteachable spirit.
When pastors make unwise decisions, pray and appeal reasonably
Pastors will sometimes make decisions, set policies, or lead in ways that a member personally disagrees with but are not necessarily unbiblical. In these scenarios, we can appeal reasonably and pray for wisdom, but should be cautious not to foster disunity, disrespect their position, or let personal frustrations lead to rebellion.
Of course, if a pastor persistently leads in an unwise or unaccountable manner, biblical steps can be taken to gently confront them and implement change (1 Timothy 5:19-21). But this should be handled judiciously with the guidance of other spiritual authorities.
When pastors fall into sin, gracious correction and accountability are needed
Tragically, sometimes pastors fall into sinful habits or behaviors that disqualify them from leadership. In such situations, Scripture offers direction for gracious correction, firm accountability, and in some cases removing the leader from their position (1 Timothy 5:19-20).
But even in cases of moral failure, as long as the pastor responds humbly and repents, patience, grace and forgiveness should be extended on the path toward restoration. The spiritual health of the congregation should be the highest priority.
When disagreements arise, approach with humility, grace and biblical fidelity
When we feel the need to correct, confront or disagree with a pastor’s actions or teaching, it is essential we do so with a humble heart, biblical discernment, and commitment to the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Our attitude and motivations matter greatly.
We should voice concerns privately first, then follow biblical procedures for correction if needed (Matthew 18:15-17). Apparent mistakes by a leader should not be used to justify disrespect, but handled graciously.
Conclusion
The Bible calls Christians to submit to pastoral authority, while balancing this with personal study, discernment, and commitment to God’s word as the ultimate authority. Obeying and honoring our pastors should be our starting attitude, combined with humility, grace, accountability, and fidelity to Scripture above all else.
When handled rightly, submitting to pastoral leadership fosters unity, spiritual growth, and a healthy church body that advances God’s kingdom purposes on earth. But this requires each individual exercising wisdom, patience, and charity – the very character traits that pastoral authority is intended to help nurture.