A timely word from J H Gosden:

Scripture plainly shows that a man may be divinely called to preach the gospel and yet not be a pastor of a particular church; but the inference that some have been willing to draw from this undoubted fact, that it is immaterial whether a church have a pastor or no, is unwarrantable. We submit that a gospel church is incomplete without a pastor. oOthers there are who suggest that the Scriptural order of evangelists warrants the “Supply system”; that is, the system of carrying on of “churches” without the pastoral office, by a continual round of itinerant ministers year after year: the rule and oversight of the “church” being left in the hand of the “deacon”. This is not Scriptural, and the apparent satisfaction of some deacons and church members with this state of affairs is an evil. It is sadly admitted that owing to the depletion of many churches with the consequent difficulty of financially supporting a pastor, the question today is very acute. A more serious difficulty is the scarcity of men divinely equipped for the office. God forbid that we should place any stumbling-block before those who honestly desire to act in the fear of God and according to His will for the true good of Zion. But we deem it to be an evil thing to misconstrue acquiescence in an unsatisfactory condition into submission to the will of God. Rather let all who desire to fear Him and who long for the true spiritual prosperity of the cause of Christ, earnestly wait upon Him in prayer concerning this urgent matter; seeking first the causes for the breaches in Zion’s walls and of the Lord’s breach of promise with regard to the gift of pastors; and then a purging of the searched out evils, a healing of the spiritual diseases, and a removing of wrong ways from our midst. Much better to have evils discovered and mercifully remedied, than to become accustomed to them. “Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? are these His doings? do not My words do good to him that walketh uprightly?” (Micah 2:7). “Wilt thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?” (Psalm 85:6). See also Joel 2:12-14; Amos 5:13-15; Malachi 3:8-12. One purpose designed in the issue of these brief articles on “The Church of God” – if the Lord will condescend to further the effort – is that our people may be led to consider more particularly the importance and sacred nature of the Lord’s institutions, with the privileges and responsibilities attached thereto.

Regarding the pastorless state of many churches, a practical suggestion is that two or even three small causes within a reasonable radius should seek to ascertain by prayer and supplication the Lord’s will concerning their uniting under one minister as their pastor. “Difficult”? “Impossible”? The first point is , Do the deacons and church members really desire a spiritual, discriminating, unctous ministry? Are they prepared to submit to it? The second thing is, Do they seriously seek it at the hand of Jehovah? He can show the way, overcome every difficulty, and can even remove mountains of impossibility, it if be His pleasure. We firmly believe that if, in the tender fear of the Lord, and in a genuine love for the truth and of gospel order, such an arrangement as outlined could be made, it would receive the sanction and blessing of the great Head of the church. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1Corinthians 14:40). According to circumstances the several members of the two (or three) causes could unite together as one church for discipline; the Lord’s Supper, church meetings, etc might be held alternately at one and another of the chapels in the union; and for preaching services each pulpit would be occupied by the pastor in succession, with perhaps reading services in rotation. We are convinced that the truly spiritually-minded would prefer the sound ministry of a God-sent pastor, in its continuity, to the constant change, incompleteness, and uncertainty inseparable from the “Supply System”. We say system deliberately, for we greatly respect some gracious ministers who supply here and there; and we truly sympathise with the twos and threes meeting occasionally without the ministry. They with us mourn over the condition of the churches which seems to make the unscriptual sustem unavoidable. The good Lord regard us in mercy.

Pages 77-81, Chapter 4: The Pastorate

This recently published book is a compilation of articles J H Gosden wrote on The Gospel Church and Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These have previously been in print as separate booklets.

Purchase the book here The Church and its Ordinances by J H Gosden