Prov 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

Prov 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

PNJG wrote:
Who is the Protestant leader publicly opposing the Obama Administration stand-down from supporting DOMA & DADT?

Sola Scriptura!!

The cry of the true Christians.

Just as Protestants have protested and fought against all who would turn against God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Just as Protestants raised up and fought against the idolatrous blasphemous papal antichrist and his Roman catholic followers, during the Reformation which God brought to His true followers.

Today the real Church, Reformed and Protestant stands against the same old enemy of Satan, Rome, Vatican, sodomite, idolater and heretic.

You are, according to scripture as I have shown you. Several times.

And the rest of your speculation is also wrong Mr Psychologist. Have I gotten poor treatment at the hands of a local church? Yes, but this was not by a 'single pastor' & so isn't related.

But perhaps I do get overly irritated with protestants that cling to tradition instead of scripture whilst bleating about the RC's doing the exact same thing. Seems... well, hypocritical.

Explain why Paul's letters to the churches are not addressed to 'the pastor'? Why they don't even mention him? Bit rude to say the least don't you think?

Then how is it that Paul instructs the Corinthians to "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If [any thing] be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." (1 Cor.14:29-31) How is the single pastor able to be many people all of a sudden?

And when Paul wants to address a local church why does he insist on acting as if they don't have a single pastor? Such as "From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.... He said unto them... Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:17-28)

Frankly it is you that has learning to do on this point. It can be tough to admit that something you or I may have accepted without question all our lives is quite different to what God teaches. Question is are you willing to accept God's word without adding to it....

When are you folk coming up with some solid evidence - particularly from the church epistles - to support your claim?

I have given plenty of scriptural evidence below regarding the biblical place of elders & overseers.

What you are dealing with in Revelation is a prophecy. The Churches here are named as local churches in Asia Minor but, as this is a prophecy, most Christians believe this refers to the various denominations we have today instead of (now largely non-existent) cities 2000 years ago.

For your claim (that a pastor is an angel) to hold in Revelation we would have to read that these are not broad denominations and that God would have to speak to each and every pastor in every local church for a start.

In the New Testament the Holy Spirit's use of the words 'elder' Greek~presbuteros) and 'bishop/overseer' (episkopos) show that they are simply different names for the same person - the former denoting their maturity, the latter their work and function. The following passages clearly demonstrate this:

Acts ch 20 - here Paul asks the Ephesian elders (presbuteros v17) to come and see him, and when they arrive he addresses them using the word overseers (episkopos v28).

Titus ch 1- when outlining leadership qualifications, Paul calls an elder (presbuteros v5) a bishop (episkopos v7).

I Peter ch 5 - here Peter exhorts the elders (presbuteros vl) to do the work of overseeing (episkopos v2).

Both Peter and John refer to themselves as elders in their epistles; they were also overseers.

You also asked "How many husbands rule your household?" ignoring that fact that Christ is the (singular) head of the church - not 'the pastor' (unless you are a RC & have the Pope as head).

Mat 23:8 "But *ye*, be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor, and all *ye* are brethren."

Thus when Moslems claim 'there is no God but Allah' (La ilaha ill Allah) they do not say 'there is no Allah but Allah' because they know that 'Allah' is a name.

The claim that "Allah is the Arabic word for God" is a common one but does not stack up when examined carefully; 'Ilah' (various English spellings) means God in Arabic. The Allah of the Quran has many of the attributes the Bible ascribes to Satan. Indeed Mohammad acknowledged his demonic possession more than once. A detailed examination is here: