What, then, is the authority of the pastor? There is none! Except that which is given to him by the church or the power of his influence. There is no authority inherent in the office, and there is none invested in it by a religious hierarchy.
When it comes to authority in my church I feel like the man who was approached by a committee that said, “We are looking for someone with a little authority.” He responded, “Here I am. I have about as little authority as anyone I know.”