5 Questions To Ask Your Pastor

Today, many Christian pastors and churches have departed from some of the foundational truths found in the Holy Bible.  Since you are placing the care of your souls to be shepherded by your pastor, it is important to know if this is the case with your minister.

So, these are 5 good questions for a Christian to ask their pastor.  This list isn't an exhaustive test to understand your pastor's views, but it's a good starting point.  You might be surprised by the answers you get.

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Question 1: Do you believe the Bible, as recorded in the original manuscripts, has errors in it?

If your pastor says anything less than "NO!" then you should be concerned.  This gets at an important truth called "biblical inerrancy" that many pastors no longer affirm.  Scripture does affirm it in places such as 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."

Question 2: Do you believe the miracles recorded in the Bible actually happened?

The Bible says they did!  Hebrews 2:4 says that Jesus' message of salvation was confirmed "by signs and wonders and various miracles."  If the miracles didn't actually happen, then there wouldn't be such confirmation!

Question 3: Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary?

Many pastors no longer believe in either the virgin birth or in the deity of Jesus.  Having a right understanding of Jesus’ identity is essential to the Christian faith.  Luke 1:34-35, “And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’  And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God.’”

Question 4: Why did Jesus die on the cross?

If your pastor refers to Jesus' death as only an example, you should be concerned.  The Bible says that Jesus died on the cross in the place of sinners as a substitute to atone for sin (i.e. Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18, etc).  In theological terms, this is called "substitutionary atonement."  The gospel says that the sinner who truly turns to Christ in faith receives forgiveness of their sins; but that's only possible because of this atonement.  In other words, this is important because if Christ didn't actually atone for your sins, then you would still be guilty of them and due God's wrath.

Question 5: Are there ways to eternal life other than through Jesus?

This is a common place many pastors err on today.  Evidently, it seems too exclusive to many to say that salvation is only in Jesus, but that is Christ's own claim in John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  The Apostle Peter said the same thing in Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

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For many today, the notion that Christianity is founded on certain fundamental doctrinal truths is offensive.  But Biblical Christianity is one where Christ himself told us to beware of false prophets who come to us in sheep's clothing but are really ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15).  This means we must evaluate the doctrine of those who would seek to teach in Christ's church against the Word of God.  That's what the Bereans did long ago, and the Bible commends them for it (Acts 17:10-12).  Let us learn from their example.