Podcast 158: Respecting Pastoral Authority (Scott Mason)

Podcast 158: Respecting Pastoral Authority (Scott Mason)

From Before You Quit by Before You Quit

March 27, 2026 · 57 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of understanding and respecting pastoral authority in the church to prevent conflict and promote a healthy community.

Church conflict doesn’t just hurt people—it clouds God’s glory and weakens the church’s witness to the world. While there are many causes, one often overlooked issue is that many church members haven’t been taught how to think well about pastoral authority or how to follow in a healthy, biblical way. In the wider world, “followership” is being studied more seriously, but the church has largely neglected it—or worse, confused it. Because of real concerns about abuse, many avoid talking about authority altogether. But ignoring it leaves the church vulnerable, especially in difficult seasons. This Podcast aims to help believers become wise, healthy followers who support godly leadership and contribute to a thriving church—one that ultimately brings glory to God. Order Scott’s book here ! ABOUT SCOTT MASON: “Scott Mason spent half a career in the business world before being called to pastoral ministry. He spent 15 years serving as an associate pastor and a senior pastor at several churches of varying sizes. Some of these were established churches, and some were church plants. He has graduate degrees from the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington…

People in this episode

Host: Before You Quit

Guest: Scott Mason

Topics covered

  • pastoral authority
  • church conflict
  • followership
  • healthy leadership
  • biblical teaching
  • supporting leadership
  • church witness

Keywords

  • pastoral authority
  • church conflict
  • followership
  • Scott Mason
  • biblical leadership
  • church witness
  • healthy followers

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Before You Quit, Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Liberty Theological Seminary, Bethel Seminary

Books & works: Podcast 158: Respecting Pastoral Authority

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