Chapter 21
THE LEADERSHIP
Before we begin this portion of our study of the church, let us come before God and ask for His blessing upon this time.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come before You through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to ask for Your blessing upon this time. Dear Lord, please open my ears so I can truly hear You, please open my eyes so I can see things as You want me to see them and finally please open my heart so I can understand and accept the things that You are teaching me.
Amen
REVIEW
Before we begin our study about the church’s leadership, let us briefly summarize what we have covered in the previous two chapters. In Chapter 19, we found that the body of Christ, that is the church, is composed of all the true born again believers. To see this, let us read from,
1 Corinthians 12:27
"[27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
In Chapter 20, we found that the purpose of the church is to bear witness to the peoples of this earth and to the heavenly hosts of God's Glory and Wisdom. To see that the church is to bear witness to the peoples of the earth, let us read from,
Mark 16:15
"[15] He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
To see that the church's purpose extends beyond this earth to the heavenly hosts of Heaven let us read from,
Ephesians 3:10-11
"[10] His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, [11] according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
In Chapter 20 we found that to fulfill the above purposes the members of the body of Christ are to help one another grow and mature in their faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. To help them accomplish this task we also found that each member of the body of Christ has been spiritually gifted to perform their function for the body. To refresh our memories, let us read from,
1 Corinthians 12:4-7
"[4] There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. [7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
INTRODUCTION
Since the body of Christ is composed of people who are to interact with each other, the question arises as to how does each member and the whole operate and function as an organized unit. Perhaps put another way, "How does God manage, direct and care for the operation of His church?"
To find out we will see that,
JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
The New Testament teaches us that the church’s care, direction and management comes from Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. This is clearly seen in the following Scripture,
Colossians 1:15-18
"[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; … "
So that there is no doubt in our minds about the fact that Jesus is the Head of the His church, let us also read from,
Ephesians 1:22-23
"[22] And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
With the above in mind, the following question arises, "Since Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, presently sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, how does He care for and provide guidance here on earth for the church’s operation?" The Bible teaches us that Jesus will speak to His body in various ways. To illustrate this point, let us explore the following avenues that our Lord will use to speak to us:
His Word
The foremost method Jesus uses to provide direction and guidance for the members of His body is through His Word, the Bible. To see this, let us read what Paul wrote to Timothy and us in,
2 Timothy 3:16-17
"[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
It is noted that since the Bible is Truth (see Chapter 4), all activities or direction for the church must never contradict, add to or subtract from His Word. For example, even when Paul preached to the people of Berea, before accepting his teaching they tested what he said by the Holy Scriptures. Because they did this, the Bible identifies them as being noble.
Acts 17:10-11
"[10] As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. [11] Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."
The Holy Spirit
In addition to the Scriptures, we find that guidance and direction for the members of His body will also come directly from the Holy Spirit. To see this let us read an excerpt of what Jesus said to His disciples when He was preparing them for His departure.
John 16:13-15
""[13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. [14] He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."
Let us notice the following verse,
13 … The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth, which includes guidance and direction for where and how we are to function as part of the body of Christ.
To see an example of this, let us read how the Holy Spirit told Peter to go to Joppa and share the Gospel with Cornelius and his household. For this particular study let us read what happened after God, through a vision, told Peter that none the of animals of the earth are to be regarded as unclean.
Acts 10:17-20
"[17] While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. [18] They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. [19] While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. [20] So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.""
Let us notice the following verses,
19-20 … It was the Holy Spirit who told Peter to go with the men who were sent by Cornelus.
Visions
The Bible also records for us times when our Lord gives comfort and direction to His children through a vision. Even though the above passage tells us that Peter also saw a vision, we will instead read about the vision that Jesus used to encourage Paul to continue teaching in Corinth. It is recorded in,
Acts 18:8-11
"[8] Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. [9] One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. [10] For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." [11] So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God."
Angels
In addition to the Bible, the Holy Spirit and visions, we also find that there may be times when God will send an angel to comfort or direct us in what He would have us do. For example, an angel told Philip to go to Gaza. This is recorded in,
Acts 8:26-28
"[26] Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." [27] So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, [28] and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet
(From verse 29 on we read how the Holy Spirit used Philip to share the Gospel with the eunuch and how the eunuch believed and was baptized.)
THE LEADERSHIP
Finally we find that our Lord will provide comfort and direction for the members of His body through His appointed leaders.
Since the subject of this chapter is the leadership of the church, we will now focus the remainder of our study to the various topics concerning these positions. In doing so we will,
Definitions
For us to have a clearer understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the leaders within the church, it would be very beneficial for us to first understand the meaning and definition of the two categories of leadership: (1) elder and (2) deacon and deaconess.
As we read the New Testament we find that within the leadership position of elder, the titles of bishop, presbyter and pastor are sometimes used. However, all these titles are equivalent and are used to describe the function that the elder is to perform. To see this, let us begin by noting that according to Vine’s, "Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words", bishop
1 means "an overseer" or "to look or watch." In addition, according to Vine the title presbyter2 and elder3 are equivalent terms to identify the same person as bishop or overseer. This equivalence is also seen in the Scriptures. For example, on his way to Jerusalem, Paul stopped at Miletus and called for the elders of the church at Ephesus. He did this to say his last farewell. It is recorded in,Acts 20:17
"[17] From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church."
At the completion of his conversation, Paul identifies these same elders as overseers, that is bishops.
Acts 20:28
"[28] Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."
With the above definitions in mind let us now explore the position of,
The Elder
In general the term elder means the one who is older in years. However, in relation to the Christian church Vine identifies the elder to mean "one of spiritual maturity" and "a person raised up and qualified by the Holy Spirit, to have spiritual care of and to exercise oversight over, the churches."
3With respect to the term pastor, what is interesting to note is that it only occurs once in the New Testament. According to both Vine
4 and Thayer5 the term pastor means "a shepherd" or "one who tends herds or flocks (not merely one who feeds them)." In comparing the definition of pastor and elder, one can not help but notice the similarity. In fact, as one reads the New Testament, one can conclude that the position or activity within the body of Christ "to shepherd" the flock was committed to the elders. To see this, let us recall that in Acts 20:28 Paul instructed the elders in Ephesus to "be shepherds, that is be pastors, of the church of God."We also find that Peter gave the same instruction to the elders in,
1 Peter 5:1-2
"[1] To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: [2] Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;"
According to the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible
6 the position of elder was held by prophets and teachers of the church. In addition, the Bible teaches us that the apostles also considered themselves as elders. To see this, let us read how the Apostle Peter referred to himself in,1 Peter 5:1
"[1] To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, …"
Let us now read how the Apostle John referred to himself in,
3 John 1
"[1] The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth."
In summary, the position of elder is to be held by an apostle or prophet or teacher. The elder, who is sometimes referred to as bishop, presbyter or pastor, is committed to the task to care for and oversee the body of Christ.
The Deacon And Deaconess
The second category of church leadership is the deacon and deaconess. According to Thayer
7 a deacon is "one who executes the commands of another, a servant, attendant, minister." Whereas the elder focus their efforts for the spiritual needs of the church; the deacon, under the authority of the elders, focus more on the physical needs of the church. For example, the deacon would care for the poor and have charge of and distribute the resources collected for their use. To see this, let us consider the time when the apostles recognized they needed help to perform their responsibilities as elders. By way of background, it is noted that at this point of time in church history its membership, that is the disciples of Jesus Christ (the born again believers), were increasing. As a result, the task of caring for the physical needs of the widows was consuming the time needed by the apostles for prayer and ministry of the Word. Consequently, the apostles concluded that another position of leadership, later to be called deacon and deaconess, was required. This is recorded in,Acts 6:1-6
"[1] In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. [2] So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. [3] Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them [4] and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." [5] This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. [6] They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them."
Let us notice the following verses,
1 … For us to better understand this verse we must remember that at this time the church shared things in common. Because of some prejudices between the Israelite or Hebrew Jew, that is Hebraic, and the Greek or Grecian Jew, that is Hellenistic Jew, the Grecian widows were not receiving their share of daily food.
2 … The apostles recognized that their primary role within the body of Christ was to study and share the Word of God. They also realized that it was not in the best interest of the church for them to take time away from their primary function to become involved in issues such as the allotment of widow’s food.
3 … The apostles concluded that another position of leadership was needed. Also, note that the men to be appointed were to be filled with the Spirit, that is the fruits of the Spirit were to be manifest in their lives.
4 … The apostles were to tend to their primary task of caring for the spiritual needs of the body of Christ; those, who would later be called deacons, were to care for the more physical needs of the body.
According to Zondervan’s Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible
6 the spiritual gifts of help and administration would be found in this position.It is also noted that the person holding the position of deacon could possess and exercise other spiritual gifts. For example, let us read how God worked through the deacon Stephen in,
Acts 6:8
"[8] Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people."
Let us now close this portion of our study with the following,
Summary
Thus in summary, we find that the leadership position within the church is partitioned into two categories:
Leadership Of Plurality
Before we move on to address the specific responsibilities of the elder, it is noted that in the New Testament the decisions and direction regarding the faith were addressed and resolved by all the elders of the local church, that is it was a leadership of plurality. In other words, it was a joint decision by all the elders. However, there were and will be times when questions arise within the local church that need outside consideration. These questions of faith were and are to be addressed by a council of elders. For example, when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem with the question regarding circumcision, it was the apostles and elders who came together to address the issue. To see this, let us read from,
Acts 15:4-6
"[4] When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. [5] Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." [6] The apostles and elders met to consider this question."
Let us now expand upon the above overview of the role and function of the church leadership and explore their specific responsibilities.
Specific Responsibilities Of The Elder
With respect to the spiritual care and feeding of the body of Christ, the specific responsibilities of the elders include:
Preaching
One of the responsibilities of the elder is to preach, which according to Vine
8 means, "to proclaim the Gospel." To see this, let us read an excerpt from the instructions that Paul gave to Timothy. This time let us read from,2 Timothy 4:1-2
"[1] In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: [2] Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction."
Closely tied to the elder's responsibility to preach is,
Teaching
According to Vine
9 teaching means, "to give instruction." For example, we find that several times Paul reminds the elder Timothy to teach. To see this, let us read from,1 Timothy 4:11
"[11] Command and teach these things."
Next there is,
Prayer
The elders are to have a healthy prayer life. To see this, consider what Paul wrote to Timothy in,
2 Timothy 1:3
"[3] I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers."
In addition, the elders are to pray for the sick. To see this, let us read from,
James 5:14-15
"[14] Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up…."
In addition to preaching, teaching and praying the elder, when necessary, also has the responsibility to,
Discipline
To see this, let us read the instruction our Lord Jesus Christ gave about how the church is to deal with sin. It is recorded in,
Matthew 18:15-20
""[15] If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. [16] But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. [18] "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. [19] "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.""
Let us notice the following verses,
15 … If a fellow believer sins against us, in private, we are to speak to that person about their sin. If that person repents and asks for forgiveness, we are to forgive them and the situation ends right then.
16 … If the person will not acknowledge their sin, then with two or three more witnesses, we are to confront that individual with their wrong doing. If the individual repents and asks for forgiveness, we are to forgive them and the situation ends.
17(a) … If the person sinning does not heed the rebuke of the witnesses, that individual is to be taken to the church. As we read Paul’s instructions to Timothy, we find that it is the responsibility of the elder to publicly rebuke the sinning individual,
1 Timothy 5:20
"[20] Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning."
Let us return to Jesus’ instruction and take note of the second half of verse 17,
17(b) … If the sinning individual does not heed the rebuke of the elder(s), then that person is to be treated as a non believer. In other words, they are to lose their fellowship with the body of Christ.
18 … In other words, whatever the church on earth decides with respect to a particular issue of sin, it is to be considered to have also been done in Heaven. We must also remember that we are reading about an individual who is sinning against another member of the body of Christ, has been rebuked at least three times and still refuses to acknowledge their sin and seek forgiveness.
19-20 … Since these disciplinary actions are extremely serious, they can not be performed by one individual. Specifically, it requires two or more to exercise this type of discipline. When exercised in this manner Jesus Christ Himself is there with them.
Before we leave this subject of discipline, it is noted that if at any time the individual acknowledges their sin and asks for forgiveness, they are to be forgiven and restored to fellowship.
Protection
The elders are also tasked to guard the members of the church against false teachers, prophets and apostles (See Chapter 20 for a more complete discussion of spiritual discernment). However, for this study, let us see how Paul warned the church in Rome and now us concerning false teaching in,
Romans 16:17
"[17] I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them."
We now come to the subject of,
Physical Needs
With respect to the physical care and feeding of the body of Christ, the specific responsibility is the distribution of food, money, clothing, etc. to the less fortunate. Even though this responsibility is normally delegated to the deacons, it is still the responsibility of the elders. To see this, let us read how the apostles performed this task prior to the time that the deacons were appointed. It is recorded in,
Acts 4:34-35
"[34] There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales [35] and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."
The Qualification Of An Elder
With the above understanding of the church's leadership position and of their responsibilities, let us now explore the questions of, (1)How is the elder or leader identified? And (2) How are they appointed?"
To address these questions we will,
Introduction
As we begin our study of this portion of the leadership it is important that we recognize and believe that Jesus, Himself, chooses His own leaders or elders. To see this let us first read about the appointment of the original twelve apostles from,
Mark 3:13-19
"[13] Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. [14] He appointed twelve--designating them apostles --that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach [15] and to have authority to drive out demons. [16] These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); [17] James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); [18] Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot [19] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him."
Let us notice the following verses,
13-14 … He chose the twelve. Also note that He appointed or sent them to go and preach the Word.
Admittedly it is pretty obvious that while Jesus sojourned here upon this earth that He would physically anoint or chose those He wanted to be His elders. Consequently, it would be rather easy for the people to recognize who were His chosen leaders.
Since Jesus is no longer physically with us, the issue of recognizing His chosen elders is a bit more complex. Thus, to assist us in this task, God tells us, through His Word, that: (1) leadership for the body of Christ is a spiritual gift and (2) there are specific requirements a person must satisfy prior to the time they can serve in a leadership position.
Leadership Within The Church Is A Spiritual Gift
To see that leadership within the body of Christ is a spiritual gift, let us first consider the following Scripture,
Romans 12:6-8
"[6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. [7] If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; [8] if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
Let us notice the following verse,
8 … Leadership is included in this partial list of spiritual gifts.
To further amplify upon the point that the role or function of an elder within the body of Christ is a spiritual gift from our Lord Jesus Christ, let us now read from,
Ephesians 4:7-8
"[7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.""
Let us notice the following verse,
8 … He (Jesus) gave gifts to men.
With this in mind, let us continue our reading from the book of Ephesians and notice that the following positions of authority are gifts,
Ephesians 4:11
"[11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,"
Now some may wonder, "Why is it so important to realize that leadership or positions of authority within the church is a spiritual gift?" The answer to this question lies at the heart of how the church leader is to perform their function. Specifically, the natural or worldly leader leads by lording it over the people; whereas the spiritual leader leads by serving and being an example.
To see this, consider the oppressive military methods utilized to control and lead the people by the "so called" great leaders of the world such as Napoleon, Caesar and Alexander. Also consider the political and financial coercion used by today’s "so called" successful leaders in the corporate and political venues. By contrast let us now consider the spiritual methods of leadership used by Jesus and His disciples. To see how Jesus would have His elders behave in their function, let us see what He told His disciples when they were arguing among themselves about who would be considered the greatest disciple. It is given to us in,
Luke 22:24-27
"[24] … a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. [25] Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. [26] But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. [27] For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."
Before we explore the additional requirements for an elder, let us summarize the characteristics of this spiritual gift of leadership by reading the instructions that Peter gave to the elders. So that we can better understand their depth, let us read from the "Amplified Bible" (which provides various shades of meaning of the original Greek text).
1 Peter 5:2-3
"[2] Tend - nurture, guard, guide and fold - the flock of God that is [your responsibility], not by coercion or constraint but willingly; not dishonorably motivated by the advantages and profits [belonging to the office] but eagerly and cheerfully. [3] Not (as arrogant, dictatorial and overbearing persons) domineering over those in your charge, but being examples - patterns and models of Christian living - to the flock (the congregation).
Let us now move on to the subject of,
The Characteristics Or Attributes Of The Elder
In addition to the spiritual gift of leadership, the Bible also provides us with additional requirements for the elder. It is noted that if God has called a person to a position of elder, He will also insure that the following requirements He gave to Timothy and now us will be met. The first set of requirements for the bishop or as we saw earlier, the elder, are identified in,
1 Timothy 3:2-7
"[2] Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, [3] not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. [4] He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. [5] (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) [6] He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. [7] He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap."
Let us notice the following verses,
2-3 … The overseer or elder can be married. He must be living a holy life, that is the fruits of the Holy Spirit must be present. As we saw earlier, he must also be able to teach.
4-5 … The elder’s household must be in good order. In other words, if a person is not able to maintain and keep in good order their own household, then how can they do it for the church?
6 … As we saw earlier the elder must be a spiritually mature, born again believer. NOTE: This implies that the elder must have been tested by time.
The Characteristics Or Attributes Of The Deacon
The necessary set of requirements for the deacon are identified in,
1 Timothy 3:8-12
"[8] Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. [9] They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. [10] They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. [11] In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. [12] A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well."
Let us notice the following verses,
8-9 … As with the elder the fruits of the Holy Spirit must be present in the deacon’s life.
10 … As with the overseer or elder, the deacon must be spiritually mature and proven in the faith.
The Role Of The Women
As one reflects upon the above Scriptures, one may receive the impression that the position of leadership within the church is only applicable to men. However, this is not true. A woman can be a deaconess. In fact we find that Phoebe, who was a member of the church that gathered in Cenchrea, was considered a servant or deaconess. To see this let us read from,
Romans 16:1-2
"[1] I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. [2] I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me."
To insure that we have properly understood (in verse 1) the word "servant" to mean deaconess, let us read this same passage as translated in the "Revised Standard Version (RSV)" of the Bible,
Romans 16:1
"[1] I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae,"
Even though we find that woman can be a deaconess, we also find that the Bible is very clear about the fact that women are not to teach or have authority over a man. To see this, let us return to the letter written to Timothy (where the requirements for the elders are presented) and read what the Holy Spirit has to say about this issue,
1 Timothy 2:12
"[12] I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."
Even though women are not to teach men, the older women are to teach and be examples to the younger women. To see this, let us read the following instruction Paul gave to Titus. Since I think that The Amplified Bible provides a clearer translation of this instruction, it is the one that I am using.
Titus 2:3-5
"[3] Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment, as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble, [4] So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane and sober-minded - temperate, disciplined - and to love their husbands and their children; [5] To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured (kindhearted), adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach - blasphemed or discredited."
Let us now close this portion of our study with the following,
Summary
Before we move on to see how an elder is appointed to their task, let us quickly summarize the requirements that must be fulfilled before a person can be accepted as an elder. To do this let us read the instruction Paul gave to Titus and us in,
Titus 1:6-9
"[6] An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. [7] Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. [8] Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. [9] He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."
After it is clear that our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen a person to be an elder, the question becomes, "How is the church to accept or introduce that person into their position?"
The Laying On Of Hands
Although our Lord moves His leaders or elders into their positions in various ways, the more common or normal method is through the laying on of hands. To see this we will, (1) review the Old Testament example of Joshua and (2) review the New Testament example of the first deacons.
The Example Of Joshua
For an Old Testament example of the laying on of hands to anoint a person into a leadership role let us read what God told Moses to do to appoint Joshua as his successor to the leadership position over Israel. It is given in,
Numbers 27:18-23
"[18] So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. [19] Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. [20] Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. [21] He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in." [22] Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. [23] Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses."
Let us notice the following verses,
18-19 … Just prior to this, verses 15-17, God told Moses that it was time for him to die. Consequently, Moses asked God to set a man, in his place, over the congregation of Israel. In response, God told Moses that Joshua was filled with the Holy Spirit and He selected him to be the new leader. God then instructed Moses to go before the priest Eleazar and the rest of the congregation and lay hands on Joshua.
20 … Through the laying on of hands, some of the authority of Moses was to be transferred upon Joshua.
22-23 … Moses obeyed God’s command. Later on in the Old Testament we read that Moses dies and Joshua became the new leader.
The Example Of The Deacons
With respect to the New Testament, let us recall that the first deacons were appointed to their office through the laying on of hands by the apostles. To refresh our memory, let us read what happened after the membership selected seven men who met the leadership requirements set forth by the apostles.
Acts 6:6
"[6] They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them."
With the above in mind and the seriousness associated with the position of elder or deacon, perhaps we can now better appreciate the following exhortation,
1 Timothy 5:22
"[22] Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, ..."
RECAP
Before we explore some closing thoughts relative to the relationship of elders and the other members of the body of Christ, let us summarize what we have covered thus far.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELDERS AND THE BODY OF CHRIST
With all the above in mind, let us now address the question of "What should the attitude of the members of the body of Christ be relative to the elder?" Perhaps the best was to address this question is by reading the instruction the apostle Paul gave to the church in Thessalonica.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"[12] Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. [13] Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other."
Let us notice the following verses,
12 … We are to respect the elders.
13 … We are to hold the elders in the highest regard.
In addition to holding the elders in high regard and respecting them, we are also to provide for their physical needs. To see this let us read from,
1 Timothy 5:17-18
"[17] The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. [18] For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages.""
It is noted that in 1 Corinthians 9:9-14, we find that by using the above illustration of the ox eating while he treads the grain, God is teaching us that in like manner the elder, while laboring for our spiritual well being, is deserving of material support for their physical needs.
Some Words Of Caution
Since the elders or leaders of the church are human beings, they are not perfect. Thus, we must not misunderstand the above Scriptures to imply that God wants us to blindly follow their teaching, guidance or direction. It is extremely important for us to remember that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and it is He who shed His blood to save you and I. Thus, we must be sure that all teaching and guidance comes from Him. To do this we must test all things to: (1) The Bible and (2) What the Holy Spirit is telling us, personally.
We Must Always Obey The Scriptures
Even though we covered this topic in Chapter 20, it so important that it would be wise for us to refresh our memories by reading from,
Galatians 1:8-9
"[8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! [9] As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!"
Let us notice the following verses,
8 … This issue is so important that the apostle Paul states twice that if an angel or even if he, Paul, preaches something different than what is defined in the Holy Scriptures, do not follow it!
We Must Always Obey Our God
When we are sure of the Holy Spirit’s direction for our lives we must obey Him. To illustrate this point let us read about the time when God the Holy Spirit compelled Paul to go to Jerusalem. Let us begin by reading from,
Acts 20:22-23
""[22] And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. [23] I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me."
Let us notice the following verses,
22 … Even though Paul did not know what was in store for him, he knew that it was God’s will for him to go to Jerusalem.
23 … On the way to Jerusalem the Holy Spirit warned Paul that prison and hardships were waiting for him.
Let us now read a little further about Paul’s journey to Jerusalem. This time let us read what happened while Paul stayed at the home of Philip.
Acts 21:7-14
"[7] We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. [8] Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. [9] He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. [10] After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. [11] Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'" [12] When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. [13] Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." [14] When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done.""
Let us notice the following verses,
8 … Philip, an evangelist, was one of the original seven deacons. Specifically, he was among the seven that were appointed by the apostles.
10-11 … The Holy Spirit, through the prophet Agabus, warns Paul about the imprisonment that was awaiting him in Jerusalem.
12 … After hearing the prophecy of what was going to happen to Paul, Philip and all those in Philip’s home try, in the natural, to persuade Paul not go to Jerusalem. Let us also note that the word "we" is used. Since it was through the hand of Luke that the "Acts of the Apostles" was written, he too tried to persuade Paul not to continue on to Jerusalem.
13 … However, knowing that it was God’s will for him to go to Jerusalem, Paul remained steadfast to the Holy Spirit’s direction.
14 … Seeing Paul’s conviction, Philip (a deacon), Luke (through whom the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were written), Agabus (a prophet) and the others stopped their pleading with Paul and submitted to God’s will.
As a result of Paul’s obedience to the Holy Spirit, the trials and tribulations that began in Jerusalem enabled him to preach the gospel to: (1) the Jews in Jerusalem, (2) the Roman soldiers stationed there, (3) the Roman Centurions, (4) the Roman Garrison Commanders, (5) the Chief Priests, (6) the High Priest, Ananias, (7) The Governors Felix and Festus and finally (8) King Agrippa and his wife Bernice. In addition, at least five of Paul’s epistles were written from his imprisonment.
THE MESSAGE OF IT ALL
What is the point? What is the message of this chapter? Actually there are two. First of all, we must recognize that God has appointed elders or shepherds to care for, guide and provide direction for His church. Thus, we must not only respect and honor them, but we must also heed their teaching, guidance and direction. Secondly however, we must never forget that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Lord and Savior. It is He who is the Head of the church. Consequently, before we act upon a teaching or direction that is given to us from a vision, angel or elder we must be sure that it came from our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, it is in Him, Jesus, and His Word that we must abide.
As a reminder of this fact, let us close this chapter by reading,
John 15:1-8
""[1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. [2] He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. [3] You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. [4] Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. [5] "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. [7] If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. [8] This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Blessed be the Lord forever!
AMEN and AMEN