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Church Governance in the Message: Difference between revisions
→Biblical teaching on church governance
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#Voting for elders/deacons is acceptable. The apostles had the church in Jerusalem elect people to serve the widows (Acts 6:3), | #Voting for elders/deacons is acceptable. The apostles had the church in Jerusalem elect people to serve the widows (Acts 6:3), | ||
#There were two and only two offices within each congregation: pastors (elders or bishops) and deacons (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1–13). The Scriptures never specify the required or precise number of either. There is no biblical office of trustee. | #There were two and only two offices within each congregation: pastors (elders or bishops) and deacons (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1–13). The Scriptures never specify the required or precise number of either. There is no biblical office of trustee. | ||
#Based on Matt. 18:15–17 the final court of appeal in the exercise of church discipline is the church and each member of the church is to abide by the corporate judgment. The assembly of those individual believers | #Based on Matt. 18:15–17 the final court of appeal in the exercise of church discipline is the church and each member of the church is to abide by the corporate judgment. The assembly of those individual believers that comprise the local church has the final word on such matters. | ||
#Senior leadership in the church should be comprised of a group of "elders" (see discussion below). | #Senior leadership in the church should be comprised of a group of "elders" and not a sole pastor (see discussion below). | ||
In Acts 14:27, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch following the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–14:28) and "when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done”. Their report was evidently not to the leadership only but to the entire congregation. | In Acts 14:27, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch following the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–14:28) and "when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done”. Their report was evidently not to the leadership only but to the entire congregation. | ||
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#it was the local church at Antioch that sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Acts 15:2–3) and it was the local church at Jerusalem that received them along with the apostles and elders (Acts 15:4). | #it was the local church at Antioch that sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Acts 15:2–3) and it was the local church at Jerusalem that received them along with the apostles and elders (Acts 15:4). | ||
#the decision by the church at Antioch that sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about the “Gentile question” arose from that church’s voluntary initiative. This important problem started from the bottom and moved up. It was not a top-down decision. | #the decision by the church at Antioch that sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about the “Gentile question” arose from that church’s voluntary initiative. This important problem started from the bottom and moved up. It was not a top-down decision. | ||
#though the apostles and elders appropriately convened and led the discussion, “all the multitude … listened” (Acts 15:12 | #though the apostles and elders appropriately convened and led the discussion, “all the multitude … listened” to the debate (Acts 15:12). | ||
#verse 22 points out that “it pleased the apostles, and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company” to deliver Paul and Barnabas with the decision reached by the conference at Jerusalem. | #verse 22 points out that “it pleased the apostles, and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company” to deliver Paul and Barnabas with the decision reached by the conference at Jerusalem. | ||
#the letter that was sent came from “the apostles, the elders, and the brethren,” and it was directed to “the brethren” (the church as a whole) at Antioch (Acts 15:23). | #the letter that was sent came from “the apostles, the elders, and the brethren,” and it was directed to “the brethren” (the church as a whole) at Antioch (Acts 15:23). | ||
#it was the church as a whole that received the letter (Acts 15:30) and rejoiced over its content (Acts 15:31). In all that took place congregational involvement and action | #it was the church as a whole that received the letter (Acts 15:30) and rejoiced over its content (Acts 15:31). In all that took place congregational involvement and action was present at every turn. | ||
In 1 Corinthians 5, we read about a case of sexual immorality which had gone unchecked, and Paul was scandalized by the lax behavior and indifferent attitude of the church at Corinth. Paul addressed not the elders, but the congregation as a whole. In particular, he stated that appropriate discipline was to be exercised “when you are gathered together” (v. 4). The issue of church discipline is a matter to be handled by the entire congregation, not just those in leadership. Paul is upset with the whole church — not just the leaders — that they haven’t already taken action and had been tolerating such sin. Paul calls for nothing less than a “community action, carried out in the context of the Spirit. The whole community must carry out the action because the ‘leaven’ has affected them as a community. | In 1 Corinthians 5, we read about a case of sexual immorality which had gone unchecked, and Paul was scandalized by the lax behavior and indifferent attitude of the church at Corinth. Paul addressed not the elders, but the congregation as a whole. In particular, he stated that appropriate discipline was to be exercised “when you are gathered together” (v. 4). The issue of church discipline is a matter to be handled by the entire congregation, not just those in leadership. Paul is upset with the whole church — not just the leaders — that they haven’t already taken action and had been tolerating such sin. Paul calls for nothing less than a “community action, carried out in the context of the Spirit. The whole community must carry out the action because the ‘leaven’ has affected them as a community. | ||
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==Biblical teaching on the office of the elder/pastor== | ==Biblical teaching on the office of the elder/pastor== | ||
The Bible teaches that the ministry of the Word, the exhortation of the saints, the maintenance of godly discipline, the refutation of false | The Bible teaches that the ministry of the Word, the exhortation of the saints, the maintenance of godly discipline, the refutation of false teaching — all these vital aspects of the life of the church are to be undertaken by a body of elders. Two primary Greek terms underlie the various English terms used to describe the elder, overseer, or bishop: presbuteros and episkopos. The term translated “pastor” or “shepherd” is poimen. As a result, the careful reading of the text reveals that two offices or positions exist in the New Testament church: the elder and the deacon. The elder may be referred to as an overseer or bishop as well.<ref>Daniel Akin et al., Perspectives on Church Government: Five Views of Church Polity (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2004), 270.</ref> | ||
When Luke describes the establishment of local churches by Paul, he is clear that there was not a single pastor in each church: | When Luke describes the establishment of local churches by Paul, he is clear that there was not a single pastor/elder in each church: | ||
:''After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” '''When they had appointed elders for them in every church''', having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.<ref>New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ac 14:21–23.</ref> | :''After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” '''When they had appointed elders for them in every church''', having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.<ref>New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ac 14:21–23.</ref> | ||
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Both passages use the plural form, elders. This is not to be understood merely in the sense of one elder per church. Both passages contradict this. Acts 14:23 says “elders for them in every church,” and Titus 1:5 has “elders in every city.” In each instance we have a plural number of elders in a singular location or context. This is the apostolic pattern: plural elders in each church. This is part of the “setting in order” of the church. | Both passages use the plural form, elders. This is not to be understood merely in the sense of one elder per church. Both passages contradict this. Acts 14:23 says “elders for them in every church,” and Titus 1:5 has “elders in every city.” In each instance we have a plural number of elders in a singular location or context. This is the apostolic pattern: plural elders in each church. This is part of the “setting in order” of the church. | ||
If it is suggested that the elder is something other than the highest | If it is suggested that the elder is something other than the highest office in the local church (such as one who would say a singular pastor would stand over a board of elders, the pastoral position being “other than” one of the elders, or that a “bishop” is something other than a “presbyter” or “elder” in office), we are left with no record of the apostolic establishment of these offices as part of their organization and equipping of the church! It should strike us as strange that entire offices of the church could be established without even so much as a notice in the inspired record. | ||
We must remember that Paul instructed Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). There is little reason to question, in light of Paul’s listing the ability to teach as one of the qualifications of the elder (1 Tim. 3:2), that Paul has elders in mind when exhorting Timothy to entrust the things he had heard from Paul to “faithful men.” | We must remember that Paul instructed Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). There is little reason to question, in light of Paul’s listing the ability to teach as one of the qualifications of the elder (1 Tim. 3:2), that Paul has elders in mind when exhorting Timothy to entrust the things he had heard from Paul to “faithful men.” | ||
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A plurality of elders provides a check against the “one man against the world” syndrome that has been seen so often in church history. Mutual submission within the eldership and respect for one’s fellow elders are wonderful antidotes to the “one man show” problem that almost everyone has seen in the church if they have ministered for any time at all. God did not gift any one man with all the gifts necessary to minister to the flock. It is wise in the extreme to recognize the plurality of elders as a gift from God whereby the full spectrum of needs of the flock can be met properly. | A plurality of elders provides a check against the “one man against the world” syndrome that has been seen so often in church history. Mutual submission within the eldership and respect for one’s fellow elders are wonderful antidotes to the “one man show” problem that almost everyone has seen in the church if they have ministered for any time at all. God did not gift any one man with all the gifts necessary to minister to the flock. It is wise in the extreme to recognize the plurality of elders as a gift from God whereby the full spectrum of needs of the flock can be met properly. | ||
The biblical evidence of the existence of a plurality of elders is undeniable.<ref>Daniel Akin et al., Perspectives on Church Government: Five Views of Church Polity (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2004), 271–284.</ref> | The biblical evidence of the existence of a plurality of elders is undeniable.<ref>Daniel Akin et al., Perspectives on Church Government: Five Views of Church Polity (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2004), 271–284.</ref> As such, William Branham's teaching that each church has a single pastor is not in keeping with the witness of scripture. | ||
=Quotes of William Branham= | =Quotes of William Branham= | ||