In the previous unit, we covered why and how God saves us. As we noted, salvation entails a number of steps that culminate with our glorification. As we await that final step, we must continue to live in obedience to God. We are not on our own, however, but have contact with others of like faith in a community known as the church,1 the study of which is called ecciesiology. We will consider the design (nature and purpose) and leaders (offices and ministries) of this institution. Because this is a survey, we will only touch lightly on some subjects (e.g., church government).
WWN: "Vatican Hosts Alien Conference" (Datiken 2009)
The Greek word translated "church" means "called out" and refers to those God has called out from the world to testify about His grace in Jesus!2 The New Testament writers refer to three aspects of the church.3
A. The design of the church
Query: Why might it be necessary to distinguish between these three categories:
The New Testament does not necessarily have a complete listing of every activity in which the church may engage,9 but I have attempted to compile what tasks the New Testament (the epistles in particular) does mention (Thiessen 1979:330-333).
Of the many denominations today, subscribing to a host of different structures, which organizational model of church government resembles the early church? Bear in mind that the Church began as a reform movement within Judaism,14 so the initial organization followed the pattern of the synagogue, including its personnel (e.g., rabbis, elders, deacons). In fact, the early believers, who were Jews, continued to gather with their brethren in the synagogue (n. 30), as did many God fearers and gentile believers (e.g., Cornelius).
As the number of non-Jews increased and gentile believers grew apart from the synagogue, the church adopted a variety of organizational structures (ecclesiastical polity). The main difference between them is where they invest supreme authority, whether it is centralized in one person or it is decentralized in no one person or it is somewhere in between. Since the first century, five models of church government have emerged that serve the many denominations today.
Query: What are the ordinances of the church?
Another topic that is often part of a discussion about ecclesiology is ordinances of the church. This is a peculiar designation by Protestantism in response to the sacraments designation of the Roman Church, which it officially adopted in 1439 (Council of Florence).15
Some Christians (e.g., Brethren, German SDB) add foot washing as an adjunct (a third ordinance?) to the communion service,24 which Jesus performed on his disciples during their last Passover seder together.25 This had no particular significance in Judaism, apart from its being a polite service to offer guests in a society where open footwear on dusty roads was common.26 There is certainly nothing wrong with this practice, given the opportunity it provides to demonstrate love and humility toward other believers. Nevertheless, do you see any problem with making foot washing an ordinance? ...It derives from a single passage (in a single gospel) addressed to a select group (the twelve disciples).
All Jesus' instructions do not pertain to all believers,27 and it is possible that he intends this procedure only for this group, to offset any temptation later to abuse their apostolic position.28 In cases of doubt, we would appeal to other passages that clearly have a general audience in view. For example, Jesus also commanded them that same night to observe the Lord's Supper. We know he intended that practice for all disciples, because Paul advocates it for the church at Corinth. Likewise, the epistles discuss the importance of baptism, but there is no mention of foot-washing as a general expectation anywhere else in the New Testament (not even in Paul's discussion of communion), a conspicuous omission if Jesus intended it for everyone.29
What to remember: The church exists in three primary manifestations, universal local, and special.
WWN: "Pope OKs Alien Priest" (Floori 2008)
We have established that our purpose as a local church—the proper focus of our efforts when we are together—is to glorify God, to edify one another, and to keep ourselves pure. (To these three essentials, a church may add other activities, such as supporting evangelism or engaging in community service, but such activities are beyond the common mandate of the local congregation.) Each of us plays a different role in enabling the congregation to fulfill its purpose. Some of these roles are established positions, and it is to these we turn our attention in the next selection of verses.
We begin with the two offices of the church: elder and deacon. Keep in mind that these positions do not arise in a vacuum; they are not the special creation of the church. Rather, the church, beginning as a reform movement within Judaism, adopts the basic structure of the synagogue,30 complete with the offices of that institution. This helps us understand why the New Testament provides relatively little in the way of detailed job descriptions for elders and deacons (stressing the character requirements instead), because the original audience of this material is already familiar with the responsibilities of these offices.31
The duties of elders in the Jewish community are well documented in scripture. In the towns where they ministered, they served as...
The duties of deacons in the Jewish community are less well attested in scripture, but biblical38 and extra-biblical sources39 both indicate that their job entailed caring for physical needs in a congregation, specifically collecting and distributing funds to the poor.
B. The leaders of the church
The impetus for this question is a passage in Paul's first letter to Timothy that English translations have rendered variously. In the midst of a list of deacon qualifications, the apostle makes reference to [...].
Contemporary extra-biblical documents make no mention of female deacons. According to rabbinic sources, only men held the synagogue office.47 Moreover, deaconesses do not appear in Christian literature until the third century,48 and the office lasted only until the eleventh century, when rivalry with the (R.C.) priesthood caused its abolition. The position did not arise again until the late nineteenth century, when it become common in Protestantism (Sainsbury 1974:286).
Therefore, it is likely that Paul does not have in mind an office for women comparable to the office for men. Rather, he is referring to deacons' wives who "are to be involved with their husbands as their husbands seek to fulfill their diaconal service" (Knight 1992:171).49 In other words, the New Testament church had deacons but no deaconesses. To suggest otherwise creates an ecclesiastical office on the slim support of a single and unclear passage.50 Does this mean that women did not have a prominent role in the church?51...No, only that they did not have this role.52
Query: Why is there no mention of trustees?
The position of the (= sextant), caretaker of synagogue property did not develop until the synagogue became a regular institution with a physical structure, which did not happen until the exile.53 Because the focus of the returnees was on the temple in Jerusalem, there is no mention of the synagogue in post-exilic literature. By the late Second Temple Period, the synagogue is well established, and its offices are well known. In the early stages of church organization, most congregations were part of a synagogue or met in homes and did not have their own facilities. Church structures did not become common until after the edict of Milan (313), when Emperor Constantine gave Christianity official recognition (Dowley 1977:58).
Illustration: I was a teacher and a deacon of a Baptist church in New York. When Linda and I moved to South Carolina for college and began attending another church, I was not a deacon there, because my role as a deacon was limited to the New York congregation, but I was still a teacher and continued to function in that capacity. Similarly, I was the pastor of a Baptist church in New York and, upon moving to Pennsylvania, have continued that ministry here (serving in this church as well as in two others: Snowhill and Loysburg), because my role as a pastor was not limited to the New York congregation.
The minister of the Madison Seventh Day Baptist Church is another example. Not only does he pastor more than one congregation, every time he does a wedding, a funeral, or a hospital visitation for someone not in one of his two churches, he demonstrates the universal nature of his gift.63
What to remember: The church has two kinds of leadership positions, offices and ministries. The local church appoints to the offices of elder and deacon those who have the necessary godly character, so they may serve that congregation. The Holy Spirit appoints to the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, etc., those he grants the appropriate gifts, so they may serve the larger believing community.
For the very extensive Endnotes, see the pdf here.
For the other chapters in "A 'Reader's Digest' Approach to Theology" see the contents here.
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VATICAN CITY - The Vatican hosted a five-day conference to discuss the possibility of alien life! The Catholic Church invited astronomers, physicists and other scientific experts to Vatican City to discuss astrobiology—the study of the origin of life and its possible existence in the universe. Reverend Jose Gabriel Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory, said, "the questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration". The discovery of alien life would have a significant impact on creationism and God's nature.Might there be life on other planets? ...How would the existence of aliens affect your relationship with God? ....It should not!
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The Greek word translated "church" means "called out" and refers to those God has called out from the world to testify about His grace in Jesus!2 The New Testament writers refer to three aspects of the church.3
A. The design of the church
1. Its nature
- The church universal: All believers, regardless of their location (whether on earth or in heaven); believers in general, apart from their affiliation with a particular congregation; the church at large.4
1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Eph 1:22 And God placed all things under his [Jesus'] feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church.
Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23a to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.
- The church local: A group of believers who reside in a specific geographical area (on earth); believers as they are part of a particular congregation; the church at home.5
Acts 11:22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
Col 4:16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
1 Thess 2:14a For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus.
- The church special: A particular type of believer who has a specialized role (on earth); believers as they serve in an office or ministry; the church at work.6
Phil 1:1 I Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
The context usually makes clear which of the three aspects a writer intends. When Paul issues the exhortation in 2 Tim 4:2, "Preach the word," is he addressing the entire church, making every believer responsible for this task, or is he speaking only to those in Timothy's congregation (Ephesus)? ...Neither. Paul is writing specifically to the pastor (the church special), and his instructions are for Timothy alone, not to all those under his ministry (the church local). This is a third category we must consider. In addition to universal and local references, there are personal references, instructions or descriptions that apply to particular believers (or groups) rather than to the church as a whole or even to a single congregation.71 Cor 12:28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
Query: Why might it be necessary to distinguish between these three categories:
- References to the church universal,
- References to the church local, and
- References to the church special (select individuals in the church).
The New Testament does not necessarily have a complete listing of every activity in which the church may engage,9 but I have attempted to compile what tasks the New Testament (the epistles in particular) does mention (Thiessen 1979:330-333).
2. Its purpose10
- To glorify the Father11
Rom 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give YOU a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Local]
Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. [Universal]
Eph 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Local]
- To edify its members12
Eph 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [Universal (living members)]
Col 2:6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. [Local]
1 Cor 14:26b-c When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. [Local]
- To keep itself pure13
Eph 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. [Universal and local]
Query: Which model of church government resembles the early church?Jude 3b I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. [Local]
Of the many denominations today, subscribing to a host of different structures, which organizational model of church government resembles the early church? Bear in mind that the Church began as a reform movement within Judaism,14 so the initial organization followed the pattern of the synagogue, including its personnel (e.g., rabbis, elders, deacons). In fact, the early believers, who were Jews, continued to gather with their brethren in the synagogue (n. 30), as did many God fearers and gentile believers (e.g., Cornelius).
As the number of non-Jews increased and gentile believers grew apart from the synagogue, the church adopted a variety of organizational structures (ecclesiastical polity). The main difference between them is where they invest supreme authority, whether it is centralized in one person or it is decentralized in no one person or it is somewhere in between. Since the first century, five models of church government have emerged that serve the many denominations today.
- In the Monarchical model, supreme authority is in a single person: pope, then cardinals, bishops, and priests (e.g., Roman Catholic).
- In the Episcopal model, supreme authority is in a group of clergy: bishops, then priests and deacons (e.g., Anglican, Methodist).
- In the Presbyterian model, supreme authority is in a committee of clergy and laity: general assembly, then synod, session/presbytery (e.g., Reformed, Presbyterian).
- In the Congregational model, supreme authority is in a local church: pastor, elders, and deacons (e.g., Baptist, Brethren).
- In the Individual model, supreme authority is in no single person: every congregant (e.g., Quaker).
Query: What are the ordinances of the church?
Another topic that is often part of a discussion about ecclesiology is ordinances of the church. This is a peculiar designation by Protestantism in response to the sacraments designation of the Roman Church, which it officially adopted in 1439 (Council of Florence).15
- According to Catholicism,16 God mystically imparts special grace that brings people into close fellowship with Him through the observance of seven activities (sacraments):
- Baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, marriage, and holy orders.
Reformers denied these activities had any such merit.
- All of them but marriage and holy orders are essential to salvation.
- According to Protestantism, Jesus instituted two practices that have abiding relevance for the church (ordinances):17
- Baptism18 and communion19
These two practices, though, were already an essential part of Judaism.20 Baptism was (and still is) the ritual ablution for adult converts (only by immersion) that follows repentance and faith. The biblical writers used it figuratively to illustrate various aspects of a relationship with God, including the believer's identification with Christ.21 Communion is an excerpt from the Passover service, which commemorates God's deliverance of His people from slavery.22 Jesus gave further significance to the bread and wine so that, along with their traditional associations, they relate to his body and blood, and to God's deliverance of His people from sin.23
- Neither of them is essential to salvation.
Some Christians (e.g., Brethren, German SDB) add foot washing as an adjunct (a third ordinance?) to the communion service,24 which Jesus performed on his disciples during their last Passover seder together.25 This had no particular significance in Judaism, apart from its being a polite service to offer guests in a society where open footwear on dusty roads was common.26 There is certainly nothing wrong with this practice, given the opportunity it provides to demonstrate love and humility toward other believers. Nevertheless, do you see any problem with making foot washing an ordinance? ...It derives from a single passage (in a single gospel) addressed to a select group (the twelve disciples).
All Jesus' instructions do not pertain to all believers,27 and it is possible that he intends this procedure only for this group, to offset any temptation later to abuse their apostolic position.28 In cases of doubt, we would appeal to other passages that clearly have a general audience in view. For example, Jesus also commanded them that same night to observe the Lord's Supper. We know he intended that practice for all disciples, because Paul advocates it for the church at Corinth. Likewise, the epistles discuss the importance of baptism, but there is no mention of foot-washing as a general expectation anywhere else in the New Testament (not even in Paul's discussion of communion), a conspicuous omission if Jesus intended it for everyone.29
What to remember: The church exists in three primary manifestations, universal local, and special.
- The church universal consists of all believers, on earth and in heaven.
- The church local consists only of believers on earth, as they meet together for the three primary tasks of a congregation—glorification, edification, and purification.
- The church special consists of believers on earth who have a particular responsibility (an office or a ministry).
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VATICAN CITY–The pope has quietly named a shape-shifting space alien to minister to the needs of the faithful in an as-yet unnamed parish in the southwestern United States. And even though it remains unclear where the bulb-headed extraterrestrial will set up shop, Vatican insiders acknowledge that it "may not be far" from mysterious Area 51, the U.S. military's UFO-related secret base in NV.
Little is known about the space-alien priest's background. And when it comes to discussing details, church sources in the Vatican and at U.S. Catholic dioceses have been unusually tight-lipped. But secular experts with Vatican ties have learned that a human priest saved the creature's life after finding its mangled body in the wreckage of a "space pod" that crashed near Mexico City in 1997. Schooled in the ways of Catholics during what seems to have been a long and painful recovery, the space alien—apparently at the behest of the pope himself—agreed to devote his life to God....
Intriguingly, the extraterrestrial is said to have capacities and powers that rival those used by important Bible figures like Moses, who parted the Red Sea and turned walking sticks into snakes, and Jesus, who raised the dead, turned water to wine, fed a hungry crowd of thousands with just seven loaves and fishes, and even controlled the weather.... "But what truly sets [the alien] apart is his devotion to the pope and to God," says a Vatican source. "He has memorized the Bible and can recite it verbatim."
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We have established that our purpose as a local church—the proper focus of our efforts when we are together—is to glorify God, to edify one another, and to keep ourselves pure. (To these three essentials, a church may add other activities, such as supporting evangelism or engaging in community service, but such activities are beyond the common mandate of the local congregation.) Each of us plays a different role in enabling the congregation to fulfill its purpose. Some of these roles are established positions, and it is to these we turn our attention in the next selection of verses.
We begin with the two offices of the church: elder and deacon. Keep in mind that these positions do not arise in a vacuum; they are not the special creation of the church. Rather, the church, beginning as a reform movement within Judaism, adopts the basic structure of the synagogue,30 complete with the offices of that institution. This helps us understand why the New Testament provides relatively little in the way of detailed job descriptions for elders and deacons (stressing the character requirements instead), because the original audience of this material is already familiar with the responsibilities of these offices.31
The duties of elders in the Jewish community are well documented in scripture. In the towns where they ministered, they served as...
- Overseers and representatives of the people in civil and religious affairs32
- Judges and legislators33
- Counselors and legal witnesses34
- Spokesmen and intercessors35
- Historians36 and guardians of truth37
The duties of deacons in the Jewish community are less well attested in scripture, but biblical38 and extra-biblical sources39 both indicate that their job entailed caring for physical needs in a congregation, specifically collecting and distributing funds to the poor.
B. The leaders of the church
1. Its offices
- Elder ("elder, presbyter" = "overseer, bishop")40
Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
- There is a plurality of elders in each church.41
1 Tim 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 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.
- The requirements are moral and managerial.
- A congregation appoints elders (and deacons) from its own membership; it does not call them from outside the local church. This is evident not only in examples of the churches42 but also in the lists of qualifications, which presuppose that the congregation knows the reputation of the candidates.43
- As in the synagogue, women did not fill the office of elder ("husband of one wife" v. 2).44
1 Tim 5:17 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." 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.
- In addition to overseeing congregational life, some elders preach and teach, although such activities are not necessarily the general responsibility of the office.
- In this passage, however, the focus is on the responsibility of the congregants to elders who have these added duties:
- To respect them (even more)
- To support them (financially)
- To protect them (against false accusations)
- To rebuke them (when they sin)
- Deacon (Hebrew "collector"; Greek "servant")
Acts 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. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
- This is the only description of deacons' responsibilities; they serve the church as they do the synagogue, primarily in the collection and distribution of relief funds (contrary to the common practice, in which their main function is distributing the communion elements).
- The requirements are to be spirit-filled and wise.
- NB: The Jerusalem church had priests as members, but they were temple officials not church officials.
Phil 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
- These are the two distinct offices that constitute the leadership of the church (Saucy 1972:141).
- Like elders, there is a plurality of deacons.
1 Tim 3:8 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 [or deaconesses] 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. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Query: Were there deaconesses in the early church?
- The requirements are moral rectitude and theological maturity.
The impetus for this question is a passage in Paul's first letter to Timothy that English translations have rendered variously. In the midst of a list of deacon qualifications, the apostle makes reference to [...].
1 Tim 3:11 In the same way, [..] are to be...worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.This Greek word can have one of two meanings, depending on the context.
- Woman
- RSV: "The women likewise..."
- ASV: "Women in like manner..."
- Wife
- KJV: "Even so must their wives..."
Because the verses immediately before and after describe the character requirements for deacons, it is evident that Paul is not making a statement about women in general (despite the anarthrous construction) but that his stipulation here relates in some way to this church office. Either he is referring to women who hold the office or to the wives of men who hold the office (so the NAS note "either deacons' wives or deaconesses"). Because Paul uses the same word with the meaning "wife" in vv. 2 and 12, reiterating the requirement that a deacon must be "the husband of but one wife"45 (also anarthrous), and because he gives no indication of a different meaning here, it is best to assume he is talking about deacon's wives.46
- NIV: "In the same way, their wives..."
Contemporary extra-biblical documents make no mention of female deacons. According to rabbinic sources, only men held the synagogue office.47 Moreover, deaconesses do not appear in Christian literature until the third century,48 and the office lasted only until the eleventh century, when rivalry with the (R.C.) priesthood caused its abolition. The position did not arise again until the late nineteenth century, when it become common in Protestantism (Sainsbury 1974:286).
Therefore, it is likely that Paul does not have in mind an office for women comparable to the office for men. Rather, he is referring to deacons' wives who "are to be involved with their husbands as their husbands seek to fulfill their diaconal service" (Knight 1992:171).49 In other words, the New Testament church had deacons but no deaconesses. To suggest otherwise creates an ecclesiastical office on the slim support of a single and unclear passage.50 Does this mean that women did not have a prominent role in the church?51...No, only that they did not have this role.52
Query: Why is there no mention of trustees?
The position of the (= sextant), caretaker of synagogue property did not develop until the synagogue became a regular institution with a physical structure, which did not happen until the exile.53 Because the focus of the returnees was on the temple in Jerusalem, there is no mention of the synagogue in post-exilic literature. By the late Second Temple Period, the synagogue is well established, and its offices are well known. In the early stages of church organization, most congregations were part of a synagogue or met in homes and did not have their own facilities. Church structures did not become common until after the edict of Milan (313), when Emperor Constantine gave Christianity official recognition (Dowley 1977:58).
2. Its ministries
- Apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, etc.54
Rom 12:6 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.
1 Cor 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
Query: How do the church offices of elder and deacon differ from the church ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, etc. (Saucy 1972:136-137)?56Eph 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.55
- They differ in their sphere of operation.57
- The offices of elder and deacon are active only in a local church.
- The ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and teacher are active also in the universal church (on earth).
- They differ in their statement of qualification.
- The main requirement for the offices of elder and deacon is a godly character rather than any particular spiritual gift, although there are gifts suitable to each ("leadership" for the elder and "serving" for the deacon)58
- The main requirement for the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and teacher is a spiritual gift, although godly character is doubtless important.59
- Candidates for either position must undergo careful vetting to determine their spiritual maturity and doctrinal orthodoxy.
- An elder must understand (implied) and "hold firmly to the trustworthy message" (Titus 1:9).
- A deacon must understand (implied) and hold "the deep truths of the faith" (1 Tim 3:9).
- They differ in their source of validation.60
- The church appoints those in the offices of elder and deacon.
There is some overlap—elders and deacons have gifts61—but it is still important to make a careful distinction between the offices of the church and the ministries of the church, lest we develop unrealistic expectations of one or the other.62
- The Spirit appoints those in the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and teacher, although these ministers are often recognized by and active in a local church.
Illustration: I was a teacher and a deacon of a Baptist church in New York. When Linda and I moved to South Carolina for college and began attending another church, I was not a deacon there, because my role as a deacon was limited to the New York congregation, but I was still a teacher and continued to function in that capacity. Similarly, I was the pastor of a Baptist church in New York and, upon moving to Pennsylvania, have continued that ministry here (serving in this church as well as in two others: Snowhill and Loysburg), because my role as a pastor was not limited to the New York congregation.
The minister of the Madison Seventh Day Baptist Church is another example. Not only does he pastor more than one congregation, every time he does a wedding, a funeral, or a hospital visitation for someone not in one of his two churches, he demonstrates the universal nature of his gift.63
What to remember: The church has two kinds of leadership positions, offices and ministries. The local church appoints to the offices of elder and deacon those who have the necessary godly character, so they may serve that congregation. The Holy Spirit appoints to the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, etc., those he grants the appropriate gifts, so they may serve the larger believing community.
For the very extensive Endnotes, see the pdf here.
For the other chapters in "A 'Reader's Digest' Approach to Theology" see the contents here.
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Relevant and civil comments are welcome. Whether there will be any response depends on whether Dr. Manuel notices them and has the time and inclination to respond or, if not, whether I feel competent to do so.
Jim Skaggs