June 25th: Church Leaders
Speaker: Chris Laws
How Paul organised the churches of his day remains the model for us. Were there pastors in the early churches? The biblical reasons for a church employing a minister.
The church is a family, “the household of faith” (Gal 6.10). A home. We have spiritual brothers and sisters.
In a family the parents provide: security, love, food, guidance, wisdom, encouragement, discipline, help.
God provides leaders for his people in their spiritual home; leaders who “take care of the church of God” (1 Tim 3.5).
THE APOSTLE PAUL’S PATTERN
Paul was a great church planter. He said, “Be ye followers of me” four times (1 Cor 4.16, 11.1, Phil 3.17, 1 Thess 1.6).
He issued instructions to the churches. “Here's what you must do.”
“Don't innovate – just do the same.” Pattern church principle.
Those who ignore Paul’s teaching set up churches as they see fit – very differently.
If we follow Paul’s pattern, we have the best spiritual home, stability and blessing.
How should we organise the church? What about the leaders?
BISHOPS
Phil 1.1 “To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.”
A bishop was a local church officer in the NT churches. Gk means one who inspects, an overseer.
The term is used interchangeably with elder, Gk ‘senior’.
Acts 20.17, 28 “[Paul] called the elders of the church…Take heed…to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers (bishops).”
1 Pet 5.1-2 “The elders which are among you I exhort…feed the flock of God, taking the oversight (bishop) thereof.”
Senior men who oversee the work of the Lord.
THE PASTOR
Eph 4.11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers.”
Pastor is a Latin word, meaning shepherd. Hence a pastoral scene – sheep grazing.
Sheep need their shepherd; in the East he goes in front and leads the sheep who follow.
Problem: the word pastor only occurs here in our English NT. Almost absent from the NT.
Yet he is the key figure in our churches.
A. Paul begins Philippians: “To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops [elders] and deacons.”
No mention of the pastor.
B. When Paul visited Miletus “he sent unto Ephesus and called the elders of the church” (Acts 20.17).
He knew he would never see them again
He gave them a solemn charge and warning.
No mention of the pastor. It is inconceivable that all the leaders weren’t there!
C. Paul appointed leaders for each church. Acts 14.23 “And when they had ordained them elders in every church...they commended them to the Lord.”
These were new churches.
He instructed that elders and deacons be appointed by established churches.
He gave the qualifications so we can appoint them:
1 Tim 3.2 “A bishop [elder] must be…” 3.8 “Likewise must the deacons be...”
No instructions for appointing pastors.
The Brethren movement of churches say, there should be no pastors.
Some Reformed Baptists have no pastor.
Should we have a pastor?
The answer lies in looking carefully at what Paul says.
PAUL’S PATTERN-CHURCH LEADERS
1. Elders
1 Tim 5.17-18 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his hire.” Note “honour” = financial support.
There are two kinds of elder.
Elders who “rule well” – ruling elders, and there are elders who “labour in the word and doctrine” – preaching elders.
The preaching elder is to be supported financially first.
Cor 9.14 “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
The preaching elder is what we call a pastor – the senior elder.
All elders rule, one (usually) preaches; the ruling elders assist pastors.
So when we read they ordained elders in every church, this includes the pastors. A supported, full-time preacher is first priority, though to start with he may not be fully supported like Paul (tent-making).
Ultimately it is needful to fully support them.
Others may come on the pay roll too. “Especially they who labour in the word and doctrine” implies that.
Right from the beginning. Acts 6.3-4 “...we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
“Continually” implies they were supported.
Examples: Timothy and Titus.
2. Pastors
Pastoral epistles. Both men were commissioned pastors.
2 Tim 4.1 “I charge thee therefore before God…preach the word… reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine...do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
Timothy was a pastor, and he was given the instructions for appointing deacons and elders in 1 Tim 3.
Same with Titus: he was to “ordain elders in every city” in Crete.
The pastor, like Timothy/Titus, is responsible to appoint and also discipline elders.
1 Tim 5.19 “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”
The senior elder.
3. Deacons
In NT the word “ministry” is always 'diakonia' the deacon word derived from 'to run on errands'. Work of a servant.
Acts 6.1 “their [the Grecian] widows were neglected in the daily ministrations.”
Acts 6.2 “It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables...but we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
Deacons served at practical tasks, the apostles at preaching.
The Ministry
Two kinds of serving or ministry: ministry of Word, ministry of tables.
In NT “ministry” usually refers to the ministry of the Word.
1 Tim 1.12 “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.”
2 Cor 5.18, 20 “...the ministry of reconciliation”.
So today we speak of the ministry, minister.
Many General Baptist churches have just a pastor, plus deacons.
In UK since 1689 almost all Reformed Baptist churches have had the pastor – elder – deacon system.
Dr Poh Boon Singh has written extensively on this. The Keys of the Kingdom.
Note: all men – no deaconesses. 1 Tim 3.12 “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife.” Same with elders.
Women have highly significant roles, but not elders/deacons. Paul's pattern church.
1 Tim 2:12 “I suffer not a woman to teach.”
Paul's reason “for Adam was formed first, then Eve” shows not a cultural matter.
No husband/wife pastors. But Mrs Bartlett was a key worker of CH Spurgeon.
EQUAL ELDERSHIP
Became popular in the 1990s in Reformed churches.
Equal-eldership churches have no pastor. All the elders preach. Three main arguments:
1. All elders should be “apt to teach” (1 Tim 3.2).
But the verse only says ‘able to explain’ – privately, in Bible classes, not necessarily preaching.
2. All elders should be “able…to exhort and to convince” (Titus 1.9).
Preaching is not in mind: “exhort” = call near/aside, a personal work.
3. All elders should “feed the flock of God” (1 Pet 5.2).
Here “feed” = shepherd. Quiet work.
Too many want a public platform. Today there can be 3 or 4 elders in a small church, all preach.
Clifford Pond wrote Only Servants in 1991 to promote equal eldership.
Even quoted CHS in favour – CHS had numerous elders, many non-preaching!
All elders are to shepherd – watch over the flock. Private help, instruction, exhortation, warning, admonition.
Conclusion
These are the biblical reasons why we have pastors, elders and deacons.
