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Lesson 5 - An overview of church governance in the New Testament church (Elders/Deacons)
The Roman Catholic employs a centralized system where leadership is top down. Selected by a higher authority. eg from Archbishop to Bishop to Rector to Congregation. This is the Episcopalion System.
Our church employs the Congregational System.
1. Pastor -> Deacons/Board -> Congregation.
2. Deacons + Pastor + Deacons -> Congregation
3. Elders + Pastor + Elders -> Congregation
For TOP, are the Board Members Deacons or Elders? The job function as listed by Paul is different.
4. Church Board -> Pastor -> Congregation
During normal times, either system is not an issue. It is only during a crisis that these systems become relevant.
So the key word is the difference between Elders and Deacons.
A. Pattern
1. Elders
Plural Elders: The pattern In all New Testament Churches
Acts 14:23 Elders were appointed in every church by Paul and Barnabas
Acts 20:17 Elders were established in the church at Ephesus
Titus 1:5 Paul instructs Titus to establish elders in every town where there was a church.
1 Tim 4:14 Paul mentions elders laying their hands on Timothy.
James 5:14 James expected that there would be elders in every church. It is to be noted that the epistle of James is a general letter written to many churches.
1 Pet 5:1-2 First Peter is also a general epistle. Peter mentions elders in the churches.
Acts 15:2 There were elders in the Jerusalem church.
All New Testament churches had a plurality of elders.
Looking at the passages above we can draw some patterns regarding the job functions of an elder.
There are many elders in each church. Plural.
The Ephesians also had elders. Plural.
All NT churches had a plurality of elders.
Other names for elders: Pastors, Overseers, Bishops
Eph 4:11 The word pastor literally means shepherd. In Acts 20:28 the elders were to shepherd the church of God. In
1Pet 5:2 Peter tells the elders to shepherd the flock of God.
Acts 20:28 Paul calls the elders overseers (or bishops).
1Tim 3:1-2 The word bishop here is another term for elder. First Timothy was written to Timothy while he was in Ephesus where elders were ruling the church (1Tim 5:17).
Titus 1:7 The word bishop refers to the elders mentioned in Titus 1:5.
Pastors, overseers and bishops are other names for elders.
Apostles is a very technical word. In a broad sense they are God's messengers. They are a small group commissioned by Christ and they witnessed the resurrection. They are no more. The ones that come after claims to be apostles but they are not. What is the difference? It is perceived authority. Designation is important. Apostle is the word conveyed to direct authority. This is very important.
A pastor is also known as a pastor ATP shepherd his flock.
Elders are also known as an overseer, in some as bishop. These are different names for the office of the elders.
The functions of elders
1Tim 5:17 Elders are to govern the New Testament churches.
1Pet 5:2-5 Elders have a ruling or governing function in the churches.
Eph 4:11 Elders are referred to as pastor-teachers. Elders have teaching responsibilities.
1 Tim 3:2 An elder(overseer) must be an apt teacher referring to a teaching responsibility.
1 Tim 5:17 Some of the elders are to be involved in preaching and teaching.
Elders then had responsibility to rule and teach in New Testament churches.
Qualifications for elders are listed in 1Tim 3:2-7 and Titus 1:6-9
Their function is to govern, preach and teach. The elders are not to Lord over them, it is a servanthood leadership. They are also to care for the flock.
2. Deacons
Php 1:1 The Philippian church had bishops(elders) and deacons , However
1Tim 3:8-13 The qualifications for deacons are listed but their functions are not their qualifications do suggest some functions. They seem to be responsible for caring for the finances of the church(v.8). They perhaps had some administrative responsibilities(v.l2). They may have been involved in some house-to-house visitation and counseling with their wives (v.ll).
Acts 6:1-6 The seven men were the prototypes of the first deacons. They were given some administrative responsibilities in this case.
Deacons had ministerial and administrative responsibilities.
These verses shows there is a separate office call deacons. Elders functions are all listed rather clearly. But for deacons are mainly their qualification. The qualification are listed but functions not listed. But their qualification seems to suggest their function. One would be in the area of finance and possible administration, eg manage their household well before managing the church. Most believe that the deacon function starts at Acts 6.
Acts 6:1-6 Seven Chosen to Serve
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
These seven is the precursor to deacons beings appointed in church.
3. How were elders and deacons chosen?
There is no explicit biblical text that tells us how elders and deacons were chosen.
However, there are indications that in the New Testament church, the final governing authority in the church rests with the whole congregation.
Acts 6:3 The initial selection of the seven men was done by the whole congregation.
Acts 1:15 The whole congregation of 120 persons made the initial selection of two men.
Acts 15:22 At the end of the Jerusalem council, the whole church was involved in choosing the representatives to convey the decisions to the other churches.
Matt 18:17 The final step in church discipline before excommunication is to "tell it to the church".
It does seem that the selection of elders and deacons should in some way involve the whole congregation.
Function of Elders - Spiritual
Ministerial - govern, preach and teach
Function of Deacons - Practical
Ministerial - Administrative
B. Principles
1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church (Eph 4:15). He alone has absolute authority over the church. The authority of Jesus Christ is manifest through His Word(Scripture) as it is illumined by the Holy Spirit.
2. Authority in the church rest in the congregation as each individual has access to the throne of grace through Jesus as our High Priest (Heb 4:14-16). In the understanding of the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet 2:5,9) we are able to hear the voice of the Spirit individually and hence be able to contribute to the decision-making process of the church.
3. This congregational authority is used to select a group of people (elders/deacons) to directly care for the welfare of the church and fulfill its purpose as a people of God through governing, teaching, ministering and administrating.
4. No absolute authority is to be given to any person in the governance of the church.
There is one authority:
Lord Jesus Christ
Congregation - Pastor - Board
1. Pastor -> Deacon -> Congregation
Problem with this system is only one elder. And authority rest on one man, the board is just the rubber stamp. Not ideal.
2. Deacon + Pastor -> Congregation
This is also a single elder system. The deacon does the administrative while the pastor does the ministerial. The pastor actually lead the spiritual direction of the church, but the spiritual direction may be wrong.
3. Elders + Pastor -> Congregation
The pastor does not decide the spiritual direction alone as the elders also has the function in spiritual decisions, teach and preach etc.
4. Board -> Pastor
Pastor has no authority. This is not the right system.
Our TOP System at this point is:
Elder (Deacon), Deacon (Elder), Pastor -> Congregation
Pro and Cons of this system
1. Simple System
2. May be skewed towards just the deacon role - administrative and managerial role.
3. As lay person - very often leave spiritual matters to the pastor. End up as no. 2
Elders apt to teach
Both have moral qualifications. Character should take precedence over competence.
Our problem:
Getting people into the board. One of the reasons may be: The congregation as a whole have not understood the importance of church governance in the ministry of the church.
We need more teaching in this. Sometimes people are discouraged because pastor decides and insists on his way.
C. Present-day church governance
There are a variety of forms of church government in today's church. One common form of church government is the congregational form. In this form of church government, there is usually a pastor and a board that oversees the church.
Based on our overview of the pattern and principles of church government in the New Testament churches, we can conclude that a scriptural form of church government will recognize that there is only one Head of the church and He is Christ the Lord. He is the only one who has absolute authority over the church.
However, as that authority is being expressed in the congregational form of church government, there are three loci of derived authority: the congregation, the board(taking the role of elders/deacons) and the pastor(ruling elder). The congregation should have a say in the selection of pastors and board members and major issues affecting the church. The board should have at least a governing responsibility(elder role) and an administrative responsibility(deacon role). The pastor, on the other hand, should focus upon his governing and teaching responsibilities(ruling elder role) in consultation with the board. These three centers of derived authority are to complement each other in the work of building the church of Jesus Christ.
However, there are cases where the pastor holds most of the authority and the board is relegated to a rubber-stamping role. On the other extreme is the case of the board having so much authority that the pastor becomes subservient to it. These two extremes are unscriptural.
In the former case, the pastor will normally designate the board in its role solely as deacons and relegate it to only ministerial and administrative responsibilities. Since there is no elders board to oversee the governing and teaching aspects of the church, the pastor, therefore, becomes practically the sole authority on these matters. This often exposes the pastor to temptations of pride and power. Servant-hood leadership is often replaced with authoritarian secular leadership.
In the latter case, the board goes beyond its role as elders/deacons and relegates the pastor to an employee status where he is dictated by the board in his work as a spiritual leader. The board will normally become a center for secular leadership and the pastor cannot perform his governing and teaching roles scripturally.
It must be noted that beyond the church constitution, the final reference for church governance needs to be the Word of God. In this respect, there needs to be a continual awareness and effort to bring church governance to conform to scriptural pattern and principles. It is only through a biblical governance framework that the church can bear spiritual fruit in the context of eternity.
What do we do when a pastor sin?
Interpretation of not touching the Lord's anointed.
Theological grounds for congregational system is our understanding of prophet
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