(Compilation of several sessions presented in S.E. Asia -- June/July, 1997.)
Pastor David Merck
Introduction. You brethren have asked me to come and give you biblical instruction regarding the officers of the church. This request has been given for obvious reasons, for up to this point in time you have not had biblical officers leading you as a local church of Jesus Christ. However, before we launch right into our study, there are two matters of introduction which we should carefully keep before us throughout our study:
A. The church belongs to Jesus Christ and is ruled by Him.
The Lord Jesus in Mat. 16:18 declared, ". . . I will build My church . . ." In this brief phrase He made it abundantly clear that He is the possessor and owner of the church. In Acts 20:28 we are provided with the basis for Christ's claim, for the church is described as having been "purchased with His blood" (Acts 20:28). He has purchased His church at great cost. Therefore, she belongs to Him.
As a result, Eph. 4:15-16 tells us that Christ is the Head of His church, and 1 Pet. 5:4 tells us that the Lord Jesus is the Chief Shepherd of the church. He has supreme authority over His church.
Application -- It is Christ's will which is to be followed in His church, not man's opinions based upon tradition or pragmatism.
B. Christ has told us how His church is to be ordered.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Apostle Paul wrote under divine inspiration:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
This text is an important general text to support the truth of the sufficiency of the Scriptures for our faith and practice. However, there is a more specific focus here as well. The "man of God" in this passage especially refers to leaders in the church of Christ. Paul here tells us that especially such church leaders can find in Scripture all they need to be thoroughly equipped to do every good work in the church which needs to be done. Therefore, the Scriptures give sufficient instruction regarding the work of establishing biblical leaderships in churches. But there is even more specific evidence that Christ has told us how His church should be ordered:
Elsewhere (1 Tim. 3:1-2a; 8a; 14-15) the Apostle Paul told his assistant Timothy that he was writing him so that he might know how to conduct himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God. Directions were clearly being given for church order or polity or government. And included in those directions were explicit lists of the qualifications for two offices in the church. The Lord through His servant Paul was making it abundantly clear that the subject of church officers is a matter of detailed divine revelation to us.
Application
-- We have a sufficient guide in matters of church order including the officers of the church, contrary to the statements of many Christians who say that the Bible does not lay out for us a definite form of church government. Thus we should look to our Bibles expecting to find answers, and not rest satisfied until we have found answers.
We are ready then to go to our Bibles and seek to determine what the Head of the church has taught us there regarding the officers of the church. As we do so, we will have to move quickly in an attempt to give you what will really be just an overview of this subject in its great biblical breadth. There will be three major sections of our study:
Section One. The Identity of the Living, Earthly Officers.
Section Two. The Descriptions of the Living, Earthly Officers.
Section Three. The Recognition and Installation of the Living, Earthly Officers.
So let's immediately take up the first section:
Here we will take up three matters:
I. The Initial Answer.
II. The Unique Candidates.
III. The Parallel Terms.
First of all, there is:
I. The Initial Answer to the question, "Who are the living, earthly officers for the church Christ?"
As we have already seen, the Head and Chief Shepherd who rules supremely over all the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. And He is very much alive. However, He is not our focus now. We instead are seeking to identify the living officers of the church who are presently physically laboring under Christ's authority in His church on earth. (The Lord Jesus is physically in heaven at present.) That's why I've entitled our study, "The Living, Earthly Officers of the Church".
An initial indication of those living, earthly officers is found in Phil. 1:1. After mentioning all the saints in Philippi, Paul specifically mentioned the bishops and deacons. (The word "bishops" is better translated "overseers", and that is the translation we will normally be using in our study.) There were evidently two specific groups of individuals or officers in the local church at Philippi (cp. 4:15). We find this same two-fold indication regarding officers in the church in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 which we just considered. If you remember, that passage listed the qualifications for two, and only two offices in the church -- that of bishops or overseers, and deacons. So the initial answer to our question is that there are two different kinds of officers in the church -- overseers and deacons.
However, these are not the only possibilities of officers in the church found in the New Testament which brings us to:
II. The Unique Candidates. When we look at passages like 1 Cor. 12:28 and Eph. 4:10-13, we encounter individuals who were also evidently officers of the church called Apostles, prophets and evangelists. Although there is much we could consider regarding these individuals, we simply do not have time to pursue this subject at this time. Rather, let me simply indicate that there is solid Scriptural evidence that such living officers in the church were unique to the period of the capital "A" Apostles of Jesus Christ, and that there are no such living officers in the church in our day (although the now dead Apostles continue to exercise their Apostolic authority in the church through the New Testament Scriptures which they passed on to us). However, there are a few other names yet to consider, which brings us to:
III. The Parallel Terms. Thus far we have seen the terms "overseers" and "deacons". But Scripture gives some other terms which it indicates have reference to the same officers called "overseers" in Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3. Notice with me the biblical evidence:
In Titus 1:5-7, a bishop or overseer is mentioned in parallel with the term "elders" The two terms are treated as referring to the same individuals. Such a tie occurs in a second place as well:
In Acts 20:17 & 28, we once again see that those men called elders are also called overseers.
If we consider all the other biblical evidence, I believe that we are caused to conclude that the office of overseer was the same as the office of elder in the New Testament. I.e., the overseers are the elders, and the elders are the overseers. But there is more.
In Ephesians 4:11 we should first of all notice that in the New King James Version (NKJV) the word "some" is found before each individual office until the last two. Then "pastors and teachers" are lumped together after the last "some". In light of this distinctive structure, I agree with Charles Hodge that the phrase, "pastors and teachers", is evidently a "two-fold designation of the same officers or group -- i.e., pastor-teachers (with a hyphen). Now that raises a question -- "Who are these pastor-teachers? Let's consider each part of this title in turn.
The word translated as "pastor" actually means "shepherd". Ephesians 4:11 is the only place where this noun in the original Greek language is used of an officer in the church (other than Christ as the Chief Shepherd). However, the closely-related verb, "to shepherd" is found in passages having to do with church officers. Remember the words of Acts 20:28:
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Overseers and elders (vs. 17) are officers who are to be engaged in shepherding God's flock, which points to a close tie between the idea of overseers and elders, and of spiritual shepherds or pastors.
One other passage -- 1 Pet. 5:1-4 -- also makes this connection. Elders are there commanded to shepherd God's flock, and are pointed to the Chief Shepherd under whom they serve.
Therefore, the terms "elder, overseer, and pastor or shepherd" evidently may be used interchangeably. There appears to be no basis biblically for a distinction between pastors and elders and overseers.
In light of this parallelism, the linking together of pastors and teachers in Eph. 4:11 would seem to indicate that the term "teacher" in "pastor-teachers" may also be used interchangeably with elders and overseers. Indeed, although there is a little "t" sense in which all of God's people should eventually be able to be teachers of others (Heb. 5:12), the New Testament indicates that there is also a capital "T" teacher who is unique (James 3:1). Furthermore, one qualification of overseers or elders in 1 Tim. 3:2 is that they be "able to teach". Therefore, there appears to be good basis to understand the pastor-teachers of Eph. 4:11 as referring to the same office as the elders and overseers of the church. Although good men have differed at this point, this seems to be the best understanding of the data of Scripture.
Applications:
1. There are two and only two offices in church which are to be filled by living officers in our day -- deacons and elders/overseers/pastor-teachers. This is contrary to a three or four office view of the church, and also to those who would seek to erect an unbiblical hierarchy over local churches.
2. If the terms "elders", "overseers", and "pastor-teachers" all refer to the same officers filling the same office, then all the individuals filling this office should be referred to and addressed with the same titles. By way of specific example, all elders should be addressed as pastors, not just the one or two elders who are fully-supported to labor in the word and doctrine and who do most of the preaching and teaching.
Having taken up The Identity of the Present-Day Officers, we are ready to begin a much more lengthy study:
At this point we will take up each of the two groups of officers which we have identified as continuing to have living authority in the church up to the present day. First of all we will consider:
Part One. Elders/Overseers/Pastor-Teachers. There are at least six elements of the biblical description of these officers upon which we should focus, although we will be able to only briefly mention the final element in our study while I am here:
I. Their Source.
II. Their Number.
III. Their Tasks.
IV. Their Authority.
V. Their Qualifications.
VI. Their Treatment (by other church members).
Let's then take up first of all:
I. The Source of These Elders/Overseers/Pastor-Teachers. Where do these officers come from? In Eph. 4:10-11 we are told that it is the exalted Head of the church, Jesus Christ, who gives pastor-teachers to the church. Also, in Acts 20:28, Paul told the Ephesian elders that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers to shepherd the flock of God. So the triune God is the source of the officers of the church. For after all, the church is God's church -- He is the One who directs how it is to be ordered.
Applications:
1. The fact that elders come from God means that it is not the church members, or even the present leaders of the church who decide who will be pastors in Christ's church. The duty of the church leaders and other members is to carefully recognize the gifts of elders whom Christ is giving to His church and whom the Spirit is making to be overseers. They are to recognize all such gifts and only such gifts according to the directions contained in Christ's marching orders -- the Scriptures. (We'll return to this matter later.) (This means further that a church cannot set in advance how many elders or pastors she will have.)
2. Since pastors come from God, churches which are lacking needed pastors should look earnestly to God to supply the needed shepherds for their souls. They should pray the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth Gospel laborers into their own midst, and that He would give them the ability to accurately recognize and help cultivate and encourage the gifts being given.
But now we press on to take up the matter of:
II. The Number of These Elders/Overseers/Pastor-Teachers. How many pastors or elders should a church expect Christ to give her over time in normal situations? Some would say one, but is that the answer of Scripture? Let's consider what Christ says:
According to Acts 14:21-23, there had been new churches established in each of several cities. And the missionaries who planted them, Paul and Barnabas, now returned to establish biblical leaderships in each of them. What is the description of what they did? They appointed elders (plural) in every church (singular). Notice that it was possible for churches not to have any elders at all, and to still be churches. Evidently that was what had been true of these churches until elders were appointed. But also notice that the norm of Apostolic practice and example was that there be a plurality (more than one) of elders (or pastors) in each individual church.
This biblical norm is substantiated by the fact that wherever specific local churches in the New Testament are described as having elders, they always have a plurality of elders. For example, there were the elders (plural) of the church (singular) at Ephesus (Acts 20:17). There were the overseers (plural) along with the deacons of the church (singular) at Philippi (Phil. 1:1 cp. 4:15). (Also James 5:14 & Acts 13:1 & 15:2-4.) You will look in vain for a church with just one pastor in the New Testament.
Another key passage at this point is Titus 1:5. Since at this early stage of redemptive history there was generally only one local church in any given city, we may assume that elders (plural) were here to be appointed in each local church (singular). And notice also that churches without such a plurality of elders are described as being in a deficient situation -- "set in order the things that are lacking".
Now at this point, someone might ask, "Why isn't it enough to have just one pastor or elder? Why does a church need a plurality?" The most basic answer to that question is that Christ in His Word says that a plurality is necessary, and He knows what is best for His church. But we are given a basic principle in Eccles. 4:9-12 which applies here and which helps explain why God has ordained a plurality. There the general principle is stated that two are better than one, and that three is even better, because their work will be more successful where there is a plurality. Then three examples of that general conclusion are given. A companion will be able to help a man back up again when he falls in failure or sin. Also, the two together will be better able to do certain tasks than one alone. And two or three will be better able to deal with opposition, while one alone might be overpowered. Hopefully, the ways in which these general truths regarding plurality relate to the pastors of a church would be fairly obvious.
Applications:
1. The biblical norm for local churches is to have a plurality of elders or pastors, not just one. Since Christ is the Head of the church, it should be His revealed will which rules in this matter, not our personal preferences or opinions or traditions.
2. Where there is only one elder or no elders, this is a seriously deficient situation which cries to be remedied in a biblical way. A church should not rest content until, through prayer and labor, Christ has provided them with the sufficiency of a plurality of elders. Although it is Christ who gives pastors, what we do practically has much to do with whether or not the biblical norm is ever realized -- as God's people, as elders laboring alone, or as interim leaders. Whether or not we are encouraging and helpful to aspirants to the eldership in our midst -- whether or not we are open to a plurality of elders in the church -- how we pray -- all will have important results, and will affect whether or not we ever realize the biblical norm.
But now we must go on and take up:
III. The Tasks (or Duties) of These Elders/Overseers/Pastor-Teachers. We may all have our own ideas of what elders should do, but our first concern should be, "What is God's job description for elders or pastors?" We will seek to determine the biblical tasks of elders by considering three things:
A. The Helpful Pictures provided by God's Word,
B. The Specific Details of an Elder's Duties, and:
C. Some Necessary Qualifications which the Bible requires us to make.
So first of all:
A. The Helpful Pictures provided by God's Word. Those functioning as pastors are at times pictured as parents caring for a family and household (1 Thes. 2:7-11; 1 Tim. 3:4-5). They are also pictured as subordinate officials put in charge of a household or a city or a region (the term "overseers" as used in pagan Greek culture; "those who rule over you" (Heb. 13:7; 17; 24 cp. Acts 7:10); and "a steward" (Titus 1:7; Lk. 12:42-48 cp. Lk. 16:1-2 & Rom. 16:23). They are likewise pictured as teachers of students. (Remember the title pastor-teachers in Eph. 4:11.) These pictures are all helpful in understanding the tasks of elders.
However, as we have seen before, elders are also pictured as shepherd's caring for God's sheep under the oversight of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. In Eph. 4:11, elders are called pastors or shepherds. In Acts 20:28 and 1 Pet. 5:1-4, elders were commanded to take heed to the flock, and to shepherd the church of God. From this biblical data we learn that if you want to know what a pastor's duties are, especially think of what a shepherd does. Since the imagery of the shepherd is perhaps the widest in scope of the biblical pictures applied to elders, it will be the one we will use most in laying out elder duties, which brings us now to take up:
B. The Specific Details of an Elder's Duties. A key passage, Acts 20:28, indicates that the duties of elders are to be focused in two specific directions:
1. Toward themselves, and:
2. Toward the rest of the flock over which they have been made overseers.
Let's consider each of these Biblical emphases in turn:
1. Pastors as pastors first of all have a duty toward themselves. Other members of the church might tend to forget this, and to focus entirely upon what the pastors should do for them. But that is not where the Word of God starts. In addition to this emphasis in Acts 20:28, Paul also underscored it when writing to Timothy as a spiritual leader in the church when he commanded:
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you (1 Tim. 4:16)
Application -- We must never forget that a pastor himself is a sheep who is saved by the blood of Christ alone. He is one who must personally persevere in faith and holiness himself if he personally would get safely to heaven, and also, if those he cares for would get safely to heaven. For if he neglects his own soul, he endangers the souls of the sheep he cares for.
What does this all mean? That if he is too busy as a pastor to nourish his own soul in private devotions, he is too busy and is neglecting a vital pastoral duty. If he is too high and mighty to humble himself and confess his sin and repent when he's clearly done wrong, he's not giving heed to himself and keeping a good conscience -- and he's endangering himself and those who hear him. If he's not putting to death the lusts of his own flesh and going after his own besetting sins with a spiritual hatchet, he is in no condition to minister to others, and becomes their enemy instead of their friend. If a pastor is not maintaining a determined grip of faith upon the truths of the Gospel and of God's Word, but is rather entertaining potentially soul-damning doubts and errors -- he is not taking heed to himself and the doctrine.
A pastor is not a robot who automatically performs the set of tasks given him. He is a living soul who will not be a vessel fit for his master's service if he doesn't first purify himself with the help of his Lord. Taking heed to himself must always be the priority duty for an elder.
But also, he must:
2. Take heed . . . to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made him overseer (Acts 20:28 again). Notice, none in the flock are to be ignored or neglected. At this point I will highlight five categories of responsibilities which a pastor has toward all the flock among which he's placed:
a. The spiritual shepherd is to direct and watch over all the affairs of the flock. This is a more general, all-encompassing description of his duties. It is implied by three of the biblical pictures of elders which we saw -- those of shepherd, parent, and overseer or governor or steward. It also is indicated by the language of Acts 20:28 where we are told that elders are to take heed to the flock. I.e., they are to give undivided attention to the flock.
This means first of all that pastors are to continually evaluate the condition of all the members of the flock and meet their needs (cp. Prov. 27:23, Ps. 23:1). (One way in which we seek to fulfill this responsibility is to regularly meet with each member of the flock to provide pastoral care and evaluation.)
However, the flock is not just a group of believers to be ministered to. In Acts 20:28, Paul also told the elders to shepherd the church of God. It is important to remember that the church is a divine institution which has been given tasks to do by her Lord. Thus, following the imagery of an overseer or governor, elders are to lead and administer the church in carrying out all of her God-given tasks. They should lead the church in evangelism, in worship, in benevolent acts to the needy and nurturing of one another, in corporate prayer, in exercising church discipline, in observing the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and in supporting and preaching God's truth. The administration and leadership of God's people in all of these areas are part of the duties of a pastor.
But now, having looked at the general duty of directing and watching over all the affairs of the flock, let's consider some more specific categories of duty:
b. Elders are to feed the flock. By this I mean the responsibility of pastors to teach men the Word of God. The fact that a qualification of overseers is that they be able to teach (1 Tim. 3:2c) clearly implies that teaching will be an important part of their duties. This duty is underscored in 2 Tim. 4:1-5 where Timothy, functioning as a pastor at Ephesus, is commanded:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
The very name of the last office mentioned in Eph. 4:11 -- pastor-teachers -- indicates that these men are to be devoted to teaching. In the following verses (vv. 12-15) we are told that pastor-teachers are given by Christ to bring Christ's body, His people, to spiritual maturity through the instruction of God's Word.
Pastors must teach and preach God's Word -- to saints and to the lost alike. But also:
c. Pastors must sacrificially protect the flock from its enemies. Here the imagery of the Shepherd is prominent, as well as that of governor or watchman. At this point we could refer to the example of the Good Shepherd recorded in Jn. 10:11-15. Remember His words:
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But he who is a hireling and not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd . . . and I lay down My life for the sheep."
The Apostle Paul indicated that overseers are to imitate their Lord (Acts 20:28-31). Elders are called to sacrificially protect the flock. For there are real spiritual enemies of God's people -- both within the church and without. There are wolves in sheep's clothing, deceptive false teachers, seeking the souls of victims to devour like Apollyon in Pilgrim's Progress. Therefore, pastors must be on guard and watchful against such enemies. They must quickly sound the alarm and warn God's people when they see spiritual danger approaching, just as the watchman in a city did of old. They are to expose false teachings and false teachers, and oppose them personally if necessary. They must also watch for sin taking root in the hearts of God's people and seek to deal with it as a cancer which will kill the soul if neglected. In this way the shepherd must labor to get the sheep under his care safely to heaven.
d. Pastors are to heal and assist the wounded and weak in the flock (Acts 20:35). Paul was still speaking to the elders at Ephesus. And he told them to follow his example in supporting the weak. It is at this point that the imagery of the shepherd in the Old Testament is especially rich. May I remind you of the words of the Shepherd Psalm, Ps. 23:1-3a:
The LORD is My shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul . . .
Jehovah as the Shepherd of His people is the one who restores the hurting sheep. In Ezek. 34:1-16 we find a sharp contrast between the false shepherds and the Lord. When we come to the New Testament, we find that pastors are called to follow this example of the Lord (2 Tim. 2:24-26). A servant of the Lord is to seek out and attempt to meet the needs of those who are wandering and wounded. They are to lovingly comfort and rebuke and reclaim wherever possible. This is no small order. But it is part of the duty of an elder.
Finally:
e. Elders must be good examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:1-3). Here the duty of elders is clear. We should also remember passages like 1 Tim. 4:12 & Titus 2:6-7 where Paul told Timothy and Titus to be examples to those to whom they ministered. Furthermore, Paul as a spiritual shepherd frequently pointed to himself and called upon others to follow his example (Acts 20:17f, 1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1, Phil. 3:17, etc.).
A pastor must be one whose life is an example which can and should be followed. He must not merely tell God's people what they should do. He must be a living pattern or model of what he preaches. In this way he will help God's people know practically how to live the Christian life. And he will also give effective force to his preaching and teaching ministry and to all of his pastoral labors in the consciences of God's people.
Having now considered the helpful biblical pictures and the specific details of the duties of pastors, we also need to consider:
C. Some Necessary Qualifications regarding these duties. There is first of all the matter of:
1. Differences in function. Having observed the major categories of pastors' responsibilities, one might get the impression that all elders should do exactly the same things -- that their functions in the eldership should be identical. It should be underscored first of all that all elders are responsible to fulfill duties in each of the five categories we have just considered. However, the key text, 1 Tim. 5:17-18, indicates that there will be differences in eldership functions or duties. Verse 17 speaks of elders who rule well, but then it indicates a distinction between them with the words, ". . . especially those who labor in the word and doctrine". The word, "especially", implies that there are also elders who rule well who do not labor in the word and doctrine. What then is meant by laboring in the word and doctrine?
Verses 17-18 connect the subject of financial remuneration or wages for labor with this elder labor in the word and doctrine. In other words, evidently some elders will labor full-time in the Gospel ministry, usually being supported financially to do so, while others support themselves by labors in another vocation, and carry out elder duties in addition to their other job or business during the week.
Now on what basis would a church determine who and how many would be so supported, and who and how many would not? A major factor would be the relative gifts and training of the elders of a church, in accordance with the parable of the talents. This is hinted at in the language of "the elders who rule well" in 1 Tim. 5:17. There are differing degrees of ability and skills among men who are all qualified to be elders. The Bible does not envision pastors as all being cookie-cutter, look-alike's. And it stands to reason that those men who are most skillful in public preaching and teaching should be those who carry the major burden of that task and are therefore supported to do it.
Other factors in determining how many elders should be so supported would obviously be the need of the church for such undistracted laborers, the ability of the church to support such laborers, and the availability of laborers worthy of such support.
But in summary, the key point for our study is that there may be, and normally will be differences in the function of elders, although all should be carrying out to some degree all of the five categories of functions we have identified.
Before we move on to our second qualification, please notice two further matters regarding 1 Tim. 5:17 and the difference in function there presented:
a. This text presents a difference in function and in proportion of time given to pastoral labors, but it does not here present us with two different offices in the church. Whether or not they labor in the word and doctrine, these men are all described as elders. We may and should wrestle with how we describe this different function among elders, but in our wrestling with labels, we should use great care to not practically end up with two different offices.
b. Finally, 1 Timothy tells us (along with Acts 6:1f) what the additional time which a supported elder has for labors in his office should be focused upon. It should be focused upon studying and preaching and teaching God's Word, and prayer.
This then is the first qualification -- there is a biblical distinction of function between elders presented in God's Word. But there is also a second qualification -- that of:
2. Delegation of responsibilities. In reviewing the major biblical categories of the duties of elders, one might be caused to wonder how pastors could ever do it all -- looking after all of the details having to do with the local church where he has been placed. At this point it is crucial to remember that, while elders are ultimately responsible before Christ for all that happens in that church, they are not required by Christ to personally do all that should be done. Tasks may and should be delegated. This is indicated by the establishment by Christ of the office of deacon to assist elders with the temporal affairs of the church. (More on this later.) Paul's letters end with lists of men and women who assisted him. God's people are told that they are able to admonish one another (Rom. 15:14) and are commanded to warn the unruly, comfort the fainthearted and uphold the weak (1 Thes. 5:14 cp. 1:1). Others than pastors may be qualified to assist in public teaching and preaching in and for the church, although such instruction should be under the oversight of the elders.
I.e., the other members of the church should not sit back and expect the pastor or pastors to carry the whole load. There is plenty of work for everyone. But the elders should provide leadership for all that goes on in the church, and are responsible for it.
Applications:
1. All the duties we've seen are duties of elders. None of them can be neglected without disobeying Christ and endangering Christ's sheep. We don't have the luxury of picking and choosing.
2. Given the weight of the solemn duties of elders, we see a further reason why a plurality of elders is Christ's norm, and is needed for the good of the elders and of Christ's church. What a blessing to be able to share this heavy weight of responsibility with others.
3. Given the importance of the tasks of elders, we see how vulnerable a church is without pastors, and how crucial it is that she obtain pastoral help as soon as possible by recognizing those qualified to be elders. If for some reason, qualified pastors are not presently available, such a church should seriously consider seeking to get whatever trustworthy pastoral help is available on a temporary basis until Christ's good gifts are received.
4. From the assumed diversity in function among elders we learn that normally a church should prayerfully seek to have a mix of elders with different functions -- some laboring in the word and doctrine, and some laboring much of the week in another vocation -- but all viewed as elders in the church.
Having now considered the tasks of elders, let's now take up:
IV. The Authority of These Elders/Overseers/Pastor-Teachers. The duties which we have just seen naturally raise a further question -- "Exactly what authority do elders or pastors have in the local church?"
There are many in the evangelical world who at least practically have totally rejected the idea that pastors possess authority in the church. They hold to a view of church government in which the congregation alone, or perhaps the congregation plus the deacons, exercise real authority in the church, but not the pastor. Generally, the congregation votes on many, if not most decisions to be made.
Are these evangelicals right? Let's turn to God's Word in order to determine two things about pastoral authority:
A. Its Reality, and:
B. Its Limits.
So first, note:
A. The reality of pastoral authority. Consider with me three different biblical proofs that pastors have real authority in the church:
1. The names of this office prove it.
May I remind you that, as we've seen, elders are also called overseers or bishops (Acts 20:28). This word could also be translated "guardian" or "superintendent", which indicates that officers by this name have authority to regulate or direct.
Furthermore, elders are called pastors or shepherds (Eph. 4:11). Let me ask you, What is the relationship of a shepherd to his flock of sheep? He not only provides for and protects the flock, but he also directs the activities of the flock. Remember Ps. 23:1-2:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
Finally, elders are called elders (Acts 20:17). The basic meaning of this word is "an older man". Now this word in and of itself does not necessarily indicate authority. However, it had been used in a very specific way among God's Old Covenant people from which the New Covenant church organically sprang.
Elders in the Old Testament were civil and spiritual leaders over God's people in cities and tribes and over all Israel. Thus, when we come to the time of Christ's life and labors in Israel, we find that the high priests, rulers, elders, and scribes composed a council of 70 leaders with authority over the civil and spiritual life of God's people. This council was called the Sanhedrin. It was this ruling body which wickedly rejected Jesus, declared Him a blasphemer, delivered Him to Pilate to be killed, commanded the Apostles to stop preaching about Christ and beat them. One thing was clear -- elders in Old Covenant Israel had authority.
Where then do we first find elders in the New Covenant church? In Jerusalem (Acts 11:30) -- the political and spiritual center of the Jews where the Sanhedrin composed of elders gathered. With this backdrop for the first local church and first elders in the church, it is clear that the carrying over of this term into the church would have also carried with it the idea of authority in the church. This indeed agrees with the meaning of the other two terms for elders which we've already reviewed.
Thus, the very names given the office of elder are the first line of proof that elders have real authority in the church. But there is a second, closely-related line of proof:
2. The description of the functions of this office prove it.
If you remember, elders or overseers were told in Acts 20:28 to shepherd God's church. I.e., they were clearly required to perform the tasks of a shepherd which we reviewed before, and which indicate the exercise of authority.
But also remember that in 1 Tim. 5:17 elders are spoken of as ruling or directing. Clearly, the element of authority is present.
We could turn to other passages, but hopefully it is clear that the descriptions of the functions of elders prove that they possess authority in the church. There is also a third, final proof:
3. The commanded response of God's people to their spiritual leaders proves it -- Heb. 13:17. Obviously, spiritual leaders are in view in this passage for they are described as those who watch out for men's souls. As we've already seen, in the church today, only elders or deacons could be in view here for us. Since, as we'll see, deacons are responsible to care for the more mundane needs of the church, this verse must have special reference to elders. And notice -- God's people are to obey and submit to them. I.e., they are to respond to them as those who have real authority over them.
These then are the proofs of the real authority of elders or pastors. But an important further question remain regarding this authority -- that having to do with:
B. Its Limits. Since pastors do have such apparently broad authority in the church over the other members, and are given much latitude to direct the affairs of a local church (often called "elder rule"), many could respond with alarm. After all, pastors have remaining sin as well as the rest of God's people. Doesn't the church have reason to be concerned that elder authority not be abusive and excessive? Yes it does. The Word of God carefully limits elder authority in the church. Although we could profitably study these limits more at length, I will seek to somewhat briefly overview them:
1. Elder authority is divinely-delegated and regulated authority. Although 1 Pet. 5:1-4 implies this reality, Heb. 13:17a which we just read makes it abundantly clear. May I remind you of what that passage says:
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give an account.
When elders carry out their tasks, they do so, not as an authority unto themselves, but as under-shepherds who answer to the chief Shepherd for how they carry out their tasks.
This means that pastors have no choice but to do the tasks which are clearly assigned to them by God, no matter what others think. But it also means that it is wrong and sinful for pastors to exercise authority in a way which goes beyond the authority given them by Christ. To do so is to usurp Christ's authority and to lord it over God's people. So again, pastoral authority is divinely-regulated authority. But also:
2. Elder authority is to be conscience-gaining authority. When Heb. 13:17 says that God's people are to obey those who rule over them, the word in the original language translated "obey" is a special word. It has a root idea of being persuaded or convinced, and when it is used as it is here, it refers to actions or responses which result from being persuaded. John Owen declares that the obedience here commanded is "an obedience on a persuasion". In other words, it is by instructing the consciences of God's people that a pastor is to obtain their obedience -- not by ignoring and abusing and degrading and bowling over their consciences. He must respectfully and accurately convince God's people from God's Word that what he commands is a matter of explicit biblical command when it is. He must also respectfully convince God's people from God's Word that obedience to his pastoral directives is proper and required where issues of explicit biblical command aren't directly at stake.
Now, the idea of persuasion does not mean that you have to like what you hear before you are obligated to obey your pastor. But it does mean that you ought not to obey your pastors unless you are convinced it is right to do so. I.e., blind, absolute obedience to pastors is not the required response to the real authority of pastors. Don't forget the Bereans who went back to their Bibles and studied to see if the words of even an Apostle agreed with what was printed there.
3. Pastoral authority is not exclusively unilateral authority -- Acts 6:1-7. Notice that the congregation as well as their leaders were actively involved in the recognition and selection of officers. According to 1 Cor. 5:1-5, 12-13 (cp. 1:2), the entire congregation acted in the matter of church discipline -- not just the elders.
Based upon these passages (and others), it is evident that the authority of elders does not include the right to make certain decisions unilaterally (i.e., on their own). In major decisions of church life (such as those having to do with corrective discipline, the recognition of officers, the reception of new members, the adoption of a constitution, and the sale or purchase of church real estate), the local church as a whole has a voice alongside that of the elders. In such cases, it should be noted that the elders are responsible to provide definitive leadership to the church in the making of those decisions.
4. Pastoral authority is sphere-limited authority. As we've already seen in Acts 20:28, elders are made overseers to shepherd the church of God. The sphere of their authority, i.e., is the local church. It is not the state, or the family, or the business place. Therefore, pastors should limit the exercise of their authority to their own sphere of authority. Our Lord was an example of this in Lk. 12:13-14. He refused to assume the authority of a civil ruler. The sphere of His earthly labors during His first coming was the spiritual care of men's souls and the establishment of a spiritual kingdom -- not an earthly political kingdom. Pastors should likewise keep within the legitimate bounds of their God-given authority.
This of course means that pastors do have authority within the sphere of the church to apply God's Word in the life of the church and to make house rules (just like fathers in the home, or civil officials in the country). But pastors are not allowed to require punishments for sin beyond those of church discipline. They are not allowed to invade the biblically-defined spheres of other human authorities (husbands, fathers, civil rulers, and employers). And they are not to command God's people regarding matters not specified in Scripture except where they must order the house of God by the application of His Word.
All this means that God's people should normally not follow a pastor's leadership when it goes beyond its proper sphere. For example, pastors should rightly command Christian singles to marry only in the Lord, and should rightly call upon the church to discipline a member who is impenitent about marrying an unbeliever. But he may not command a single person to marry a particular individual. That's the sphere of the family. And that single should not feel bound to obey such a command regarding marriage. The pastor has gone beyond his sphere of authority.
5. Elder authority is evenly-shared authority. Listen to Heb. 13:17 again:
"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give an account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."
This passage clearly assumes that any given Christian normally will have more than one pastor watching out for his soul. Indeed, we've already seen the repeated biblical teaching regarding the plurality of elders as the norm in the church.
Furthermore, although, as we've seen, pastors may at times have different functions (1 Tim. 5:17), I believe that there is no biblical evidence which would contradict the evident assumption of the New Testament that the elders in a church all possess equal authority in that church. This is often called parity of office and authority. I.e., there is no biblical evidence for having one chief pastor and several assistants who do his bidding as is so common either formally or informally in especially larger churches in our day. Each elder should have an equal voice and vote in elder decisions.
Where such biblical plurality and parity are practiced, there will be no lone-ranger leaders in a church having the final word in elder decisions. And thus will be removed the felt pressure for the deacons or other church members to unbiblically keep in check the pastor. As Owen notes regarding Hebrew 13:17:
"Here is no room left for a single bishop, and his rule in the church -- much less for a pope." (p. 463)
In light of this reality, God's people should not rest content with a situation where they have a single elder laboring alone, and single elders should not be content to so remain single. They should pray the Lord of the harvest to raise up a true plurality and parity of elders in their midst. They should labor to that end. And in the meantime, it may be wise to adopt some temporary measures which will help a church and single pastor to avoid the pitfalls which are a peculiar danger to them.
Closely-related to the principle of equally-shared authority is that:
6. Elder authority is membership-conditioned authority. We must never forget that pastors themselves are members of the local church where they labor as pastors. As we have seen in Acts 20:28, it's among all the flock that the Holy Spirit has made elders overseers. Even while they are shepherds over the flock, they are also members of the flock.
Even Apostles were viewed by our Lord as sheep. If you remember, on the night our Lord was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, He predicted the following regarding His disciples in Mt. 26:31:
. . . "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: `I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered."
If even Apostle were view as sheep in Christ's flock, then elders certainly are as well.
This means that each individual elder is entitled to the same privileges as are all the other members of the church. But it also means that each individual elder is obligated by the same responsibilities, and is subject to the same discipline as are all the other members of the church. The church membership of each elder means that he is both under the oversight and pastoral care of his fellow elders, and is accountable to the church as a whole for his conduct. This reality is clearly implied in two important passages of God's Word -- 2 Cor. 11:19-20 & Gal. 2:11.
In conclusion of this section, we see that the authority of elders, though very real, is carefully limited by God. This authority is divinely-delegated and regulated, conscience gaining, not exclusively unilateral, sphere-limited, evenly-shared, and membership-conditioned authority.
Applications:
1. Since the Lord has so clearly laid out biblical elder authority, we see how important it is that it be carefully established and regulated in a local church. This is why it is so important that a biblical church constitution be adopted and followed -- so that human authority in the church is exercised biblically for the good of the church and pastors, and for the glory of God in the church.
2. We see why it is so important that a church carefully proceed in recognizing elders who possess real authority in the church. You want to be sure that those you recognize as elders are biblically qualified, and have biblical perspectives regarding elder authority and responsibilities. Or you may end up in far worse shape than if you had no pastors at all.
3. Where a biblical eldership has been established in a church, the members of that church are obligated by God to properly submit to that authority. Listen to the words of my fellow elder, Pastor Greg Nichols, in closing:
"You have to come to grips with the fact that elders are given an office and a posture of authority, and that they are carrying on their responsibilities from within that office and that posture. Otherwise you will begin to look at everything they do with a jaundiced eye." (unpublished article on the eldership)
This is a word to those who have been burned by bad experiences in the past and may tend to be skittish about elder authority. And this is a word to any who might be applying for membership in a biblical church. Be sure you can submit to the leadership of that group before you join.
V. The Qualifications of Elders. First consider a matter of:
Introduction.
Why spend so much of our limited time on this particular subject, especially since we are going to have to skip an entire area of study regarding the eldership as a result? There are at least three reasons which I believe justify such an emphasis:
1. First, because the Bible emphasizes it. The Scriptures confront us with fairly extensive materials for this study, and they emphasize them as well. There are two key passages in the New Testament where this matter of elders qualifications is brought to a burning and somewhat extensive focus -- 1 Timothy 3:1-7 & Titus 1:5-9. However, as we saw earlier, the Scriptures have quite a bit to say regarding other aspects of the eldership as well. So we need to also recognize a second reason for such an intensive study.
2 Because all that we have seen thus far regarding the eldership underscores the seriousness of this matter. Since the source of elders is the Triune God, we should be very concerned that we recognize all those elders being given to us by God and only those being given to us, or we are in disobedience to our Head. How do we recognize the God-given elders? The major way is by the presence of the qualifications which the Lord has given us.
Also since a plurality of elders is God's norm for a local church, we will normally have to deal with this issue of elder qualifications repeatedly in the life of the church.
And since the tasks of elders are so important, and since the authority of elders is so real and extensive, it is vitally important that only qualified individuals fill that office.
But you might say, "I see that the matter of qualifications of elders is important. But why do all of the members of the church need to spend so much time studying this subject?" This leads to a third reason:
3. Because the members of each local church bear a serious responsibility to follow the biblical qualifications in recognizing the pastors being given to them by Christ. This is indicated in a key passage which we saw this morning which provides us with a framework for the recognition of both types of church officers -- Acts 6:1-7. We will return to consider this passage later as we consider the matter of recognizing and installing officers in the church. However, there is one point which I want you to especially notice right now. These verses clearly indicate that the people of God in the church at Jerusalem had a major role in recognizing and selecting those who met the qualifications for this particular office. Since the church is obligated to follow Apostolic example unless their practice involved matters unique to the Apostolic period of Redemptive History, this passage indicates that the members of local churches today in addition to their leaders bear a solemn responsibility to follow the qualifications laid out by Christ in the Word in recognizing their leaders. You each are obligated to follow those qualifications, which means that you must understand them.
Hopefully I've gained your consciences that our study of the qualifications of elders indeed warrants the time and attention we are giving it. In reality, we could spend much more time on this subject than we are. (As we begin our study, I want to acknowledge that in preparing it I have often been indebted to material preached on the subject during the late 1970's by my fellow pastor, Jim Hufstetler.)
We will consider two major matters as we study elder qualifications:
A. Some General Observations Regarding These Qualifications, and:
B. The Specific Details of These Qualifications.
So first of all, notice with me:
A. Some General Observations Regarding the Qualifications of Elders. Before we descend to considering the specific trees of the forest of elder qualifications, it is important that we first stand back and look at the entire forest in order to rightly apply God's Word at this point. We will briefly review three things:
1. An absolute necessity,
2. A significant emphasis, and:
3. A crucial implication.
So first of all:
1. An absolute necessity -- 1 Tim. 3:2a, 7a & Titus 1:7a. The repeated use of the strong language of the "must's" (literally -- "it is necessary") in these verses indicates that the Head of the church absolutely requires that men meet the qualifications He has given before they occupy the office of overseer. This leads to three:
Applications:
1. These statements of absolute necessity imply that, with the help of Christ and His Spirit, we indeed are able to know what these qualifications are, and to discern if they are present in a given individual.
Some would look at the list of qualifications given and respond, "These are so subjective. How do you know if someone is temperate or covetous? It all depends on a person's opinion. What is temperate to one person may not be to another. How much alcohol is too much alcohol?"
How do we respond to such objections? In just this way. If the Head of the church has given to the church criteria to use in evaluating a man's qualifications for office in the church, and if He has demanded that we carefully follow these qualifications, then we may be confident that, as we diligently study our Bibles, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and as we prayerfully look to the Lord for light -- we will be able to determine whether or not the necessary qualifications are present in a given man. Christ doesn't speak in a muddled, stuttering, confused voice. He speaks clearly regarding matters which He declares are important. Therefore we may take up the study of those words confident that they can be understood and followed as Christ's Spirit guides us.
But there is a second application to which the absolute necessity of the biblical qualifications calls us:
2. It implies that it is right for God's people to seek to discern or judge whether these qualifications are present in a man's life. Many people are quick to quote Jesus' words, "Judge not" when folks try to form judgments or conclusions regarding the character of someone. For instance, if someone tries to say that a person is covetous, or not gentle, he is accused of being judgmental and proud and unloving. "Who does he think he is, after all?" There is much that we could say regarding this matter of exercising judgment or discernment regarding men, but the "must be's" of 1 Tim. 3 and Tit. 1 tell us that there are situations where such judgment and discernment not only are not wrong, but are in fact a matter of obedience to the same Christ who said "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Mt. 7:1). The church led by her leaders must form judgments regarding men before recognizing them as pastors, although such a process should always be careful to guard a man's good name as much as possible, and the spirit by which it is pursued must always be humble and kind.
This leads us to a third and final application from the "must be's" of our key texts:
3. We must allow no other standard than God's standard to determine our conclusions regarding a man's call. We must not allow any pressure to turn us aside from carefully following all of God's qualifications, including the following possible pressures to do so:
-- the pressure of our felt need for a pastor or pastors.
-- a pragmatic spirit just trying to fill a slot.
-- a man's own strong subjective sense of being called.
-- unprincipled sentimentality which feels sorry for a man, or wants to get in the boy from the home church, etc.
-- eminent gifts -- eloquence -- counselling abilities -- even prominence and fame in Christ's church where other qualifications aren't met.
-- matters of personal preference or taste -- I like him or his wife, or get along well with him.
-- warmth of love for Christ and zeal for Christ's kingdom divorced from other qualifications.
Often local churches of Christ have ended up with real messes because they failed to stick to the will of Christ. May the Lord help us to not follow in their path.
This then is the absolute necessity of our key text. But also note:
2. A significant emphasis. As you look down the list of qualifications in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1, what is given the most emphasis? Apart from being "able to teach" and perhaps "rules his own house well", the emphasis is not upon gifts, but upon mature grace. The gifts are crucial and must be present, but the preponderance of the qualifications listed don't focus on those gifts. They focus on the presence of a real, growing godliness and piety of life.
This reminds us that it's possible to have great gifts and not even be a Christian in the first place. Christ in Mt. 7:22-23 declared:
Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."
If it's true that one can have great gifts and still be lost, it's therefore also possible to have gifts to teach, and yet be disqualified from the office of elder due to a deficiency of grace.
Applications:
1. Those who desire the office of overseer should give first priority to the cultivation of grace in the heart, not of gifts of the tongue and mind.
2. Those who are evaluating such an aspirant should focus first of all on graces as well, and not on the more prominent and showy area of gifts. I have known eminently gifted men who were seriously deficient in grace -- and they were therefore the greatest danger to the flock, and at times abusive to the flock. Be sure those whom you consider as elders have grace as well as gifts before you put them in office and entrust your eternal soul to their care.
But now, notice a third general observation regarding the qualifications of elders:
3. A crucial implication. At this point, someone might look down the list of qualifications and say, "Pastor, with the exception possibly of 'able to teach', all of these qualifications are things which should be true of every Christian man (if he has a family), and not just pastors. Furthermore, every Christian should manifest the general graces here presented -- at least in seed form -- or he has no basis to call himself a Christian. What then is the difference which would make us set aside certain men to be pastors and not others?
The answer is implied in 1 Tim. 3:4. An overseer must not just rule his home. He must rule it well. He must be a good example to others of how to rule one's home. I believe that the exemplary level of this required qualification implies that a man must be exemplary with regard to the other qualifications given as well. For remember that, as we noted earlier, one task of an elder is to be a good example to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3; 1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7-8). Therefore, a man must be an example which his flock may in general safely follow in the various areas of qualification if he would be an elder.
These then are some general observations regarding the qualifications of elders. It is absolutely necessary that we follow them; the emphasis of the qualifications is upon grace in the life, not gifts; and in order for a man to be qualified to be an elder he must be exemplary in his possession of the qualifications given.
Now we are ready to take up:
B. The Specific Details of These Qualifications. Here we move from trying to see the entire forest to look at the individual trees of specific elder qualifications. As we do so, we face a major challenge, for there are at least 25 items of qualification which I believe may legitimately be drawn from the key passages in 1 Tim. 3 and Tit. 1. At this point we can only briefly overview them. (Notice that the outline markings change here for the rest of the section on the qualifications.)
In order to aid our study, the specific qualifications have been divided into different categories. The two major categories are:
The Broad Qualifications, and:
The More Specific Qualifications.
As we take up each major category in turn, may I remind you that with just a few exceptions, each qualification has to do with godly character traits which every Christian should seek to possess. So there is a personal application to our study which ought to stimulate our interest in addition to the responsibility of all members of a church to know and follow the qualifications for elders.
First, there are:
The Broad Qualifications:
I. Blameless or above reproach -- 1 Timothy 3:2a. A bishop or overseer must be "blameless" or "above reproach". This word means that one has nothing which can be laid hold of. There is a similar but different word in Titus 1:6a & 7a. It is also translated "blameless" or "above reproach" and means that one is not called in, not brought to account or accused.
In order to understand this broad qualification better, we need to remember two things which it cannot mean. It cannot mean never sinning, for even the Apostle Paul still sinned (Rom. 7:14-23), and Scripture teaches that elders may sin seriously enough to require public rebuke without dictating that they necessarily must leave office (1 Tim. 5:19-20). Also being blameless cannot mean never being accused, since it is not only possible to be falsely accused, but it is almost certain that it will happen to a faithful pastor over time. (Just ask the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul who gave this qualification.) Therefore, we must use great care in not sinfully receiving false accusations against faithful elders (1 Tim. 5:19).
What then does it mean to be blameless or above reproach? Apparently it means not having more serious offenses with which one may legitimately be charged. It also evidently means not having known areas of sin where one is not biblically repenting. However, the use of these biblical terms elsewhere (1 Tim. 3:10; 5:5-7; 6:11-14) indicates that being blameless especially has reference to the matters being dealt with in the context. So being blameless or above reproach for elders especially means not having any glaring deficiencies in any of the areas of more specific qualifications in our two key texts.
II. Just -- Tit. 1:8c. This word could possibly be translated "righteous". In that case it would mean that an elder must be a true Christian who is righteous by the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith, and who lives a life of overall conformity to God's commands.
III. Holy -- Tit. 1:8c. This word could also be translated "devout" or "pious". An elder must be one who carefully performs his duty toward God so that he is pleasing to God.
In summary of the broader qualifications, if a man would be an elder, he must be blameless, righteous, and holy. But now, let's begin to study:
The More Specific Qualifications. At first glance, the qualifications given appear to be miscellaneous in character. But there are different ways to more logically categorize them, and I have chosen the approach of grouping them into five categories, focusing especially upon our two key texts:
I. Masculine identity (or sex).
II. Personal character (or grace).
III. Pastoral skills (or gifts).
IV. Spiritual maturity.
V. Outside testimony.
First notice the matter of:
I. Masculine identity -- 1 Timothy 3:2a. Notice especially the phrase, "The husband of one wife". This same identical phrase is also found in Titus 1:6, and more literally could be translated, "a man of one woman" or "a one-woman man". This language seems to assume that those being considered for the office of pastor or elder are to be men (i.e., males) -- not women (i.e., females).
However, there are professing Christians who dispute this conclusion in our day and declare that women as well as men may be pastors in the church. Briefly notice with me three biblical reasons why only men may be elders in the church of Christ:
A. The word in the original which is translated "husband" or "man" in 1 Timothy 3:2 is a very specific word. It clearly means "an adult male" as opposed to an "adult female" (the word translated "wife" in our text).
B. The exactly reversed phrase, "the wife of one man" or "a one-man woman" is found two chapters later in 1 Tim. 5:9. Since widows clearly are those who are in view there, and the surrounding verses could not apply to widowers (5:3; 9-10; 14), the meaning of this exactly-reversed language clearly must be limited to adult females. Therefore, it is right to conclude that the opposite is true in 1 Timothy 3:2, and that only adult males are in view.
C. In 1 Timothy 2:11-12 we once again find the specific words for adult male and adult female. And Paul declares in no uncertain words that adult females in the context of the church (compare 3:15) are not to teach or have authority over adult males. Paul is very clear, pointing to the events of the Creation, and the Fall. (Notice, he cannot be dismissed by saying that his position merely reflected the culture of his day.) To try to include women in 1 Timothy 3:2 would be to make Paul contradict himself within the same epistle.
In conclusion, to be qualified, a pastor must be an adult male -- a man. This qualification has nothing to do with a person's character. It instead has to do with the way the Lord has knit a person together in his mother's womb. This qualification also has nothing to do with a man or a woman's value in the eyes of God. It instead has to do with the different but equally important functions which the Lord has ordained for men and women in the church.
But now we must hasten on to another category of qualifications:
II. Those having to do with pastoral character or grace. As we have seen, this is an area of great emphasis in the list of elder qualifications. I've divided the seventeen qualifications which I've put under this category into two further divisions:
A. Various aspects of self-control, and:
B. Necessary interpersonal qualities.
Let's fairly quickly move through each division. First, there are:
A. Various aspects of self-control. Notice six items:
1. Temperate -- 1 Tim. 3:2a. An elder must be sober, alert, vigilant and serious in light of the eternal issues of salvation and judgment which he faces. Therefore, he must not be living a life sated with the pleasures of this life.
2. Sober-minded or prudent -- 1 Tim. 3:2 (cp. Tit. 1:8b). A pastor must be sensible or literally "safe-minded". He must possess sanctified common sense and sane spiritual understanding which regulates all the areas of his life so that in this way he lives a self-controlled life.
3. Self-controlled -- Tit. 1:8c. An elder must have an inward strength which enables him to have mastery or control over his sexual appetites (1 Cor. 7:8-9) and other fleshly desires.
Thus far we have considered three more general terms having to do with self control. But now notice three specific areas of self control identified in the qualifications for the eldership:
4. Not quick-tempered -- Tit. 1:7b. An overseer cannot be easily angered. However, this is not a prohibition of all anger, for there is a righteous anger (Eph. 4:26) which always must be self-controlled anger which is responding to an issue of godliness and righteousness.
5. Not given to wine -- Tit. 1:7b (cp. 1 Tim. 3:3a). This requirement is not a forbidding of any use of alcoholic beverages or else Paul directly contradicts himself when he tells Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach's sake (1 Tim. 5:23). It has the idea of "staying around wine" -- i.e., abusing its use in excess or being addicted to it. Gluttony -- eating more than one needs to sustain health and strength -- is closely-related to drunkenness in Scripture (Prov. 23:19-21).
6. Not greedy for money -- Tit. 1:7c. An elder cannot be one who desires shameful or base gain or profit. If he labors in the Gospel ministry as his vocation, it is not wrong for him to be concerned to receive adequate compensation to provide for himself and his family (1 Tim. 5:8). It is also not wrong for him to desire material blessings which are promised to the godly (Prov. 10:4). However, he must not have an uncontrolled desire for gain which causes him to be willing to seek material profit in an ungodly or unprincipled way.
Having seen matters having to do with self-control, notice our second division of qualifications having to do with character or grace:
B. Necessary interpersonal qualities. Here we will consider four categories of qualifications which have to do with a man's relationships with others around him. First, an elder must be:
1. The husband of one wife -- 1 Tim. 3:2a cp. Tit. 1:6). As we saw before, this means that an elder must be a one-woman man.
We need to first of all see what this qualification does not mean. It does not mean that an elder must always be married (Mt. 19:12; Paul). This qualification also does not mean that second marriages are forbidden when the first marriage ended biblically through death (1 Cor. 7:8-9; 39) or through biblical divorce as a result of the man's first wife's adultery (Mt. 19:9) or desertion as an unbeliever (1 Cor. 7:12-15). Finally, this qualification does not mean that a single man may engage in sexual activity with a woman while unmarried as long as there is only one woman (1 Cor. 7:8-9).
However, this qualification is a recognition that an overseer will normally be married at some point. And if he is married, he must, at any given point in time, be married to only one woman, and that woman must be the only one in his bed and heart.
But now notice a second necessary interpersonal quality. An elder must be:
2. Of good behavior -- 1 Tim. 3:2. The basic meaning of this word is orderly, well-behaved, decorous, decent or proper. An elder must be respectable or honorable before others in the totality of life including manners and outward appearance. He must in an orderly and proper and balanced way carry out all of his God-given duties so that he will gain a hearing for the Gospel instead of turning his hearers off.
But next, notice:
3. Three qualifications having to do with love. First, a pastor must be:
a. Not covetous -- 1 Tim. 3:3c. Literally, this means "not a silver lover or lover of money". His heart affections must not be bound up with material things and wealth. Rather his love must be fixed upon higher priorities in life, which brings us to the next qualification:
b. A lover of what is good -- Tit. 1:8a. That which must delight the heart of the qualified overseer is godly activities and the people of God -- especially those most in conformity with Jesus Christ. But also, he must be:
c. Hospitable -- Tit. 1:8a (cp. 1 Tim. 3:2c). Literally, an elder must be "a lover of strangers". He must be a good example of taking strangers, especially Christians from out-of-town, into his home and heart if he is to be viewed as qualified for this office in the church.
In conclusion, what do we learn from these three qualifications which all have to do with love? We learn that an elder must truly love people over things, and that he must especially love God's people instead of being in love with money. One way in which he will show this is that he'll be willing to part with some of his money and food and material things in order to put up and feed brethren who are strangers in a gracious, uncomplaining way. A man cannot be an elder if he does not have a preeminent, practical love for people -- especially God's people, second only to his love for God. That love should show. People should sense him to be approachable. There should be a love for men which helps break down barriers for evangelizing the lost, and ministering to Christians. If a man is not in this way a "people person", he has no business in the ministry.
But now we must press on to a fourth category of necessary interpersonal qualities:
4. Six qualifications necessary for a righteous response to interpersonal conflicts. An elder must possess certain character traits which are essential if he would respond aright to disagreements with people and opposition from people. We all know that weaknesses in our character often are not too evident as long as our lives are sailing along smoothly. But rough waters of trials will stir up the scum of our hearts and develop and exercise graces; and thereby will reveal who we really are. So also with elders, who must first of all be:
a. Not violent -- Tit. 1:7 (cp. 1 Tim. 3:3). He cannot be a striker, or a pugnacious man. He cannot be one who is a bully or quick to come to blows. And he cannot get all bent out of shape or lash back verbally as well as physically when he is crossed.
But also, he must be:
b. Not quarrelsome -- 1 Tim. 3:3. This means not fighting or disputing, but peaceable. A man, if he would be an elder, cannot be a man who relishes a "good" fight or quarrel -- who loves conflict and debate for the sake of the conflict. He must be a man who avoids conflict whenever possible. And this is because of a third negative trait:
c. Not self-willed -- Tit. 1:7. He must not please himself in a stubborn and arrogant and impure way. He must not be one who, in his own personal insecurities, gets so hung up defending his own opinions and rights that he will not listen to others and reason, even when those speaking are in authority over him.
Such a man should not be an elder because he will still be a man under authority if he is part of a proper, biblical eldership. And a self-willed spirit will lead to great conflict in that eldership and in the church where he is pastor. But also, such a self-willed spirit in a man recognized as a lone pastor in a church will do much to ensure that a plurality of elders with all its safe-guards is never established in a church, or if it is, that a true biblical parity of elders will never be established, because the first elder in office will not be willing to relinquish the reins of power.
These then are three negative interpersonal qualities having to do with dealing with conflict: not violent, not quarrelsome, and not self-willed. But there are three positive qualifications too:
d. But gentle -- 1 Tim. 3:3. Notice how this qualification stands in contrast with those around it. A qualified man will be yielding toward or forbearing with the concerns and even disagreements of others -- not from fear of man or cowardice -- but from the fear of God and from godly humility before God and others. Such a man will refuse to get hung up over petty disputes, and will deal gently with people, even when more serious matters of principle are at stake, and when people are cantankerous and hard to deal with.
e. Just -- Tit. 1:8. In addition to the idea of being righteous which we saw earlier, this word can have the idea of being just or fair. An elder must be able to rise above showing partiality to his special friends, or to the first one to state his case before his neighbor has come and examined him (Proverbs 18:17). The peace-maker must be able to rise above protecting his threatened ego or personal interests when he is being attacked, but instead must respond in a fair and evenhanded way in working out problems in the church. He must be willing to, and be able to draw out and understand both sides in a disagreement. He must be "just".
Finally:
f. Implied in Tit. 1:9-11 is the fact that an elder must have holy boldness to address problems when they arise and must be addressed, and not ignore them. If he is not prepared to graciously but also firmly wade into dealing with the problems and conflicts within the church which will surely arise, he has no business being a pastor.
There is another passage which wraps up all we've seen regarding the abilities of elders to deal with conflict -- 2 Timothy 2:23-26. Notice, this is a description of what must be true of a servant of the Lord -- language which here clearly has reference to a spiritual leader among God's people. He must be able to graciously, capably, and assertively deal with those who are in opposition -- often in opposition against him personally. What an awesome standard is set before the church for her leaders. How contrary to our flesh are such responses. Truly the ability to so respond is all the grace of God. And such must be true of elders in Christ's church -- not perfectly, but in an exemplary way. For otherwise, pastors will not do good to God's people and recover the wandering ones. They will instead drive them away.
These then are the required qualifications for pastors which have to do with personal character or grace. But now we must hasten on to consider a third major category of qualifications:
III. Those having to do with pastoral skills or gifts. To be a pastor, a man must not only be a godly, gracious man. This is where the emphasis lies in our two key texts, but they do not stop with grace. To be qualified, a man must also possess certain crucial, proven, identifiable skills. These skill may be developed and increased through hard discipline and labor. But to some degree these skills first of all have to be woven into a man in seed form in his mother's womb, or no amount of labor and cultivation will make him exemplary in these areas and able to lead Christ's church.
There are two areas of skill which we will consider:
A. Proven teaching ability, and:
B. Proven leadership skills.
So first of all, and most in depth, notice with me the matter of:
A. Proven teaching ability. This requirement is stated most clearly in 1 Tim. 3:2 where we learn that an overseer must be "able to teach". He must possess exemplary abilities for instructing the people of God and lost men alike. We learn more specifically what this qualification is all about when we come to our other key text -- Tit. 1:7-11, focusing especially upon vv. 9-11. This passage will be our initial focus as we consider a number of matters of:
Introduction. First, regarding able teaching:
a. Two key phrases in Titus 1:9 -- "the faithful word" and "sound (or healthy) doctrine (or teaching)" -- indicate the content of what is to be taught by overseers. It must be the Word of God. Furthermore, when we look further at passages like Acts 20:27; 5:42; and 1 Cor. 2:2, we learn that the content taught must over time be the entirety, and especially the priority emphases of the Word of God, as opposed to error. But also notice that:
b. The settings where this teaching will occur will be diverse, including more private as well as more public settings. Remember the example of Christ preaching to 5,000 men at a time, and yet privately instructing His disciples and counselling with Nicodemus. (Cp. also Acts 20:20.) Although elders may have varying degrees of public teaching gift, they must at least be gifted to teach in the more private settings.
Observe next that:
c. The uniquely revealing occasions of the ability to teach are those where men are opposing the herald of God's Word. This is the whole point of Tit. 1:9-11, and is seen also in 2 Tim. 2:24-26 which we just looked at where the only other New Testament use of the terminology, "able to teach" is found. In the heat of conflict is where teaching ability as well as grace are specially revealed. But also:
d. The emphasized characteristic of this teaching ability is that it is effective in accomplishing definite good. Tit. 1:9-11 tells us that the pastor must be able to convict those who contradict. This word, "to convict" can mean either to convince someone that what you say is true, or to convict or expose before others someone who is in the wrong. Either sense may fit here. The elder is to be able to so teach that he either convinces those opposing the truth that they are in error, or, if that fails (which it often will), he at least carries the consciences of God's onlooking people that what he says is what God's Word teaches in clear contrast with the false teaching of those who oppose. In doing this, he thereby effectively stops the mouths of these insubordinate, idle talkers and deceivers (vv. 10-11) so that they no longer are able to gain a hearing and influence among God's people, even if they do keep babbling their errors off elsewhere to others. This is no little skill, and is vital to the welfare of God's people.
In establishing that able teaching is effective teaching, we could also consider Acts 14:1 where we are told that Paul and Barnabas so spoke that they were effective in bringing men to Christ. Although it is ultimately the living God who makes all teaching effective (Jn. 6:44-5; Eph. 4:20-21), the teaching skill which a man possesses is normally no little part of its effectiveness.
Having considered these matters of introduction, consider now further in brief survey form what makes a man's teaching capable, effective teaching. (I would encourage you to look up the passages given in the handout on your own later since we will be able to only consider a few.) There is first of all:
1. That which must be true of the teacher before he opens his mouth if he would effectively communicate God's Word:
a. In Titus 1:9a, Paul refers to "the faithful word as he has been taught" or more literally, "according to the teaching". If a man is to be able to teach God's Word, and all of God's Word, he must have an extensive knowledge and understanding of the contents and truths of God's Word. He must know His Bible.
Much of this learning may come through his own private study. However, God's Word indicates that it will also be imparted by others qualified to teach. (Cp. Jesus teaching His disciples (Acts 4:13) and 2 Timothy 2:1-2.) The Bible does not specify that a man must have a Bible College degree or seminary degree in order to be a pastor. But it does require that he be well-instructed in the Scriptures or he is not able to teach.
b. He must have a believing, persevering grip upon the contents and truths of God's Word. This is obvious in our key text -- Titus 1:9a. A man must hold fast to, must believingly cling to the truth he has received if he would effectively preach and teach God's Word. If he doesn't believe it himself, his hearers will sense it, and generally his teaching will be without the power and penetration that comes from conviction in the soul of the truthfulness and importance of one's message. (Cp. 2 Tim. 1:8-14 & 2 Cor. 4:7-14.)
c. He must have an abundant possession of those graces essential to an effective communication of the contents and truths of God's Word. Notice three things here. First:
(1) He must have a credible life which backs up and agrees with what he teaches from God's Word. Notice that Tit. 1:9 is part of a sentence which began at verse 7. That is no accident. But also:
(2) The elder who teaches, especially one who labors in the Word and doctrine, must have the grace needed to give himself to the hard work of preparation and delivery -- Col. 1:28-29. Finally:
(3) He must have the grace needed to communicate effectively in the act of communication. We have already seen this connection in 2 Tim. 2:24-6.
However, being able to teach not only has reference to that which must be true of the teacher before he opens his mouth. It also includes:
2. That which must be true of the teacher when he actually opens his mouth if he would effectively communicate God's Word. When a pastor opens his mouth, he must be:
a. Accurate. If, as we've seen, the content of one's teaching should be the inerrant Word of God, then the one teaching has a solemn obligation to accurately communicate what God has said in His Word. Once again our key text -- Titus 1:9 -- indicates that a pastor must hold fast the faithful word, (literally) according to the teaching so that he may be able by sound or healthy doctrine to exhort and convict. He is to speak sound or healthy doctrine or teaching. It is to be sound in contrast with the teaching of things which they ought not to teach (vs. 10). We could also compare Tit. 2:7-8 & 2 Tim. 2:15 which indicate the same thing.
A man is not able to teach if he handles God's Word in a careless and sloppy manner with frequent inaccuracies, or if he forces a meaning upon a text to suit his own purposes. Accurate teaching is teaching which carefully labors to convey the meaning of specific portions of God's Word to the listeners.
But also, a man's teaching must be:
b. Clear -- Neh. 8:6-9. If a man is an effective teacher, he is able to be understood. (Cp. 1 Cor. 14:1-12; 26.) Of course there are other reasons why men fail to understand what they are taught (1 Cor. 2:12-14; 13:11; 2 Pet. 3:16; Heb. 5:9-14)). But the problem often lies with the teacher. Factors which contribute to clarity in teaching include: a clear and obvious structure and flow of thought, speech that is at the level of the hearers, frequent repetition, directness, a wise use of illustrations, and just plain old hard work.
c. Persuasive -- Acts 17:1-4. The descriptive language here is vivid. In verse 2 we are told that Paul reasoned or discussed or, literally, talked through the Gospel from the Scriptures with the Jews. In verse 3 we learn that he explained, or expounded or opened up thoroughly the truth regarding a suffering Christ. We could look at a number of other passages which underscore the persuasive nature of Paul's preaching (Acts 13:43; 18:4; 19:8-9; 28:23-4; 26:28; 2 Cor. 5:11). An elder must likewise be persuasive in his instruction if his listeners are to be convinced that what is conveyed is true and trustworthy and demands their response.
Teaching that is persuasive will be: presented in a clear, well-ordered, logical, well-reasoned manner; will be well-established and proven by the Scriptures; will carefully and wisely marshal its biblical arguments and skillfully march them out in battle array; will anticipate and deal with the objections of the hearers (Rom. 5:20-6:1; 6:14-15; 7:6-7; 12-13; 9:18-19); and will purposefully press the mind and will to respond biblically and righteously, which leads to the next trait of able teaching. It will be:
d. Applicatory. The able teacher will seek to press the truths of God's Word to the consciences of his hearers where they are in order to move them to respond in a godly way to it. Remember what Jesus began to preach at the start of His earthly ministry. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt. 4:17). This applicatory element is found throughout the biblical examples of teaching (Dt. 4:1-6; Isa. 1:2-6; 16-20; 40:1-11; Mt. 3:1-2; 7-8; 4:17; Acts 2:36-40; 3:13-20).
The first four qualities of able teaching which we have seen have been focused mainly upon the substance or matter being taught. But notice also four traits which have to do more with the manner in which the qualified teacher teaches. First, able teaching is:
e. Authoritative. The teacher so teaches that he conveys the sense that he is God's appointed messenger speaking a message which comes from God. Here we should again follow the example of the Lord Jesus recorded in Mt. 7:28-29. (Cp. Lk. 20:1-2; Jn. 8:25-6; Lk. 4:18-19; Jn. 12:48-50; Mt. 28:16-20; 2 Cor. 5:18-20).
The qualified teacher will also be:
f. Dignified or serious, displaying a manner appropriate for a messenger of the King having an official message of warning and hope from the King (Tit. 2:7).
An elder who is able to teach will be:
g. Bold. He will be openly and plainly frank and outspoken in speaking the message given. This boldness will be the result of faith in God, and the fear of God, the One who sent him -- a faith and fear which will preserve him from a fear of the faces of those to whom he speaks, especially when they oppose the truth (Jn. 7:25-26). (Cp. Acts 4:10-13; 9:27-29; 13:46; 14:3; 18:24-6; 19:8; 28:30-31; 2 Cor. 3:12; 1 Thes. 2:2; Eph. 6:18-20; Acts 4:29-31).
Finally, able teaching will be:
h. Loving. It will manifest a true care and concern for the souls of those addressed. Remember what Paul was able to testify to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:31?
"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
(Cp. Eph. 4:11-15; Mk. 6:33-4; Mt. 23:29-39; 1 Thes. 2:4-12; Mt. 9:36-38). It is vitally important that when men hear the Word of God opened to them that they also recognize the love of the Lord Jesus behind what is said, for that holy compassion and concern will be a divine key used by God to unlock the hearts of men.
But now we must hasten on to consider more briefly a second area of pastoral skills in addition to proven teaching ability:
B. Proven leadership skills -- 1 Tim. 3:4-5. This passage tells us that a man must have demonstrated certain basic abilities to rule or lead before being allowed to care for the church of God. And the Lord highlights the key place where these leadership skills are to be proven before greater responsibilities are given. They are to be demonstrated in the home and family. If a man would be an elder, the following two realities in the home must be true. First:
1. His overall rule of and care for his home must be exemplary. It is not enough for him to merely rule his home at a minimally-acceptable level commonly expected of any Christian. He must care for his domestic responsibilities well -- in a manner which could overall be safely imitated by others. This exemplary rule should include how the family finances are ordered, how the family schedule is structured and followed, the maintenance of biblical priorities in the home (family worship, attendance at gatherings of the church, etc.), the creation of a basically happy and peaceful atmosphere in the home, and the following of God-ordained family relationships in the home -- husbands toward wives, wives toward husbands, parents toward children and children toward parents. A man must be exemplary in preparing and planning for the future of his home and family, and in caring well and responsibly for the needs of his household by his diligence in laboring with his hands and by sensitively and diligently addressing needs where they arise -- materially, spiritually, emotionally, mentally.
But then Paul moves from the more general to one specific area of domestic responsibility where a man's ability to rule his house is especially proven:
2. His rule over his children must be obviously effective. His children must be in control -- quietly submissive to the father's authority in the home. We find a similar emphasis in Tit. 1:6. His children must be faithful -- reliable -- living overall decent and orderly lives -- especially as long as they are under the father's roof under his authority. They must not be rebels and given to wicked parties -- especially as they enter their teen years -- living lives given over to their untamed wills and lusts. Such good behavior by a man's children will, of course, be the fruit of properly carrying out the responsibilities of a father over time. It means that a qualified man will be continually instructing his children in the will of God and the truths of God's Word. He will be gaining the hearts of his children by an overall loving relationship. And he will be showing his love by exercising biblical corrective discipline including the use of spanking and rebuke while his children are under his roof.
When 1 Tim. 3:4 says that this submission must be with all reverence or dignity, it probably refers to the father and means that he must maintain dignity as he rules his children. This does not rule out times when a father will properly manifest righteous anger at the sinful behavior of his children and deal in an assertive way with their wickedness. But even that anger will always be self-controlled and will ultimately be motivated by love for the child and for the perfectly righteous Savior. A man who in an uncontrolled manner screams or yells at his children or who borders on physically abusing his children is clearly disqualified.
Applications:
1. If a man does not rule his home in an exemplary fashion, he has not proven himself to have the leadership skill necessary for the larger task of caring for Christ's church, and he should not occupy the office of elder.
2. In light of the order established here, we learn how wrong and even wicked it is for a man to justify neglecting his home and family in the name of serving the Lord as so many have in the history of the church. Such men have God's order reversed, for they are disqualified from serving the Lord as leaders in His church as long as the home situation is not ordered and cared for in an exemplary way.
Having now seen three of the five major categories of elder qualifications, notice briefly two final categories. First, there must be:
IV. Spiritual maturity -- 1 Tim. 3:6. To be qualified to be an elder, a man cannot be a young or immature Christian, even if he is an older man in physical age but was not converted until later in life. A man must have a degree of spiritual maturity in order to avoid being puffed up with pride as a new believer elevated before he is able to humbly deal with a higher place of honor and authority in Christ's church. If he is not mature, he may lose his soul and be condemned with the Devil. A man also must have come to a significant measure of growth spiritually as a Christian in order to be able to skillfully and carefully care for Christ's flock. A novice in the pastoral office is a danger to his own soul and to the church.
But finally, a man qualified for the eldership must have a good:
V. Outside testimony -- 1 Tim. 3:7. In a real sense, all the qualifications thus far have focused on the observations of fellow-believers in the church when they consider a man for the office of elder. But here we learn that the perspectives of non-Christians who know a man are also very important. Unbelievers at work or as neighbors may know more about the man than do believers at church. Furthermore, his conduct before those unbelievers will powerfully affect the effectiveness of his ministry and of the entire church among them. Therefore, if a man is to be considered qualified, he should not be able to be legitimately charged with serious wrong by the lost onlookers. They should have no just basis to question his being a pastor in a church of Christ, or to mock and blaspheme Christ and the church and him because of his life. A church should ensure that in some way it has obtained information regarding the perspectives of lost associates of a man such as employers, etc. before recognizing him as an elder.
We have finally completed our study of the qualifications of elders. As we end this section, briefly consider with me a final application to God's people who find themselves without a resident pastor. What we've seen should cause you to pray for several things:
a. For divinely-given understanding of the biblical qualifications,
b. For divinely-given discernment in evaluating possible candidates, and:
c. For a God-given gift of a truly-qualified pastor. As one man has said, "Only the living God can make a minister of the Gospel". When we see these lists of qualifications, it should cause any sensitive Christian to wonder, "Who is sufficient for such things?" Truly both the needed graces and gifts are from God alone. And we should earnestly seek his face to work them in the lives of brethren so that we would have pastors.
VI. The Treatment of Elders (by other church members). (This is only in outline form.) There are several biblical obligations:
A. To know those who are over us and instruct us (1 Thes. 5:12 cp. 1:1). The Apostle was urging these believers to seek to establish and maintain to the extent possible a transparent, intimate and positive relationship with their pastors.
B. To highly esteem and honor faithful pastors who care for us (1 Thes. 5:12-13).
C. To receive heralds sent to us by Christ (Mt. 10:5-7; 12-15; 40-41).
D. To remember and imitate the ones who speak God's Word to us in the ways in which they are a biblical example to us (Heb. 13:7; 1 Cor. 4:15-16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17).
E. To obey and submit to our leaders since they are responsible for our souls to God (Heb. 13:17).
F. To be faithful to our pastors in dealing appropriately with their own deficiencies and sins and errors:
1. In discerningly listening to, and evaluating the teaching and preaching of our elders for its Scriptural accuracy (1 Thes. 5:19-22 cp. 1:1; Acts 17:10-12 cp. 1 Cor. 14:37).
2. In biblically dealing with specific sinful offenses of which we believe pastors are guilty (Mt. 18:15-17; 1 Tim. 5:19).
3. In re-evaluating the qualifications of those men who are pastors in authority over us when appropriate and/or necessary. Three biblical arguments:
a. According to Acts 6:1-7, the members of a local church are to be intimately involved in the recognition of officers in the church whom the Lord has equipped and raised up. If they are involved in the placing of such men in office, it stands to reason that they would continue to have a voice in their continuance in office. Such a conclusion is further established by the fact that the church members are clearly to have a role in the removal of church members in church discipline (1 Cor. 5) as well as in the receiving of members (Acts 9:26-28).
b. According to I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, a pastor must continue to possess specific qualifications of grace and gift in order to be considered as qualified for his office. Since these qualifications must continue to be possessed, and since it is possible for a man to cease to be qualified, or to have deficiencies revealed which were not seen before which clearly show him to be unqualified, a periodic review of a man's qualifications by God's people appears to be in order with the possibility of other reviews when needed.
c. There is also the clear implication of Paul's words to the Corinthian church in 2 Cor. 11:19-21a. These Corinthian believers were putting up with men who were wickedly lording it over the people of God and abusing them. Paul indicates that they shouldn't put up with it -- i.e., that the members of the church at Corinth were under obligation to appropriately address the sinful and unfaithful behavior of those who imposed themselves as leaders over them.
G. To help and stand with our pastors in his labors -- especially when he is attacked because of his stand for Christ (2 Tim. 1:8; 15-18; 4:16-17).
H. To help our pastors by our continuing, earnest prayers for him (1 Thes. 5:25; 2 Cor. 1:8-11; Eph. 6:18-20; Col. 4:2-4; Heb. 13:18-19).
I. To especially provide financial return for the labors of pastors who toil at preaching and teaching the Word of God as their regular vocation (1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 Cor. 9:3-14; Gal. 6:6)
Part Two. Deacons.
When we come to the study of this biblical office, we find that there is not as much biblical material available for our study as there is for the office of elder. And therefore our study will not take as long. However, we are told enough to answer the essential questions about this office. But before we begin to take up those questions, consider first of all a matter of:
Introduction.
The word which is translated "deacon" in our New Testaments (diakonos) is used in a number of ways in the New Testament. It has the basic idea of "being a servant or minister" -- i.e., one who supplies a need or gives aid to others. This word is actually translated "deacon", indicating that it has reference to the office of deacon, in only three places in the NKJV New Testament.
With this matter of introduction before us, we are ready to consider the various issues related to the diaconate, starting first of all with:
I. The Number of Deacons. How many deacons should a local church have? The answer may be given in three parts:
A. As with the office of elder, the norm is a plurality of deacons -- i.e., more than one. In all three places where the Greek word "diakonos" is translated "deacon" and refers to a church office -- Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8 & 12 -- it is plural. Thus, it is apparently an abnormal situation for a church to have only one, or no deacons, and one which it should prayerfully seek to rectify.
But two other factors must also be regulative in determining how many deacons a church should have:
B. There should be no more deacons in that office in a given church than are biblically qualified. 1 Tim. 3:8-12 is clear on this point, but Acts 6:1-7 is also instructive. I believe that this passage refers to the beginnings of the office of deacon for the following reasons:
-- words which are closely-related to the Greek word "diakonos" are found three places in this passage ("distribution" or "serving" (vs. 1); "serve" (vs. 2); "ministry" (vs. 4)).
-- the idea of office is very strong in Acts 6 since these men had a definite official function in the church, had to meet specific qualifications, and were solemnly set aside in a manner similar to that used for others in official positions in the church.
-- the duties here specified agree well with the duties hinted at in the qualifications for deacons listed in 1 Tim. 3 where "able to teach" is conspicuously absent.
If Acts 6:1-7 therefore refers to the beginnings of the diaconate, this passage teaches that all who filled that office had to meet the qualifications given in vs. 3. And that there were at least seven men at Jerusalem, if not more, who were known to meet the qualifications, since that number was chosen.
But a further question could be asked -- "Why seven men here?" Evidently because of a third criteria for the number of deacons in a church. Where qualified men are available:
C. As many as are needed should be recognized and installed in the office of deacon. In Acts 6, evidently seven men were needed to adequately do the job of caring for the widows. Perhaps each one was responsible for a day of the week. So also, churches should put in the office as many qualified men as are needed. Which means that it might be possible that qualified men would not be in this office if they were not needed (although such occasions would be rare!) (Notice that this is different from the situation with qualified men for the eldership.)
So how many deacons should a church have? Normally more than one, no more than are biblically qualified, and as many as are needed.
But now let's turn to a second issue:
II. The Assistants of Deacons. What am I talking about here? Why am I raising this point? Because of 1 Tim. 3:11 which has long been the subject of debate in the church. Basically three different positions have been taken regarding the individuals in this verse:
A. Some have said that vs. 11 indeed does give the qualifications of the wives of deacons as the NKJV translates it. However, there are at least three problems with such a position:
1. There are no such qualifications given for the wives of overseers or elders in the verses above or in Titus.
2. The wives of deacons, although having substantial influence upon their husbands and the effectiveness of their labors, are not the ones being set apart for the office of deacon. Their husbands are. Why, therefore, should qualifications be given for the wives of deacons?
3. The words translated "wives" by the NKJV may be translated that way in some situations. But its more basic meaning is simply, "women". From what we have seen it appears that this more basic meaning is the proper translation:
"Likewise, (the) women must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things."
However, if the proper translation indeed should be "women" what women are here in view? Some have proposed a second position:
B. They say that vs. 11 is a description of another abiding office in the local church -- that of deaconess. Such individuals turn to Rom. 16:1-2 for support. The word in vs. 1 of this passage which is translated "servant" in the NKJV is the same noun translated "deacon" in Phil 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3 (diakonos). Thus those who take the additional office approach conclude that Phoebe is an example of the office of deaconess in the church.
How should we respond to this argument? We believe that this is an improper understanding for the following reasons:
1. As we have already seen, the Greek word "diakonos" is used in many different ways in the New Testament. In fact it is even used of Christians in general as being servants of Christ and of their brethren. Therefore, unless a particular usage clearly requires the idea of a specific office in the church, we should be hesitant in so interpreting it. I believe Rom. 16:1-2 does not clearly and obviously point to an office in the way Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8 & 13 do.
2. The Greek word "diakonos" is not found at all in 1 Tim. 3:11. These individuals are simply referred to as "the women".
3. 1 Tim. 3:11 is located in the middle of the section dealing with the office of deacon, while the section on the diaconate is separate from and alongside that dealing with the eldership. Such placement would seem to forbid viewing these women as being in a separate office of deaconess which is parallel with the duties of overseer and deacon. They appear to somehow be subordinate to the deacons.
4. If women were put in an office of deaconess parallel in authority with that of deacon, this would seem to violate the very principle Paul had enunciated in the same book in 1 Tim. 2:11-12. (This last objection might possibly be overcome if such deaconesses had duties which were limited solely to the care of women and younger children, and thus they had no authority over men in church.)
In light of the objections to the notion of a deaconess which I've raised, is there another alternative understanding? I believe there is, and that :
C. The women of 1 Tim. 3:11 are diaconal assistants who apparently did help in the care of women and children in practical matters which often were not appropriate to be dealt with by a man (a definite concern in an Eastern culture), and which would have overburdened the deacons with a host of meticulous concerns beyond their strength and abilities. I believe that this explanation best opens up the passage. Why? In addition to the negative reasons against the other alternatives, we could add:
1. The placement of verse 11 in the middle of the section on the diaconate does appear to indicate a role subordinate to the deacons for these ladies. Thus the idea of diaconal assistant appears most appropriate.
2. In this very book of 1 Timothy, chapter 5, vv. 9-16, there are references to women -- older widows -- who appear to have given themselves to labors in the church for Christ (although there are some real questions which arise from this passage.)
Therefore, in light of what we have seen, I believe that 1 Timothy 3:11 refers to women who assist the deacons. There are four qualifications given for these diaconal assistants. They must be reverent or worthy of respect, not slanderers or lying gossips, temperate or sober, and faithful or trustworthy in all things.
Notice with me two brief applications from what we have seen:
1. It is proper for deacons (as it was for Apostles) to have assistants to aid them in their labors. This is a general principle which we may derive from 1 Tim. 3:11 (and which I believe would also make it appropriate at times to have male assistants to deacons as well). There is a place for church secretaries and book-keepers where needed, for managers of tape ministries and book tables and racks where these opportunities are present as a ministry of the church. All such assistants need to meet the qualifications given in our text.
2. Women, although not as leaders over men, still have an important role in the church of Christ. They should never be viewed as simply useless attachments to the church. Single young women, not yet pre-occupied with the duties of wife and mother (1 Cor. 7:34-35) -- wives and mothers helping their husbands in labors for the church (1 Tim. 5:9-10), raising up the next generation for the glory of God, and assisting in other ways as able in the church -- older women teaching the younger women (Tit. 2:3-4) -- all have a vitally important role to play in the life of the church in many practical ways. In acts of benevolence, in helping the deacons with temporal concerns in the church, in lives of earnest prayer, the ladies have an important place.
But now we need to hasten on to a third matter regarding deacons:
III. The Tasks of Deacons. Although a detailed listing of duties is not provided in Scripture, there are several indicators:
A. The name of the office itself points us in the right direction. As we saw earlier, the Greek word "diakonos" has the broader meaning of a "servant" or "minister". In other words, a deacon is someone who furnishes or supplies something that is needed. But how specifically does a deacon serve? What does he supply? This brings us to consider:
B. The priority duty explicitly-given -- Acts 6:1-4. The diaconate had its roots in the problem of the care of the widows in the first local church in Jerusalem. These seven men were appointed to oversee the distribution of benevolent aid to poor widows in their midst, which also probably included collecting the needed funds and supplies from God's people as well. From this we learn that the priority duty for the diaconate is the administration of the church's care of the poor and needy -- especially of the poor and needy within the church herself. As under the Old Covenant, the care of the poor among God's people was a priority with God under the New Covenant as well (Gal. 2:9-10). In light of this priority, the office of deacon was established to administer benevolent help to the poor in the church who, despite diligent desires and attempts to meet their own basic needs, are unable to do so. Although the government may do much in our more affluent societies to provide temporal supplies for the poor, this has not negated the fact that the church is still responsible to care for the legitimately and truly needy among her, when such care is needed. It is at this point that the duties of deacons are especially focused.
C. However, by implication, Acts 6 and 1 Tim. 3 indicate the fuller scope of diaconal duties. The Apostles, functioning as elders in the church in Jerusalem, appointed seven men to handle more mundane matters in the church so that they would not be distracted from the priority tasks they had been given to do -- to give themselves "continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:2 & 4). Although deacons like Stephen and Philip might engage in teaching and preaching (as might also other men in the church), this was not part of their duties as deacons, for the ability to teach is conspicuously absent from the qualifications of deacons found in Acts 6 and 1 Tim. 3, while it is a qualification of overseers or pastors.
Thus, by implication, we are provided with the general category under which all diaconal duties fall. Deacons are to assist the elders by caring for the more mundane (earthly, temporal -- not unimportant) details of caring for Christ's church which are ultimately the responsibility of elders, but which have the potential of