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Chapter 5. Church Government
'Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.' (Heb. 13:17)
The Church, its life and pattern
In this chapter we deal with the business side of church life. In the book of Acts the Lord moved by His Spirit to bring men and women into life in Himself. His intention in doing so, was not only to bring individuals into new birth, but also to build His church and to give birth to a corporate body of people who would express and show forth His life and character.
Acts provides a history of the church, inspired by the Spirit and written by Dr. Luke. It is a continuation from his first account in his gospel which was: 'all that Jesus began both to do and teach.' (Acts 1.1) The gospel reveals the life and miracles of the Lord Jesus. We also read of times when He granted power and authority, firstly to twelve disciples: 'Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.' (Luke 9.1) Then to a further seventy disciples: 'After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to go.' (Luke 10:1) This authority was given for a particular purpose, ministry, and time. It did not mean that they had received the Spirit. They were not at that time members of His church.
Church Membership
It is impossible to join the church. A person may attend meetings and do the 'accepted thing', but this will never make them a member of the Church. No minister, pastor or board, has the authority to allow or make a person a member of the Church. This is because the Church is the living body of Christ and the only person who can make you a member is God Himself. Jesus instructed his disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they received the power from on high. 'You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now' (Acts 1:5). 'For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.' (1 Cor. 12:13)
When God poured out His Spirit on the day of Pentecost, He baptized men and women into His life. Being reborn they left their old life and came into their new family, the Church. 'And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.' (Acts 2:47)
When a child is born, he breathes in, receives life and becomes a member of a family. In the natural order of things he does not apply to be a member of the family!
Likewise when a person receives the Holy Spirit and is born again, he becomes a member of God's church.
A New Testament Pattern
In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God was manifested on and through certain privileged and 'called' individuals. The nation as a whole knew times of 'blessing' from God, but the people never received the life and Spirit of God as individuals.
In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is given to each believer who is personally brought into relationship with God, they then are personally taught by that same Spirit, which comes to dwell in them.
We must conclude that the Lord has chosen not to write in the same manner as we find in the Old Testament concerning the tabernacle. He could have inspired Luke or Paul to write a thesis on church structure, for each man was recognized to be well educated. 'It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus.' (Luke 1:3) 'And reckon that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation - as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you.' (2 Peter 3:15) However, such was not God's way. His way was to weave the New Testament pattern throughout the account of the growing church, and into its revelation of truth concerning itself. It is also intertwined in the pastoral epistle of Paul, and the other writers.
This allows the Lord to speak and guide men who can humbly submit themselves and seek Him concerning their own local situation. Thus the Lord makes us more dependant on Him. We are able to be guided by His Spirit as we pray and read the Bible and as we seek to find the outworking and finer detail of the pattern for our own local situation, with the 'living stones' (1 Peter 2:3) which He has joined together.
The New Testament Basis for Authority
This humble unassuming approach, was so evidently seen in the life of the Lord Jesus, when He made such statements as: " The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do." (John 5:19) The New Testament emphasis is that a church is built 'on top of' men' 'built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.' (Eph. 2:20) This contrasts so starkly with authority in the world, where 'the boss' is seen to be the top man! The Lord said of Himself: "The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life." (Mark 10:45) This attitude is so clearly seen when we read of how he washed the disciples feet and also the account of His actual death on the cross.
Office in the Church
Although some translations use the word 'office', the word does not actually appear in the original Greek. The emphasis is rather on the action of oversight (for elders) and serving (for deacons). Upon reading through the New Testament it is evident that the most commonly referred to titles for men who held responsibility were elders or bishops.
There is far more detail concerning the responsibility of these men than that of any other ministry within the church. Whilst Paul outlines the qualities of both elders and deacons, the rest of the New Testament contains more information on the role of elders. In the early church, a job needed doing which was too much for the apostles and was distracting them from committing themselves to the preaching of the word. As a result men were chosen by the people for this task and were appointed by the apostles.
Acts refers to Paul appointing elders in every city. We have to make an assumption that, given his tremendous love and graciousness and care for individuals, he would have consulted others in the flock as to their thoughts.
A congregation should be taught the qualifications for eldership, and their requirement is to recognize them, support them, and love them. We need to be: 'kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.' (Eph. 4:32) An unforgiving heart against eldership or leadership will be as a little leaven in a church and can only lead to division in the end. As we saw earlier, congregations cannot make men Christians, neither can they make them elders or apostles. Paul was 'called an apostle' from his new birth. This appointment is not given to inflate the eldership to a super-role. It is important to note in the Scripture that when a crisis occurred the elders discussed the issue privately and then referred their decision to the flock who were 'all pleased' with it. In the pastoral epistles Paul normally addresses his letters to the church, not to the leadership. On the one occasion he did address it to the church and leadership, they appear second. 'To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.' (Phil. 1:1)
Deacons
Initially the apostles handled the money distribution during early church life in Jerusalem. The work increased so much that a group of men were chosen by the congregation for this one specific task, thus relieving the apostles. 'Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.' (Acts 6:1) Approximately ten years later, money is sent to the Judean church which was received by elders, (not deacons).
Approximately twenty years later, Paul writes to the deacons at Philippi and in another letter to Timothy outlines the qualities of deacons. Presumably during this intervening period, the church realized it needed a group of men who were prepared to serve the church and relieve its eldership of as much practical serving responsibility as possible. They cannot however, move in that which God has laid on the elders shoulders: 'they care as those that must give an account.' (Heb. 13:17)
Decision making
The church is not a democracy, but neither is it a dictatorship. The Scripture encourages us to keep in fellowship and to sit regularly under the ministry in the meetings. This helps to keep us in the truth and in a place where the Lord can speak to us. The church is the family of God. God is the Father, but the Scripture says other men are fathers also. In more important decisions of our lives it is good to seek the Lord, also to speak with the elders as to their thoughts. This gives a greater place of security. Not that we are to set up some consultative/submissive system, but rather, to keep in touch with our shepherd elders that the Lord has graciously provided for us. Normally an elder should not 'interfere', but he may and should speak out strongly where needed. In Thessalonians, Paul instructs the elders to deal with unruly behaviour.
Communication and Confirmation
Who told the apostles that the Greek widows were being overlooked' We don't know. All we do know is that there was a murmuring against the Hebrews by the Hellenists. The apostles moved on it. They asked the flock to choose from among themselves, and the apostles then appointed those chosen men.
In the major doctrinal difficulty of Acts 15, the dispute started in the church and was debated in private by the apostles and elders. Then the church was told and agreed with their conclusion.
Paul's second missionary tour was committed to God 'by the brethren.'
Leadership and the Training of others
To have a leader in the church of God seems consistent with the whole of Scripture. We have the illustration of Moses: 'And the Lord said, " I have surely seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." ' (Exo. 3:1-10) Also with Joshua, 'After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, " Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them - the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." (Jos. 1:1-3)
To be a good leader, a man must be after the character and nature of the Lord and develop a team of men around Him. 'From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Now Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Then they immediately left their nets and followed him. And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And he called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.' (Matt. 4:17-22)
He must encourage the gifts of the Spirit and the ministries in the church. 'Therefore he says: When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now this, 'He ascended'- what does it mean but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth' He who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.' (Eph. 4:8-16) He must also set the standards for the church in his spiritual life, ministry, family, leisure time and hospitality. A good pastor will encourage others to help in his task as overseer.
Finance
Finance is often the most difficult issue to raise, especially by the pastor who may feel he is likely to benefit from such teaching. The call of God is to give up all our wealth to serve Him. 'Now, behold, one came and said to him, 'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life'' So he said to him, 'Why do you call me good' No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.' He said to him, 'Which ones'' Jesus said, ''You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honour your father and your mother," and, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." The young man said to him, 'All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack'' Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.' But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, 'Who then can be saved'' But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'' (Matt. 19:16-26)
Church life is a life of faith and we see that when Jesus sent out His disciples they were not to take money in their purses. 'After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to go. Then he said to them, 'The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest, to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way; behold I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, sack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the labourer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'' (Luke 10:1-11) This is a wonderful lesson to learn for all those seeking to be fully available in the Lord's work.
I remember quite a remarkable story when I wanted to visit Africa many years ago. I needed to raise £500 and believed that the seal of God's will would be His provision. Sadly it did not come. The brother with whom I had planned to go asked if I was committed to the trip. I told him that I was awaiting a 'word from the Lord.' What I really meant was that I had no money. His response was to pray that God would speak to me. I was at the time attending a brothers' conference and on returning to the lounge for coffee, a young brother leaned across from his chair and said "I have a word for you. You must go east." As the destination of my trip was Africa, I accepted that word as God's confirmation and stated my intent to the brother with whom I was to travel. On my return home to Eltham I was given a cheque for £500. The Lord was teaching me to make the decision first and receive his supply as a result.
The Church's Responsibility
Although we must all look to the Lord ourselves, the church has a responsibility in the providing of funds for the support of the work. 'Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,' and, 'The labourer is worthy of his wages.'' (1 Tim. 5:17-18)
The Key to God's Blessing
Jesus said: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38) Of course He is not only speaking in financial terms but in every aspect of our lives; time, hospitality, service, and ministry.
In the Corinthian church the saints had showed their great hearts of giving: 'that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. - imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering saints. And this they did, not as we had hoped, but first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.' (2 Cor. 8: 2, 4-5) Malachi says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it." (Mal. 3:10) Note: Tithes were given by the people of God out of all that they received.
Giving is in the Attitude of the Heart
'So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.' (2 Cor. 9:7) When God wanted to build His tabernacle, He said: "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering. From every one who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take my offering." (Exo. 25:2)
Giving is Systematic as well as Spontaneous
Paul writes: 'Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia so you must do also. On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.' (1 Cor. 16:1-2) It is always good to move as the Lord leads and there are many opportunities to give. Jesus said: "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matt. 5:42) Regular giving requires that you prayerfully seek God as to how much of your income you give, weekly or monthly, to the work of God both at home and abroad.
How does God desire we should give
The Old Testament practice was clear in that the people of God were required to give tithes and offerings. The tithe, or tenth was a basic levy on everyone's income and it was made available to support the Levitical priesthood. The offering, was whatever else they gave of their own free choice. This is certainly a helpful guideline today, although some may decide before God that they will give him a fifth or more and trust Him to provide for any lack in their own needs. In the New Testament the rules of the Jewish people were often surpassed by the total giving of the poorer people. They gave far and above the requirements of the law.
To whom shall I Give
There are many demands upon the funds of the people of God and every member must give prayerful consideration as to whom he should give. High on virtually every Christian's list, and quite rightly so, will be his own local church, where he is fed and cared for and encouraged. Also for the missionary work in which the church is involved. In the local church funds must be divided between:
a. The practical upkeep of a building and its facilities and
services.
b. The care of those in need.
c. Its full time pastoral and other ministries.
d. Its workers overseas
Money can be designated either:
a. By covenant - If you pay income tax the Government adds at the time of this publication 33% to your gift and sends it to the church at no extra cost to yourself. Details of this should be obtained from the church Treasurer who will give you a covenant form and information.
b. By enclosing it in an envelope and putting it in the offering which can be taken up during the breaking of bread. Alternatively, it may put in the box found near the door of the meeting place.
In conclusion, let us remember the words Jesus spoke: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt. 6:19-21)
Church Discipline
If necessary, the pastor and elders of the church, together with its members, may need to make decisions to put out of fellowship those who continue in sin.
I recall an instance concerning a woman whose husband had, sadly, left her and who had received into her home a married man. They were living together. I realised that I could not allow the continuation of this sin, and very fearfully went to speak with them both. As you may imagine, the man's reaction was very aggressive, accusing me and the Lord of a lack of love and care. To the woman I was able to share that, if she did not cease from sin, I would have no choice but to bring the matter to the church and that we would pray, in the light of the Scripture in Corinthians, that she should be put out of the church. Immediately she responded and the matter was resolved.
Disqualification
Sadly, men and women will disqualify themselves in the work and ministry of the church by their actions, and we must be courageous to deal with each other as the Lord indicates in the Scripture. I have seen a number of precious and gifted brothers become totally unavailable because of allowing sin into their lives causing suffering to themselves and to the work of God. It is a sad day for the church when those in responsible positions overlook sin in the hope that it will go away. We must 'purge out the old leaven' that we may be 'a new lump'. (1 Cor. 5:7) |