Back in post 3B 1/2 (I really have to figure out a better numbering system), I proposed a fact pattern for a church without elders and asked the readers to respond with their own solutions.
I found several of the responses extremely helpful to my own thinking, and I appreciate all the answers.
In fairness, I figure I should put my own thinking out there for consideration.
I’ll not restate the facts here. Go back to the previous post to see them.
If I were the consultant, this is what I’d do —
1. Prayer; discernment; purpose. I’d ask the church to enter a season of prayer and fasting — and a season of discernment, asking why the church exists and what God wants from the church. Organizing the right way, whatever that may be, is useless unless we organize to accomplish God’s purposes. Hence, we start with purpose.
2. Why are we here? There are really two questions that need to be answered. The first is God’s purpose for any congregation. The second is why does this congregation exist as a separate congregation from all the other congregations in town. What is the purpose that justifies a distinct existence for this church?
The first question is hard — but I think the answer is that God wants his children to each become like Jesus and his congregations to corporately become like Jesus. And this means that the members individually and corporately participate in God’s redemptive mission — and that they seek to emulate the submission, sacrifice, service, and if called on to do so, even the suffering of Jesus.
God’s mission includes evangelism and benevolence, of course, but not as “programs.” Rather, these should be a part of who the church is — individually and corporately. (It’s a topic too big for this post.)
Those are big, difficult thoughts that we’ve considered here many times, but this is where it starts.
The even harder question is why this particular congregation exists as a body separate from all other bodies in its community — and that’s even harder to answer. Some churches will have no good reason at all and others will easily identify a special calling or mission they believe God has given them. We don’t have enough facts in our hypothetical situation to answer this one.
And so for our purposes, we need the church to prayerfully come to the realization that it’s been called to mission. It’s not a storage tank for the saved, hoping to remain saved until they die. It’s an organization with a purpose — a redemptive purpose that was worth Jesus’ dying for.
Hence, the organization of the church must be about doing the mission. When we focus on who gets to appoint whom, as though that’s what this is all about, we necessarily lose focus on why we’re doing this at all. It’s about the mission. The mission matters a lot, and a church of 500 cannot be very effective at Christ’s mission if it’s not well led.
Moreover, a church that is not well led might do mission-s0rt-of-stuff, but they won’t really be on mission if they’re not exemplifying the sacrificial nature of Jesus. Lots of churches evangelize without doing this, and they convert people to the wrong Jesus.
3. Grace, Spirit, gospel. Depending on the church’s maturity and history, I would encourage the preacher and Bible class teachers to teach or refresh the church on the Holy Spirit and grace. After all, we can’t understand what the Bible is telling us about how to ordain leaders if we think the Holy Spirit stopped his ministry 2,000 years ago.
Moreover, we cannot see God and Jesus for who they really are if we misunderstand grace. Legalism hides the nature and personality of God and Jesus from us — and causes us to ordain leaders who are like the false images of God and Jesus we wrongly teach. We need to ordain men of grace — and that only happens if we understand grace.
4. The Spirit’s selection of elders. Next, of course, we need to remind the church of what the Bible says about who is qualified to be an elder/overseer/shepherd. I would emphasize the role of the Spirit in the selection process, because I think the Spirit matters much more than us humans. But it takes practice to think in these terms.
I would not take my lessons from blogs or evangelical pop literature. Rather, I’d focus on such passages as Ephesians 4 and Romans 12 (we’ve barely touched both in this series but covered both extensively in the past). Context matters, and both are talking about God’s gifting leaders to lead the church to do works of service and to live lives of sacrificial, serving, submitting love. I’d cover both chapters in full.
This is not to reject Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3, but to set them in context — because those passages are mainly about avoiding disqualifiers.
However, I’d also note that the various elder/overseer/shepherd passages place a huge emphasis on teaching and resisting false doctrine. I’ve already covered some core teachings above that are largely absent from the Churches of Christ. This church needs some elders who can see that the core is taught and retaught and lived.
These doctrines should be taught with authority. That is, legalism cannot be allowed to co-exist with grace. Legalism is anti-Christian and destroys believers and congregations — rendering them ineffective and hindering the work of other churches. It cannot be tolerated. This is clearly part of what elders are called to do.
5. Nominations. I’d ask the congregation to nominate men from among themselves qualified to the work. I see Acts 6:3 as authority for this. If the Jerusalem general membership was qualified to discern men full of wisdom and the Spirit, it makes sense that the membership of this church can make a very similar discernment for elders. (I’ll address the theory that the preacher gets to pick in a future post.)
The members should be urged to look for the Spirit’s gifting in its members. Who has been gifted to lead the church on its mission? Who has been gifted to teach the true gospel and refute false teaching? Who has been gifted to exemplify the service, sacrifice, submission, and even suffering of Jesus? And who has been gifted to challenge and encourage the church to grow in all these areas? Who is gifted to help the church become more like Jesus in character and in mission?
This is not how we usually see the role of elders — not by either traditional or newer thinking — but if we let big issues come first, I think this is where we wind up — and I think the various elder/shepherd/overseer passages reflect these emphases.
With no existing elders and a very young minister, it’s not entirely obvious how the process should be managed. I think most congregations would select a committee of respected members not eligible to serve to oversee the process. That’s as good an idea as any other I can think of.
[to be continued]
Alabama John, since you are the only one who seems to even see what I write, I will address this to you, and any others that might acknowledge that as a Christian believer , Jesus gave me the same freedom to believe, what I perceive the bible tells us, the same freedom as he gave you.
I simply don’t see the purpose of what Jeremiah said, and the writer of Hebrews repeated, if it meant nothing.
What, if anything at all , does the words “New Covenant” mean to “so called” New Covenant Christians?
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Jer 31:35 ¶ Thus saith the LORD, ——-.
What does this mean, ? Does it mean anything, to any of you ? ” And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, “
laymond,
I’ll take a shot, but, first lets set a point or two.
The Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, ever how you want to identify him, He is not a RETIRED AUTHOR, but very active back then and also today.
WE like the Essene, have been wrong in our thinking we are to be sitting back waiting for all others to be taken to hell and then we go to heaven all by ourselves.
verse 33: The Spirit of God is put in EVERY MAN and God is the God of every man.
verse 34 For they shall ALL know me..I will forgive and forget their iniquity. (meaning it will be erased and not exist as if it never happened) This was not possible until Jesus came and sins could be forgiven and forgotten and not just rolled forward as they were in the OT.
What does what you asked mean? God now is in every human born from birth and no one will have to teach them about God as all will know as God is as He so described, in our inward parts and written on our hearts.
We are born saved, and without sin but do sin later but we are still Gods possession even at our vilest and with the opportunity to come back and be welcomed at any time.
I know this is far from what the COC has taught for many years, especially down here, but it has been wrong and so like what the Essenes believed and taught.
John, I certainly see what you are saying, but if that is so, why or how would one man have “god given” authority over another man.? The very thing being discussed on this blog.
Jay encourages the congregation to answer the question, “Who among you is gifted?” This is a very good question, and one which I don’t think has been adequately explored. (I would want to understand our basis for answering this question.) But I would also suggest a parallel question: “Who among you is already doing the work?” If nobody has been doing any of this work yet, likely nobody is prepared to take it on as an official assignment.
We would not nominate a plumber any less strictly. “Who might make a good plumber?” is not good enough. At the very least, we would ask, “Who among us has actually fixed a leaky toilet before?” If the question is followed by silence, we humble ourselves and ask someone experienced to come in and teach the basics of plumbing before some of us take both the authority and responsibility for the entire job. One of the main signs of a divine calling is the anointed carrying out of that calling without official portfolio.
When I was trying to get people to serve on a property owner’s assoc. board (which serving on is thankless to say the least) I worked on getting people with experience in various areas, e.g. Legal, insurance, money, etc. I also asked for ideas on pending decisions from anyone who attended the meetings. Closed door sessions only were for discussing personnel issues and anyone who was in arrears.
Let me suggest that the elders (or if searching for potential new ones) look for people who are the ones at the hospital doing the pastoral care, are conducting the funerals if asked, and are teaching. Now if you are not going with trustees to handle the business you will need some with business expertise.
Just do what is right. You will never please everyone and will be driven to drink if you try to.
A plumber that is performing the work of a plumber without first obtaining the license (qualification) for that work is disobeying several laws. In comparing the unlawful activities of an individual that has knowledge and ability to repair the plumbing but not appointed or licensed to the making of the man to be a plumber is illegal. Would we explain that an individual that had taken it upon his own abilities to practice Law, should just be given the title of Lawyer and be given a license to practice that profession? Charles suggested, “But I would also suggest a parallel question: “Who among you is already doing the work?” If nobody has been doing any of this work yet, likely nobody is prepared to take it on as an official assignment”.
Now there are portions of the duties of Elder that is not expected or authorized for a Christian to be performing, and a Christian that performs those duties with out being placed in that authority and position is just as much out of order as the above examples.
IMO we are given guidelines that convey the actions of men that would disqualify someone from being appointed to that responsibility, and some of the characteristics that the candidate needs to possess, but during the appointing process a qualified individual should be given by God abilities that are beyond what men have seen in this individual previously. If we do not trust God to perform this action then, we look for a man to be fully doing the duty of an Elder prior to his appointment or being ordained. We would be looking for a self made Elder. When a man reaches that capability then we can appoint him to do a job that he is already doing (like illegally)? Of course many congregations and preachers of congregations have utilized this visibility format to avoid appointing men to the responsibility of Elder; therefore they remain in control of the congregation, unauthorized, un-appointed and unqualified. Then wonder why the church is dying.
Larry,These terms are not honorary titles (and certainly not earned titles) but descriptions of work to be done: so we never call someone “Elder Smith”, or “Pastor Brown”. Christians are described as: priests, saints, children citizens, soldiers, etc. In the same way we have different descriptive terms for the eldership, how many people have come up to you lately, and addressed you as Saint Larry ? Elder is an appointment of necessity , and in my opinion should be replaced yearly. And even sooner if they are failing at the job.
Laymond,
I am very controversial on this subject and will just express a little of my thinking.
The bible lays out the qualifications of an Elder in language pretty plain. There are not many that will qualify if held to the letter of the law. One that will meet all the qualifications can be placed in that position of being over all the others in an individual church.
The problem is in many cases, those that meet the qualifications are not leaders of people, just good men that have led unblemished lives as have their wives, and God bless them for their goodness.
So far, all in line with COC teaching and belief.
There are also men that for one reason or another do not meet the stated qualifications of Elder on a point or two or several, but are put in the position of being leaders of men by a COC church and community. Members and neighbors go to them more than the Elders because of their real life experiences, bad as they may be, since its known they can council from experience. Illegal elders? Hopefully not, but also may be led by the Holy Spirit for the good they are doing and without any adulation or position, but humbly helping when asked.
Appointed over man and led by God? I believe so.
.
Larry, I think your foray into legality takes you far wide of the point of my illustration. When you go looking for a Sunday School volunteer to teach four-year-olds, wisdom suggests finding someone who is already teaching small children, at home or in another venue. Mom and Grandpa come readily to mind. Teaching is not a matter of professional title, it is a task. Do we seek out an organizer from people who have never organized anything in their lives? When we need someone to publicly present our point of view before the city council, do we select a person who never speaks in public? When we choose a shepherd, do we look for a PhD agronomist, or go to our own field and look among the sheep to see who is picking the burrs out of one? Paul suggests selecting an elder who is skilled in teaching; if it was illegal for him to teach before he got his elder sash, how would we know who was “apt to teach”? A major dysfunctionality of the church occurs when we tell people– even indirectly– that they are not really qualified to teach, or lead, or serve, or organize, or shepherd. We tell them this by limiting the number of “official” roles and by hiring specialists for many of those. “Why don’t people serve?” we ask. Because we constantly tell them by our structures that they don’t have what it takes to do the job.
I am reminded of my past life as a management trainer, when I constantly heard local managers insist that their people were not capable of this or that additional responsibility. I often told a manager, “This employee, when he is not at work, saves money, sends his kids to college, negotiates and buys a house, comparison shops for insurance, keeps up with the maintenance on his home and cars, does his own taxes… it is only when he gets HERE that he becomes such an incompetent. The only real difference I see is that here at work, he has to listen to YOU.”
I have respect for those, though I have never seen any in real life.
It isn’t illegal to do the work of a plumber without a license, any moew than it is illegal to cook food for a potluck without a food handler’s permit. What is illegal is operating an unlicensed plumbing business, or an unlicensed restaurant, or anything like that.
I am really not sure how teaching, giving pastoral counsel, praying for the weak, evangelizing, and the like could be compared to “illegal activities” because the person doing them hasn’t been given a stamp of approval from another Christian holding a position of authority.
Nick,
I will explain that we must live in different states or countries, In the state I live in plumbers are licensed and it is unlawful for anyone unless licensed to perform plumbing services for even a friend. A home owner can DIY but in many cases must be inspected by a plumber. There is also a license that must be obtained by the business but that does not allow anyone employed by the business to serve as a plumber without an individual license. The regulations for food handlers also varies in different locations. According to the state I live in as I obtained a food sanitation license which must be renewed every five years, there are some food products that are not supposed to be prepared in a home then moved to another location to be served. If they are prepared at a location someone with a sanitation license must be accountable and the facility must be inspected by department of sanitation inspector.
As I read your comments I was not aware that any Christian would have thought that those works or services that you named were only to be performed by an Elder, I surely did not. All members should be growing into the capability of performing the tasks you have described. But, as we think of the responsibility placed upon the Elders to oversee the church and lead the church, possibly discipline members, refute false teachers etc: a member performing those duties prior to being appointed is really out of order, first is he sharing these actions with other members or is he acting as the (lone ranger). Unless he was sharing these duties with others on an equal basis, he would be the one and only. Can one man fulfill all those services or duties in a congregation effectively?
I believe that many commentators should have understood that my reference to the legal rules of the world was only to indicate that there are certain guidelines identified in scriptures that we should not ignore.
Galatians 6 does not limit the response towards those caught in sin to the elders – unless “you who are spiritual” is jargon that eliminates most of the Christian population. And not everyone who receives the spiritual gift of leadership is needed as an elder in a local congregation. And as for refutation of false teaching, I’ve been led to understand that that, too, is a general Christian responsibility.
As I said earlier in the series, the ancient shepherd had three responsibilities towards the flock: Protection, Healing, and Feeding (which would include leading to places where they will be nourished – since Christians are nourished by service, it stands to reason that elders would lead their congregations deeper into the mission of God). But I guarantee that Jay can think of several people at his congregation who lead others, despite lacking any position or title of authority. That is how it is in every healthy congregation – spiritual submissiveness leads to trust which allows elders to either delegate or set people free to do what they’re gifted to do.
Nick,
Are you advocating that those men that you speak of in Jay’s congregation are performing all of the duties that an Elder is directly responsible for yet are not placed into that position of authority? If this is being used in a large congregation where many may be qualified and performing the duties being uninstalled, wouldn’t the same principle fit within a small congregation, creating the action that there would never be an installation of Elders there. If men do not need the title or authority to perform the guidance or leadership, why appoint Elders at all in a small congregation?
If a main role of an elder is equipping, then there are two ways to do that: one way is through verbal instruction(a church class or small group setting) and the other is hands on- one on one, “come go with me”, that is by example, or a combination of the two. I have mostly been exposed to class room teaching as I suppose most in the CofC have, not so much “come go with me.”