Who leads the church?
There are two different, yet
complementary, answers to this question.
The first answer is the SIMPLE and ULTIMATE ANSWER.
It is simple and ultimate. At
the same time, it may seem like a Sunday School answer.
Jesus
leads the church.
In Matthew 28:18 – 20, Jesus
tells the disciples what they and those after them must do. “All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of
all the nations.”
Jesus tells the disciples in
John 13:34-35 that if they love one another as he loved them, people will know
they are His disciples. Their love will show that they follow Jesus.
The Lord outlines the requirements of a church leader in First Timothy 2:12 and 3:2 through Paul's inspired writings.
In Second Timothy 4:1 – 2,
Paul exhorts Timothy and others to preach the Word. He says this preaching
must correct, rebuke, and exhort.
In each of these verses,
there is either an authoritative claim of Jesus or direction from God on how
the church should work.
Ultimately, the church is
under Jesus Christ’s authority.
Now, the COMPLICATED ANSWER.
God has given specific people
roles in the church: the congregation, elders, and deacons.
At Trinity Baptist
Church, we believe in meaningful membership. Because of this, the congregation
is responsible for the spiritual health of the whole church.
This responsibility makes
itself known in several ways.
As discussed in last week’s preaching and the Church lesson, there is a mutual
ministry of the Word each of us, not just the preacher, needs to be involved
in. We disciple others and seek to be discipled by others. If we are a gathered
body of Gospel believers and Jesus followers, we must live out and guard the
Gospel.
As we will discuss in next
week’s Discipline and the Church lesson, we want to encourage each other to
live godly lives. It needs to happen when there is a serious, unrepentant, loving, restorative, God-glorifying process of church discipline (Matthew 18). As a
congregation, we bring in church members through a vote, and this vote is so
much more than an election. It is a commitment to one another.
As a congregation, we are also responsible for the physical care of one another through the benevolent fund, the election of deacons, and the personal looking out for one another.
Trinity Baptist Church also believes in the two Biblical church offices of elders and
deacons.
Elders are godly men “commissioned by
God and appointed by the congregation.” The deacons and the elders have very
similar qualifications in the Bible. However, one difference is teaching the
Bible (1 Timothy 3:2). This teaching can but does not always present itself as
preaching to the whole body. It includes teaching smaller groups, children, and
individual mentoring relationships. As the whole church is responsible for guarding the Gospel, the elders have a special gift and responsibility to do
the same. This shows itself in how elders care for God’s sheep’s spiritual well-being and model obedience before the congregation. (1 Timothy 3)
First
Peter 5:1-3 provides clear directions for the elders.
Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock.
Deacons
In Acts 6, we see the use of
the Word deacon as the disciples appoint seven men to serve tables so they can
focus on the Word and prayer. The deacons will serve the church and the elders
while the elders lead the church through prayer and the Word.
The Deacon Ministry
Handbook by Alan Witham lists several ways deacons serve the
church (remember, the church is people, not a building or meeting time).
- Deacons serve by helping the church navigate conflict healthily – Acts 6:1 (Deacon Ministry Handbook).
- Deacons serve by engaging in shared ministry with the pastor – Acts 6:2, 4 (DMC).
- Deacons serve by meeting physical needs within the church and community – Acts 6:3 (DMC).
- Deacons serve by helping the church maintain a healthy balance between in-reach and outreach – Acts .6:7 (DMC)
Three key words that describe deacons and deacon assistants are mercy, servicing, and mobilizers.
H.B. Charles Jr. provides a
basic explanation of the difference between elders and deacons.
“If elders serve by leading, deacons lead by serving.” H.B. Charles Jr.
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