|
Post Group: Working Member
Posts: 201
Status:  |
A Restoration of Church Government Coming Soon
Did you ever think maybe the degree of corruption in civil government is a reflection of corruption in CHURCH government?
The parallels between the corruption in those taking the oversight of the church and those in civil government are strikingly similar.
Titles, wealth, position, and power are the values of a corrupt people.
There are even a host of un-Constitutional (unlawful) departments, taxes, fees, and administrators just as the church has created its' own officialdom of unscriptural positions.
What does honest church government look like?
For sure it looks NOTHING like what we see in the organized church around us even though God created "governments" as a gift in the church.
1st Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues.
(btw, pastors are not even mentioned there)
Let's look at some church government through the words and actions of the apostles of Christ. The clues are all there in scripture so let's see some of the CORRECT examples.
1. Remember Jesus told His disciples to forget the titles.
Matt 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren.
Mat 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ.(23 to sit on my right hand, and on my left hand, is not mine to give; but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared of my Father. (more on this important verse below)
2. Next, we know the church is built upon the foundation of the Rock, Jesus Christ, and upon Him, the apostles and prophets. Jesus commissioned the apostles to give the gospel freely and prayed for those who would believe through the apostles words. -John 17:20
Eph 2:20 Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone;
Here is where many get side tracked.
The church did not institute 12 official offices. Matthias was appointed to take Judas' place, at the beginning of the church in Acts. There is not one capitalized "A"postle named as a titled official.
In Acts 1 and 2, the disciples were together and the Holy Ghost poured out as Jesus had promised. Peter gave the first gospel message to a gathered crowd and thousands were saved and converted.
But before you can spell "building fundraiser" or say "we're gonna take up a love offering", the apostles decided to dedicate themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
They by-passed a busy admin. schedule, appointment calendar, counseling sessions, & staff meetings, and shortly afterward Peter could say "silver and gold have I none"...
3.
But by Acts 6 they needed some staff to help minister to the widows because the church was in "revival" and growing. As for the apostles, Acts 6:4 But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.
So the "multitude" of the church decided to add (not hire) some "ministers".
The Spirit-filled church selected seven Spirit-Filled men "full of FAITH and the Holy Ghost", the apostles prayed over them. laid hands, and sent them to minister.
One of them was Stephen.
Did you notice the absence of an "assistant" or "associate" Pastor named in the passage?
Acts 9. Peter decided to visit the churches scattered about Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. He took no organizational "By-Laws', preacher licenses, or remind anyone to tithe or pay his way.
He prayed for and healed a few people and raised one from the dead. Then he ended up at Cornelius' house to give the gospel to him, his friends, and family.
The Holy Ghost fell and they were all converted. Peter left without a "love-offering" and went back to Jerusalem. No pastor was hired for the new church in Caesarea, nor was anyone "put in charge'. Those dear saints had to get by with the Scriptures, the Holy Ghost, and somebody's house.
4.
Acts 11, the Jerusalem church heard that Peter had given the gospel to some Italians, contrary to Jewish law. When Peter reported to the mostly Jewish church, along with 6 male Jewish witnesses who went with him, the church realized that non-Jews (gentiles) were included in the New Covenant!
(with no "General Board", reading of "by-laws", "business reports" etc., no missions board or fundraising protocols enacted, no districts, sections, prelates were created)
-and not a sign of any church hierarchy or official titles. NO PREACHER LICENSES, In fact, the Jerusalem church was losing importance as the gospel spread after the persecution scattered the disciples (Acts 12:19), thus God making sure there was not an Executive Board, Committee, Head Bishop, Cardinal, Pope, or exalted Presbyter.
No Bible College offered a doctorate or degree in theology.
The trinity had not been invented and they did not celebrate Christmas or easter. Jesus' mom, Miry' was by now a great grandma.
5. Church Government in Action
By Acts 15 the church had grown into thousands of people in dozens and dozens of towns and villages, and in Acts 15, an important issue had arisen in regard to church doctrine and a major assembly convened. 6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
No Popes, Cardinals, Church Boards, Ministerial Association, District Presbyters, President, General Superintendents, Hat-wearing Bishops, Robed clerics, ordained Bible College Grads, Sunday School Superintendent, Doctors of Divinity, Assistant Pastor, Senior Pastor, or even a single "Reverend..." is mentioned. None of the ladies either, no Pastor Cathy or Prophetess Suzie.
"And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter."
Apostles AND elders. Paul and Barnabas. Even a group from the Pharisees sect who wanted to keep the Law of Moses. After lots of discussion (vs7), Peter spoke to the assembly. Then James stood and spoke. He gave his opinion on the matter.
No decree was given by a titled "Pastor", "official "Bishop", pope, cardinals, or any of the other bogus positions tossed around Christendom today. NO one was given "pre-eminence", no faction was evident, the church body functioned with Christ as the Head.
6.
The church government issues a doctrinal policy:
22)
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23) and they wrote thus by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting.
(notice!:
they did not address this to the Pastors, Bishops, Leaders, Spiritual Coverings, denominational officials, etc. like the apostate church does now)
Oh, and before I forget, in Matthew 23 when Jesus told His "boys", the twelve apostles, not to be called "masters"? (gr. "kathegetes")
.... The word there was given only one time in scripture, just for them and us and right in the context of position-seeking by some carnal thinking disciples.
The word is "kathagetes", Strongs 2519, KJV. defines as: a guide, a master, teacher. In modern English it is "LEADER".
The Weymouth New Testament reads it as:
"And do not accept the name of `leader,' for your Leader is one alone--the Christ."
"WHAT! -Don't call us leaders?" -the "boys" may have asked. 
"Read my lips" Jesus could have said, "no flattering titles, no special "leader" badges.. YO! -Hey, Matt, Lukie, are you writing this down?"That was "k-a-t-h-e-g-e-t-e-s", and I am trying to save you and the church a lot of problems like the ones we got with the Pharisees around here who want to kill me". "  So I want you to know I am using this word "kathegetes" only ONE time so you and the disciples are real careful to not go around making distictions among yourselves". He said "ONE is your leader, CHRIST". 
The "boys" said to themselves, "WHOAA! -that may empty out a lot of pews some day when the people figure out they are supposed to follow CHRIST, not some guy with an ordination certificate"
7.
Back to Acts.
Here is the "church government" so far: "apostles, elders, brethren, with the whole church."
They in turn sent the determination on doctrine to the "brethren".
(not a single titled pastor, bishop, clergy, or even any so-called official "leaders").
-And so the "church government" sent forth the apostles. A body of elders including all the gifts of ministry God set in the church.
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, pastors, elders in the faith, all meeting without any of them over ruling or taking charge over the others.
Jesus was the Head of that body, those men, elders, were all submitted to Him and each other.
How simple.
It seems we need to spit out yet another bone from the institutional church, that is, the terms, title, and concept of the 'leader' (in German, "fuehrer") and get ourselves to following the Lord Jesus.
John 21:22 Jesus saith unto him... Follow thou me.
1Cor 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ
Ezekiel 34:15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord Jehovah.
in part 2, we will look at one of the "local" churches and take a look at church leadership as it was given in scripture. Stay tuned as we visit an assembly of church elders!
-----------------------
"It's good to be back among friends" |
Powered By AEF 1.0.8 © 2007-2008 Electron Inc.
