The Organization of the Church Part 3 Ecclesiology The Organization of the Church Part 3

Authority The local church is an autonomous theocracy. Theocracy means that the church is ruled by God, specifically by Christ as the head of the Church. While Christ is everywhere at once (omnipresence) He is not visibly present with the church. He rules through His chosen leader, the pastor. This was the continuous pattern through the theocracy of the Old Testament time of the Exodus and Judges. The implication is that the pastor is and must be chosen by God.

This in itself accentuates the necessity of the congregation for a local church to seek the will of God with care, diligence and prayer. Human opinion is not nearly as important as finding the man that God has appointed to be the pastor. Because of his unique position of leading the people of God even as Moses and Joshua led the children of Israel, both the pastor and the congregation must appreciate and respond rightly to the office. As previously noted, the Pastor is both responsible and accountable to God for how he exercises his office. (Heb. 13:17)

Heb. 13:7,17,24 address the issue of pastoral authority Heb. 13:7,17,24 address the issue of pastoral authority. It is significant that three times the term “rule” is used in this chapter. (1 Th. 5:12) God brings this man of God to every congregation that seeks His face. When the pastor begins to function in his God given role, it is incumbent upon God’s people to his God’s leadership. As a fallible person, the pastor needs prayer support (2 Th. 5:1,2; Heb. 13:18) and respect for his office (1 Tim. 4:17-20).

The Pastor is a man under authority and he must not abuse the delegated authority of his office wrongly. (1 Pet. 5:1-4)

Constraints Upon the Pastor Love – 1 Cor. 5:12-15; John 10:12-15) Biblical Qualifications – 1 Tim. 3:1-7 The Word of God itself – Isa. 8:20

Responsibilities of the Pastor Effective communication of God’s Word Careful exposition and accurate application Demonstration of truth through honest, transparency, and integrity Faithful leadership

Support Because of the heavy burden of leadership God established a second office for the church. (Acts 6:1-7) If the foremost ministry of the Pastor is the ministry of the word, he must be relieved of other aspects of ministry. The congregation is to look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom. These are to be men of integrity, spirituality, and ability. These men are further qualified in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.  

The Governance of the Church Christ Head of the Church Pastor Accountable Leader Deacons Table Servers to Pastor and the Congregation

Deacons Qualifications Sincerity – Grave Honesty – Not doubletongued Sobriety – Not given to wine Generosity – not greedy Spirituality – holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience Maturity – proved

Integrity – blameless Leadership in Marriage – husband of one wife Leadership in the home – ruling their children and their own houses well.

Deacons serve the Pastor and the church Deacons serve the Pastor and the church. Contrary to the thinking and practice of many, deacons have no inherent authority. They lead by force of character and testimony. Their role is service oriented (ministering). Their counsel is advisory. Because they are godly men they can offer sound advice to a service oriented Pastor. Both the Pastor and the deacons are seeking the welfare of the congregation in doing the work of God.

Participation God not only provided leadership for the church, He also provided for a fellowship of service among the members. Within the confines of that fellowship, different people fill different roles based upon their gifts from God. (1 Cor. 12:12-31)

The Governance of the Church Christ Head of the Church Pastor Accountable Leader Congregation Regenerated Believers Deacons Table Servers to Pastor and the Congregation

Pattern of Acts 1 Assembled in a spirit of expectant prayer. (12-14). Peter led a business meeting. He gave a scriptural perspective of the business at hand (15-20). He gave the parameters within which the decision was to be made (21,22). The church continued in prayer seeking the leadership of God (23-25). Then they voted (26).

As Spirit led believers in touch with God, any local assembly can find and ratify the will of God. When the church has done so, the congregation then supports and expedites the decision rendered. This is the practice of the theocratic rule of God. In mutual love and respect the members of the local assembly labor together to advance the cause of Christ. (Gal. 3:28). Remembering that the church is rightly the property of Christ and ruled theocratically, it also functions with autonomy.

There were no church associations, much less denominations in the New Testament Church. These are the inventions of men. The motive for these inventions may well have been noble with the view of cooperation for greater ministry. The problem is that fallen man cannot create a political entity without dominating that entity and eventually turning it from the original purpose. Power mongering supersedes ministry and institutionalism (always the product of denominationalism) begins to dominate churches. This does not preclude cooperation among like-minded churches; it prohibits amalgamation.

Autonomous congregationalism means that guided by the Bible through the Pastor the local congregation makes its own decisions. Those decisions must ever be a prayerful attempt to understand and ratify the will of God. The republican form of government and congregational decisions are not the same thing. The church is not a democracy! If it were the power to ignore and disobey the will of God would destroy it.