Biblically Administered
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
I was watching a video online that featured giant cruise ships having accidents. Not major shipwrecks, but maneuvering mishaps where they hit another boat or come into the pier a little too hot. There is something about watching things like this. Because even minor mishaps can cause incredible damage. Not where anyone gets hurt but when you see how big these ships are, you really understand that minor inocorrect adjustment can have significant consequences.
But as I’m watching this video of multiple ships having accidents, my mind immediately went to the question, who’s responsible for this? And really whenever anything bad happens, sometimes we naturally want to know, who can we blame for this?
Now we know that there are hundreds of people who play a part in navigating a cruise ship, but really there is only one person that usually gets the blame: the captain. And after watching these things, I thought, He’s so fired.
Good leadership is so important. No one knows that more than those who’ve had to endured bad leadership.
Leadership is important in all facets of life. Obviously we can think about government leaders.
There are leaders in the workplace.
Leaders in the home.
But what does leadership in the church look like?
Transition to the Text: Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 6:1-7. Often Christians like to idolize the early church as perfect and if we could just get back to that time things would be great. Usually what they mean is Acts 2 with everyone loving everyone; selling their possessions and distributing to everyone who may have need. Seems like such a pure picture of loving community…until it wasn’t.
Put enough people together in any type of situation and eventually you are going to have problems.
Introduce:
Authentic Principle: Support Biblical Leadership in the Church
Authentic Principle: Support Biblical Leadership in the Church
Read:
1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Authentic Principle: Support Biblical Leadership in the Church
Authentic Principle: Support Biblical Leadership in the Church
The first problem that pops up comes down to one of favoritism. The hellenistic widows are being overlooked in the daily distribution (deaconing).
In order to solve the problem, the apostles determined to divide and conquer.
The most important thing that the apostles needed to focus on was the prayers and teaching of this new congregation.
They needed a new group of people who could focus on handling the day to day ministry needs of the congregation, particularly the less fortunate.
The needs of the congregation dictated the organizational structure. The apostles were still in charge.
Now when it comes to the leadership in the church, we have to see the leadership structure that God has ordained.
#1 - God is in charge. We do all things according to His Word. And we believe that if we do that, everything will work out.
#2 - God has instituted a hierarchy of leaders in the church. This is difficult for many to accept because we have pushed back against authoritarian leadership in the past. But the church is led by elders/pastors/bishops. Deacons are appointed to support the work of the pastors.
# 3 - The congregation is a group of people who support their pastors and affirm their decisions when they are made in line with God’s will.
1. Pastors are devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word.
1. Pastors are devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word.
Explanation: Notice that when there is a problem in the church, the congregation brings their complaint to the apostles. Now, whether they were blaming them for the the problem isn’t entirely fleshed out in the text. However, the early church saw the apostles as the ones who were in charge and ultimately responsible for the church. So they were the ones that needed to fix it. And rightly so as they were the ones who had been with Jesus. Now there are no longer any apostles as no one meets the qualifications of having been with Jesus in the way the early apostles were. They didn’t see him in his life and ministry and did not witness his resurrection. Now that role gets past to the elders of the church.
In the New Testament you have 3 words for the leaders of the church.
elder
bishop/overseer
pastor
While some have tried to make 3 different offices, these words are used interchangeably with respect to each part of the job.
Elder speaks to the spiritual maturity required to be a church leader.
bishop/overseer speaks to the administrative oversight that comes with the role.
and pastor speaks to the care that a pastor must have for the congregation.
Paul gives us the qualifications of a pastor/elder in
1 Timothy 3:1–7 (ESV)
1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
Notice that of these qualifications, only one is something they do. They must be able to teach.
Additionally, early in church history, we see that each church was autonomous in their leadership. They certainly answered to the apostles and their teaching, but there was no heirarchy outside of the local church.
Sure the first church in Jerusalem was made up
So how would the apostles handle this situation? This is where leadership in the church becomes different than the world.
The apostles put the responsibility back on the congregation.
If you see a problem, take initiative to come up with a solution yourself.
Essentially the apostles who were already busy with their God-given duties and responsibilities said this is not our responsibility alone. We acknowledge their is a problem needing fixing, but we can’t neglect our role to handle this.
Therefore you go and pick 7 men who will handle this issue.
In the church, we all work together to make sure that the needs of the congregation are taken care of.
The primary responsibility of the pastors in a church is to look after and care for the spiritual needs of the congregation.
Illustration: So often in churches, when things go wrong in the church, it is the pastor who is blamed. Not growing? It’s the pastor’s fault. People not being visited, it’s the pastor’s fault.
And some churches just run through pastors and never change because the pastor wasn’t the problem.
Application: Now it is incredibly important that the
2. Deacons serve the needs of the Church.
2. Deacons serve the needs of the Church.
Explanation: The office of deacon arose in the church based on a need. Even today, deacon ministry doesn’t start with the founding of the church. Deacons emerge when the need arises for their important ministry. And even the number of deacons is dictated by the size of the church.
Paul gives us the qualifications of deacons in
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Notice again that these are all about character. There are no qualifications for deacons based on abilities. it’s all about character. Too many churches look at a person’s personal or professional success and make them a deacon based on that. Character is all that matters.
And in that character, they will need an attitude of humility. A willingness to do anything that needs to get done.
The primary responsibility of the deacons in the church is look after the physical needs of the congregation and pass on any spiritual needs that may come to their knowledge.
Illustration: I know a pastor that starts his deacon training by taking each prospective deacon and they go and scrub all the toilets in the church. Scrubbing toilets for whatever reason is considered the lowest task in the church, but for this pastor, if a prospective deacon complains about scrubbing toilets they aren’t fit for the office.
Application: To be a deacon requires an incredible amount of humility.
Also, you as the congregation are responsible for bringing qualified deacon candidates before the leadership.
Response: How are you supporting the biblical leadership of the church?
Response: How are you supporting the biblical leadership of the church?
Summation:
Authentic Principle: Support Biblical Leadership in the Church
1. Pastors are devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word.
2. Deacons serve the needs of the Church.
Response: How are you supporting the biblical leadership of the church?
Closing Illustration:
The Bible is clear that most people are not qualified to be pastors or deacons. But those that are are worthy of respect.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
This is your responsibility.
When it comes to pastors, deacons and the overal congregation, we see a lot of overlap. There are times when a pastor must serve tables. There are times when a deacon may be called upon to teach.
Stephen, one of the first deacons, gave an incredible sermon on the primacy of Jesus, for which the jews stoned him to death.
There are times when people in the congregation will teach and meet needs.
We all work together.
We all must know our role.
Many people like to think about the church as a cruise ship with clear leadership and lost of activities for those on board.
But the church is more like a battleship where everyone knows their role and leads out of that role on a daily basis.
It’s true, we need more pastors. We need more deacons. But before we get there, we need people who are people of character who love the lord with their whole heart mind, body and strenghth.
When I was in seminary, a professor said the best way to find pastors and deacons is not to recruit pastors and deacons but rather to go look for those people who are acting like pastors and deacons without being asked and just make it official.
It starts with each of us coming to know and serve Jesus. Then we work together to love god serve others and change the world.
The first thing that each of us must determine is are we saved? Are we Christians?
Let’s pray.
Week 23 of 2021-2022 Sermon Series: Authentic Church: Biblically Administered (Acts 6:1-7)
Authentic Principle: Support Biblical Leadership in the Church
1. PASTORS are devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word.
2. DEACONS serve the needs of the Church.
Response: How are you SUPPORTING the biblical LEADERSHIP of the church?
Opening Discussion: What comes to mind when you think of a strong leader? How much does service play into leadership?
Sermon:
In the Book of Acts, what prompted the need for a more structured leadership in the church?
How is the division of responsibility between the two positions of leadership described?
How would you describe the process by which the “deacons” are chosen?
Read 1 Timothy 3:1-13. How do the qualifications of elders and deacons match the responsibilities outlined in Acts 6:1-7?
Why is division of responsibility important in the church?
Read Hebrews 13:17. What does this verse say about the church’s responsibility to their leaders?
Application:
Who are the leaders at North Hills that God has called you to support with your words and actions?
Does anything to need to change with respect to your attitude to church leadership?
Are you open to God calling you to a leadership position in His church?
How can North Hills better support it’s leaders?
How can North Hills better help prepare people for leadership in God’s church?
Where do you see gaps in the leadership at North Hills?