Of Ministers and Men

 

More about my latest book… 

Of Ministers and Men offers a renewed, liberating vision of structure and government in the church, in light of the various leadership roles described in the New Testament. I contend here that far too much importance has been placed on the traditional role of pastor in the church, and far too little on the roles of others: elders, deacons, apostles (with a small “a”), prophets (with a small “p”), evangelists, teachers, and of course, the church at large. 

Dr. Johnson C. Philip, President of Trinity Graduate School of Apologetics and Theology and Principal of Brethren Theological College in Kerala, India, was kind enough to say this: 

"Throughout the last 2,000 years certain individuals have discovered fundamental truths that have kept the church vibrant. Don is one of these discoverers. What is more, he has expounded these truths in simple language. I wholeheartedly agree with his thesis."  

Contents 

An Urgent Call                                                                                                       

Preface to the Latest Edition

Concerning Structure (of This Book)                                                                         

I.  A Conspicuous Absence: The Search for Church Structure in the New Testament

II.  The Church: Repository of Truth                                                                          

III.  Elders: Overseers of the Flock                                                                            

IV.  Deacons: Ministers to the Poor                                                                           

V.  Apostles: Pioneers in the Harvest                                                                       

VI.  Prophets, Evangelists and Teachers                              

VII.  Between Control and Chaos: Striking a Structural Balance

Appendix: Meeting House to House  

Index                                                                                                                                                         

 

 

What Is the Gospel?

Most of us are aware that “gospel” (from the Greek euangelion) means “good news.” But what exactly is the good news that the apostles preached? What should be our message to the world around us, to our “unchurched” and unbelieving neighbors? The apostle Paul addresses this clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 20-26:

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, ² by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

³ For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. ⁶ After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. ⁸ Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹ Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. ….

²⁰ But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. ²³ But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ²⁷ 

 

According to Paul, the good news of the gospel is, firstly, that “Christ died for our sins.” The good news begins with atonement, with the sacrifice of Jesus on a cross of crucifixion, to save us from the judgment our sins deserve. Because of that sacrifice, we are accorded great blessings from the Father, namely: forgiveness (Eph. 1:7); reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:1-2); and righteousness (or justification) by faith (Rom. 3:21-24).  

Yet the good news is not simply that Jesus died, but “that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The ministry of Jesus was much more than an abstract theological transaction. His resurrection, well attested by the facts of history, provides an objective basis for hope. Paul in verses 20-23 argues essentially that because Christ rose from the dead, believers in Christ will also rise from the dead: “…even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” Elsewhere  Paul says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11). The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15 is a historical-theological defense of resurrection – not merely the resuscitation of a body, but the raising up of an altogether new and incorruptible body that will live forever in the presence of God.  

Finally, the gospel is that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). This is good news because humanity now has access to peace under the rule of a completely good and powerful King. Jesus has come in the authority of the Father to establish his kingdom, and will one day “deliver” that kingdom to the Father, having defeated “the last enemy,” death (v. 24-26). Until that time Jesus is slowly but surely taking dominion over all things that oppose Him. “For He must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet” (v. 27). Here again is cause for hope: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 15:20).

Why We Believe It's Important for Everyone to Participate

Many years ago we attended some leadership meetings at the church we were attending.  My husband and I attended these meetings but one meeting was particularly insightful and it was the one meeting my husband missed because of his job. So I attended alone.  I told my husband, "You missed the best one yet," and so I thought I’d share it the way I remember it. The lesson was on Diotrephes and Captain James Cook.  Two examples all Christians should not follow:

3 John 9-11King James Version (KJV)

^“9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

¹⁰ Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

¹¹ Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”

Diotrephes was a man who loved exercising his superiority over others.  He spread malicious gossip about his brethren who didn’t recognize or perceive his "awesome" leadership.  Not only that, he cast out those in the church who did not obey his direct orders to shun the brethren, whom he himself deemed not worthy to receive.   

It is easy to look at someone like Diotrephes and assume that we ourselves could never behave in such a way. The truth is, this all too common in the church and perhaps not always to the degree of Diotrephes. As a young pastor’s wife, I remember this precious woman who came to our church and after some months, I thought it was my job to “fix” her. I thought it was my job to play Holy Ghost and try to convict her of her many faults because I supposedly had it all together. I am the pastor’s wife after all. Instead, I drove this precious lady right out of the church. I had a hard time forgiving myself for acting so foolishly instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to move in her life in His time. My job was just to love her not stand in the way of God to move in her through his word as she heard it over time.  The word of God is profitable for correction, reproof and doctrine. I think about her and I only hope and pray, I didn’t drive her away from the faith too. It is a scary thought.

The truth is, given the right set of circumstances, and if we don’t guard our hearts, we too are capable of becoming like Diotrephes.  We gain some perceived power or respect from others and we can become puffed up.  Don’t fall for the "great man of God trap" of thinking there is the one sole awesome leader who has all the gifts. We all have different gifts that were meant to be used to edify His church. We are all meant to contribute to the church. There are many members but one body and we are all important. 1 Cor. 12 and Romans 12:4-8

Another example was Captain James Cook. If I remember the story correctly, he along with his crew of men landed on this remote island.  The indigenous people watched as this awesome ship landed on their island. It was unlike anything they had seen before.  They watched in awe as Captain Cook walked off his ship. They said to themselves, "This man must be a god."

They began to worship him and treat him as a king. He got the best of everything they had. They built a throne and lifted him on it. He enjoyed the adulation and milked it for all it was worth. He stayed on the island longer than he intended until he had just enough supplies to get back home. On the day he left the island with his ship and crew, a terrible storm hit. The storm overpowered the ship and they returned to the island shipwrecked. As he reached the shore the indigenous people met him and his crew and slew him. They said to themselves "This man has lied to us; he is no god."

The moral of the story is: never allow anyone to put you up on a pedestal. The higher you are the harder you will fall...and you will fall.  We do have the power to weaken others' perception of ourselves by confessing our sins to one another, along with our faults and weaknesses. Every one of us struggles with sin on a daily basis. Scripture tells us that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8. I am not saying we should confess our deepest darkest secrets to everyone around us, but we can confess our weaknesses occasionally. We all have them.

Another way to defuse any sense of superiority among us is to follow 1Cor. 14:26:


^“26 How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying."


The church is edified most when there are no "one man band" performances. When everyone participates no one person is lifted up and Christ takes his rightful place among us.

Meeting House to House

[NOTE: The brief discussion below is from a forthcoming book, Of Ministers and Men: A Call to Decentralize the Body of Christ.]

AS MENTIONED IN THE LAST chapter, the early church at some point after Pentecost broke from the tradition of worship in the temple and began meeting in homes. We have seen that leaders over the first congregations, in cities like Corinth and Thessalonica, were appointed by the apostles and shared their duties alongside others. We have also seen that believers in the early church meetings exercised a wide diversity of gifts of the Spirit in order to edify the church as a whole. But admittedly very little has been said of what these meeting may have looked like – or what they should look like today.

 

For those interested in doing house church a host of questions present themselves, having to do with leadership, logistics, organization, doctrine, giving and finances, interaction with other churches, outreach and evangelism, and doubtless many other issues. What I intend to focus on here, however, are the principles operating behind the house church meeting itself, patterned after the New Testament. 

 

Probably the most useful New Testament book for getting a handle on practical church dynamics is 1 Corinthians. Having established a sort of "division of labor" in the church in Chapter Twelve ("many parts, one body"), and the spiritual preeminence of love in Chapter Thirteen, Paul begins to break down some practical issues of holding a church meeting in Chapter Fourteen:

^26 "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. ³⁰ But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 

 

³⁴ Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. ³⁵ And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 

 

³⁶ Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? ³⁷ If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. ³⁸ But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

 

³⁹ Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. ⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:26-40, NKJV). 

 

Though there are, again, numerous issues to address concerning house church, I believe three important matters in this text call for special attention. First, there is the need for all to participate. When Paul says that each part of the body is "necessary" (1 Cor. 12) and each part "does its share" (Eph. 4), he speaks the language of participation. This needs to be mentioned because many of us have come from comparatively stifling church backgrounds in which one man does all the talking. (Indeed, the argument could be made that 1 Cor. 14 simply has no application in most traditional church settings.) In a healthy house church environment, each member has something to contribute; and just as all the parts of the body are essential, so all the gifts of the Spirit are essential. In the text above some teach, some sing, prophesy, interpret, etc., each and all for edification of the body. 

 

Secondly, all things must be done in order. Now for years when I read "in order," I thought this meant that things must be organized and controlled – that the church service began at a regular time, that there was a predictable order of worship,[1] that the ushers were at the door to greet those entering the building, that the chairs were arranged in the correct pattern, and so on. However, the emphasis here seems to be on mutual respect and courtesy rather than mechanical compliance to a set routine. Paul thus instructs that speaking in tongues be done "each in turn." Similarly, those with a prophetic word are to prophesy "one by one." Each member, then, has to be polite and wait for (better still, listen to) the one speaking, and allow him to finish. The Corinthians were apparently an impatient lot, because not only did they have a habit of interrupting one another, but they even cut in line at the Lord's Supper: "For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of the others…" (1 Cor. 11:21). 

 

Finally, there must be mutual respect. One of the more divisive issues increasingly confronting the church is the role(s) of women in ministry, particularly in leadership. Paul in this text says "Let your women keep silent in the churches." To a modern mind unfamiliar with first century culture that sounds right away like simple gender discrimination. For that reason this is a sore subject for many, women and men alike. Among those most disaffected by the old pastor-as-monarch paradigm, after all, are women with a sincere but suppressed desire to function effectively in the body of Christ. Many observers would agree that the evangelical church, while implicitly encouraging men to "rise up" and pursue leadership, typically restricts women's ministry to secondary roles – in Sunday Schools, nurseries, children's churches, and administrative tasks.

 

Now I am aware that scholars have interpreted this passage to mean everything from "Women need to shut up in church just like Paul says," to "This is a purely cultural matter restricted to the early church in Corinth." And in the interest of disclosure let me say that I am not a professional scholar myself. Nonetheless, a straightforward reading of v. 34-35 in the context of 1 Cor. 14:26-40 suggests to me initially, at least, that Paul has the proper recognition of authority in mind, as a means to help maintain proper order in the church. It may be that some of the women were hijacking the meetings by speaking out of turn, interrupting even their own husbands. This is bound to happen from time to time, of course, as words spoken and ensuing discussion sometimes becomes emotionally engaging. But when the meeting becomes disorderly as a result there is confusion (v. 33).

 

Note that while Paul says "Let your women keep silent in the churches," in the same breath he adds, "they are to be submissive, as the law says." Paul evidently wasn’t referring so much to all the women, but the wives, for he adds that they should "ask their husbands at home" when they have questions (presumably questions that might veer the meeting off course and onto "bunny trails," as we like to say in our own house church group). Nor was he saying that the women (married or not) should be completely silent, because earlier in the same chapter he expresses his wish that "all prophesy" and that "each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation." Additionally Paul has already mentioned women in the church who do prophesy, in a similar context of doing so while honoring the authority of their husbands (1 Cor. 11:3-5). 

 

However, reputable scholars like Walter Kaiser have suggested an alternative interpretation, that when Paul mentions "the law" in v. 34 to support the idea of keeping women silent, he actually refers to the Talmud (the oral law) rather than the Old Testament: "The problem simply put," he says, "is this: nowhere in the whole Old Testament does it teach or even imply what is claimed here! No law in the entire Old Testament, much less the Torah, can be cited to teach that woman 'must be in submission' and 'remain silent' and, if she wants to know or ask about anything, she 'should ask [her own] husband at home.'  Women spoke freely in public in both testaments."[2]

 

With that observation in mind Grenz and Kjesbo add: "Another possibility is that the statements directing women to keep silent represent the teachings of Paul's opponents, which he quotes from the Corinthian correspondence to him. The rhetorical questions (v. 36) introduced by the exclamation 'What!' form Paul's refutation of the ban on women's vocal participation in worship."[3] 

In other words, some of the Corinthian men were actually citing bits from the Talmud in vv. 34-35 to keep the women "in their place," and Paul chose at this point in the letter (vv. 36-37) to rebut their claim by pointing out that access to the truth of God's word was not limited to a handful of rabbis presuming themselves to be the proper custodians of divine revelation. I lean toward this latter interpretation, not only because nowhere does the Old Testament explicitly command the silence of women, but because it makes better sense of the passage as a whole, with the emphasis on both participation and order.

Of course much has been said on this subject and readers are encouraged to study further.[4] My take on the whole passage is basically this: Each of us should have something to share – women by all means included – but for that to happen each has to also limit how much they share at any one time. In short, ministry in the New Testament church is marked by both liberty and love. Liberty in the Holy Spirit allows all the members of the body to express the gifts God has given them, and the love of Christ demands that they do so only with due respect for others and reverence for the Lord himself: "submitting to one another in the fear of God" (Eph. 5:21).

 

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[1] In most of the churches I ever attended the order of worship ran like clockwork: first, a handful of preselected songs led by a worship team; then announcements; then opening prayer; then a sermon by the pastor; then an altar call; then a closing song; then a closing prayer.  

[2] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., "Correcting Caricatures: The Biblical Teaching on Women," http://www.walterckaiserjr.com/womenpage4.html.  

[3] Stanley J. Grenz& Denise Kjesbo, Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry (Downer's Grove, Ill: Intervarsity, 1995), p. 119. 

[4] For a more thorough examination of this topic from a house church perspective see John Fenn, Return of the First Church (Indianapolis: Dog Ear Publishing, 2007), pp. 166-174.