Word of Salvation - February 2019

 

B.C.31 – Ministers, Elders & Deacons

Sermon by Rev. John Westendorp

Scripture Readings: Ephesians 4:1-16, Hebrews 13:7-17 & 1Timothy 5:17-25

Belgic Confession: Article 31

 

Introd:  Throughout the Middle Ages up to the Reformation the church was divided into two classes of people.

There were the clergy and the laity...  a priestly class... and then all the rest.
Some even argued that the clergy formed the real church.
All the rest – the laity – simply had to pray and pay.

A Biblical truth rediscovered at the Reformation was the “priesthood of all believers”.

A teaching that meant two things especially.

First: that Christians don’t need a special priestly class in order to know God.
Everyone can come directly to Jesus our Great High Priest... without pastors or priests.
And all who do come to Him He makes into a kingdom of priests.
The whole church together is a priestly nation.

Secondly: the priesthood of all believers means that every Christian has a ministry.
God has give gifts to every Christian to enable them to serve the church.
In a real sense the whole church is involved in ministry.
It is not just for the clergy – those select few whom the church ordains.

So the Reformation did away with the idea of two-tiered church.

Among us Reformies this “clergy-laity” distinction has always been rather suspect.

However this rediscovery at the Reformation also had a negative effect.
Some Protestant groups – as a result of this – became very individualistic.
Some even rejected any kind of authority in the church at all.
Office bearers of any kind were done away with... we are all prophets, priests and kings.

These folk went to an extreme and forgot there was another side to it.
That for the sake of order in the church the Lord has instituted office bearers.
These office bearers are Ministers, Elders and Deacons.

Article 30 of the B.C. already dealt with this subject in a general way.

But now it takes a closer look at this matter of authority.

So today we’ll look at four principles that Reformed Churches have always held as Biblical.

 

A]        OFFICE – A CALLING FROM GOD.

1. To understand these principles we’ll take our starting point in Eph.4.

Paul speaks there of certain key roles (or offices) as God’s gift to the church.

The GIFT language is very clear in Eph. 4:11
“He GAVE some to be apostles, some to be prophets,
 some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers...”

God’s special gift to His church are these special people.
And the tasks these people do, they do as office-bearers of the church.
IOW in this verse we now make a distinction between these special gifts
            and the great variety of gifts God gives to all the members of His Church.

If you want to see the variety of gifts given to all the members then check out ICorinthians 12.

But here in Ephesians 4 we are talking about some special gifts related to office.

And the point Paul makes here is not only that these are God’s gifts...
but especially that thru these gifts the church is equipped for its task of ministry.

So we shouldn’t look on those with these gifts as belonging to a priestly caste with special powers.
As if we can only come to God thru these special people.
Their role – says Paul – is rather one of equipping the members of the church.
Equipping all the church to live out their priestly office as believers.
Paul says these offices have the task to prepare God’s people for works of service.

So let me sum up:
God does give special tasks to some in the church.
These tasks relate to specific roles in the church community.
That is God’s gift to His church.
He provides and equips some leading people so that they in turn might equip us.

 

2. From that we derive our first important principle of church leadership.

The principle that God does call people to special leadership positions in the church.

Eph.4:11 speaks in terms of these people being God’s gift to the church.
It is clear that God Himself equips these people for service...
So we see God calling some to serve His church in a special way with special gifts.

That is why the B.C. has some important things to say about calling.
It warns that no-one must INTRUDE himself into a ministry of the church.
People must not push their way into ministry by improper means.

It seems to me that this is still a timely warning for us today.
Timely... NOT because lots of frustrated people around our church
            desperately try to push themselves into eldership or diaconate.
BUT timely because in the Christian community we have
            many self-appointed leaders, teachers and ministers.

You would be surprised to see the amount of Christian “junk mail” that crosses my desk.
Much of it is seeking support for yet someone else’s ministry.
They offer to run retreats... speak at services... sing in worship...!
            Many have no endorsement from any mainline church.
            They all seem to be pushing their own particular barrow.

It’s true that many Christian organisations have won respect and recognition in the church.
I’m thinking of the Bible League... Bible Society... and some theological colleges.
And there are many such para-church organisations that fill a real need.
Organisations that do a work which no one church on its own can ever do properly.

But many others claim they have a God-given ministry.
I have serious reservations about many of those self-appointed ministries.
Many of these para-church organisations that give no accountability to the churches.
They ask for your money but they will not give you audited financial reports.
Some of the past scandals with some American TV evangelists highlight the problem.

Why am I saying all this?
Paul tells us that in the church we are equipped for service by those God has gifted and called.
Not by self-appointed teachers and leaders.

Therefore they must not intrude themselves into the church.
The B.C. speaks the language of wisdom.
People must not push themselves forward but wait till it pleases God to call them.
This also means church members ought to be careful as to where they go for their teaching.
Avoid the many self-appointed counsellors and teachers that hover on the fringes of the church.

Teaching and leadership offices are never to be taken upon one’s self.
They are the prerogative of God who calls people to them.
That is true especially for the offices of Ministers, Elders and Deacons.
But it is just as true of all leadership and teaching offices.

 

B]        CONFIRMED BY THE CHURCH.

1. I can just imagine someone saying: If God calls them, He calls them... and who are we to doubt it?

Is it not being presumptive to question someone else’s calling?

I don’t think so.

We would never just push into the ministry someone who imagines they have the gift and calling.
We would first test them to check whether they have the gifts and the abilities.
Why should we then too quickly accept the ministry of others?

Imagine that evangelist Joe Bloggs comes into town.
            And you get an invite to a series of teaching seminars he is running.
            Or he invites you to participate in some evangelistic activities.
            He tells you that he is convinced God has called him to do that.
            On what grounds are you going to become involved?

You see there is a second Biblical principle of leadership.
The principle that the church is to confirm someone’s calling.

We read repeatedly in the book of Acts and elsewhere how the church chose its leaders.
They were chosen only as the church recognised their gifts.
They were then set apart and appointed by the church.

I do not see in the N.T. the kind of “freelancing” that is so common today.
Where anyone who feels they have a ministry starts their own church.
Or they kick off their own organisation for some sort of ministry.

Paul did not set out on his missionary journeys as a freelancer.
He was set apart by the church at Antioch.
Through the Spirit’s work in the church his gifts and calling were confirmed.

We read that this was how the first Deacons were appointed in Acts 6.
They were chosen by the church – the congregation recognised their gifts.
Elsewhere too we read in the book of Acts that church itself made such choices of leaders.

So there is then this second clear principle in the N.T.
No matter how strongly you have a sense of calling to missions... to ministry...or to eldership...
            it is only as the church recognises the gifts that you exercise that leadership ministry.

I am not talking now about the many general gifts in the church...
            Gifts such as hospitality or encouragement and so on.
            But I am talking about gifts of leadership and teaching.
            Gifts that apply especially to the offices of Minister, Elder and Deacon.
            God calls... but He does that thru His church.

 

2. At this point there is a democratic element that comes into the picture.

In Art. 30 of the Confession it points out that the church is not a democracy.

The church is a monarchy under the kingship of Jesus.

Yet in that monarchy – under King Jesus – there is also this democratic element.
The church itself chooses those whom it recognises as having the God-given gifts.
And the church should jealously guard that right and duty that it has.

Self-appointed leaders in the church do not have a very good track record.
Neither has it served the church well when the State imposed leaders on the church.
That has happened from time to time in history – with disastrous results for the church.

The model in the book of Acts is that the church itself chooses.

That is why the B.C. speaks of a lawful election of office-bearers.

But now please note also something else.
In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas were chosen and appointed by the church for mission.
The church did that with prayer and fasting.
In Acts 6 the first deacons were chosen and appointed... and it was with prayer.
In Acts 14 elders were appointed in each church... and again it was with fasting and prayer.

So while we talk about a democratic element of a congregational election
            it is at the same time accompanied by prayer and fasting
               so that the church might know the will of Jesus the Head of the church.

So we have a picture of the whole church praying and fasting together.

This is how the church does that important work of choosing those who will give leadership.

Prayerfully setting apart those who will equip the people of God for works of service.

The whole Church prays about these matters.
That is a far cry from those who set themselves up in some self-appointed ministry.
And then to justify the whole thing they say: “Well, I’ve prayed about it.”
            Knowing the will of the Lord in this issue of leadership and teaching is vital.
            But that will of God is discovered by the whole church fasting and praying.

 

C]        THE PARITY OF OFFICES.

1. There is a third Biblical principle of leadership for the church.

And that is that the nature of these offices is one of equality.
IOW the various offices in the church are not all underneath one another.
As though the minister is up here... and the deacons down there.
And then the elders are somewhere in between.

The N.T. has a story of the disciples arguing about who was most important.
Jesus tells them that with them it will not be as it is in the world.
In His Kingdom it isn’t a matter of having power over others... but of serving others.

In fact the only power that office-bearers have is the power and authority of the Word of the gospel.

So we must stress that in ministry and in leadership
there is no lording it over one another – there is an equality of office.

Some churches that have a hierarchy with bishops and archbishops also make a case for equality.
But it always seems a little forced to me.  The Pope is called the first among equals...?
It’s odd when the whole thing is accompanied by fancy titles.
Calling someone “my Lord Bishop” hardly does much for promoting equality among leaders.

Actually the hierarchical system has a sad history of abuse and power struggles.
During the Middle Ages the clergy in the churches ruled like worldly princes.
And the higher clergy ruled over the lower clergy... often with an iron fist.

Too often church leaders wielded power like earthly dictators... with all the pomp of worldly rulers.
And today the empire building of some ministries is not all that different.

 

2. The church must always be on its guard in this matter; and for a very good reason.
   All authority in the church is in Christ... and in Him alone.
   And the moment any office bearer begins to put himself above others
   he begins to take away from the authority of Christ.

That’s why I stressed that the keynote is service.
In service there is no room for exercising power over other.
All those who serve in any ministry in the church serve together.
They exercise a joint service... together with others under the Lordship of Christ.

One of the vital things then is that office bearers must always allow the Word to speak.

Jesus Himself must exercise His authority over us and He Himself teaches us thru His Word.
True He does that thru those whom He calls to leadership.
But only as they faithfully use the Word of God – the Sword of the Spirit.
And only in that way can we do justice to the equality of the offices.

 

D) RESPECT FOR THE WORK.

1. Finally Scripture shows a fourth principle of Biblical leadership.

That is that the church must respect those who are in office... they are Christ’s servants.
We touched on that already in the previous article of the Confession.
And we also looked at some Scripture verses together.
We read those verses again this evening in I Timothy 5.

This article simply spells out once again that we are to respect highly
those whom God has equipped and called
    and whom the church has then appointed.

In fact, our Confession puts this in very practical terms.
We are to be at peace with the office bearers.
Without any murmuring, strife or contention.
At least as far as that is possible.

 

2. Let me close with one specific matter regarding respect for church leaders.

The B.C. tells us specifically that we are to esteem our leaders for their work.

IOW it must never become a following of people or personalities.

It can become idolatrous to look too much at the office bearer.
And many problems that have arisen in freelance ministries
            arise especially because of this dangerous matter of following people.
Paul already fought against it at Corinth.

Some said “We are of Paul”, others said, “No, we are of Apollos”.

The danger of hero worship is just as real in the church as on the football field.

Let there be among us... respect and esteem for our leaders and office bearers.
But let it always be because of their work and not because of their personalities.
Rather because they bring to us the gospel of Jesus and His saving work.

It is in that gospel of our forgiveness that we glory... in that alone...
and not in those who are its servants and messengers.
            Let’s honour and respect those in leadership
                        but also encourage them to remain gospel focused.             Amen!

 

BC stands for Basic Christianity.  What are the fundamentals of the faith?

BC also stands for Belgic Confession – a document in which the Christian church (in a time of great persecution) spelled out the basics of what she believes.

When Christianity is a mile wide and an inch deep it needs to grasp again the basics of the faith and confess them in a world where the faith is increasingly under attack.

Those who drew up the BC declared that they were ready to obey the government in all lawful things, but that they would “offer their backs to stripes, their tongues to knives, their mouths to gags and their whole bodies to the fire” rather than deny the truth expressed in this confession.