| THE PASTOR HIS GLORY REIGNS B. Childress Aug 3, 2007 Whenever we study church government, we should go to the Word of God to understand how God wants His church to be established: God has given us his guidelines and principals in His Word, but He leaves the responsibility of how to apply those guidelines and principals to us. What is the origin of the word "church." The word "church" in 1 Corinthians 12:28, comes from the Greek word ekklesia. Ekklesia comes from another Greek word ekkaleo. Ekkaleo is a compound word . It is made from two word ek- and kaleo. Ek means "out" and kaleo means "to call." Thus, what the word "church" really means is "the called out ones" or the "chosen ones" as translated in Ephesians 1:4. When Paul said we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, the same word is used (ekkaleo). What is church? First Corinthians 12:27-28 says, "Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular." Today, the word "church" is loosely used to describe a building made of brick and mortar, which could also house a disco, school, industry, or retail store. The universal church is made up of every born-again believer on the face of the earth. Every group of believers who worships together is a segment of the "universal church." Those segments that meet together are "local churches." The church has been called out. If the church is the "called out" or "chosen" ones, there has to be someone calling or choosing. "God hath set some in the church." 1Corinthians 12:28 God is doing the calling or choosing. Ephesians 4: 11 says, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" - but who is "he." To understand, we can look at Ephesians 4:8-10, "WHEN HE ASCENDED UP ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, AND GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things)." The Lord Jesus Christ if the "he" who ascended, and the He Who gave gifts to men. Referring back to 1Corinthians 12:28, God the Father is the One who sets the ministry gifts in the church: these ministry gifts are chosen by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in combined authority. Jesus is the One who calls and appoints the ministry gifts. The One (Jesus) who does the calling has authority over the one He calls (whoever chooses the ministry gift has authority over the one He calls); whoever chooses the ministry gift has authority over the one who is chosen. So, who is head of the church? Ephesians 1:22-23 says, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all." The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. He was given that position by God the Father. He was given authority over the church by God the Father as well all ministry gifts He chooses to distribute. "And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Ephesians 4:11- 12 THE PASTOR The Greek word poimen occurs 17 times in the New Testament - only one time is it translated "pastor" which is in Ephesians 4:11. The other 16 times, it is translated "shepard." In Ephesians 4:11 Paul is saying that the pastor is to be the shepard of his flock, of his church. The Hebrew word ra' ah means to "tend sheep" and is translated "pastor" eight times in the Old Testament: In Jeremiah 3:15, God said: "And I will give you pastors according to mine (own) heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." The fourth ministerial office is that of the pastor and the only ministry gift given to the local congregation. The office of pastor is probably the most widely recognized office in Christian ministry today.
Jesus stood in all of the five-fold ministry offices (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher.) Jesus said in Luke 4:18, "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HATH ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HATH SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PREACH DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERING OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THEM THAT ARE BRUISED, TO PREACH THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." The Lord is called the Chief Shepard (pastor). Because the Lord Jesus is chief pastor, the local pastor is under His authority, "I am the good shepard, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepard: John 10:14-16 Jesus is talking here about the universal church - all believers around the world. Jesus did not see only people as people, but a multitude in need and he was moved by their needs. He saw that they fainted and were scattered, like sheep with no shepard. They needed a pastor.
In the phrase, "taking the oversight," (oversight is episkopos; bishopric) Peter is stating that the pastor is the only one who can oversee God's flock, however, he (the pastor) must take the initiative - have some gumption to take leadership of the church. Even though God speaks to the pastor and gives him guidance and direction in what the congregation should hear, God puts the responsibility for leadership squarely on the pastor's shoulders. Qualifications given to this charge (according to 1 Peter 5:1-4): 1) "willingly" - The pastor is to take this office "willingly" rather than by "constraint" or of necessity. A pastor should never take this position because he has to. When God calls a pastor, he gives him a pastor's heart, the desire to help people spiritually. 2) "filthy lucre" - the pastor's reason for accepting this position should not be for money. Verse four says that when the Chief Shepard, Christ Jesus, appears, He will reward the pastor. 3) "Neither as being lord over God's heritage" - The pastor is not to be a dictator. The flock is God's heritage. It should be clear that the pastor does not own the flock in any sense; he merely has responsibility over it. Moses watched Jethro's sheep. He was the shepard, but the sheep belonged to Jethro. For the pastor who understands that, it is great freedom. The sheep belong to God. The pastor always has recourse in the owner. He can always talk to the owner (God) about the sheep and their problems The owner (God) will take care of the things the shepard cannot handle. 4) "ensamples" - A pastor leads - he does not tell his congregation to do anything he would not do himself both in word and deed. A pastor must maintain the qualities he expects of those below him. In the local congregation, it is also clear that the people do not ultimately answer to the pastor; they answer to God - again, he owns the sheep. The pastor's responsibility is to admonish (to indicate duties or obligations) them and feed them from the Word of God. Once the people walk out the door, whether or not they live the Word is their responsibility. That does not mean the pastor has no concern for them; he simply cannot dictate to them: He can encourage and exhort them, but he cannot watch over their lives. Just remember the "chief pastor," the Lord Jesus Christ hears every word that is spoken. He never leaves you or forsakes you.
Elders is used in the plural because there were many churches in Ephesus. The churches were not as they are today - they did not have large congregations. Most of them met in homes. But we know those elders were pastors from what Paul said to them in verse twenty-eight: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood." Who made these elders to be overseers - the Holy Spirit. Paul had to be addressing pastors because the office of a bishop is something a man aspires to (1 Timothy 3:1) - it is not a ministry gift given by the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:11).
- The Apostle Paul addressed the pastors of Ephesus at Miletus. He told them he had fulfilled his responsibility to them and he also provided them with a guideline for pastors in the work of perfecting the saints, "And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,...Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Hoy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts 20:18-20, 26-28 1) Paul encouraged them by telling them of the trials he had faced and had overcome. 2) He told them that they were responsible for their own spiritual progress. Why? Because he had kept back nothing that was profitable for them; he gave them (the whole counsel of God - revelation knowledge he (Paul) had received from God), the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The responsibility of the pastor begins when he receives revelation from the Holy Spirit, and it does not end until he passes it on to his congregation. If he fails to do that, he then becomes responsible for their failures - their blood is on his hands. Paul said he had proclaimed the whole counsel of God in public and also in the homes of the believers. He held nothing back. Their blood could not be on his hands, so Paul told the pastors the same things. The pastors were required to do the same.
The Word of God should be continuously in your mouth. By meditating in the Word, your heart becomes enlarged with the Word. Then when you open your mouth to teach, you will be giving out the Word of God: Out of the abundance (largeness) of the heart, the mouth speaks. In verse 12, Paul says that they were not "straitened" in him. The word "straitened" means hindered by. The word "bowels" refers to emotions. So we can read verse twelve, "You are hindered by your emotions." Paul was saying that those believers were hindered by their emotions. In verse eleven, Paul was saying that these people were not hindered spiritually by him because he had taught them everything that was in his heart - he had not spared anything. But in verse twelve, he is saying they were being hindered by their own emotions. When your heart is not full of the Word of God, you are subject to your own feelings and emotions and they rule you.
The Greek lists pastors and teachers together as a single ministry gift in Ephesians 4:11,12). When a pastor-teacher feeds his people the Word, when the inspiration of the service goes away and the emotions settle, the Word stays in your heart. Your heart remains enlarged, you are not hindered by your emotions. You begin to live by the Word of God and not by how you feel. The Apostle Paul was not controlled by his emotions. Paul was telling the pastors from Ephesus that he was no longer responsible for them any longer because he had taught them all he knew to teach them - so they had to take up from there. "Take heed to yourselves" meant they had to apply the counsel of God to themselves and to pass it on to their congregations so the people could walk by the Spirit and the Word and not by their feelings.
AUTHORITY WITH LOVE
In summary, the characteristics of a pastor today are: 1) A shepard over the flock - God's flock, His heritage. 2) To feed the flock the Word of God - to convey the whole counsel of God including any revelations he might receive where applicable. He is responsible for equipping the flock to do the work of the ministry. 3) To willing accept the call to pastor and not accept the call for "filthy lucre" (money). 4) One who does not dictate to (lord over) the flock. 5) One who walks in good character, integrity, and love according to the Word - a good example for others. 6) One who admonishes the flock (indicates and reinforces duties and responsibilities) when necessary, while encouraging and exhorting them. 7) Should possess some spiritual gifts. 8) Should be teachable and flexible while maintaining a leadership role in the church. Sources: The Ministry Gifts by Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1998 RHEMA Bible Church. Understanding the Anointing by Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1983 RHEMA Bible Church. The Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit by Lester Sumrall, Copyright 1982, Lester Sumrall Evangelical Association (LeSea). Decently and In Order by Bob Yandian, Copyright 1983,1987, Whitaker House. |
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2010 - HIS GLORY REIGNS
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