Features:

Personnel of the Church

What About These Troubles?

Subscribe to the Trumpet

Front Page

Past Issues

Home

We have considered that all who believe on Christ are saints. This is our position. All who are saints by position should also be saints in practice. We have also considered the term "servant". All saints are to be servants. All saints have the same position "in Christ", but servants have different offices. Here we have the "Bishops and Deacons."

I THE POSITION OF THE MINISTER

Bishop - Phil. 1:1; I Peter 1:25; I Tim 3:1,2; Titus 1:7
Elder - Titus 1:5; James 5:14; I Peter 5:1-7; I Tim. 5:17
Pastor - Eph. 4:11; Jer 23:1

These three titles give us insight into the office and officer, as well as his obligation.

1. Bishop - Describes the office. , "overseer", "superintendent" I Tim 3:4,5.

2. Elder - Describes the officer, "elderly", "mature", "aged one" I Tim 3:6

3. Pastor - Describes the obligation. Eph 4:11-12. "shepherd", Thus the pastor is to be a man of management (Bishop); a man of maturity (Elder); and a man of ministry (Pastor).

II THE PREREQUISITES OF THE MINISTER

There are Biblical qualifications and requirements set forth in the New Testament for the Bishop, Elder, and Pastor. Now to help in understanding them, we group them under three headings:

1. Right in Heart



"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Prov.4:23
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Mt. 5:8
"Tender-hearted" Eph. 4:32
"Perfect heart" I Pet. 1:22
"Pure heart" II Tim 2:22

A. Believing hearts - "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…." Rom 10:9. They must be men of faith if they are going to lead others to be men and women of faith.
B. Burdened hearts. - Rom 9:1-2; Rom 10:1.
C. Burning hearts - zeal; zealotes.
D. Luke 24:32 "Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures." Fellowship in prayer and fellowship in the Word produces burning hearts.




2. Right in Home



I Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9. Husband of one wife, vs. 2; ruling his household, vs. 4,5.




3. Right in Habits

(vs. 7)

"blameless, vigilant, sober, good behavior, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy, not a brawler, not covetous, not a novice."

III THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MINISTER

1. As bishop he is to oversee the work. He is not to be a dictator. He is the under shepherd. "taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly….neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." I Peter 5:23. That does not mean he is to do everything. It does mean he is to superintend the work direct, advise, decide.

2. As pastor, he is to shepherd the flock. He feeds, pats, prods, waters, warns.

3. As preacher, his primary task is to minister the Word. Acts 6:1-4; Eph. 4:11-16; II Tim 4:1-5; I Peter 5:1-4. The pastor should be a man who is faithful to the Lord, to the Word, and to the work. The pastor should be a man who is fruitful. It is not education, but association that makes us fruitful (John 15:1-8) "Preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine." II Tim 2:2.

Ernest M. Lundy, Evangelist (#4 in series of 7)