Setting in Order
Setting in Order
For some weeks now I have been more intensely concerned than usual to see local churches "in order", so far as their leadership structures are concerned. This is not merely "academic" or "technical" interest. I am clear that as we enter more deeply into the Last Days, the Great Tribulation promised by the Lord (Matthew 24.21&29) is going to bite more and more fiercely and deeply. The "pressure" and "stress" of this is going to be felt most keenly by those whom God has appointed to "watch over" His Flock. For too many leaders, too often in New Zealand, local church leadership is viewed pragmatically...work with whatever seems to work, and hope "she'll be right"! And similarly, far too many Christians appear to have no practical concept whatsoever that they are really accountable to the Elders of the local church they are attending!
(A down-side of the pentecostal-charismatic revolution of recent decades, is the ignorant and dumb notion that Christian freedom is a license to "do my own thing" without consideration or reference to anyone else, because, "This is what God told me"!)
To that end, I have been setting the following before those churches which I have visited and preached in over the past month or so.
"The Head of every local church is Jesus. Ephesians 5.23 states plainly that 'Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, of which He is the Saviour.'
One aspect of Jesus being our Saviour today, in the here-and-now, is His leadership of us, not only as individuals, but as an 'ecclesia' or assembly. His rule or government of us as a Body is through Elders. Such people are a team of Christians who are mature in their faith (presbuteroi...depth of experience...Acts 14.23), who are gifted and anointed by the Holy Spirit to watch over us (episkopoi...depth and breadth of vision...Acts 20.28).
Paul wrote to Titus in Crete reminding him that he had left him there to 'straighten out and set in order what was left unfinished' in planting the Church, and 'appoint elders in every town', as he had directed him. (Titus 1.5)
Such teams of Elders have a leader, who is usually in our context and day the whole church's senior minister, senior pastor or senior leader. (I note that around 100AD, the Church in Antioch had one such senior leader called Ignatius, who led a team of Elders!) This structure and dynamic we glimpse in Acts 15, during a crucial meeting of Apostles and Prophets and Elders in the Church in Jerusalem. At the end of their prayers and discussion, James the Apostle announced the conclusion of their deliberations with the words of verse 19: 'Wherefore my sentence...my judgement is...'
Authority in local church life is delegated by Jesus Christ to that Eldership which functions by faith in Him along these lines. It is neither political, nor is it mystical.
Hence, that meeting of leaders in Jerusalem was able to couch its decision in such sublime terms as, 'It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us...It is the Holy Spirit's pleasure and ours.' (verse 28)
That is why the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 13.17, that we must 'obey (our) leaders (literally those who govern, lead and guide), and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.'
But, to whom do such Elders give this account? Who must they answer to concerning their rule over His children, who He has rescued at the price of His own life's blood, and anointed with the holy oil of His Spirit? Of course, it is to their Head, who is also our Head...the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, when a Christian associates with or joins a local church, they are thereby committing themselves into the care and the protection of the oversight of mature Christian leaders.
What shall we say if for some reason a Believer loses their confidence in an Eldership's capacity to watch over us and lead us and guide us, on behalf of Jesus? What are we to do then?
1) We fly to our knees and pray for them and their aid. So, if there is a need for some remedy, we can be assured that the Saviour of the Church will administer the necessary strong medicine.
2) Under no circumstances do we seek to alter or usurp, that which is Christ's and Christ's alone to renew or correct or reform or (Heaven forbid) depose!
I am completing my thirtieth year as a full-time minister of the Gospel, and I do continue to put my faith in Jesus, who is the Head of the Church, to do this. I beseech you in His Name, to likewise trust him.
However, if you should find yourself unable to so live, then there is no condemnation. But you do have a duty to yourself and those who depend upon you, to seek a geographical solution, by searching for that new place of safety and security. You need to find that congregation where you can joyfully and affectionately and wholeheartedly accept and receive the oversight of a properly constituted local church Eldership.
There may be an occasion or a time when Jesus will find fault or take issue with an assembly's Eldership. That will quite simply not be your affair...but, it should be your concern and your burden; a concern and burden you should positively address upon your knees.
Pray for your Elders. Always pray for them. Never cease to pray for them, so that they, and therefore we too, may become all that Jesus suffered and died and rose again to make us."
