John Carter – January 21 & 28, 2018
Mark Nine: Biblical Church Leadership
WIAHC?
P.113 – “If God has so gifted a certain man in the church with exemplary character, pastoral wisdom, and gifts of teaching, and if, after prayer, the church recognizes these things, then he should be set apart as an elder.”
What is an Elder?
- Acts 6
Elders and Congregations
- 115 – “The first president of the Southern Baptist Convention, W. B. Johnson, wrote a treatise in 1846 calling Baptist churches to use a plurality of elders since the practice was biblical.”
- 115 – “We believe that the Bible teaches that the final decision on matters rests within the congregation as a whole, not with a church’s elders or anyone outside the church body.”
- Matthew 18 – the church, not the elders are the “final court of appeal.”
- The New Testament letters are primarily addressed to churches – Members and Leaders
Plurality of Elders
- 116 – “The New Testament never suggests a specific number of elders for a particular congregation, but it clearly and consistently refers to the ‘elders’ of a local church in the plural.”
- 117 – “The preacher or pastor is, fundamentally, just one more elder, formally equal with every other man called by the congregation to act in this capacity.”
Benefits of Elders
- 117 – “It rounds out the pastor’s gifts, making up for some of his defects and supplementing his judgment. It creates support in the congregation for decisions, helping unity and leaving leaders less exposed to unjust criticism.”
What about Deacons?
Shouldering the Burden and Privilege
9MARKS
The Congregational Context of Church Leadership
The Biblical Qualifications for Church Leadership
| 1 Timothy 3:1-7
The saying is trustworthy: |
Titus 1:5-9
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and an overseer, as |
- 1 Timothy 5:17
- 1 Peter 5:1-5
- 1 Timothy 2:12
- Ephesians 4:11-12
- Acts 20:17, 28
| 8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 (Right Column) 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. |
11 Their wives* likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. |
| New International Version
In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. New Living Translation In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. English Standard Version Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Berean Study Bible In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things. Berean Literal Bible Women likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, clear-minded, faithful in all things. New American Standard Bible Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. King James Bible Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Holman Christian Standard Bible Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. International Standard Version Their wives must also be serious. They must not be gossips, but instead be stable and trustworthy in everything. NET Bible Likewise also their wives must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in every respect. New Heart English Bible Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Aramaic Bible in Plain English In this way also, the wives should be modest and alert in their minds and shall be faithful in everything and should not be slanderers. |
GOD’S WORD® Translation
Their wives must also be of good character. They must not be gossips, but they must control their tempers and be trustworthy in every way. New American Standard 1977 Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Jubilee Bible 2000 The wives likewise are to be honest, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. King James 2000 Bible Even so must their wives be serious, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. American King James Version Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. American Standard Version Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Douay-Rheims Bible The women in like manner chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things. Darby Bible Translation [The] women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. English Revised Version Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Webster’s Bible Translation Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Weymouth New Testament Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy. World English Bible Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Young’s Literal Translation Women — in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things. |
Women = 10x; Wives = 13x; Deaconesses = 1x ( see: Romans 16:1)
The Charismatic Nature of Church Leadership
The Christlikeness of Church Leadership
BOSS: Four Aspects of Leadership
Boss
Out Front
Supply
Serve
The Relationship of Church Leadership to God’s Nature and Character
Musica Theologica 