A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 5
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This fifth study is the second of two parts which offers a third reason why the church is modeled after the family unit: The family unit is the building-block for social government. Compelling parallels exist between the type of government established by God (1) among the luminaries: sun, moon and stars; (2) within the house-hold: husband/father, wife/mother and children; (3) within the church: pastor, deacons and members. At the root level, God’s design of church government is simple and sensible.
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 4
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This fourth study is one of two parts which offers two reasons why the church is modeled after the family unit: (1) The family unit is the blueprint for all social institutions, especially the religious societies sanctioned by God; (2) The family unit is the backbone for social planning, as each organization (including the church) exists as an independent, intra-dependent and interdependent entity. Eldership within the early church cannot be rightly apprehended unless it be seen through the framework of eldership within a single house-hold.
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 3
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This third study seeks to trace the origin of the elders. If the Christian Church has not been modeled after the Jewish Synagogue, as we have contended, then from whence did eldership arise? In answer to this question, the First Mention Principle is used to ascertain preliminary conclusions based on the first references of eldership in the Old Testament. Certain liberties of application are exercised towards the end of the study in order to demonstrate the absurdity of argument often advanced by the Reformed Baptists.
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 2
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This second study seeks to identify the elders (1) in the New Testament, (2) in the Jewish Synagogue and (3) in the Old Testament. Based on the explication of the terms and the implications of their usage, preliminary conclusions are drawn and a final challenge prepared.
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 1
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This first study seeks to provide an overview of the subject by answering three questions: (1) What exactly is this “plurality of elders” issue all about? (2) As long as each church remains Baptist, why should Christians be concerned about this issue? (3) What does the New Testament actually teach about the subject of eldership?
A lecture on the Order of the Church: Its Success, Part 4.
The New Testament describes the church as an organism and an organization. As an organism, she is a living entity for which God is largely responsible for her existence and growth; as an organization, she is a well ordered mechanism for which man is largely responsible for her discipline and oversight. A healthy church is one which maintains discipline as an organization, as well as one which grows in the Lord as a living body. These lectures on the Order of the Church are looking at the assembly of Christ from the standpoint of her organizational components.
The question answered in this study: Should a church measure her success based on duty or results? It is our conviction that results based measurements lead to a humanistic motive in carrying out the Great Commission.
A lecture on the Order of the Church: Its Success, Part 3.
The New Testament describes the church as an organism and an organization. As an organism, she is a living entity for which God is largely responsible for her existence and growth; as an organization, she is a well ordered mechanism for which man is largely responsible for her discipline and oversight. A healthy church is one which maintains discipline as an organization, as well as one which grows in the Lord as a living body. These lectures on the Order of the Church are looking at the assembly of Christ from the standpoint of her organizational components.
The question answered in this study: Should a church measure her success based on duty or results? It is our conviction that results based measurements lead to an unscriptural message when presenting the Gospel to the lost.
A lecture on the Order of the Church: Its Success, Part 2.
The New Testament describes the church as an organism and an organization. As an organism, she is a living entity for which God is largely responsible for her existence and growth; as an organization, she is a well ordered mechanism for which man is largely responsible for her discipline and oversight. A healthy church is one which maintains discipline as an organization, as well as one which grows in the Lord as a living body. These lectures on the Order of the Church are looking at the assembly of Christ from the standpoint of her organizational components.
The question answered in this study: Should a church measure her success based on duty or results? It is our conviction that results based measurements lead to manipulative methods which breeds irreverence.
A lecture on the Order of the Church: Its Success, Part 1.
The New Testament describes the church as an organism and an organization. As an organism, she is a living entity for which God is largely responsible for her existence and growth; as an organization, she is a well ordered mechanism for which man is largely responsible for her discipline and oversight. A healthy church is one which maintains discipline as an organization, as well as one which grows in the Lord as a living body. These lectures on the Order of the Church are looking at the assembly of Christ from the standpoint of her organizational components.
The question answered in this study: Should a church measure her success based on duty or results? It is our conviction that result based measurements creates a false balance, cultivates hurtful attitudes and promotes a wrong perspective.
A lecture on the Order of the Church: Its Size.
The New Testament describes the church as an organism and an organization. As an organism, she is a living entity for which God is largely responsible for her existence and growth; as an organization, she is a well ordered mechanism for which man is largely responsible for her discipline and oversight. A healthy church is one which maintains discipline as an organization, as well as one which grows in the Lord as a living body. These lectures on the Order of the Church are looking at the assembly of Christ from the standpoint of her organizational components.
The question answered in this study: Has the Lord designed His church to grow without numerical limits, or is there an optimal size each congregation should seek to maintain?