Category: E3 – Church

by John Holbrook Jr.
A Biblical View, Blog #050 posted June 5, 2017, edited March 9, 2021.

In lieu of a devotional, I delivered this homily at the March 18, 2011 meeting of the Diaconate of the New Lebanon Congregational Church in New Lebanon, NY.

Christianity is all about relationships. Consider the life of a church. It can be divided into three general categories: worship, community, and mission.

We relate to God through worship

We relate to one another through activities which build up the church community – that is, education, fellowship, and pastoral care.

We relate to others outside the church through mission activities – that is, evangelism, service, and the financial support of Christians who are doing evangelism and service elsewhere.

Of course, the life of any church depends upon someone attending to the activities which sustain the life of the church – that is, the support activities of administration, finance, property management, and communication.

Most churches in America divide their leadership into two groups. In Congregational churches, we call them elders and deacons. Other denominations use different titles. Whatever the titles, however, the normal understanding is that the elders attend to spiritual matters and the deacons attend to practical matters. Thus, the deacons tend to focus on the support activities which I identified above – administration, finance, property management, and communication. That is not biblical.

In the Bible, deacons focus on mission – that is, evangelism and service. Evangelism consists of the spreading of the Gospel of our Lord by word. Service consists of the spreading of His Gospel by deed. They must be undertaken together. Tim Keller calls service “doing justice.” It is the sign that convinces unbelievers that the faith which motivates us is worth investigating. What we do authenticates what we say.

(As an aside: I believe that the church in general might be better off having three categories of leaders: elders who focus on worship and community activities, deacons who assist the elders in attending to community activities, but who focus primarily on mission activities, and administrators or stewards who focus on support activities. That would clearly indicate the nature and importance of mission.)

Now, let us consider “doing justice.”  Tim Keller divides it into three categories or layers of help – relief, development, and social reform – all of which require believers to disadvantage themselves to advantage others, particularly the most vulnerable in society – that is, the poor, the oppressed, the ill, the handicapped, the infirm, the imprisoned, the widowed, etc.

Relief is directed at meeting the immediate needs of people who are suffering – that is, providing them with food, clothing, shelter, emergency medical aid, basic counseling, legal advocacy, etc.

Development is directed at helping people move beyond dependency to self-sufficiency. It includes education, job training and placement, home-making and child care training, and simple friendship.

Social reform is directed at attacking the root causes of failing communities – inadequate police protection (often the result of corruption), inadequate education (often the result of under-funded schools), housing (often the result of red-lining by banks), inadequate justice (often the result of judicial bribe-taking), and inadequate attention by the responsible levels of government (precinct, city, county, state, and federal).

How then do we “do justice?”  John M. Perkins identified three basic factors: relocation, redistribution, and racial reconciliation.

Relocation or “neighboring a community” is the concept that service providers to a community should live in it.

Redistribution or “reweaving a community” is the concept that financial, social, and spiritual capital must be directed into a community – not out of it, which is what happens when residents find jobs elsewhere, when local businesses are owned and staffed by non-residents, when health facilities are located outside the community or, if located in the community, staffed by non-residents, and when residents attend churches outside the community.

Financial capital refers to the presence in the community of employers that not only provide goods and services to the community, but keep the wealth of the community in the community.

Social capital refers to the presence in the community of trained leaders who can run businesses, schools, clinics, etc., thereby obviating the necessity of bringing in such leaders from outside the community.

Spiritual capital refers to the presence in the community of churches and ministries which convey to their members Christian faith and morals, thereby strengthening the members of the community as they attempt to build strong and healthy individuals, families, and communal institutions.

Racial reconciliation is the concept that skilled outsiders work with unskilled insiders to empower the latter to assume the leadership and control of the community’s development. Where failing communities are concerned, the skilled outsiders and the unskilled insiders are usually of different races and cultures, as well as educational levels, wealth, etc. Blending them into a partnership is difficult, but not impossible when the outsiders maintain a clear vision of the objective and behave humbly, tactfully, and lovingly. Such a partnership across racial boundaries is one of the signs of the presence and power of the Gospel of our Lord. It indicates that the bond between believers in Christ is stronger than the bond between members of any racial, cultural, or political group.

What practical steps can we take to start “doing justice?” There are at least two:

Ask community leaders what they need? They will be startled to discover that we are interested, let alone that we are motivated to do something to help.

Ask local ministers what they need? They too will be startled, because too often they find outsiders setting up alternatives to their own ministries.

There are a number of policy issues that we need to address before we plunge into “doing justice.”

How much should we help? Relief costs money. Development costs a lot of money. Social reform costs more than all but the largest and richest churches can afford. Moreover, in every situation, there is more need than hands to help in meeting the need.

Whom should we help? …individuals? …families? …neighborhoods? …communities?

Under what conditions should our help proceed or end? To what extent will we put up with disruption, ingratitude, intransigence, misuse of our financial assistance, obscenity, recidivism, etc.?

In what way should we help? …providing relief? …fostering development? …working for social reform? …a combination of two or all three?

From where should we help? …from the church; that might be appropriate for relief? …from an existing local ministry, …that might be appropriate for development? …from an existing community development organization? …from a community development organization which is formed by our church and operates independently of our church so as to leave our church’s elders unencumbered by its day-to-day problems? …from a local, state, or national advocacy organization; that might be appropriate for social reform?

There is nothing simple or easy about “doing justice,” but there is no question that Jesus commands us to do it. Jesus told His disciples to feed and cloth the poor, to welcome and show hospitality to the stranger, to provide care to the sick and infirm, to look after the widows and orphans, to visit the prisoners in jail, to befriend the friendless, to comfort the comfortless, to find and carry back to safety the lost. He did not say that doing any of these things was a means of obtaining salvation, but rather a sign that they possessed salvation already.

I gratefully acknowledge my debt in preparing this homily to Tim Keller’s new book, Generous Justice.[1] I will close with a couple of quotes from it.

When a city perceives a church as existing only for itself and its own members, the preaching of that church will not resonate with outsiders. But if neighbors see church members loving their city through astonishing, sacrificial deeds of compassion, they will be much more open to the church’s message (p. 142).

Don’t shrink, says the Lord, from spending yourself on the broken, the hurting, and the needy. I’m good for it (p. 185)

Read Keller’s book!

© 2017 John Holbrook Jr.
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[1] Keller, Timothy, Generous Justice – How God’s Grace Makes Us Just, Dutton, New York, NY 2010.

 

by John Holbrook Jr.
A Biblical View, Blog #049 posted May 29, 2017, edited March 9, 2021.

The Bible has a great deal to say about Church Governance.

Image of Messiah’s Church

Because so many Christians have grown up within denominational churches which have institutional structures, I must start with the Bible’s image of the Lord’s church.

The first chapter of the Book of Revelation gives us a clear picture of the church. Messiah or God-the-Son is standing in the middle of seven candlesticks or lamps, each of which is attached directly to Him. Here is the source of and reason for the seven-branched, gold candlestick that stood in the Holy of Holies in the original tabernacle and then in the Temple (see Exodus 25:31-37). The seven branched candlestick represents the Body of Messiah. Its stem is Messiah Himself. The seven lamps on its branches are seven individual congregations. The seven stars or messengers in Messiah’s right hand are the pastors of the congregations. Several things about this picture are worth noting.

Congregations are the only source of light in this fallen world. At the center of the image stands Messiah. His eyes are like “flames of fire,” his feet are like molten “brass… burn[ing] in a furnace,” and his countenance shines like “the sun.” Clearly He is a tremendous source of light to believers, of whom John is one. But He is not a source of light to unbelievers. After His resurrection, Messiah appeared only to believers, never to unbelievers. Not one unbeliever saw the risen Lord then, and not one unbeliever sees the risen Lord now. The light that the candlestick sheds in the darkness of the world radiates from its lamps, not from its stem, which is invisible to unbelievers. There is a principle here: A congregation is the physical presence of Messiah in its community and needs to shine His light into that community.

Congregations are independently connected to Messiah. In the image, each lamp or congregation is upheld and given life and energy by Messiah directly. The congregations are not connected to one another, and none is higher than the other. Thus each congregation is responsible only to Messiah – not to an association of other congregations or to a hierarchy of bishops, archbishops, cardinals, or pope in a denomination. Yet the congregations are mystically united in Christ and, as such, they together are the complete manifestation of the Body of Messiah in any given region. There is another principle here: A congregation should be independent.[1]

Pastors are teachers, not rulers. In the image, the stars or messengers are in Messiah’s right hand, not in or adjacent to the lamps. Messiah dispatches a pastor to a congregation with His Word (the Bible), bearing the responsibility to proclaim and explain the Word to its members so that they will be equipped to minister in Messiah’s name.[2] There is a third principle here: Every pastor must resist the temptation to see himself instead of Messiah as the head of his congregation. He must continually remind himself and his congregants that he is responsible for ministering to them – i.e. explaining the Holy Scriptures to them – but they are responsible for ministering to one another and to the world in Messiah’s name.

Roles in the Congregation

The Scriptures add to what the above image shows us.

First, Messiah is the head of both the church universal and every individual church.

…Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23)

Second, the Holy Spirit, who is also called the Comforter, is the guide of both the church universal and every individual church. Messiah said,

…it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment….Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you (John 16:7-14).

Third, the elders are the leaders of each individual church. After prayer and fasting, the members of the congregation elect them and ordain them.

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (Acts 14:23)

In submission to Messiah and to one another and under the anointing and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the elders, of whom the pastor is usually senior, govern the church.[3] A critical aspect of elder leadership in the church is that the elders govern as a board,  not as individuals. No elder must “throw his weight around” in the church. This mode of governance is commonly called “rule by a plurality of elders.”

The elders are charged primarily with praying, preaching, and teaching. They feed the members of the congregation by proclaiming and explaining the Gospel of Messiah to them and opening up the Word of God for them.

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. (Acts 20:28)

As overseers, the elders are also responsible for everything that transpires in the church, whether it be the church’s core activities (worship, education, fellowship, pastoral care, evangelism, service, and mission support) or the church’s support activities (administration, finance, property management, and communications).

Not surprisingly, the elders of the Church in Jerusalem found themselves overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in attending to both the core functions and the support functions of the church. To solve this problem, the Lord led them to create the position of deacon. The elders would focus on worship, praying, preaching, teaching, and pastoral care and the deacons would focus on ministries such as preparing and serving meals and caring for widows and orphans.

…there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:1-6)

Clearly the deacons were called to direct the church’s ministries to the needy inside the church and presumably outside the church as well.

Confusion over the Deaconate

Unfortunately the role of the deacons proved to be more complicated than it appeared to be at first. The existence of two types of leaders in the church led many people to draw a distinction between the responsibilities of the elders and the responsibility of the deacons: the elders should attend to “spiritual matters” and the deacons should attend to “practical matters.” This erroneous distinction caused some serious problems.

First, because the handling of money is usually regarded as a “practical matter,” the deacons were given control of the money, which quickly translated into control of the church. The deacons decided how the congregation’s money should and would be spent.

Second, it prevented people from seeing that every matter in a church is a “spiritual matter” – including the manner in which money is raised and the manner in which money is allocated and spent. Money must be raised by teaching members of the congregation the importance of tithing. Tithing is a primary means by which Messiah teaches individuals to trust in and depend on Him. Moreover it is fully capable of providing all the funds which a congregation needs to sustain its activities.

Third, it led the deacons to focus on the support functions of the church (administration, finance, property management, and communications), not on ministry to the needy both inside and outside the congregation, which was and still is their primary calling. In how many meeting of diaconates over the years has discussion concentrated entirely on support functions and neglected ministry to the needy. One antidote to this mistake would be for the congregation to establish a third position of leadership: that of steward. The stewards would focus on the support functions, discharging their respective duties under the direction and supervision of the elders.

Fourth, it prevented people from seeing the proper relationship between the elders and the deacons. The elders are responsible for seeking Messiah’s will, establishing the congregation’s policies, supervising the execution of those policies by the deacons and other members of the congregation, and finally correcting the wayward when such correction is needed. The deacons are responsible for following the lead of the elders and executing the church’s policies that apply to them. They must not determine policy and they should not undertake actions without ensuring that their actions conform to what the elders have asked them to do. A simple way to obtain that assurance is to talk to the elders.

 Biblical Polity

The Kingdom of God is hierarchical, which people in this age of democratic civil government have a hard time understanding, let alone accepting.[4] Authority flows downward, first from Messiah to the elders, who must devote considerable time and effort trying to discern what the Lord and the Holy Spirit want, second, from the elders to the deacons, who must devote some effort to seeking guidance from the elders, and finally from the elders and deacons jointly to the members of the congregation, who must devote some effort to discerning what the leadership of the church is calling them to do.

The church is not a democracy! The full onus of leading the church falls on the elders, which is why the members of every congregation should assemble regularly to bathe the church in prayer, asking the Lord to give the elders clear direction and the pastor clarity of understanding and expression concerning what the Bible actually says.

Because the elders bear such momentous responsibility, the Scriptures admonish the members of a congregation to accord their elders the honor, submission, and obedience which is due to them.[5]

One last thought. While the elders are primarily accountable to the Lord, they will profit by an association with other elders who share their beliefs and commitments. They may find themselves confronting a significant problem which is new to them, but perhaps not new to older and wiser elders elsewhere, who are usually willing to provide advice and counsel and might even be willing to help out directly. The working out of this principle can be seen in the Presbytery with which the Presbyterian churches in a particular region are associated and in the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) with which many independent Anglican Churches in North America are associated.

© 2017 John Holbrook Jr.
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[1] Hierarchical denominations are probably abominations in God’s sight. There may be an association of pastors and elders who come together to wrestle with doctrinal issues (e.g. the Jerusalem Council), to evaluate a candidate for ministry (most lay people are not competent to do this), to install a minister in a congregation that has called him to pastor it, to mediate between a pastor and his congregation in the event of a dispute, or to pass judgment on a pastor or congregation that is behaving in an ungodly manner. Such an association might even be institutionalized (e.g. the presbytery in Presbyterian churches), but it must not be regarded as a superior body which rules a subordinate body (a congregation).

[2] Ephesians 4:11-12 indicates that the role of the pastor is to equip the saints for ministry.

[3] Acts 20:28.  Interestingly, John Carver proposes this model for the board of any organization which adopts his “policy governance.”  Individual board members do not possess any authority in the organization. Only the board as a whole exercises authority over the organization by establishing its ends and policies and by hiring, supervising, and firing its CEO..

[4] Despite the fact (a) that they are educated in hierarchical schools whose teachers specify what they must learn and then determine how well they are learning it and (b) that they work in hierarchical businesses whose executives specify what they will do and then determine how well they are doing it.

[5] 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

by  John Holbrook Jr.
A Biblical View, Blog #046 posted May 15, 2017, edited March 9, 2021.

Americans are deeply divided over a myriad of issues arising in every important area of our nation’s life: border security, commerce, conservation, constitutional law, education, energy, foreign policy, free expression, governance, illegal immigration, infrastructure, intelligence, justice, law enforcement (internal), liberty preservation, medicine, military action (external), money, morality, religion, taxation, welfare, and many, many others. The Lord Jesus warned, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”[1] Moreover, this division has engendered stunning displays of anger, hatred, incivility, slander, and threat of physical harm against some public figures and their supporters – even by some people who regard themselves as members of the affluent, educated, informed, and sophisticated elite. It is time for Christians to humble themselves before God, pray to God, seek God’s face, and turn away from our wicked ways if we hope to see this situation change. Here are a few prayers to start with:

 As we begin our prayers, we pray:

O Lord, hear our prayers, not according to the poverty of our asking, but according to the richness of your grace, so that our lives together in this nation may conform to those desires which accord with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[2]

 For our sins and relief from them, we pray:

 Almighty and most merciful Father; we have erred, and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent according to your promises that were declared to mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of your holy Name. Amen.[3]

For our nation in general, we pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for our country, our Constitution, and our leaders. We pray for our President and for every elected and appointed official who serves with him. We pray that you will build a spiritual wall of protection around the marriage and family of every national, state, and local official. We pray that you will give them the wisdom and the courage to uphold our Constitution which established a republic based on your absolute laws, not a democracy based on the changing whims of man’s reasoning. We pray that you will rebuke Satan for the deception of his lie that we can be “as gods” in deciding for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. O Lord, may our leaders cast down every law, policy, and personal example which weakens marriages, families, or your moral standards. We pray that our leaders will understand and follow the principles of your Word. May they realize that all authority comes from you, not the voters, and that one day they will stand before you to give an account of the power you gave to them. We base this prayer on the promise of your Word, that if we will humble ourselves, pray, seek your face, and turn from our wicked ways, then you will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.[4] In the name and through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. [5]

Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage; we humbly beseech you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[6]

For our nation’s executives, we pray:

O Lord, our governor, whose glory is in all the world, we commend this nation to your merciful care, that, being guided by your Providence, we may dwell secure in your peace. Grant to the President, Vice-president, and all others in authority, wisdom and strength to know and do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in fear of you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.[7]

For our nation’s legislators, we pray:

O God, the fountain of wisdom, whose will is good and gracious, and whose law is truth: we beseech you so to guide and bless our Senators and Representatives in Congress assembled, that they may enact such laws as shall please you, to the glory of your Name and the welfare of this people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[8]

For our nation’s justices, we pray:

Almighty God, who sits on the throne of heaven judging right; we humbly beseech you to bless the courts of justice and the magistrates in all this land; and give to them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that they may discern the truth, and impartially administer the law in the fear of you alone; through Him who shall come to be our Judge, your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.[9]

For our nation’s armed forces, we pray:

O Lord God of Hosts, stretch forth…your almighty arm to strengthen and protect the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguardsmen of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of peace keep them safe from all evil; endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[10]

For our nation’s police, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel, we pray:

O Lord God, also lay your hand of protection on all the men and women in our communities who put themselves at risk daily to safeguard us from assault, disorder, fire, flood, inclement weather, injury, medical emergency, and theft as we go about our normal lives. Keep us ever mindful of their continuous, dangerous, faithful, and honorable service to us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

Finally, in closing, we pray:

Almighty God, who has promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in your Son’s name: we beseech you mercifully to incline your ear to us who have now made our prayers and supplications to you; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to your will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessities, and to the setting forth of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[11]

© 2017 John Holbrook Jr.
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[1] KJV Matthew 12:25.

[2] Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr, The Complete Book of Christian Prayer, #37 – adapted by JH.

[3] A General Confession, Book of Common Prayer (1928), p. 23 – adapted by JH.

[4] 2 Chronicles 7:14.

[5] Prayer for our nation by Anonymous – adapted by JH.

[6] Prayer for Our Country, Book of Common Prayer, 1928, p. 36 – adapted by JH.

[7] Prayer for the President of the United States and all in Civil Authority, Book of Common Prayer, 1979, p. 820 – adapted by JH.

[8] Prayer for Congress, Book of Common Prayer, 1979, p. 821 – adapted by JH.

[9] Prayer for Courts of Justice, Book of Common Prayer, 1928, p. 35 – adapted by JH.

[10] Prayer for the Armed Forces, Book of Common Prayer, 1928, p. 41 – adapted by JH.

[11] Prayer for the Answering of Prayer, Book of Common Prayer (1979), p. 834 – adapted by JH.