Remember
those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you,
whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
(Hebrews 13:07, NKJV).
There
exists authority in the church, real, ordained by Christ Himself, and
purposeful. There is always first, Christ, then the Pastor or
Under-shepherd, then the Elders and Deacons. It is simple, direct,
and, if exercised under the guidance of Scripture and in the will of
God, remarkably effective.
In
some sense, it is modeled after Moses and his elders as the Children
of Israel wandered through the Wilderness, and that is a fitting
picture, for the church of Christ is also comprised of strangers in a
strange land, sojourners in a place that is not our home.
All
other ecclesiastical hierarchies are man made, and aside from a man
being called by God, immersed in sound doctrine for an extended time,
and leading a godly life, there are no other qualifications or
prerequisites. The trappings of degree and pedigree, educational
resume, and man-centered certification are all so much vapor and
smoke. If a man is called, he can do no other than to teach and lead
the people of God. If he is not, no matter what his official job
title may be, or how large his following or congregation, he is a
human figurehead, a kind of pseudo-spiritual counterpart to an
elected official or hired CEO. No amount of ritual, ceremony, or
stately pageantry can alter his (or her) standing.
But
if a man is these things, called, godly, and immersed in sound
doctrine, his authority and responsibility are as real and solid as
the planet itself, and his people are to respect and comply with that
authority. That is not to say that such a one cannot disqualify
himself by sin, or “lording it over” his church, or holding to
heretical views, but it is to affirm that the true church of Christ
has structure and divine purpose. It cannot be a willy-nilly
conglomeration of man-made strictures and codicils. It must be in
accord with the pattern laid down in the New Testament or, regardless
of what it calls itself, it is not Christ's ekklesia
(church).
Now,
a woman is not to hold spiritual authority over a man in the church,
and in writing this, I can hear the gasps of feminist outrage rocking
the very foundations of the universe. Nevertheless, that is simply
the clear teaching of Scripture. Yes, we know Priscilla of the 1st
century taught Apollos doctrine, and corrected him in his
misinterpretations of the gospel. And yes, often women did more in
the founding of the early church than any number of men (Phoebe,
Eunice, Lydia, the numerous Marys, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and many
unnamed others), but that is irrelevant in the context of following
Christ's blueprint for His
church. He sets the rules for His reasons and purposes (and there are
many – some known, some unknown), and obeying Him in all things,
not just the easy or politically correct things, is the first
priority.
In
a practical sense, for a church to be a true church, the pastor must
be a godly man whose primary purpose is to teach the Word of God to a
submissive congregation in order to equip them
for
the work of ministry. Again I hear the seething outrage at the use of
the word, submissive, but that may be because the word has taken
modern connotations which have little to do with what it really
means.
Submission
in the Bible is entirely voluntary, propelled by love, not fear or
intimidation. In the church we are to submit first to Christ, and
then to one another. It is a gloriously simple proposition, when
embraced unencumbered by the deadweights of sinful human society. It
is the perfect plan for peace and unity, and it has in the past, and
continues in the present, to shake the very foundations of the earth.
Which
brings us to the desired outcome of the whole ecclesiastical plan:
powerful witness for Christ while providing a home for the saints.
And by home, I mean a place of safety, nurturing and edification –
not a cloister, but a loving boot camp that trains and prepares the
people of God for the work of God in a fallen world.
The
outcome then is effective evangelism and protective sanctuary, a
twofold mission implemented for the sole purpose of providing a means
for human beings to escape from unthinkable judgement through faith
in Christ.
A
pastor or elder's effectiveness is based entirely on that performance
criteria. It is not quantified by numbers or political influence, but
by the faithful shepherding of the flock of God so that through their
words, deeds and way of life, the Kingdom of God is increased.
Please
note the conjunction of “rule” and “spoken the word of God to
you.” These must go hand in hand; it is impossible to have one
without the other in the church, for it is the faithful exposition of
the inerrant word of God that saves, edifies, and equips. Nothing
else will do, and without these, no matter what else may be present,
there is no fulfillment of Christ's purpose for His church.
With
these, no matter how unadorned or impressive from an earthly
perspective, God's work is done and the impact and reward is both
temporal and eternal.
Leaders
in the church are not only to be “apt to teach”, but their
leadership MUST be affirmed by example. Eloquence and erudition are
no substitute for living out one's faith in steadfast and consistent
example. There can never be a “do what I say not what I do”
approach to pastoral ministry. Word and deed must be one.
The
importance of this role cannot be understated. The influence wrought
by a godly pastor can be far-reaching, and so can the damage by one
who is unfaithful or hypocritical. That is why teachers are worthy of
great reward... or “double judgment”. It is no small thing to be
called to lead the people of God and then to succeed... or fail.
And
it is for these outcomes that a pastor has been granted spiritual
authority over his people, not as tyrant or potentate, but as a
shepherd laying down his life for those under his care - pouring
himself out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of their
faith.
What
happens if the focus exhortation above is ignored? If the ruler of a
church is counted unworthy of respect and submission? The outcome is
division and strife spiraling down into eventual dissolution of that
fellowship.
It
is very much a reciprocal arrangement between church and pastor. To
the man is given respect and godly obedience. To his people, in
return, he gives all he has, all the time, to build them up in the
faith, to teach, to exhort, to correct, and to lead in the ways of
godliness.
