Offices Of The Church
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OFFICES OF THE CHURCH
(Ecclesiology : Doctrine Of The Church)
SECTION 1: TITLES OF PASTORS
1. Pastor Is From Greek That Means Shepherd
Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
* to take care of people who are the sheep
a. Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
2. Elders
1 Peter 5:1-2 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3. Bishop
Titus 1:5-7 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
SECTION 2: QUALIFICATIONS OF A PASTOR
1. He Must Do It With All Of His Heart
1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
2. He Must Be A Man
1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
3. He's Got To Have A Good Testimony, Blameless
1 Timothy 3:2-3 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4. He Must Have Good Control Over His Family
1 Timothy 3:4-5 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
5. He Must Not Be A Novice
1 Timothy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
6. He Must Have A Good Report Among The People
1 Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
7. They Must Be Consistent As Much As They Should Be
1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
SECTION 3: PERSONAL LIFE OF PASTORS
1. He Must Pray For The Sake Of His People
1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
2. He Must Have A Passion For Souls
Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
3. He Must Be Humble, Not Self Willed
T
itus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
4. He Must Be An Example For His Flock To Follow
1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
5. He Must Sacrifice For The People Though They Don't Want To Sacrifice For Him
2 Corinthians 12:14-15 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
SECTION 4: DUTIES OF A PASTOR
1. He Must Give The Whole Council Of God
Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
2. He Must Feed The Flock
1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3. He Must Guard The People From Wrong Doctrine
Titus 1:7, 9-11 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
4. He Must Preach The Word
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
5. He Must Reprove Sins
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
6. He Must Adapt To The People To Bring Them To Christ
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
SECTION 5: TREATMENT TOWARDS PASTORS
1. To Respect And Love Them
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
2. To Obey Them
Hebrews 13:7, 17 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
3. Pray For Them
Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
4. Follow Their Examples
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
5. Provide Their Physical Needs
1 Timothy 5:17-18 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
1. They Teach Wrong Doctrine
Romans 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
2. If They Act Like Lords Over God's People
1 Peter 5:2-3 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
3. Dominating People To Serve God, Pastor's Are To Help The People
2 Corinthians 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
4. Depending On The Life Their Live
Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
SECTION 7: ORGANISATION OF OFFICES
1. The Only Office In The Bible Beside The Pastor Is The Deacon
Philipians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
* Deacon is translated as servant in greek
2. The Qualifications Of A Deacon Is Similar To A Pastor
1 Timothy 3:8-13 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
3. Depending On The Size Of The Church, There Can Be More Pastors And Deacons Involved
Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
4. The First Christian Church In The Bible Had Several Pastors And James Was The Senior Pastor Who Finalized The Decision
Acts 15:2-3, 22-33 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
5. A Person Is Ordained By The Laying Of Hands For A Specific Church Work Through Recognition Of Church Leaders
Acts 6:3-6 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.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 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:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Acts 13:1-3 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
6. Whoever Is Hasty To Ordain A Person By Laying Of Hands Is In Danger Of Having A Wrong Leader And Becomes A Partaker Of His Sins
1 Timothy 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
7. If A Pastor Has Committed Wrong, A Christian Cannot Take Action Against Him Unless He Has At Least One Supporter
1 Timothy 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
8. One Is To Reject The Pastor, If He Does Not Change
Titus 3:10-11 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.