The Church: Oversight -Elders and Deacons (part 15)

The Worship Space and History of Ecclesial Hierarchy 

It is a historical fact that churches met in houses up and met in circles (or squares) face to face until the Constantinian shift. Following this entanglement and merge we see churches beginning to meet in buildings that were very similar to the pagan temples if not repurposing the pagan temples. A lot of our thoughts of leadership and church rule derives from a stage and positions of prominence based on the basilica format of the church building. Rather than a circle of equal believers we now have a hierarchy which occupies a stage and the location of the pulpit and altar equals power and authority which God never intended. Even today this plays into the elevating of certain people who stand on the stage over other brothers and sisters. 

Words of Positional Authority 

• arche (a rank-and-file leader, head, or ruler) 

• time (an officer or dignitary) 

• telos (the inherent power of a ruler or tribute to a ruler) 

• archisunagogos (a synagogue official) • hazzan (a public leader or worship) 

• taxis (a post, position, or rank) 

• hierateia (a priest’s office) 

• archon (a ruler or chief) 

Yet not even one of these is used of any leader in the NT church in the Bible. The favorite term used of those providing oversight is diakonos from which we get deacon, but it means servant or table-waiter. 

What is an Elder? 1 Tim 3:1-7 Titus 1:5-11 1 Peter 5:1-8 Hebrews 13:7, 17 1 Tim 5:17-22 

“Appointing Elders” One thing lacking when you look at the NT is the appointing of elders at the planting of the church. The apostle might stay for a little while but usually he’d plant the church, train, and return at a later time to “recognize” elders- those who were mature in the Lord. 

Who does Paul address in his Epistles to? If Elder was a position of hierarchy and authority you’d think that Paul would address his epistles to the “leaders”- the pastors and elders or deacons or bishops - but he never does. 

What is a Deacon? Acts 6:1-6 1 Tim 3:8-13 Romans 16:1-2 

Decision making in the Early Church Acts 15:22-26 

All in all, the New Testament knows nothing of an authoritative mode of leadership. Nor does it know a “leaderless” individualism. It rejects both hierarchical structures as well as rugged individualism. Instead, the New Testament envisions leadership as coming from the entire church. The brothers and sisters supply direction and decision-making by consensus. Seasoned brothers and sisters supply oversight. In this way, the early churches were guided democracies. Decision-making was communal. It stood between hierarchical structures on the one hand and individualism on the other. Elders and leaders were called to exercise pastoral oversight in the context of mutual subjection rather than in a hierarchical structure of subordination. 

Elder Conclusions o Elders were simply old and wise person of character o They had the function of teaching and discipling the less mature brothers and sisters in a motherly/fatherly mentoring role and the mature in an iron sharpening iron role o They eldered, shepherded, and oversaw… this was their character, function, and gifting not their office. o They are among the flock not over the flock o All language of positional authority is absent when talking of eldering in the NT 

Deacon Conclusions o Deacon-ing was complete service and servanthood, void of positional power. o They do good works in the public eye that reflect back on the body of Christ and Christ himself so they must be of Christlike character and good reputation. o They are servant ambassadors.