Church Leadership—Part 7 Responsibilities & Qualifications ...

1 Thus far, this series has presented leadership plans along with insights about Church leaders. y Part 1 gave an overview of various types of Church leadership (congregational, presbyterian, elder board rule, senior pastor, house Church , professional clergy, and plurality of elders). y Part 2 noted the interchangeability of the terms elder, overseer, bishop, shepherd, pastor and demonstrated that these terms are scriptural names for the same group of Church leaders. y Part 3 indicated that the New Testament pattern of Church leadership was a plurality of elders who jointly provided spiritual oversight in and for a Church family. y Part 4 reviewed singular leaders in the Bible as well as when and how the singular leader concept was introduced to the Church . y Part 5 focused on the most important aspect of Church leadership, the fact that Jesus Christ is the Head of His Church .

2 Y Part 6 reviewed a Church leader s personal characteristics, all of which are the predictable results of faithful growth in Christ. Responsibilities OF Church LEADERS Part 6 highlighted common characteristics of believers growing in Christ. For example, all believers are spiritually gifted to minister in ways that build up the Body of Christ and bring glory to God. While ministering to and with others, some believers will shepherd (care for) other believers. In practical terms, some women will disciple other women, and some men will disciple other men and provide spiritual oversight for other families in addition to their own. Biblical discipleship involves loving, teaching, admonishing, leading, restoring, encouraging, protecting, edifying, praying for, and serving others in the Body of Christ. All believers are to build up one another (Romans 14:19) and, in the process, demonstrate the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:23-24).

3 Romans 14:19, So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Colossians 3:23-24, Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. A Christian who disciples other believers is actually exercising some leadership Responsibilities yet may never be recognized publicly as an elder/pastor. For example, the following verses describe Christ-like growth and are applicable to every believer, whether new converts or Church leaders. Matthew 20:25-28, But Jesus called them to Himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

4 Philippians 2:1-4, Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22, We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus.

5 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. Responsibilities and Qualifications of Church Leaders 2014 WordTruth, Inc Verses taken from the New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Church Leadership Part 7 Responsibilities & Qualifications of Church Leaders See Body Life: Healthy or Sick? at God also graciously gifts each believer. This giftedness is for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) and is provided by God s sovereign design (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11). 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

6 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Romans 12:3-8, For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

7 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. Because every believer s spiritually gifted ministry is vital to God s plan for His Church to grow as it should (Ephesians 4:11-16), all believers, including elders, are to minister in accordance with their spiritual giftedness (1 Peter 4:10-11). Effective ministry is accomplished through spiritual giftedness and not because of a title, job description, or congregational expectations.

8 Ephesians 4:11-16, And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

9 1 Peter 4:10-11, As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. A believer who doesn t use his spiritual giftedness to serve others or who persistently tries to minister in areas in which he is not spiritually gifted is not following God s plan for the Church (1 Corinthians 12:4-7 and Ephesians 4:16 printed above). Such a believer would not be qualified to serve as an elder. A prospective elder is to minister in accordance with his spiritual giftedness. A prospective elder must also have a faithful and effective ministry of biblical teaching.

10 This does not mean that he must preach sermons or teach weekly Bible lessons. His ability to teach accurately and understandably could be demonstrated in small group settings in which Scripture is studied or in biblical counseling situations. Scripture does not indicate he will receive a different or greater spiritual gift when recognized publicly as an elder. Instead, an elder s gifted ministry, exercised in a cooperative fashion with others in the Church , is essentially the same throughout his lifetime. If an elder s specific ministry does change after being recognized publicly as an elder, it is only because God has granted corresponding spiritual giftedness for increasing service to others. Beyond fulfilling Responsibilities common to every believer, a Church s recognized elders (pastors) have additional oversight Responsibilities as the following passages indicate.