Biblical Roles: Apostles (Part 3)

Mother

“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.” (1 Thessalonians 2:7)

Paul was not only a father to the churches, urging them on, but he was also a mother to them, tenderly caring for their condition. Paul’s care was not for the “church” but for the people of the “church”. Paul cared for them, not because it was his “job” but because he genuinely cared and loved them. Paul’s heart was bent towards them and he delighted when he was able to be with them. In his letter to the Romans he told them, “For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.” (Romans 1:11-12) And in his letter to the Philippians he said, “For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8) Paul’s care for them flowed out of the love and affection he had for them in Christ Jesus.

Apostles have a mother’s heart for the people of God. Their concern for the churches is constant, even when they are absent. Paul write of his daily concern for the churches, “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?” (2 Corinthians 11:28-29) When absent, they bear the burden of concern. When present, they are gentle in their care.

Conflict Resolution

“I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.” (3 John 9-10)

There are times when, in the life of a church, things can go awry. Often this is the result of sin and pride, and most often it is sin and pride within the leadership of a church. Paul warned the elders of the church at Ephesus, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30) Notice that Paul told them that the wolves would arise from amongst the elders. Many times, the problems that can destroy a church are problems within the eldership. In times such as these, apostolic ministry can be a lifesaver to a church. It is times like these that apostles can step in and, with their authority in Christ, set things right and restore order to the church. “For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.” (2 Corinthians 7:11)

David Robison

Biblical Roles: Apostles (Part 2)

Father

“For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15)

Paul was a spiritual father to individuals, such as Timothy, but he was also a father to churches. Paul reminds the church at Corinth that he had become their father in the spirit because he was the one who brought the gospel of Christ to them and he lead them to new life in Jesus; he birthed them and he fathered them. While many would come and minister to the believers in Corinth, they would never replace Paul nor the place he held in their hearts and lives.

Apostles are fathers to churches. Either because they were the one who brought them the gospel and “birthed” the church or because of the relationships they formed with those in the church. Many churches today are birthed without any apostolic involvement from the beginning, but this does not mean that they cannot be fathered. Many churches today are seeing the need for fathers and are reaching out to apostolic people and ministries to receive the fatherly ministry that the church needs. So what does it mean to be a father to a church?

“You know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

A father exhorts and encourages his children to reach their full potential. He encourages them to be the people who Jesus has called them to be. He does not caudle them in their weakness but implores them to rise up in the strength of Christ and overcome their weakness. He does not excuse them when they sin; rather he calls them to repentance and holiness. As a father, he is like a coach that is able to inspire, motivate, and provoke his children to give and be more than they ever though they could give or be.

“For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” (Acts 20:27)

A father tells his children what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. A father, in love, tells it like it is. One of the hardest parts of growing up is hearing things about ourselves that we don’t want to hear. While the truth can set us free, it often hurts first. Before we can receive the forgiveness that is in the gospel, we must first receive what the gospel has to say about us being sinners. None of us likes to see our children hurting, but we also know that sometimes the sorrow of God must first precede the life of God. A father does not shrink back from telling the truth, from telling us what we really need to hear.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Fathers bring discipline. No child ever grew to maturity without discipline. It is through discipline and instruction that we bring our lives into conformity with the image of Christ. A father’s discipline should never be the result of anger but rather should always be exercised with the best interests of the child in mind. A good father disciplines his child out of a desire to see his child grow and mature. It is for this reason that our heavenly Father disciplines us. “For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10) Fathers discipline because of the hope and certainty they have for what their children can and are called to be, therefore, they discipline in hope not anger.

More to come… David Robison

Biblical Roles: Apostles (Part 1)

The role of the Apostle

“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas -- Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, and they sent this letter by them, ‘The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.’” (Acts 15:22-23)

I believe that in this verse, Paul outlines the governmental structure for the church: the Apostles, the Elders, and the Brethren. In this post (and those to come) we will look at some of the roles of the Apostles. This list is not exhaustive, but contains some of the role I believe to be important.

Master Builder

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

As a “master builder,” Paul describes himself as one who oversees the building of the church. While Paul did not oversee every little aspect in the church, his role was as an architect. He was concerned with what the church was to become, and as such, his chief focus was upon the foundation. The foundation determines the extent of what can be build upon it. If you have a small foundation or if it is build with inferior material, then only a small building may be build upon it, but if the foundation is laid upon a rock and built with superior material, then there is no limit to the structure that may be built. Jesus put it this way, “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.” (Luke 6:47-48 NKJV)

One of the roles of an apostle is as a master builder. In this role, an apostle is responsible for laying a solid foundation in the church. Paul makes clear that the foundation they are to lay is Jesus Christ. They are not concerned with establishing a denomination or with teaching sectarian aspects of one or another sect of Christianity. Their main concern is seeing Jesus Christ established at the center of every believer’s heart and at the center of every local expression of the Body of Christ. Apostles understand that, unless Jesus is the foundation of everything we do, then all our works will be like those built upon the sand and whose end will be, “the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:49)

In laying a foundation, an apostle also understands that a foundation is not what you know, but what you do. Jesus said that the man who laid a solid foundation was one who “comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them.” (Luke 6:47) An apostle is not as concerned with changing someone’s doctrine as they are with changing someone’s way of life. They want to see people’s life changed and they want to see all believers come into conformance to the image of Christ. Paul put it this way, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19) As a master builder, they are concerned with the heart, not the mind. They are concerned with transformation not education. They are concerned with the foundation not the outward appearance of the building.

More to come… David Robison

Service: An Elder's Function (Part 4)

Provide Counsel to Those Over Them

“King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, ‘How do you counsel me to answer this people?’ Then they spoke to him, saying, ‘If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.’ But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.” (1 Kings 12:6)

The book of Acts describes the authority structure in the church as, “the apostles, the elders, and the brethren.” (Acts 15:23 NKJV) While the subject of apostles is beyond the scope of this article, it is important to note that the main ministry of apostles is to “devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4) More than apostles, elders tend to be more directly involved in the lives of those entrusted to them. Because of their association with the people of God, they tend to have greater insight to the condition of the flock and the needs of the people. This insight can prove to be a valuable asset to the principle ministries leading or overseeing a church. They are uniquely qualified to provide counsel as to the needs of the people and how people are being affected by the ministries within the church.

At the reunion of Jacob and Esau, Esau offered to let his men lead and escort Jacob's sons, wives, and livestock back home. Jacob turned down the offer, saying, “But he said to him, ‘My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die.’” (Genesis 33:13) Jacob reminded Esau of the needs of his flock. He was concerned for their health and well being. In the same way, elders should look out for the needs of the people. Their voice should be the voice of the people. They should be the eyes and ears of the apostolic ministry among the people. Together, elders and apostles can prove to be a dynamic team to shepherd and care for the people of God.

David Robison

Service: An Elder's Function (Part 1)

There are a number of practical ways which elders extend care to the people of God. I will list just of few of them found in the scriptures.

Teaching

“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17)

“An overseer, then, must be … able to teach.” (1 Timothy 3:2)

Jesus spoke of a faithful servant who was put in charge of his master's household to, “Give them their food at the proper time” (Matthew 24:45). An elder's teaching ministry is very much like the ministry of that servant. Elders are called to feed the people of God with the Word of God. Their teaching ministry should not only give the saints an appreciation for God's Word, but also help them to see themselves in the Word and to learn how to apply the Word of God to their lives. Their ministry is very much like the ministry of the elders in the day of Ezra.

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up... also... the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. And they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.” (Nehemiah 8:5-8)

The teaching ministry of elders is not the laying down of doctrine; this is the role of the apostles and prophets. Their role is to take the word as it is preached and to “translate” it to the people. To help them understand how it applies to their lives and to help them to grasp the word and to graft it into their lives.

Praying for the Sick

“Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” (James 5:14-15)

An elder's care for the flock of God should not be limited to the spiritual needs of the people, but rather their care should extend to the whole person; body, soul, and spirit. Elders should not allow themselves to become isolated or insulated from the people. Elders are called to both celebrate with those experiencing the triumphs of life, and to help and comfort those experiencing the disappointments and the losses of life. Jesus shared life with those whom He was with. He was found both at the wedding in Cana and at the widow’s son’s funeral. He healed the sick and blessed the children. Jesus did not hide himself away in a monastery, seeking life-long solitude with God, rather he was found with the people, seeking to help them in this journey called life. Elders, likewise, are called to be involved in the lives of people, to be open, approachable, and personable. One of the ways that elders minister to the physical needs of the saints is though their prayers for them when they are sick. Praying for the sick in one of the ways that the genuine care they have for the people of God is expressly felt by those under their care.

David Robison

Superintendency: An Elder's Role

The New Testament writers used two different Greek words interchangeably when referring to elders. The first word, “presbuteros”, is normally translated “elder” and was used to reflect the honor the people held for their leaders. This is the same word from which we get our English word “presbytery” and “presbyter.” The second word, “episkopos”, is normally translated “bishop” or “overseer.” This is the same word from which we get our English word “Episcopal” and “Episcopalian.” The definition of this word has to do more with function than with honor. An elder can be defined as,

“An overseer, a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian, or superintendent.” (Joseph Henry Thayer)

When defining “superintendent”, Noah Webster adds the notion that such a person has authority to direct the actions of others as to what should be done and how it should be done. A superintendent’s role is to ensure that what needs to be done is done and done properly. Elders function in this kind of supportive role. Their job is to insure that the will and plans of another are properly carried out. An elder's role in the church is very similar to the role of a vice-president of a corporation. It is the responsibility of the vice-president to insure that the directions of the president are carried out in a manner consistent with his (or her) policies.

While Moses’ main problem was the multitude of people he was called to shepherd, Paul faced a different problem. Paul’s major problem was not the number of churches for which he cared, but rather the distance between them. Often it was several months, or even years, between visits to the different churches under his care. Paul could not personally care for the day-to-day needs of the individual churches. Paul's solution was to establish leadership in the local churches through whom he could extend his care and love for the people of God. “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (Acts 14:21, 23)

In appointing elders, Paul was not relinquishing his care and authority for the church to them, but rather he was extending his care, authority, and anointing through them. Their authority came from Paul and they themselves were subject to him. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, rebuking them for not disciplining one of their members, he said that his main purpose in writing was to test their obedience to him. “For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.” (2 Corinthians 2:9) Paul goes on to say that they had passed the test with “flying colors.” “For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:11-12)

The idea of being obedient to another and being earnest on another's behalf is odious to many in our generation. We like autonomy. We like having it our way. We don't want someone else telling us what to do or how to do it. Today, many pastors are held hostage by their “elders” and their board of directors. Instead of being extensions of the authority placed by God in the local church, many elders have rebelled and sought to impose their ways and agendas upon the church. As those who are called to superintend the work of God, we must once again recognize the apostolic authority which God has placed in the church and begin to subject ourselves to it, allowing God to use us as an extension of the pastor's ministry.

David Robison

Delegated: An Elder's Authority

One of the problems the church has faced down through the ages is how to care for the multitude of believers. There has always been a shortage of leaders and an abundance of believers. Moses faced this problem when he was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness. Within a very short period of time, Moses went from tending sheep to shepherding a nation of about three million. The burden of caring for them began to wear him out. In his frustration and weariness, he complained to the Lord for some help. “So Moses said to the Lord, ‘Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.’” (Numbers 11:11, 14-15)

Over the years, I have met many Christian leaders who felt very much like Moses. They are continually confronted with the enormity of the work and the smallness of their strength. Fortunately, God had a plan for Moses. God directed Moses to gather some men to help him in his work. “The Lord therefore said to Moses, ‘Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.’” (Numbers 11:16-17) God's plan was to provide Moses with men who would help shoulder the burden of the people. These men, who were the elders of the people, aided Moses in governing the people.

It is important to understand that these men operated in an “under shepherd” capacity. Their authority and anointing came from Moses. God could have given them their own anointing, but instead He took some from Moses and gave it to them. In the same way, elders do not function from their own authority and anointing; rather, they function with delegated authority. Today, an elder’s authority does not come from Moses but rather directly from Jesus. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.” (Hebrews 3:1-2) Elders receive an anointing and authority that is delegated them from Jesus. It is not an authority that they take for themselves rather it is apportioned to them by Jesus. There are many Christians who function today as elders who have never been formally ordained as such. While they have never had hands laid on them, they are elders none the less and carry a delegated authority from Jesus.

While elders are not necessarily ordained as such, Paul did appoint elders in the churches he started. “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (Acts 14:23) “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” (Titus 1:5) The appointing of elders is primarily an apostolic delegation of authority to lead and govern the church. In this case the elders function as an extension of both the authority and the function of the apostolic ministry. Either way, an elder’s authority is delegated authority and their authority ultimately comes from Jesus Himself.

More to come… David Robison