Identifying The Church Jesus Built

Is a church organized according to the N.T. Pattern? Identifying The Church Jesus Built • Why be concerned about “Church Organization?” • Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . • Examining some ‘unscriptural” forms of organization . . . W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Christian Methodist Baptist Mormon Identifying The Church Jesus Built “The seed is the Word of God” (Luke 8:11) • The Bible Alone • Bible + Methodist Discipline • Bible + Baptist Manual • Bible + Book of Mormon Denominationalism necessitates different seeds! Men have tampered with the seed!! W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built The Falling Away Step #5 Arch Bishops – Step #6 POPE – Boniface III 606 AD Step #4 Diocesan Bishop - Step #3 Metropolitan Bishops – Step #2 Elder – Bishop distinction Step #1 Presiding elder Elders Elders Elders Elders Elders Elders Elders Elders Original W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Attempt At Reformation Martin Luther – (1517) Church of England (1534) John Smyth Baptist (1608) Joseph Smith Mormon (1830) Over 3,000 mainline churches TODAY Augsburg Confession (1530) John Calvin Presbyterian (1560) John Wesley Methodist (1737) Ellen G. White Adventism (1844) W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Attempt At Restoration Most everyone is in agreement that such a state of division is not good! But what can be done about it? • Three Proposed ways to obtain unity: • Catholicism – Accept the authority of the Roman Catholic Church – even though there is very little resemblance to what we find in the NT. • Interdenominationalism – Unity in the absence of following a divine pattern of organization, doctrine, and worship. • Restoration – Returning to the divine pattern revealed in the NT – in organization, doctrine, and worship. W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Why be concerned about “Organization?” Jesus (The Head) • Apostasy often begins with changes in organization... • We want to be united upon the scriptural pattern. • The Organization of a local church is a means of identification. • Organization reveals purpose... Speaks through the apostles in the New Testament BECAUSE Elders Elders Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . Compile all references to the subject including direct statements, approved actions, and necessary implications. Putting it all together W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . Compile all references to the subject including direct statements, approved actions, and necessary implications. Philip. 1:1 (NKJV) Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: saints bishops deacons W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . Compile all references to the subject including direct statements, approved actions, and necessary implications. Ephes. 4:11 (NKJV) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . • Each emphasizing a different aspect of the work and function pertaining to the office. • Elder - [presbuteros] denotes age and seasoned wisdom that belong to its experiences. Acts 20:17; 1 Pet 5:1 • Bishop– [episkopos] – Denotes the overseeing function – Not legislative, but leading and enforcing within the Law of God – Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2; (Heb 13:7,17) • Pastor, shepherd – [poimen] – Emphasizes the care, watching and feeding of the flock of God. – Act 20:28; Ep 4:11; 1 Pet 5:2 The terms elder, bishop & pastor W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority 1 Peter 5:1-2 (NKJV) 1The elders (presbuteros), who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2Shepherd (poimen), the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, (episkopos), W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority Acts 20:28 (NKJV) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (cf. Acts 20:17) W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority Plural in the singular (cf. Gal 3:16) Acts 14:23 (NKJV) So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority Plural in the singular (cf. Gal 3:16) Titus 1:5 (NKJV) For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you-- Those who met the qualifications (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . (Barnes New Testament Notes on Acts 14:23) The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority Plural in the singular (cf. Gal 3:16) It is implied here that there were elders ineach church; that is, that in each church there was more than one. . . . Titus 1:5, "I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain elders in every city." Acts 20:17, "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church." It could not mean, therefore, that they appointed a single minister or pastor to each church, but they committed the whole affairs of the church to a bench of elders. W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Establishing the N.T. Pattern . . . Elders Elders The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority Plural in the singular (cf. Gal 3:16) Elders Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built ‘Unscriptural” forms of organization . . . There are many unscriptural forms of church organization today W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Petoskey United Methodist Church W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

St. Stephanus Lutheran Church: Organization Chart W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized the same way that Christ organized His Church in New Testament times.” • The Church is led by a president and prophet, currently Gordon B. Hinckley. • The President has two counselors, and these three leaders constitute the First Presidency. • The First Presidency is assisted by Twelve Apostles, who are special witnesses of Jesus Christ to all the world. • Leaders called Seventies assist the Twelve Apostles and serve in various locations throughout the world. • Local congregations are led by bishops. W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Ministry Contact Info W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built ‘Unscriptural” forms of organization . . . Elders Work To Be Done Elders Missionary Society Elders Sponsoring Church Elders Work To Be Done Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built ‘Scriptural” forms of organization . . . • Direct – • Does not relinquish oversight of work – • Does not infringe upon the autonomy of the local church - • Scriptural – • It works - Elders Scriptural pattern Phili 4:15-18 W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Identifying The Church Jesus Built Conclusion Elders Elders The terms elder, bishop & pastor The scope of their authority Plural in the singular (cf. Gal 3:16) Elders Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Bishops over a plurality of congregation’s Elders NOT This A Bishop over a plurality of congregation’s Bishop Identifying The Church Jesus Built Conclusion Elders Elders THIS Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

A group over a plurality of congregation’s Council Identifying The Church Jesus Built Conclusion A single man over a single congregation Elders Pastor Elders THIS NOT This Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Conclusion Jesus (The Head) • Apostasy often begins with changes in organization... • We want to be united upon the scriptural pattern. • The Organization of a local church is a means of identification. • Organization reveals purpose... Speaks through the apostles in the New Testament Elders Elders Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built Conclusion Jesus (The Head) • A failure to respect the divine pattern of church organization: • Reflects our attitude toward the Lord & His pattern. • Fails to respect its divine purpose • Opens the door for widespread apostasy. Speaks through the apostles in the New Testament Elders Elders Elders Elders W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

W. 65th St church of Christ - 8-29-04

Identifying The Church Jesus Built