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The Christian religion is the worship and service of Jesus Christ. It’s not Mary we worship, but her Son. We worship neither saints, angels, a law code, nor even God’s Spirit. It’s JESUS who is to be honored. The Bible is our guide. |
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Who Should Teach? And How?
David Bayless inquires -- Date sent: Fri, 19 Dec 1997
From: David and Carol Bayless <davidb@amazon.com.br>
To: Ray Downen <outreach@sofnet.com>
Subject: What I think [as requested by Ray]The Biblical Work of the Elder --
The Protection of the Flock
Comments on Ephesians 4:11-16 by David M. BaylessJesus put elders (also called pastors) and evangelists in the leadership of His churches. Most of us know that the elders' work is to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:28).
What most don't know is how they are to go about it. This at least includes preparing God's people to do the work. If you are an elder or evangelist, and are preparing the members of the church to build it up, you are fulfilling your duty before God. If you are not preparing the members, you should begin immediately, for you have not been fulfilling your scriptural responsibility.
Are you part of a "New Testament church"? According to the New Testament (Eph. 4:11-16) those who build up the body of Christ are the Christians. The elder's (pastor's -- and evangelist's) job is to show them how. The idea of just one doing everything, which we usually practice, came to us from Catholicism via Protestantism. You have to decide whether to follow God or men.
What has to be done so "we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God"? This is explained in verse 12: "prepare God's people for works of service." As a result of this work, done by the Christians, the church is built up and reaches "unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God." It is built up by the members, who in the New Testament church were (are) trained and encouraged by the elders and evangelists in doing it. The apostles and prophets also had this job, but they aren't with us any longer, so we'll have to get along without them. But we do have their written instructions, which they modeled, leaving us without excuse for not practicing them. But instead, we usually do something else, while some of us call ourselves a "restoration movement"!
Preparation to build up the church naturally brings "unity in the faith." There isn't any doubt about what prepared people believe. No one knocks down one of these prepared Christians. The same preparation also produces unity in knowing Jesus (v. 13). Those who are prepared know Him: they know what He is like, what He wants, and what He would do or say in a given situation.
Unity in the faith and knowing Jesus produce maturity (v.13). Of course we should mature. Not to would be unnatural-- as abnormal as a child's not wanting to grow up. There are societies in which the children's heads or feet are wrapped in such a way that they cannot grow normally. Many churches do the same thing spiritually to their members. The way to avoid this is through maturity, resulting from unity in the faith and in knowing Jesus. And these are the result of preparation--nothing else. Classes can't accomplish it; preaching probably won't. Preaching can stimulate to love and good works once the people are prepared, and ought to be used for that purpose.
The elders and evangelists must show other Christians how to do whatever they will be developing in their preparation. Many lament over the absurdity of sending a highly trained professional Bible teacher and perhaps evangelist to make hospital calls. Train someone to do it! Take people and show them how to evangelize, until they can do it alone and teach others. This can't be learned in a class. The only rationale for the common practice is the Protestant, non-biblical concept of the clergy that most of us practice, even while we may deny doing so.
Could it be possible to "attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ"? Paul presents it as possible. In fact he expects it (v. 13), as one of the results of preparing God's people to build up the church. This is, then, the way to have a church composed of people who are like Christ!
If we are serious about expanding the kingdom of Christ, and if we really believe there is a New Testament church, or that there could be one, we will have to return to Biblical principles. What we need is a movement to restore the church of the New Testament. It's senseless to keep talking about a restoration movement, as many of us in Christian Churches/Churches of Christ do, unless we are practicing it. There is plenty yet to restore. The concept of the Christians' training and encouragement to work for Jesus is one area which has been almost universally ignored.
This text in Ephesians indicates that God expects everyone in the church to come to unity of faith and knowledge of Christ, through preparation. Our highly trained professionals haven't been trained to equip them. Often we have been taught to do everything FOR the congregation rather than teaching and encouraging each to go to work. We've asked them to PAY while WE do the work! It will be necessary to rethink Bible teaching and learn how to do things as early Christians did. This is not in the nature of a Bible college. Our leaders will have to learn it somewhere else. A few churches, in which internships would be possible, have discovered efficient equipping, and would probably be willing to show others how.
Paul identifies the unprepared people in the church as infants. Having been born again, this is natural. But it is tragic to still be infants 45 years later. Unprepared church members are attracted by the most absurd doctrines. Paul says one progresses from infancy to maturity by reaching unity in the faith and in knowing Jesus. Until the Christian reaches maturity he is subject to being tossed back and forth and blown about by every false teaching. There are many cunning and crafty "wolves" out there looking for weak members. And the unprepared church is made up of just that kind of people! What a harvest field for the false prophet! Mind-control cults, such as the Boston Church of Christ and many others, are after them. And they're getting and devastating many who are looking for something besides infancy. Should we be surprised, though, if people are taken in by a group which offers preparation and expects something of them?
But there is an alternative. The Christians can learn to speak the truth. This is the way to grow up (v. 15). It takes training--showing them how. This is the only way to teach Christian work; there isn't any other. This is the way to grow up-- the Christian way. From Christ the body grows and builds itself up in love (v. 16). This building up isn't mainly the result of the professional's work. He can't possibly win more than a few dozen each year, and that many would be amazing. But three to ten people could bring in dozens; 20 to 100 prepared people could bring in hundreds! This multiplication would be a start toward fulfilling the Great Commission. It is the only method that offers any hope of it. Simply adding members usually doesn't do more than cover the annual membership losses, and many churches are dwindling and dying.
"Each part does its work," Paul says. It's sad to hear the church saying, "That's what we pay the preacher for." Teaching these scriptural instructions will cause many to reply, "Work?! What work?" But Jesus is the head--head of the working body. When the body doesn't obey the head the result is convulsion. It's not hard to see why some churches are in convulsion. People are tired of just "going to church" all the time. If the main purpose of the meetings is to keep the meetings going, thinking people are going to look for something with more purpose. Wouldn't you?
The body is joined and held together by the preparation the evangelists and elders give in the New Testament church. It's the whole body that is joined and held together--not just one or two in the church, or the staff. The church is united because everybody is working toward the same end.
It's hard to have division in a prepared church with a common purpose. The growth God wants depends on every part's doing its work. The development is "in love"--love for Christ and love for one another. Love is the motivation, and development is the result of preparation. This is the best protection that a leader can give the church that God has entrusted to him. This is the best way to protect the flock.
This being how things are in God's plan, what should you be doing? Your church could be a New Testament church. Resolve to be a leader in the Biblical style. Accept the Biblical truth that building up the church is the proper work of all the Christians. Learn to prepare the members to do it. Seek to mature and prepare others so they can mature. If you have the title of elder but are not prepared for anything, repent and get prepared. Read, study, and observe in order to learn how to equip the Christians. Work at whatever you know how to do. Let's be serious about building and restoring! -- David
Should your comments by added to this study?
Brief Bible Study #78-B from Ray Downen. To go
back to Viewpoint's first page, click < here. Or go on to Viewpoint Study #79. Earlier articles on a similar subject are also available if you found this interesting.For Ray's concluding remarks, click HERE.