Introduction – God continues to
bless our fellowship with many new people, coming from a variety of church
backgrounds, with a variety of assumptions about what a church ought to be and
do. While many answers to how EEF
distinctly answers these questions can be found in our constitution, it is good
for us together to regularly examine the scriptures and let the Word of God
instruct us as to why and how we exist.
Our goal is not to simply remind or refresh ourselves, but to exhort us
in the promises and commands of the Lord with regard to His body, the church.
Where’s the Head? (
“firstborn over
all creation” – Christ is not firstborn in the sense of being
created. He holds the office of
firstborn, having inheritance rights over everything. And this is because He created all things (v
16, see also John 1:3).
“head of the
body, the church…” – While Christ already has rights over
everything, He has a particular rule over the church as a head does over a body. We are not only His by creation rights, but
by rights of redemption and covenant.
These rights are supreme.
Authority Given, Men Sent (Matt
28:16-20) –That’s not to say that authority is not delegated from the
Head. As Christ prepared to ascend to
His throne, He charged His apostles by this preeminent authority to build His
church by discipling the nations. These
apostles joined with the previous prophets in laying the foundation for the
church (Eph 2:9-22). Their particular
authority was authenticated by signs and wonders (2 Cor 2:12), and this
authority included the ability to speak the very words of God.
A well-ordered
church, then, submits to Christ only, as its supreme authority, and to the
teaching of Scriptures written by God’s prophets and apostles as Christ’s Word.
Appointments for the Church
– It is interesting to note that the apostles never took it upon themselves to
appoint other men as apostles (the one exception being to replace Judas in Acts
1). Paul, for instance, takes Timothy to
serve with him, and yet Timothy is not made an apostle (Col 1:1). As churches are formed, elders are appointed,
an office of ministry that would be perpetuated (Acts 14:23,
Titus 1:5)
Plurality of Leaders – When elders are
serving in a church in the New Testament, you always see a plurality of leaders
(another example – Acts 20:17). These
leaders may be called elders (presbuteros), bishops or overseers (episkopos),
and ones who shepherd or pastor (poimen). These terms are used interchangeably and do
not distinguish any sort of hierarchy, although they do help describe their
function.
This also points out the fact
that elders serve together in session.
There is not a ‘senior pastor’ who reports to his board of
directors. They are all pastors, bishops,
overseers, elders.
Overseers are
Undershepherds (1 Pet 5:1-4) – The office of elder is not to be sought or held
as a titular or honorific title. This is
a position of shepherding, of serving, of protecting, of teaching, and of being
an example. There are doctrinal and
character qualifications for all of the elders, not only those who serve
vocationally. And then, having
qualified, the elder has an organic relationship to the church members in a
similar manner to the organic relationship of Christ to His body.
The Relationship of Members to Elders
(Heb 13:7, 17) – They must know you, and you must know them. You must look to your elders to be examples
whose lives you follow. They must know
you and give an account for you by name.
Therefore, just as there must be a known list of elders, there should be
a known list of members. You are to be
connected.
The Relationship of the Church Particular to the Church
General (Eph 4:1-6) – We cannot think of ourselves as
autonomous, independent people. Also, we
cannot think of our church as a disconnected, autonomous, independent
gathering. The word ‘church’ in the
singular can be used of many gatherings (as in Acts 8:1). Our association into the CRE is not to form
another denomination as much as it is to eliminate 11 one-church
denominations. There, elders gather to
guard one another in the doctrines of the local churches, while striving
together for greater unity of faith and praying for reformation in our land.
The Purpose of it All (Eph 4:11-16) – This
has all been established by our Head so that we might grow up into our Head; so
that we might be conformed to Christ.
Our worship, our evangelism, our discipleship, our manner of loving one
another, has been given to us under the authority of the church, not a
fragmented system of para-church ministries, programs and rallies. The church has neglected her duties, despised
her offices, and muddled her message.
But when God grants true reformation, it will come through the church.