ATTEMPT TO MAKE SENSE OF CONGREGATINAL “OFFICES”

Biblical Example

Evangelical Example
House Church Example

Five kinds of persons given to churches Ep 4:11

  • Apostles, start new & develop congregations Ac 14
  • Prophets, speak to encourage and strengthen 1Co 14
  • Evangelists, make known the Good News, Ac 9
  • Shepherds, lead and serve congregations Ac 20
  • Teachers, help disciples to obey Christ Mt 28

Five kinds of evangelical ministers

  • Missionary
  • Pulpit preacher
  • Public orator
  • Staff member
  • Lecturer


Five kinds of house church advocates

  • House church planter
  • Believers speaking one to another
  • Soul winners
  • Spending time discipling others
  • Leading Bible application discussions

Apostles

  • First 12 commissioned by Jesus
  • Others sent by prophets and teachers Ac 13
  • Establish training chains 2Ti 2.2
  • Report to sending church Ac 14

Missionaries

  • Appointed by parachurch organization
  • Sent by general director
  • Establish formal Bible schools
  • Raise funds from congregations

House church planter

  • Usually commissioned by a congregation
  • Usually coached by another apostle
  • Seek to coach and mentor novice shepherds
  • Often self-supported with some assistance

Elders

  • Appointed by apostles & associates Ac 14, Ti 5
  • Made episcopes by Holy Spirit Ac 20
  • Episcopes must meet criteria 1Ti 3, Ti 1
    • Public reputation
    • Lead family
    • Able to teach

Staff cleric

  • Hired by state-mandated board
  • Highly talented
  • Manage programmes
    • Private personal life
    • Private family life
    • Able to recruit

House church shepherd

  • Appointed by apostles or other shepherds
  • Recognized passion to disciple others
  • Encourage all believers to minister to each other
    • Known character & gifting
    • Known for spiritual family life
    • Able to help others obey the Word

Deacons

  • Associated with a congregation Ro 16
  • Tested, then allowed to serve 1Ti 3
  • Men and women who help others 1Ti 3

Board member

  • Elected by congregational vote
  • Usually popular in congregation
  • Usually wealthy men

Mercy worker

  • Prefers to work in cooperation with a fellowship
  • Gets involved in public service projects
  • Men and women who love people over ideas

Prophets

  • Speak encouraging messages in plain language
  • Receive ‘revelations’
  • Keep quite when others speak
  • Keep control over their own spirits
  • Respect instructions from apostles

Pulpit preachers

  • Monologue about favorite topics
  • Read widely in popular theology
  • Protect their role as pulpit orator
  • Employ rhetoric to move emotions
  • Use the Bible as material for sermons

Kingdom spokes person

  • Speak up often in groups meetings
  • Reflects long on spiritual ideas
  • Affirm others who express helpful truth
  • Confident that the Spirit speaks today
  • Seek patterns & principles from Scripture

Teachers

  • Make obedient disciples of Jesus
  • Cooperate with prophets in leading congregations
  • Read and apply the Scriptures

Lecturers

  • Build systematic theologies
  • Enter into polemics against other ideas
  • Interpret Scriptures to prove ideas

Biblical counselor

  • Use biblical examples to guide group actions
  • Weighs theological categories against Scripture
  • Explains the Bible to guide growth & obedience

Fault of Galen Currah, galen@currah.us, January 2004.
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