Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Do we really believe and follow Scripture? When we develop our ecclesiology our understanding of what it means to live as the people of God we have two choices: 1. Begin with our current practices and use Scripture to justify those practices. 2. Begin with Scripture and allow Scripture to inform and form our practices. 1
Example 1 Meeting on Sundays We currently meet on Sundays. We can use Acts 20:7 to justify that practice: On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together (Acts 20:7 ESV) Therefore, we are justified in our practice. But, what is this verse about? Is that important? What happens when we start from Scripture? On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7 ESV) The believers in Troas gathered together for the purpose of breaking bread. Is it correct to follow the day but not the reason? 2
Example 2 Only the pastor speaks during the church meeting so that we maintain decency and order. We justify this practice by referring to this passage from 1 Corinthians: But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40 ESV) But, what does this verse say in context? What happens when we start from Scripture? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (1 Cor. 14:26) If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. (1 Cor. 14:27) Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. (1 Cor. 14:29) In context, does decency and order mean that only the pastor should speak? 3
I suggest that when we start from Scripture, we get a different picture from the church than if we start with our practices. During the Reformation, great care was taken to return to Scripture to understand doctrine, especially Soteriology and Christology. However, apart from separating from the Pope and certain Catholic sacraments, very little changed with regard to ecclesiology. What has changed in my understanding of the church? 1. The Nature of the Church ekklesia assembly, gathering. The church is a different kind of gathering because of the people who make up the gathering. This is not a gathering of the people of an earthly city, but a gathering of citizens of God s kingdom. The term church in Scripture always refers to people. God created people to exist together in community with one another. This is especially true of His people, since they are indwelled by His Spirit and are drawn together for fellowship. 4
1. The Nature of the Church (cont.) Buildings, programs, organizations, structures, methods, models, etc. do not make up the church. The church of God is the people of God. While the church may choose to organize themselves, we should never view those organizations as the church. The church of God is the people of God. When we hurt or reject people for the sake of our organizations and programs, we are hurting the church God s people. 1. The Nature of the Church (cont.) The church exists locally whenever God s people gather together. Neither number nor type of organization determines the existence of the church. We cannot choose to separate ourselves from other believers simply because we disagree with one another. There is one church, and we should live in that unity. (Universal/City/Local) Commenting on Matthew 18:20, Irenaeus said, Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church. 5
2. The Meeting of the Church The church meets. But, the meeting of the church does not define the church. The church meets because the people are family and because they desire to be with one another. The church does not meet for the purpose of singing and listening to a sermon. The church meets so that each believer has an opportunity to help other believers grow in maturity toward Jesus Christ. Worship is not our purpose. But, worship occurs when we carry out our purpose in meeting together. 2. The Meeting of the Church (cont.) God prepares the church to meet together by gifting each believer, and every gift is important. (1 Cor. 12) The motivation for everything that happens during the meeting of the church is love love for God and love for others. (1 Cor. 13) When the church meets together, all believers are responsible to use their gifts in a manner that builds up others towards maturity in Christ. (1 Cor. 14) 6
2. The Meeting of the Church (cont.) Merely attending a meeting is not our goal; neither is benefiting from others as they use their gifts. Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another (Heb. 10:24-25) Merely performing certain activities does not ensure that we have met our goal. When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. (1 Cor. 11:20-21) 2. The Meeting of the Church (cont.) If only some people use their gifts, then we have not carried out our purpose. We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eph. 4:15-16) 7
2. The Meeting of the Church (cont.) We glorify God when we use our gifts for the benefit of others. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 4:10-11) 3. The Leaders of the Church Leaders are disciples first (elders/pastors/bishops). In fact, leaders should be the best examples of disciples: following Christ, loving God, loving others, considering others first, submitting to others. Leaders are not a special class of Christian. Nothing is required of a leader that is not required of other believers. The difference: leaders should be more consistent in their walk with God. 8
3. The Leaders of the Church (cont.) Leaders are servants not authorities. You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave (Matt. 20:25-27) This does not make leadership a new type of service. Instead, Jesus is saying to follow those who are serving. If a leader is not serving others, then he is not a leader. 3. The Leaders of the Church (cont.) The qualifications / characteristics of leaders given in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are requirements of all believers. The church is told to look among themselves and recognize or select those people who are most consistent in living in obedience to Christ. No one (except for Jesus) can perfectly meet those qualifications. However, some are more consistent than others. This assumes that we actually know the people that we recognize as leaders. 9
3. The Leaders of the Church (cont.) Leaders should teach: Therefore an overseer must be able to teach (1 Tim 3:2) Let the elders who lead well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and teaching. (1 Tim 5:17) All believers should teach: Make disciples teaching them (Matt. 28:19-20) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another (Col. 3:16) 3. The Leaders of the Church (cont.) Leaders should shepherd and oversee : So I exhort the elders among you shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight (1 Pet. 5:1-2) All believers should shepherd and oversee : one anothers mutual shepherding Strive for peace with everyone, and for holiness without which no one will see the Lord, seeing to it ( exercising oversight ) that no one fails to obtain the grace of God (Heb. 12:14-15) 10
3. The Leaders of the Church (cont.) While leaders have the responsibility of working with their hands (Acts 20:33-35, 2 Thes. 3:7-8) in order to provide for themselves and others, believers should honor their leaders (1 Tim 5:17, 1 Thes. 5:12-13), follow their leaders (Heb. 13:17), and share good things with their leaders (Gal. 6:6). But, a leader should not serve, teach, and care for people in order to receive honor and money. A leader serves, teaches, and cares for people out of their love for God and for people. 4. The Work of the Church The work of the church is to make disciples. Any time people get together, some kind of organization or structure is needed. But, if that organization and structure is allowed to continue unchecked, then the organization and structure tends to grow and become an end to itself. Thus, churches often begin to measure their success by looking at their buildings, organizational charts, employees, programs, etc. 11
4. The Work of the Church (cont.) When the time, resources, energy, and people of the church are expended in order to maintain organization and structure, then the work of the church suffers. Instead of designing programs and asking people to fill slots in an organizational chart, leaders should encourage others to determine how God wants them to serve him and others. 4. The Work of the Church (cont.) God gifts each of his children in order to carry out the work of making disciples. But, there are different kinds of gifts. Churches should give room (space, opportunity) for all believers to exercise their gifts in order to build up the church and to make disciples. God works through all of his children, especially those that seem less important to us. (1 Cor. 12: 22-25) 12
Other topics: 1. Church membership 2. Baptism 3. Lord s Supper 4. Sermons 5. Church discipline 6. Spiritual gifts 7. Worship 8. Unity In The German Mass and Order of Divine Service (January 1526), Martin Luther prescribed the Divine Mass in both Latin and German. He described the purpose of these public meetings as follows: Both these kinds of Service then we must have held and publicly celebrated in church for the people in general. They are not yet believers or Christians. But the greater part stand there and gape, simply to see something new: and it is just as if we held Divine Service in an open square or field amongst Turks or heathen. So far it is no question yet of a regularly fixed assembly wherein to train Christians according to the Gospel: but rather of a public allurement to faith and Christianity. From http://history.hanover.edu/texts/luthserv.html 13
According to Luther, neither the Latin nor the German Mass were for the church for believers. So what did Luther prescribe for the church? But the third sort, which the true type of Evangelical Order should embrace, must not be celebrated so publicly in the square amongst all and sundry. Those, however, who are desirous of being Christians in earnest, and are ready to profess the Gospel with hand and mouth, should register their names and assemble by themselves in some house to pray, to read, to baptize and to receive the sacrament and practise other Christian works. In this Order, those whose conduct was not such as befits Christians could be recognized, reproved, reformed, rejected, or excommunicated, according to the rule of Christ in Matt. 18. Here, too, a general giving of alms could be imposed on Christians, to be willingly given and divided among the poor, after the example of St. Paul in 2 Cor. 9. Here there would not be need of much fine singing. Here we could have baptism and the sacrament in short and simple fashion: and direct everything towards the Word and prayer and love. Here we should have a good short Catechism about the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer In one word, if we only had people who longed to be Christians in earnest, Form and Order would soon shape itself. But I cannot and would not order or arrange such a community or congregation at present. I have not the requisite persons for it, nor do I see many who are urgent for it. Martin Luther, The German Mass and Order of Divine Service (January 1526) From http://history.hanover.edu/texts/luthserv.html 14