Leaders in the church (pastors etc) are the most dangerous people on the face of the earth. Because of their titles, positions, & education they are perceived as those who hear from God, are closer to God, & know the truth regarding God. These things allow them to perpetuate falsehood (usually because they themselves are deceived) to dozens, to hundreds, to thousands of people. There is always discussion about whether women or homosexuals can have leadership positions in the church but the fact is, there shouldn't be leadership positions in the body of Christ at all. Jesus clearly forbade exercising authority over our brothers & sisters. He clearly forbade use of honorary titles. He clearly said, "Christ is your only leader."
There are also discussions about accepting certain people with certain lifestyles into churches. But the truth is no one short of a gun wielding murderer firing off rounds who comes through the door of any church can do greater damage than that church's leaders. Let's be honest, the real goal of most churches is to "motivate" people into "better" behavior by making them feel like God loves them less because they don't do good things good enough or often enough or because they do too many bad things. Sin is taught as being in the way of our relationships with God where any sin equals no relationship. But the truth is Jesus took away sin as a barrier between humanity & God. We cannot be separated from God's love or presence. Knowing God loves us & is always with us motivates us to work WITH God by the spirit instead of working for God by the flesh.
Good men with good intentions & many good deeds can still utterly wreck or throw wreckage on people's lives. Those who intend to lead well still intend to lead. Christians think leadership is this wonderful & honorable thing, pretty much the most godly thing you can do. But the mere existence of official leaders over the body of Christ is the most destructive force in all of Christian history. Falsehood is the most dangerous poison in this world & church leaders have the biggest hoses to spray out that poison. People will gladly swallow the poison, come back for more, & defend its goodness to the point of severing relationships. Yes many leaders know God well but they often keep you from knowing Him better. You can teach & preach without having to usurp the leadership of Christ Jesus the Head of the body. But when Christ is left as the only Leader church institutions fall apart because Christ never created, commanded, or condoned them. Church leadership is always the blind leading the blind because if they could see they would stop being leaders & start walking alongside people leading only as the Spirit directs.
Leadership positions are bad because they are the ultimate medium to promote falsehood, silence demanded during sermons prevents the body from interacting with one another & sharing Christ with one another, they are seen as in charge of people, they are mediators between men & God (Jesus is the only mediator), their position makes people leery in trusting their ability to hear God, & much more. They also hurt themselves, as I said most people in these positions are good men with good intentions. But good intentions cannot counteract falsehood & likely makes it look more appealing.
When authority & credibility are given out (ordained) using titles & positions people feel like it is godly to subordinate themselves to the big shots. That is when the problem comes, when I feel inferior to someone & that I have to defer to their spirituality, relationship with God, education, or expertise over or in lieu of my own. It is wonderful to be able to share the love & truth of God with one another but the moment I'm required or compelled to take someone else's word whether it be a pastor, author, theologian, or even the doctrines & opinions of church history I have utterly put a sign outside of my brain that says, "Open to Falsehood."
Jesus said, "I will build My assembly." (Matthew 16:18)
"Unless the Lord is the builder of the house those who labor to build it labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)
The Lord God declares, "I myself will shepherd my sheep and give them rest." (Ezekiel 34:15)
Jesus says, "Do not be called leaders because you only have one leader, Christ." (Matthew 23:10)
Jesus says, "You shall not have authority over one another. You are all equal brothers." (Luke 22:25/Matthew 23:8)
All who are in Christ are equally in Him. (2 Corinthians 10:7)
You do not need anyone to teach you. The Spirit teaches you about all things. (1 John 2:27/John 16:13)
No person is to act as your judge in regards to what you do. God accepts all of His children. He died for all of them. Don't judge your brother, only be careful not to stand in his way or cause him to stumble. All of you have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10,17/Romans 14:13,15)
See our Leadership page for in-depth, scripture based looks at the topic of leadership.
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
On Offices in the Church
There is a word in the New Testament that means, "seeking to occupy an office." We all know the offices that churches have: pastor, elder, deacon, etc. Well do you know what that word translates to? It translates to "selfish-ambition."
Galatians 5:19-20 says that seeking to occupy an office is a "work of the flesh."
James 3:14-16 calls it fleshly, worldly, & DEMONIC to seek to occupy an office! It also says that the desire to occupy an office "does not come down from above!!" There you have it. The bible says God does not tell people to seek to occupy offices & in fact suggests that demons are the ones who tell people to.
For more see my post Obliterating Offices
Galatians 5:19-20 says that seeking to occupy an office is a "work of the flesh."
James 3:14-16 calls it fleshly, worldly, & DEMONIC to seek to occupy an office! It also says that the desire to occupy an office "does not come down from above!!" There you have it. The bible says God does not tell people to seek to occupy offices & in fact suggests that demons are the ones who tell people to.
For more see my post Obliterating Offices
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Why Having Leaders is Harmful
Notice how the bad things Jesus said in Matthew 23 about the Pharisees virtually make up the job description of pastors today. (In parenthesis are the modern equivalents). Jesus said,
They lay oppressive burdens on others (guilt, sin focus, laws, fear, tithing, serving the church).
They make themselves look good (they must dress up, smile, & act friendly).
They welcome honorary titles which makes others feel inferior to them (leader, pastor, reverend, etc).
They kept people from the kingdom of heaven by making human traditions and human religious rules more important than God’s words (you have to attend church services, listen to sermons, confess your sins, give money to the church, & loads of other falsehoods that have been formulated over the centuries).
In this same Chapter Jesus tells His disciples to "not be called leaders." We can see why. People are compelled to trust leaders because of their position or title regardless of whether or not the leaders speak the truth. Thus people will accept burdens & falsehood from leaders more readily than from anyone else because the mere existence of their position & title makes people consider them to be superior & more knowledgeable. People trust the "experts" thus leaders are the perfect people to spread & convince people of falsehoods unquestioned.
Jesus said He is our One & Only Leader. He said that we don't need anyone to teach us because the Holy Spirit will lead us to all truth. Yes the Spirit can use people to teach us but God did not set up in the New Covenant any Christians over any others to be official leaders. If you believe He has you are either fooled by mistranslations, reading into scripture what is not there, assuming it to be so because that is how it is now, or believing what you've been taught by self professed church leaders.
Other posts on this topic that will answer most questions.
They lay oppressive burdens on others (guilt, sin focus, laws, fear, tithing, serving the church).
They make themselves look good (they must dress up, smile, & act friendly).
They welcome honorary titles which makes others feel inferior to them (leader, pastor, reverend, etc).
They kept people from the kingdom of heaven by making human traditions and human religious rules more important than God’s words (you have to attend church services, listen to sermons, confess your sins, give money to the church, & loads of other falsehoods that have been formulated over the centuries).
In this same Chapter Jesus tells His disciples to "not be called leaders." We can see why. People are compelled to trust leaders because of their position or title regardless of whether or not the leaders speak the truth. Thus people will accept burdens & falsehood from leaders more readily than from anyone else because the mere existence of their position & title makes people consider them to be superior & more knowledgeable. People trust the "experts" thus leaders are the perfect people to spread & convince people of falsehoods unquestioned.
Jesus said He is our One & Only Leader. He said that we don't need anyone to teach us because the Holy Spirit will lead us to all truth. Yes the Spirit can use people to teach us but God did not set up in the New Covenant any Christians over any others to be official leaders. If you believe He has you are either fooled by mistranslations, reading into scripture what is not there, assuming it to be so because that is how it is now, or believing what you've been taught by self professed church leaders.
Other posts on this topic that will answer most questions.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Obliterating Offices
"Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition do not come down from above. They are worldly, fleshly, & demonic. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is confusion and every evil thing." (James 3:14-16)
Selfish ambition is translated from a Greek word that means "seeking to occupy an office." An "office" is defined as "an official position of power/authority." God did not establish offices in His body. He in fact forbade top-down authority among His people. Knowing this lets take a second look at this scripture.
"The ambition to occupy an office is not from God but is worldly, fleshly, & demonic. Where people seek to occupy offices there is confusion & EVERY evil thing."
There is the problem with most churches my friends. It comes from the top down because an office sits atop most churches rather than Christ Himself. Biblically we could say that every evil thing & every bit of confusion that exists in churches is because people occupy & seek to occupy revered offices.
Many scriptures say seeking to occupy an office or getting what you have sought for & occupying an office is a very bad thing. Romans 2:8-9 calls it evil. It is also called fleshly, worldly, demonic, & a "work of the flesh." Here are some other works of the flesh & other bad things scripture lists alongside seeking to occupy an office to give you an idea of just how bad this really is: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, angry tempers, slanders, gossip, arrogance, instability, self-centeredness, pride, bitterness, dishonesty.
"Do nothing to seek an office for yourself but with humility of mind regard others as more important than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3). Connecting verse 2 to this we can learn that where offices exist and are sought after "A group of people cannot be of the same mind," "Cannot have the same love for one another," "Cannot be united in spirit," & "Cannot be intent on one purpose."
Galatians 5:19-20 says, Seeking to occupy an office is an obvious work of the flesh. If we don't see it as a work of the flesh we have been greatly deceived. These 3 works of the flesh appear right next to each other: seeking to occupy an office, divisions, & factions. Where men are set up as official leaders there will be division. Look no further than the opposing churches set on opposite street corners who both have their own sets of leaders who draw people into their building.
Paul said to the Corinthians (2 Cor 12:20), "I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be. I fear that there may be people who seek to occupy offices..." Paul says the existence of offices is something he "does not want to be" & that its danger was so great it caused fear in him.
The supposed "positions" & "offices" in scripture have been misinterpreted for centuries. The word "office" isn't actually used in the New Testament to describe something positive. Most times the word is outright added to the text. None of the many words used for “office” in the Greek language are ever used to describe a function or role in the assembly. One scripture (1 Timothy 3:1) is so grossly translated it says, "if a man aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work." There is no word representing "office" in the Greek in this text. It is a total addition by the translators. It makes people think aspiring to an office is a good thing when the rest of scripture severely attests otherwise. Additionally the noun overseer isn't used here, instead it is a verb. It really means, "A man who wants to look out for or pay attention to others with the intent of helping desires a fine work."
Rather than as offices to occupy things are described as gifts in both the contexts of 1 Corinthians 12 & Ephesians 4. The gifts that are historically (not biblically) tied to positions of leadership people consider to be leadership offices. (Read more on the absence of offices in the New Testament Body of Christ).
"Some proclaim Christ out of the desire to hold an office rather than from pure motives. But it is still fitting to rejoice that Christ is proclaimed" (Philippians 1:15,17-18).
God does not bless offices or titles. He in fact hates them (see this post). However He does bless people. God hates that which harms His people not the people themselves. He will never support an office but He will always support a person. This is how I view things as well.
Selfish ambition is translated from a Greek word that means "seeking to occupy an office." An "office" is defined as "an official position of power/authority." God did not establish offices in His body. He in fact forbade top-down authority among His people. Knowing this lets take a second look at this scripture.
"The ambition to occupy an office is not from God but is worldly, fleshly, & demonic. Where people seek to occupy offices there is confusion & EVERY evil thing."
There is the problem with most churches my friends. It comes from the top down because an office sits atop most churches rather than Christ Himself. Biblically we could say that every evil thing & every bit of confusion that exists in churches is because people occupy & seek to occupy revered offices.
Many scriptures say seeking to occupy an office or getting what you have sought for & occupying an office is a very bad thing. Romans 2:8-9 calls it evil. It is also called fleshly, worldly, demonic, & a "work of the flesh." Here are some other works of the flesh & other bad things scripture lists alongside seeking to occupy an office to give you an idea of just how bad this really is: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, angry tempers, slanders, gossip, arrogance, instability, self-centeredness, pride, bitterness, dishonesty.
"Do nothing to seek an office for yourself but with humility of mind regard others as more important than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3). Connecting verse 2 to this we can learn that where offices exist and are sought after "A group of people cannot be of the same mind," "Cannot have the same love for one another," "Cannot be united in spirit," & "Cannot be intent on one purpose."
Galatians 5:19-20 says, Seeking to occupy an office is an obvious work of the flesh. If we don't see it as a work of the flesh we have been greatly deceived. These 3 works of the flesh appear right next to each other: seeking to occupy an office, divisions, & factions. Where men are set up as official leaders there will be division. Look no further than the opposing churches set on opposite street corners who both have their own sets of leaders who draw people into their building.
Paul said to the Corinthians (2 Cor 12:20), "I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be. I fear that there may be people who seek to occupy offices..." Paul says the existence of offices is something he "does not want to be" & that its danger was so great it caused fear in him.
The supposed "positions" & "offices" in scripture have been misinterpreted for centuries. The word "office" isn't actually used in the New Testament to describe something positive. Most times the word is outright added to the text. None of the many words used for “office” in the Greek language are ever used to describe a function or role in the assembly. One scripture (1 Timothy 3:1) is so grossly translated it says, "if a man aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work." There is no word representing "office" in the Greek in this text. It is a total addition by the translators. It makes people think aspiring to an office is a good thing when the rest of scripture severely attests otherwise. Additionally the noun overseer isn't used here, instead it is a verb. It really means, "A man who wants to look out for or pay attention to others with the intent of helping desires a fine work."
Rather than as offices to occupy things are described as gifts in both the contexts of 1 Corinthians 12 & Ephesians 4. The gifts that are historically (not biblically) tied to positions of leadership people consider to be leadership offices. (Read more on the absence of offices in the New Testament Body of Christ).
"Some proclaim Christ out of the desire to hold an office rather than from pure motives. But it is still fitting to rejoice that Christ is proclaimed" (Philippians 1:15,17-18).
God does not bless offices or titles. He in fact hates them (see this post). However He does bless people. God hates that which harms His people not the people themselves. He will never support an office but He will always support a person. This is how I view things as well.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Instead of going to the box factory today, we'll be going to the...box factory
While there is a beneficial place for teachers (this scripture was telling Timothy to be a good teacher) scripture is clear that it is the Holy Spirit who is to be our teacher and lead us to ALL truth. Surely He can do this through other people. However the problem arises when people trust in men to teach them more than they trust in God to teach them. Religion is designed to have people do this. So this scripture sounds like a prophecy of sermons, preachers, & authors to me. The Spirit cannot teach you if you hitch your cart to someone else's horse. Most of what people "know" are things they don't know for themselves. Most of their knowledge comes from preachers & predetermined doctrines that have been passed down. They have discovered few if anything themselves through the Spirit's teaching because they have signed up for the wrong class. They have signed up to be taught by indoctrinated or ego driven religious leaders. Those same religious leaders will deride those who don't preach what or how they preach using the verses above. They will say, "itching ears want to hear easy & happy teachings" but the truth is an itching ear mainly wants to hear what agrees with it already. It doesn't want to hear something new. It doesn't want to be challenged to believe something different.
For thousands of years doctrines (teachings) invented by men have been formulated & propagated. Every denomination & every church thereof has already decided what is true & what is false. There is no room for the Spirit to teach because everyone already has everything down in neat little packaged boxes. The church leaders, church fathers, & church history's most touted theologians are the ones people are taught to listen to directly or indirectly. People walk around as if they are fatherless while the Father longs to lead them Himself but they are imprisoned by lies or are fearful or unwilling to follow Him themselves. The living God has been traded for the dead teachings of men. Religion has hidden or deleted most truth from people's hearts & minds. The truth is what religion desperately seeks to destroy. Instead religion, as if designed by Satan himself, claims to have all the answers. It speaks shame, fear, & death. It sets up its own set of leaders who, knowingly or not, directly usurp the place & work of God in people's lives.
So many people see through religion because it is lifeless, Godless, & loveless. Yet religion has claimed the concept of God for its own so people who reject religion often reject the concept of God. Religion seeks only to devour & deceive the many well intentioned people who choose to adhere themselves to it. The dangerous few who tell the truth are continually told to be silent. Even some who know the truth fear what would happen if other people knew it. My God is The Truth & He sets people free. Freedom is the enemy of religion because religion enslaves people & causes them to act like shame filled beggars who plead for God's mercy and forgiveness as if Christ had never died & rose again. Religion empties the cross of its power. At most the cross is taught as a ticket to a far off heaven.
You can fit a lot of dirt & rock into a box but you can't fit the whole planet earth in there. Likewise you can find truth while in religion & its systems but you can't find the vast majority of it in there. Knowing truth lets us experience freedom. There isn't much freedom inside of a box so there can't be much truth either. Each doctrine is a box as well, prohibiting anything that disagrees with it. After enough time in religion people themselves become box like, excluding any ideas or people who don't fit into their box. As sad as it is, the box of religion, its systems, & its doctrines will always restrict truth, leaving most of it outside. All of us are ignorant about something and there are countless things we could be deceived about too. Who do you trust more, ignorant, deceived men, alive or dead, who have followed their own itching ears or our all knowing, all loving, completely trustworthy Father?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Good Hearts with Good Ears
"Much of Christian "evangelism" uses guilt and fear, it brings people into a state of apprehension through intimidation and fear. The belief systems that are most likely to mislead you ridicule reason & good judgement, man's mind is not celebrated as part of good judgment and a gift to be used." -Carol Forsloff
These quotes remind me of all the teachings that tell you that you can't trust yourself/your heart, that you have to be an academic expert to hear from God or to understand the bible. Particularly it reminds me of the abuse of the old testament scripture, Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Hebrews 10:22 says, "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in the assurance that trust brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." Our hearts are clean. We do not have the deceitfully wicked heart mentioned in Jeremiah 17:9. We have the Spirit of God in our hearts. Our hearts are, as Luke 8:15 says, "good and noble." The Christian heart is not deceitfully wicked! God has already created a clean heart in those who trust in Him.
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who cries “Abba! Father!” (Philippians 4:6)
The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)
When Christians are taught that they have wicked hearts that cannot be trusted they will reject the voice of God for the voices of deceived or deceitful men, false doctrines, guilt, shame, & fear. God has poured His love into our hearts! Think about that. The self-affirming voice that religion calls pride is often the voice of God loving our hearts. The heart of every Christian cries out “Abba! Father!” but because people have subjected themselves to the poisons of man-made religion (sermons, pastors, churches) they don't trust their hearts because their hearts are demonized as if the Spirit of God had never came into them. Messages that are sin conscious, that speak of Christian turning from sin, confession of sin, God convicting of sin are all things that keep your mind separated from trusting God. They cause you to live as if the cross has no power and the Spirit has no presence.
If you could trust that God can faithfully speak to your heart why would you need mediators & sermons? You wouldn't & that is why it is always the preachers who are telling you that you can't trust your heart & you have to be leery when thinking you've heard God's voice. The bible says in 1 John 2:27, "You have God's anointing & you don't need any men to teach you." Have you ever met anyone who actually believes that verse? Do you only see people running to preachers, pastors, & authors instead of God when they have questions? That is because those people believe their hearts are wicked & cannot be trusted to communicate with God. Teachers can be beneficial but God does not need men to teach you, He can do it Himself. God says, "Seek me and you will find me." It is easy to find Him. He is always with you.
Related Posts
From the Heart to the Mind
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
These quotes remind me of all the teachings that tell you that you can't trust yourself/your heart, that you have to be an academic expert to hear from God or to understand the bible. Particularly it reminds me of the abuse of the old testament scripture, Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Hebrews 10:22 says, "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in the assurance that trust brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." Our hearts are clean. We do not have the deceitfully wicked heart mentioned in Jeremiah 17:9. We have the Spirit of God in our hearts. Our hearts are, as Luke 8:15 says, "good and noble." The Christian heart is not deceitfully wicked! God has already created a clean heart in those who trust in Him.
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who cries “Abba! Father!” (Philippians 4:6)
The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)
When Christians are taught that they have wicked hearts that cannot be trusted they will reject the voice of God for the voices of deceived or deceitful men, false doctrines, guilt, shame, & fear. God has poured His love into our hearts! Think about that. The self-affirming voice that religion calls pride is often the voice of God loving our hearts. The heart of every Christian cries out “Abba! Father!” but because people have subjected themselves to the poisons of man-made religion (sermons, pastors, churches) they don't trust their hearts because their hearts are demonized as if the Spirit of God had never came into them. Messages that are sin conscious, that speak of Christian turning from sin, confession of sin, God convicting of sin are all things that keep your mind separated from trusting God. They cause you to live as if the cross has no power and the Spirit has no presence.
If you could trust that God can faithfully speak to your heart why would you need mediators & sermons? You wouldn't & that is why it is always the preachers who are telling you that you can't trust your heart & you have to be leery when thinking you've heard God's voice. The bible says in 1 John 2:27, "You have God's anointing & you don't need any men to teach you." Have you ever met anyone who actually believes that verse? Do you only see people running to preachers, pastors, & authors instead of God when they have questions? That is because those people believe their hearts are wicked & cannot be trusted to communicate with God. Teachers can be beneficial but God does not need men to teach you, He can do it Himself. God says, "Seek me and you will find me." It is easy to find Him. He is always with you.
Related Posts
From the Heart to the Mind
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
Friday, August 31, 2012
The Body With and Without Leaders
Do Not be Called Leaders
There are Christians who lead at times but Jesus forbade positional/hierarchical/office based leadership in His body. Matthew 23:1-12 makes that very clear. He says, "You have ONE Leader" & "You are all brothers." My stance is that having an officially elevated status will cause you to seek it further even if you didn't seek it to begin with.
Jesus didn't merely say, "Don't call yourselves leaders." His wording was "Do not be called leaders," meaning don't allow others to call you something like that. It wasn't simply, "Don't call yourself that" or "Don't insist others call you that." That word He used for "leaders" never appears again in the bible because they obeyed Him. Jesus listed 3 honorary titles in this context to emphasize the fact that he was talking about receiving or promoting honorary titles among the brothers as being a bad thing. It is not the specific titles that are damaging but the type of titles that make a brother seen as superior to others.
Christ is Your One & Only Leader and You are All Brothers
There are Christians who lead at times but Jesus forbade positional/hierarchical/office based leadership in His body. Matthew 23:1-12 makes that very clear. He says, "You have ONE Leader" & "You are all brothers." My stance is that having an officially elevated status will cause you to seek it further even if you didn't seek it to begin with.
Jesus didn't merely say, "Don't call yourselves leaders." His wording was "Do not be called leaders," meaning don't allow others to call you something like that. It wasn't simply, "Don't call yourself that" or "Don't insist others call you that." That word He used for "leaders" never appears again in the bible because they obeyed Him. Jesus listed 3 honorary titles in this context to emphasize the fact that he was talking about receiving or promoting honorary titles among the brothers as being a bad thing. It is not the specific titles that are damaging but the type of titles that make a brother seen as superior to others.
Christ is Your One & Only Leader and You are All Brothers
Christ
Himself said, “ALL AUTHORITY has been given to Me in heaven and on
earth" (Matthew 28:18). Paul would often plead the case of his
apostleship (that he was really sent by Jesus) & he did so on the
basis of his testimony and Christ in him & through him. All
Christians have authority in Christ but no one Christian has authority
over another Christian. As Jesus said, "We are all brothers."
"There are no legitimate Christian leaderS."
It isn't only that Jesus said "Do not be called leaders" but that He
said "You have ONE LEADER, CHRIST." That doesn't mean "none of you will
ever lead." The Assembly is the Father, the First Born, then the many
brethren. No brother or sister has legit authority over another. A
brother may lead for a time. Brothers aren't to lead by having an
authoritative office of honor. Leading is instead initiating something
by requesting for cooperation. This leading also is done with mutual
cooperation/submission to others. Leading in the body of Christ plays
out as a relational walking out of ideas & plans. Subjection is not
required or requested. Everything is voluntary rather than obligatory.
The Complexity of Christ's Body
Anyone
can lead at any time. There are no leaders but a body of people who
switch off taking the lead as Christ, the Head instructs. When the eyes
can't see in the dark the hands take the lead reaching out to check for
obstacles. A functioning body compensates for temporary or permanent
weakness. And guess what? Someone does not always have to be leading!
People can easily relate to one another without having to be directed
& redirected. The spirit of God moves in love through His listening
body.
I understand Paul says
things like "the eye cannot say to the hand..." but I don't think that
means someone who is "the eye" cannot also work as a hand does. It is
clear that Paul shepherded & evangelized. Some are more gifted in
one area & some are more gifted in another but God did not set His
body up as "this body part always teaches" & especially not as "this
is the only body part that teaches." All members of the body are
connected to Christ thus they all have something to contribute. While it
can be helpful to recognize how someone is gifted it is not necessary
because the people will walk in the love of using that gift for others
regardless of if they are officially recognized for it.
Older
men & women (elders) were recognized (mistranslated "appointed") as
beneficial examples for the body in certain assemblies that had been
around for several years. To say they were "leaders" in the sense that
we know the word today in churches is inaccurate & to say that they
were "leaders" in the sense that Christ spoke of is also inaccurate
because that word never appears again in scripture after Christ spoke
it. These older people were trustworthy guides and guardians for the
younger.
The body as a group can
come together and exercise Christ's authority but no SINGLE brother has
authority over another. Matthew 18 really drives home that point by
saying things are done by "two or three" not by "one over all."
Who Gets the Honor?
[1
Corinthians 12:21-26] "The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need
of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On
the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less
honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are
treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not
require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the
part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that
the members may have the same care for one another. If one member
suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice
together."
In today's church system the ones who do not lack honor, the self-titled leaders, are nearly always the ones that receive greater honor. The weaker are utterly unrecognized especially since the church is a performance based system. That lets us know further that the system is not of God. In Christ's assembly the lesser is honored rather than the self professed leader. This honor doesn't picture someone being put on stage every couple of months for a round of applause then shoved back into servitude. Honor means "to give value to." This plays out in relationships within the body where the weaker are valued, accepted, & encouraged. Romans 15:7 says, "Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you." Think about how Christ has accepted you! Doing this means we "love one another just as Jesus has loved us" (John 13:34-35). Remember Jesus didn't love us out of fear or obligation but out of joyful free will. There was no law that said, "God must love man" or "God must sacrifice for man."
Would I call my hand an office?
The supposed "positions" & "offices" in scripture have been misinterpreted for centuries. The word "office" isn't actually used in the New Testament (Read this for more). Rather than as offices to occupy they are described as gifts in both the contexts of 1 Corinthians 12 & Ephesians 4. "Jesus gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8). Would you call someone with the gift of tongues a leader simply because his gift is listed in scripture? I don't think so, but the gifts that are historically (not biblically) tied to positions of leadership people do consider to be leadership positions. Please don't let this bias blind you to the love and unity found in having Christ alone as your Leader.
The supposed "positions" & "offices" in scripture have been misinterpreted for centuries. The word "office" isn't actually used in the New Testament (Read this for more). Rather than as offices to occupy they are described as gifts in both the contexts of 1 Corinthians 12 & Ephesians 4. "Jesus gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8). Would you call someone with the gift of tongues a leader simply because his gift is listed in scripture? I don't think so, but the gifts that are historically (not biblically) tied to positions of leadership people do consider to be leadership positions. Please don't let this bias blind you to the love and unity found in having Christ alone as your Leader.
How does leadership language come across in our language today?
If you say the word "office" in any Christian setting people aren't going to think "any member of the body who is gifted in specific functions" they are going to think of leaders, pastors, elders, people who hold leadership positions. If you say "leader" in that setting or any other setting people will again think of those man made offices that do not even function the same way as the people in scripture did. They won't think of "someone who leads on the occasions that God guides him to" they will think of the person who is in charge or in command of others. Thus "leader" and even "office" have meanings like those things which Jesus spoke against, they are honorary words that set one brother over another brother in the ears & eyes of those who hear them. In my opinion those words should be utterly avoided because they breed harmful perceptions.
If you say the word "office" in any Christian setting people aren't going to think "any member of the body who is gifted in specific functions" they are going to think of leaders, pastors, elders, people who hold leadership positions. If you say "leader" in that setting or any other setting people will again think of those man made offices that do not even function the same way as the people in scripture did. They won't think of "someone who leads on the occasions that God guides him to" they will think of the person who is in charge or in command of others. Thus "leader" and even "office" have meanings like those things which Jesus spoke against, they are honorary words that set one brother over another brother in the ears & eyes of those who hear them. In my opinion those words should be utterly avoided because they breed harmful perceptions.
What about Ephesians 4:11?
"God's
loving-grace has been given to each of us according to the measure of
Christ’s gift. He gave gifts to men. He certainly gave apostles,
prophets, evangelists, and shepherds & teachers for the equipping of
God's holy people for the work of building up the body of Christ; until
we all attain to the unity of the trust and knowledge of the Son of
God, and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness
of Christ.
As a result of being equipped, we will no longer be immature like children who are tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part works in its own unique way it causes the body to grow. When the whole body is functioning the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:7-8,11-16)
This happened & can still happen. This is not talking about something "in the sweet bye & bye." Paul tells you what equipped people look like. He said these people's work results in "us no longer being children who are easily deceived." How many times does someone need to be "equipped" before they can go on their way? John says when people are equipped they "no longer need any men to teach them" (1 John 2:27). If you look at the history of the first century assembly you will see that pattern. Paul, an apostle, makes disciples in a town. He stays with them a short while revealing to them the wonder of Christ. He then leaves them without an apostle, elder, shepherd, etc. He equipped them thus "each person is able to work in his or her own unique way" & the body grows! It grows closer to Christ, closer to one another, & may even bring more people to Christ through proclaiming the good news to their community. Only after they had been established for several years did Paul decide to recognize some older people in some assemblies who shepherded the younger as especially trustworthy people to relate to.
The people who genuinely equip the body, don't ever lord over it. Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:24 said apostles, "Do not lord over people but work with them for their joy to help them to firmly continue to trust Jesus." What a beautiful depiction of an apostle! "Coworkers who help you firmly continue to trust Jesus for your joy." All the gifted people spoken of in Ephesians 4:11 are fellow workers, not Christ-usurping leaders. Some of these people are catalysts who spur us closer to Christ & closer to one another. Others are older brothers & sisters who watch out for us. They aren't lingering leaders who we need to support nor are they commanders. An organization or building run as a business is not in view, instead it is a community of people leaning on Christ and loving one another however Christ has gifted them to do so.
As a result of being equipped, we will no longer be immature like children who are tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part works in its own unique way it causes the body to grow. When the whole body is functioning the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:7-8,11-16)
This happened & can still happen. This is not talking about something "in the sweet bye & bye." Paul tells you what equipped people look like. He said these people's work results in "us no longer being children who are easily deceived." How many times does someone need to be "equipped" before they can go on their way? John says when people are equipped they "no longer need any men to teach them" (1 John 2:27). If you look at the history of the first century assembly you will see that pattern. Paul, an apostle, makes disciples in a town. He stays with them a short while revealing to them the wonder of Christ. He then leaves them without an apostle, elder, shepherd, etc. He equipped them thus "each person is able to work in his or her own unique way" & the body grows! It grows closer to Christ, closer to one another, & may even bring more people to Christ through proclaiming the good news to their community. Only after they had been established for several years did Paul decide to recognize some older people in some assemblies who shepherded the younger as especially trustworthy people to relate to.
The people who genuinely equip the body, don't ever lord over it. Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:24 said apostles, "Do not lord over people but work with them for their joy to help them to firmly continue to trust Jesus." What a beautiful depiction of an apostle! "Coworkers who help you firmly continue to trust Jesus for your joy." All the gifted people spoken of in Ephesians 4:11 are fellow workers, not Christ-usurping leaders. Some of these people are catalysts who spur us closer to Christ & closer to one another. Others are older brothers & sisters who watch out for us. They aren't lingering leaders who we need to support nor are they commanders. An organization or building run as a business is not in view, instead it is a community of people leaning on Christ and loving one another however Christ has gifted them to do so.
How Church Leaders Are Not What Ephesians 4 Describes
They cause the body, in practice, to be non-existent.
The leaders & singers (mouths) are the only members who function in a church service. Some may do technical or physical work to help the "show go on" but that work is neither relational nor Christ centered. The service is run by the pastor, who is the false head, the "highly exalted" man who officially "speaks for God." Think of how cult like and stupid that sounds Christians. Now remember Christ lives in all of us, can speak through all of us, and wants all of us to be free to work how He sees fit. The primary Christian gathering is dominated by self professed leaders & does not allow people to relate to one another while the "man of God" is on stage. If you say, "the body is supposed to function during the week," What sense does it make for the one time a week the body is gathered to not allow functioning?
The leaders & singers (mouths) are the only members who function in a church service. Some may do technical or physical work to help the "show go on" but that work is neither relational nor Christ centered. The service is run by the pastor, who is the false head, the "highly exalted" man who officially "speaks for God." Think of how cult like and stupid that sounds Christians. Now remember Christ lives in all of us, can speak through all of us, and wants all of us to be free to work how He sees fit. The primary Christian gathering is dominated by self professed leaders & does not allow people to relate to one another while the "man of God" is on stage. If you say, "the body is supposed to function during the week," What sense does it make for the one time a week the body is gathered to not allow functioning?
Leaders are the perfect people to deceive others
Jesus forbade positions of leadership because they promote false authority and "authority" makes it easier to convince people of falsehoods. Sometimes this false authority gets so large that people are required to believe whatever the self professed leader tells them. "How dare you question me?" is a mood you can get from many leaders if you question them. "How dare you question our leader?" is a feeling you can get from others. Most often & most dangerous though is the question you ask yourself, "How dare I question the schooled expert who is a better Christian than me?" Instead of delivering us from being deceived the leaders themselves are the ones who deceive us. They are even taught in their schooling how to manipulate people into coming to or back to their church, carrying people around by the winds of their teachings.
Jesus forbade positions of leadership because they promote false authority and "authority" makes it easier to convince people of falsehoods. Sometimes this false authority gets so large that people are required to believe whatever the self professed leader tells them. "How dare you question me?" is a mood you can get from many leaders if you question them. "How dare you question our leader?" is a feeling you can get from others. Most often & most dangerous though is the question you ask yourself, "How dare I question the schooled expert who is a better Christian than me?" Instead of delivering us from being deceived the leaders themselves are the ones who deceive us. They are even taught in their schooling how to manipulate people into coming to or back to their church, carrying people around by the winds of their teachings.
Leaders make people dependent on them.
People are strung along week to week to be permanently dependent upon the preacher. In most cases they are told that they are in sin if they do not show up to listen to the weekly sermon. They are also shamed as being inferior Christians if they do not show up for the Sunday night or Wednesday night sermons. The pastor's professional training makes people feel like they cannot study scripture for themselves accurately. People are also made to feel as though they cannot trust their hearts which results in people not believing they can hear from God so they must come listen to the spiritual guru. Equipping is not the goal of church leaders, dependence & attendance is.
People are never actually equipped.
They are either cooled off or heated up, depending on the preacher's style. They go to church to be recharged for the next week or to be rebuked for the previous week. They are stuck in starvation mode never getting the Christ-centered relationships they long for.
They are either cooled off or heated up, depending on the preacher's style. They go to church to be recharged for the next week or to be rebuked for the previous week. They are stuck in starvation mode never getting the Christ-centered relationships they long for.
Having leaders is a rejection of unity
If each church building has its own leader or set of leaders unity is impossible because people are set up to follow someone other than Christ. Every single church building is a sect, a divisive institution with its own name, facilities, leaders, & members. If you are a member of a church you are looked at crooked for even visiting a church you are not a member of. The biblical meaning of heresy is not "unorthodox beliefs" but "division." Galatians 5:19-21 calls division "a work of the flesh." Further proof that the church system is not based on the spirit but on the flesh.
I
haven't even addressed how the messages of these false leaders tear
people down instead of build them up & make people run from God by
painting Him as a monster. The body can never grow when each member is
not allowed to work in its own way. Church leaders aren't the equippers
of the body of Christ but the executioners, they shoot people down into
shame and passive attendance. While most of these people are not doing
this maliciously their very position (office) does untold harm to people because
they see one brother elevated over the others. He stands on the stage,
his name is on the church sign (usually Jesus' name isn't even on
there!), he gets the esteemed religious title of pastor, reverend,
elder, bishop, etc. The mere existence of official leaders is damaging
to any Christian group whether in a traditional church, home group, or
otherwise.
Who Are the People Spoken of in Ephesians 4:11?
An apostle is someone sent by an assembly to make disciples, establish assemblies, & help other assemblies relate to one another & meet with Christ as head. The initial 12 apostles were sent by Christ in the flesh. Paul was sent by Christ in the flesh & by the assembly at Antioch. The word apostle is a transliteration, not a translation. Apostle is best translated as "delegate."
Prophets are simply people who hear God well & tell others what they hear. They can tell you of your present condition and give you (sometimes foggy) pictures of something to come in the future. Other potential translations for prophet are spokesman or mouthpiece.
Evangelists will proclaim the true gospel of God's grace which is summarized in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, "God the Father was in Christ on the cross making relationship with Himself available to the world by no longer counting people's sins against them. God has given us this message of relationship to tell others. We beg you on behalf of Christ, "Come to God." Evangelist is also an transliteration, best translated as good messenger or gospel messenger.
Shepherds (mistranslated pastors) guard and guide. They are the same people described in the bible as overseers & elders (older men & women). Shepherds are trustworthy brothers & sisters who you have a relationship with who will advise & teach you.
Teachers draw you closer to God in love rather than in fear & obligation. In the bible preaching is not the same thing as teaching. Teaching is relational and interactive. In the bible preach merely means to "proclaim" or "announce." A mere relay of information is not biblical teaching. Preaching sermons does not make you a teacher. Today's preachers are orators who do their own research. Teachers don't talk to people, they talk with people.
Paul, who identified his gifting as an apostle, did evangelistic work (Colossians 1:23), he heard directly from God (seen in the letters he wrote), he taught (Acts 18:9-12), he shepherded (Acts 20:17-35), he manifested miracles (Acts 19:11-12), he healed people (Acts 28:8), he helped people (Acts 16:9-10), he administrated the collection of money for the poor (1 Corinthians 16:1), he spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:18), he even wrote of future events (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Paul at one point or another exercised most of the gifts listed as examples in scripture. So we see that gifting is not a boxing into one area or a lifetime job assignment. Gifts are good things you want to share with those you love. Never merely accept a title someone wears as a description of who they really are. Most pastors aren't shepherds. Anyone who wants you to follow them based on the title they wear is corrupt or has been deceived. They will probably present to you "falsehoods so clever they sound like the truth" because they themselves believe those falsehoods & their position prevents them from being questioned. The gifted people spoken of in Ephesians 4:11 are all fellow workers who are not above or greater than any other Christian. At most they will request cooperation. They aren't leaders but loving brothers & sisters.
"The children of God do not exercise authority over one another. Instead we work with each other to help one another firmly continue to trust Jesus. We do this all for the joy of one another" (2 Corinthians 1:24).
Related Posts
The Word Leaders in the New Testament
Older People as Guides not Officials as Governors
What Jesus Hates & Despises
How Sermonizing is Not Shepherding & More..
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
An apostle is someone sent by an assembly to make disciples, establish assemblies, & help other assemblies relate to one another & meet with Christ as head. The initial 12 apostles were sent by Christ in the flesh. Paul was sent by Christ in the flesh & by the assembly at Antioch. The word apostle is a transliteration, not a translation. Apostle is best translated as "delegate."
Prophets are simply people who hear God well & tell others what they hear. They can tell you of your present condition and give you (sometimes foggy) pictures of something to come in the future. Other potential translations for prophet are spokesman or mouthpiece.
Evangelists will proclaim the true gospel of God's grace which is summarized in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, "God the Father was in Christ on the cross making relationship with Himself available to the world by no longer counting people's sins against them. God has given us this message of relationship to tell others. We beg you on behalf of Christ, "Come to God." Evangelist is also an transliteration, best translated as good messenger or gospel messenger.
Shepherds (mistranslated pastors) guard and guide. They are the same people described in the bible as overseers & elders (older men & women). Shepherds are trustworthy brothers & sisters who you have a relationship with who will advise & teach you.
Teachers draw you closer to God in love rather than in fear & obligation. In the bible preaching is not the same thing as teaching. Teaching is relational and interactive. In the bible preach merely means to "proclaim" or "announce." A mere relay of information is not biblical teaching. Preaching sermons does not make you a teacher. Today's preachers are orators who do their own research. Teachers don't talk to people, they talk with people.
Paul, who identified his gifting as an apostle, did evangelistic work (Colossians 1:23), he heard directly from God (seen in the letters he wrote), he taught (Acts 18:9-12), he shepherded (Acts 20:17-35), he manifested miracles (Acts 19:11-12), he healed people (Acts 28:8), he helped people (Acts 16:9-10), he administrated the collection of money for the poor (1 Corinthians 16:1), he spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:18), he even wrote of future events (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Paul at one point or another exercised most of the gifts listed as examples in scripture. So we see that gifting is not a boxing into one area or a lifetime job assignment. Gifts are good things you want to share with those you love. Never merely accept a title someone wears as a description of who they really are. Most pastors aren't shepherds. Anyone who wants you to follow them based on the title they wear is corrupt or has been deceived. They will probably present to you "falsehoods so clever they sound like the truth" because they themselves believe those falsehoods & their position prevents them from being questioned. The gifted people spoken of in Ephesians 4:11 are all fellow workers who are not above or greater than any other Christian. At most they will request cooperation. They aren't leaders but loving brothers & sisters.
"The children of God do not exercise authority over one another. Instead we work with each other to help one another firmly continue to trust Jesus. We do this all for the joy of one another" (2 Corinthians 1:24).
Related Posts
The Word Leaders in the New Testament
Older People as Guides not Officials as Governors
What Jesus Hates & Despises
How Sermonizing is Not Shepherding & More..
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
Monday, August 20, 2012
How Sermonizing is Not Shepherding & More..
There is no biblical evidence of a sermon (non-interactive monologue)
being "preached" to a group of Christians in the New Testament. What we
do see is open participatory meetings where "each one" has songs,
teachings, revelations, etc (1 Corinthians 14:26). Thinking every time
the word "preach" is used in translation of scripture it means "preach a
sermon" is making an assumption not based on study. There is no such
thing as a "pulpit" in the New Testament. Today's type of "preaching" is
based on the traditions of men & misapplications of old covenant
scripture.
I don't think the Word of God "should be preached" among Christians as most people understand preaching (sermonizing). The traditions of men are an inferior substitute to the ways of God. I've heard preachers admit in sermons that sermons/monologues/lectures are the least effective form of communication/teaching but then blame the audience for not remembering sermon material. That would be like a coach intentionally training his team in the least effective way possible & blaming the team for being lousy.
To me there is a big difference between preaching & teaching. I don't consider an impersonal, non-interactive relay of information to be teaching. If you research the uses of the word preach & teach in scripture you'll see that preaching (usually meaning proclaiming or announcing) is something done for Non-Christians to make them aware of the gospel. You'll see that there are times that "preaching and teaching" are mentioned together hinting that they are separate things.
While I am aware that teaching does happen in churches, the sermon is something that falls short of the biblical idea of teaching (you could call biblical teaching discipling). While it could be called preaching (proclaiming) it is something we never see done in a Christian assembly in scripture. There are countless ways that sermonizing is harmful to the body. The message that always points back to the love of God & the finished work of Christ (the true gospel) will prevent most of that harm from occurring. The sermon, in most churches, is touted as the essential "main-event" of the normal Christian life. When it is touted as such that is one of its most harmful elements because its non-interactive & impersonal nature actually stops people from relating to & loving one another, instead it forces them into silence.
Sermonizing is Not Shepherding
We never see "preaching" associated with "shepherds/pastors" in scripture either. We hear that shepherds "feed the flock." What is feeding? Is feeding throwing food into a large crowd & never knowing if anyone in the crowd catches and eats anything? Where is the evidence that someone was fed? It is assumed that because you spread the seed that people are fed. Sermons don't accomplish feeding. The only type of feeding I would say a sermon does is like that of a grocery store. If people come in and appropriate the food they can feed themselves from it. Throwing food at people's mouths (ears) to me is not feeding. When I think "feeding" I think of how one would feed a baby or a small motherless animal. I would consider The Great Shepherd Jesus' interactive & personal discipling to be feeding.
Seeing-over a crowd when you preach is not the same as overseeing (teaching & guarding). Hebrews 13:17 says that overseers (the same thing as pastors/elders) are "those who are alert to the condition of your lives." You can't be alert to some one's condition when you aren't even relating to them. Sermons are non-relational. Sermons don't accomplish shepherding in any sense. The sermon itself does not accomplish biblical shepherding. When something is preached to a passive crowd it is all on the crowd to pay attention and feed themselves. It is no different than watching a sermon on television. People can learn from those but that doesn't mean "Televangelist Whoever" is shepherding them. There isn't shepherding it is just a relay of information.
In Ephesians 4:11, the only time shepherds is used for people other than Jesus and literal shepherds, it calls them shepherd-teachers. Shepherding does involve teaching & fellowshipping is essential to shepherding. If there is no relationship between someone & their pastor/shepherd it is impossible to be shepherded. Shepherding is personal & relational. Sermons are just as personal on TV as they are in person. Based on my study of scripture I would say that sermons do not accomplish shepherding in any sense from the shepherd's standpoint. While people can and do learn from sermons, preaching a sermon is not shepherding at all.
Church Service is Extra-Biblical
While the preacher speaks people have to be quiet & listen. It literally stops people from relating to one another for that time frame, which is the majority of the time they spend assembled together. One another relating cannot be done during a sermon. To share Christ in us with one another is the most important part of the Christian life, it is what scripture calls God's eternal purpose. So if the sermon is the "main event," building one another up etc. is less important & to most not even part of the normal "church experience."
Announcing testimonies, praises, & prayer requests does not accomplish most of the one anothering spoken of in scripture. Announcing good things (you could biblically call this "preaching") is beneficial but it is still not relational.
Typical Sunday morning church meetings go something like this,
Greet each other very briefly (usually with cliché greetings); Announce your testimonies, praises, & prayer requests to the congregation; Sing and don't talk to each other; Listen to the sermon and don't talk to each other; meeting over.
The elements & time managed structure of the meeting "actually stops people from relating to & loving one another." When the church comes together it has "better things to do" than sharing Christ in us with one another. You can hope that somehow the sermon or another element has inspired people to love & relate but overall the meeting itself does not even allow it to happen during its duration.
Example overrides information. What you do in practice is what people take as truth more so than your words. This is one of the things I mean when I said, "the gospel stops most of that harm from occurring" because in practice information from a sermon is touted as more important than relationships. Why? Because relating is something you are supposed to do outside of the meeting. 40 minutes or so is given to a sermon & maybe 2 minutes given to a meet & greet.
So the "church service" is an event to attend like a concert. The modern church service is something extra-biblical. This type of meeting, including the sermon, is not endorsed or even found in scripture. It bears almost no resemblance to the assembling talked about in 1 Corinthians 14 & Hebrews 10. Sure it can be beneficial but the traditions of men are still an inferior substitute to the ways of God. This Sunday morning church service is touted as the main event of the normal Christian life (often with the sermon as the primary portion of the service) but it is an extra-biblical substitute for genuine relationships & relational meetings where everyone can contribute. Meetings that are led by Christ the Head instead of led by programs, preparations, & preachers.
Related Posts
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Love One Another
In Context: "Forsake not the assembling.."
In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
Growth in Christ Through Relationships
Mistranslation of Words in The Bible
I don't think the Word of God "should be preached" among Christians as most people understand preaching (sermonizing). The traditions of men are an inferior substitute to the ways of God. I've heard preachers admit in sermons that sermons/monologues/lectures are the least effective form of communication/teaching but then blame the audience for not remembering sermon material. That would be like a coach intentionally training his team in the least effective way possible & blaming the team for being lousy.
To me there is a big difference between preaching & teaching. I don't consider an impersonal, non-interactive relay of information to be teaching. If you research the uses of the word preach & teach in scripture you'll see that preaching (usually meaning proclaiming or announcing) is something done for Non-Christians to make them aware of the gospel. You'll see that there are times that "preaching and teaching" are mentioned together hinting that they are separate things.
While I am aware that teaching does happen in churches, the sermon is something that falls short of the biblical idea of teaching (you could call biblical teaching discipling). While it could be called preaching (proclaiming) it is something we never see done in a Christian assembly in scripture. There are countless ways that sermonizing is harmful to the body. The message that always points back to the love of God & the finished work of Christ (the true gospel) will prevent most of that harm from occurring. The sermon, in most churches, is touted as the essential "main-event" of the normal Christian life. When it is touted as such that is one of its most harmful elements because its non-interactive & impersonal nature actually stops people from relating to & loving one another, instead it forces them into silence.
Sermonizing is Not Shepherding
We never see "preaching" associated with "shepherds/pastors" in scripture either. We hear that shepherds "feed the flock." What is feeding? Is feeding throwing food into a large crowd & never knowing if anyone in the crowd catches and eats anything? Where is the evidence that someone was fed? It is assumed that because you spread the seed that people are fed. Sermons don't accomplish feeding. The only type of feeding I would say a sermon does is like that of a grocery store. If people come in and appropriate the food they can feed themselves from it. Throwing food at people's mouths (ears) to me is not feeding. When I think "feeding" I think of how one would feed a baby or a small motherless animal. I would consider The Great Shepherd Jesus' interactive & personal discipling to be feeding.
Seeing-over a crowd when you preach is not the same as overseeing (teaching & guarding). Hebrews 13:17 says that overseers (the same thing as pastors/elders) are "those who are alert to the condition of your lives." You can't be alert to some one's condition when you aren't even relating to them. Sermons are non-relational. Sermons don't accomplish shepherding in any sense. The sermon itself does not accomplish biblical shepherding. When something is preached to a passive crowd it is all on the crowd to pay attention and feed themselves. It is no different than watching a sermon on television. People can learn from those but that doesn't mean "Televangelist Whoever" is shepherding them. There isn't shepherding it is just a relay of information.
In Ephesians 4:11, the only time shepherds is used for people other than Jesus and literal shepherds, it calls them shepherd-teachers. Shepherding does involve teaching & fellowshipping is essential to shepherding. If there is no relationship between someone & their pastor/shepherd it is impossible to be shepherded. Shepherding is personal & relational. Sermons are just as personal on TV as they are in person. Based on my study of scripture I would say that sermons do not accomplish shepherding in any sense from the shepherd's standpoint. While people can and do learn from sermons, preaching a sermon is not shepherding at all.
Church Service is Extra-Biblical
While the preacher speaks people have to be quiet & listen. It literally stops people from relating to one another for that time frame, which is the majority of the time they spend assembled together. One another relating cannot be done during a sermon. To share Christ in us with one another is the most important part of the Christian life, it is what scripture calls God's eternal purpose. So if the sermon is the "main event," building one another up etc. is less important & to most not even part of the normal "church experience."
Announcing testimonies, praises, & prayer requests does not accomplish most of the one anothering spoken of in scripture. Announcing good things (you could biblically call this "preaching") is beneficial but it is still not relational.
Typical Sunday morning church meetings go something like this,
Greet each other very briefly (usually with cliché greetings); Announce your testimonies, praises, & prayer requests to the congregation; Sing and don't talk to each other; Listen to the sermon and don't talk to each other; meeting over.
The elements & time managed structure of the meeting "actually stops people from relating to & loving one another." When the church comes together it has "better things to do" than sharing Christ in us with one another. You can hope that somehow the sermon or another element has inspired people to love & relate but overall the meeting itself does not even allow it to happen during its duration.
Example overrides information. What you do in practice is what people take as truth more so than your words. This is one of the things I mean when I said, "the gospel stops most of that harm from occurring" because in practice information from a sermon is touted as more important than relationships. Why? Because relating is something you are supposed to do outside of the meeting. 40 minutes or so is given to a sermon & maybe 2 minutes given to a meet & greet.
So the "church service" is an event to attend like a concert. The modern church service is something extra-biblical. This type of meeting, including the sermon, is not endorsed or even found in scripture. It bears almost no resemblance to the assembling talked about in 1 Corinthians 14 & Hebrews 10. Sure it can be beneficial but the traditions of men are still an inferior substitute to the ways of God. This Sunday morning church service is touted as the main event of the normal Christian life (often with the sermon as the primary portion of the service) but it is an extra-biblical substitute for genuine relationships & relational meetings where everyone can contribute. Meetings that are led by Christ the Head instead of led by programs, preparations, & preachers.
Related Posts
Community vs. Prescriptions
How "Preach" is Used with Bias in Translating the Bible
Love One Another
In Context: "Forsake not the assembling.."
In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
Growth in Christ Through Relationships
Mistranslation of Words in The Bible
Friday, April 20, 2012
What Jesus Hates & Despises
What Jesus Hates
"Yet this you do have assembly in Ephesus, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate" (Revelation 2:6).
"You assembly in Pergamum have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:15).
Nico means to rule over. Laitans means laity which simply translated means "people." God hates the deeds & doctrines (teachings) that involve some people ruling over other people in His body. That means God hates hierarchical authority in the body of Christ.
Interesting that the assembly in Ephesus is the first one written to, it represents the first century body of Christ, those who had not adopted the ungodly doctrine and deeds of hierarchical authority.
The assembly in Pergamum is the third one written to. Pergamum means "mixed Marriage" or "perverted marriage." Jesus says they "have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans" meaning hierarchical authority. He says hierarchical authority is "a stumbling block" and it causes people to "commit acts of immorality" (Revelation 2:14-15). The assembly in Pergamum represents the beginning of the institutional church from around the third century which began to have "leaders" (bishops, priests etc) rise up over other people thus usurping the headship of Christ. Headship which of course points to marriage thus setting up a "mixed marriage." How hate worthy is the thing that causes someone to cheat in their marriage? That friends is what hierarchical authority in the body of Christ is.
Hierarchical authority is the only thing in the New Testament that Jesus personally says that He "hates." The entire institutional church is built on hierarchical authority. No church of that sort can claim to "hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans" like Jesus said those in Ephesus did because they are all doing those deeds and in fact not only approve of the deeds but highly exalt the deeds.
Jesus also spoke harshly to the self-righteous but notice that those self-righteous people were exclusively people in positions of hierarchical authority. Hierarchical authority is the fertilizer that makes self-righteousness grow.
Here are two other places where Jesus spoke against hierarchical authority:
Jesus said, "Do not be called leaders because you have one Leader, Christ and you are all brothers" (see Matthew 23:1-12). In this context Jesus speaks against accepting (allowing others to call you by) honorary titles. He also speaks against lack of humility, laying burdens on people, bossing people around, doing things to be noticed by others so you can receive acclaim, loving to be in places of honor, & being greeted as better than others based on your position.
Jesus said to His disciples, "The kings of the Gentiles have power over/exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you" (see Luke 22:13-30). In this context Jesus speaks against exercising authority over brothers and sisters in Christ (abusive or non-abusive), seeking status over others, & using honorary titles to make yourself seem kind or superior.
What Jesus Despises
The writer of Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus despised the shame of the cross, meaning He felt all the shame and disgrace that mankind has ever felt because of sin. Christ despises the shame we feel, not us but the shame that causes us to feel far from Him as it did with Adam and Eve in the garden (compare Genesis 2:25 with Genesis 3:10). Shame is disgrace, the literal opposite of grace. It is the feeling or perception of disfavor, that you've lost favor with God. God gives grace not disgrace. “Everyone who trusts in Jesus will never be put to shame” (Isaiah 28:16, Romans 9:33, 10:11, 1 Peter 2:6, Joel 2:26-27, Isaiah 45:17, 54:4). He wants us to know His love. Imagine if something made someone you love feel as if you didn't love them or that you loved them less. That is how Jesus felt on the cross when He was despising the shame. The God who loves us without measure felt how unloved we feel.
Conclusion
Sadly hierarchical authority & shame meet at the pulpit, an unbiblical place at every church institution where the so called "leader," "pastor," or "man of God" slings shame and condemnation over a subdued crowd. I have yet to hear a sermon that didn't at some point disgrace grace. I don't say this to shame anyone but to warn of the danger in it. If those on top don't suffer, those on the bottom will and in ways many can't begin to imagine. Usually both suffer but are fooled into thinking that this is "God's way." Be assured that it is not. Heed the words of Jesus. Drop your titles, leave your positions, become a brother or sister and let Christ do what He came to do, build His people.
Jesus did away with the old covenant system of hierarchical authority when He rose again and sent His Spirit. This allowed Him to be the only & perfect mediator between mankind and God (1 Timothy 2:5). He made all of God's people kings and priests, all honored but all equal. What an amazing Lord we have!
Related Posts
"Yet this you do have assembly in Ephesus, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate" (Revelation 2:6).
"You assembly in Pergamum have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:15).
Nico means to rule over. Laitans means laity which simply translated means "people." God hates the deeds & doctrines (teachings) that involve some people ruling over other people in His body. That means God hates hierarchical authority in the body of Christ.
Interesting that the assembly in Ephesus is the first one written to, it represents the first century body of Christ, those who had not adopted the ungodly doctrine and deeds of hierarchical authority.
The assembly in Pergamum is the third one written to. Pergamum means "mixed Marriage" or "perverted marriage." Jesus says they "have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans" meaning hierarchical authority. He says hierarchical authority is "a stumbling block" and it causes people to "commit acts of immorality" (Revelation 2:14-15). The assembly in Pergamum represents the beginning of the institutional church from around the third century which began to have "leaders" (bishops, priests etc) rise up over other people thus usurping the headship of Christ. Headship which of course points to marriage thus setting up a "mixed marriage." How hate worthy is the thing that causes someone to cheat in their marriage? That friends is what hierarchical authority in the body of Christ is.
Hierarchical authority is the only thing in the New Testament that Jesus personally says that He "hates." The entire institutional church is built on hierarchical authority. No church of that sort can claim to "hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans" like Jesus said those in Ephesus did because they are all doing those deeds and in fact not only approve of the deeds but highly exalt the deeds.
Jesus also spoke harshly to the self-righteous but notice that those self-righteous people were exclusively people in positions of hierarchical authority. Hierarchical authority is the fertilizer that makes self-righteousness grow.
Here are two other places where Jesus spoke against hierarchical authority:
Jesus said, "Do not be called leaders because you have one Leader, Christ and you are all brothers" (see Matthew 23:1-12). In this context Jesus speaks against accepting (allowing others to call you by) honorary titles. He also speaks against lack of humility, laying burdens on people, bossing people around, doing things to be noticed by others so you can receive acclaim, loving to be in places of honor, & being greeted as better than others based on your position.
Jesus said to His disciples, "The kings of the Gentiles have power over/exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you" (see Luke 22:13-30). In this context Jesus speaks against exercising authority over brothers and sisters in Christ (abusive or non-abusive), seeking status over others, & using honorary titles to make yourself seem kind or superior.
What Jesus Despises
The writer of Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus despised the shame of the cross, meaning He felt all the shame and disgrace that mankind has ever felt because of sin. Christ despises the shame we feel, not us but the shame that causes us to feel far from Him as it did with Adam and Eve in the garden (compare Genesis 2:25 with Genesis 3:10). Shame is disgrace, the literal opposite of grace. It is the feeling or perception of disfavor, that you've lost favor with God. God gives grace not disgrace. “Everyone who trusts in Jesus will never be put to shame” (Isaiah 28:16, Romans 9:33, 10:11, 1 Peter 2:6, Joel 2:26-27, Isaiah 45:17, 54:4). He wants us to know His love. Imagine if something made someone you love feel as if you didn't love them or that you loved them less. That is how Jesus felt on the cross when He was despising the shame. The God who loves us without measure felt how unloved we feel.
Conclusion
Sadly hierarchical authority & shame meet at the pulpit, an unbiblical place at every church institution where the so called "leader," "pastor," or "man of God" slings shame and condemnation over a subdued crowd. I have yet to hear a sermon that didn't at some point disgrace grace. I don't say this to shame anyone but to warn of the danger in it. If those on top don't suffer, those on the bottom will and in ways many can't begin to imagine. Usually both suffer but are fooled into thinking that this is "God's way." Be assured that it is not. Heed the words of Jesus. Drop your titles, leave your positions, become a brother or sister and let Christ do what He came to do, build His people.
Jesus did away with the old covenant system of hierarchical authority when He rose again and sent His Spirit. This allowed Him to be the only & perfect mediator between mankind and God (1 Timothy 2:5). He made all of God's people kings and priests, all honored but all equal. What an amazing Lord we have!
Related Posts
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Older People as Guides not Officials as Governors
Translators assume the church institution and its hierarchical authority
system when translating the scriptures. Our translations and even our
lexicons are skewed by this mindset. Words are chosen that veil or
utterly replace their true meaning in the original text. This causes
much confusion and has lead to sin, oppression, and death for hundreds
of years. It causes our world view to be less like that of Jesus Christ
and our study of scripture to be hindered. We have translated many words
that meant only common things at the time of Christ into spiritual
words, offices, and titles when the context is what properly defines who
or what these common words are referring to.
Elder means "Older" not "Office"
Presbuteros is the Greek word traditionally translated "elder." Presbuteros is an adjective that means "older." It can be masculine or feminine which means it can be best defined as "older man" or "older woman." In the New Testament presbuteros always means a person who is older in age and nothing more. It is not a title but a word of comparison. The meaning of presbuteros never includes a function, title, responsibility or "office." But one can usually learn more about the older person from the context. Context identifies who the older person is and what they do.
Poimen is the Greek word translated "pastor." Poimen is a noun that
means "shepherd." It is primarily used literally of shepherds such as
the shepherds in the field at the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:8. It is used
figuratively of Jesus the good/great shepherd. The noun form is used
only once figuratively to refer to people other than Christ and that is
in Ephesians 4:11, this is the only place where it is translated as the
word "pastors." The word pastor comes from the Latin word pastor which
means shepherd. At the time of the King James translation pastor was
already a title/office in the church and the word was placed here
deliberately instead of the word shepherd to justify the existence of
this unbiblical office in order to keep authority over people in the
church by the clergy. Poimen always refers to the function or duties of a
shepherd (whether figurative or literal); IT IS NEVER A TITLE. It is
better not to translate it, "pastor," because today this word is
used as a title for men who occupy an office and perform functions not described in the New
Testament.
In Ephesians 4:11 poimen appears in the plural best translated as "shepherds" and is coupled with the word for "teachers" this means all shepherds are teachers. It also means that a singular shepherd/pastor is not found in scripture outside of Jesus Christ. There are shepherds in the assembly but no mention what-so-ever of a one man leader called a shepherd/pastor. (More information on poimen, see also the history of the office of pastor 1 2).
The verb form of poimen is poimaino which means "to act as a shepherd, to tend, feed, provide needs, care for," basically to do the things a shepherd would do. It is translated usually as "shepherd (the verb)," "to shepherd" or "feed."
Overseer is not an Office
Episkopos is the Greek word traditionally translated "overseer" (it is maliciously translated as bishop in the KJV to once again justify an office in the church). This word is currently well translated. An overseer is one who watches over another or others to guard. Overseer is translated as guardian in 1 Peter 2:25. They are relational watchtower guards.
In 1 Timothy 3:1 some translations use after "if any man aspires to" the phrase "the office of overseer" or "the office/position of bishop" (KJV, NKVJ, NASB, NET, BBE, NRSV). There is however no Greek word that represents the word "office" in that verse and it has been completely added into the text. It is properly translated "if any man aspires to oversight" where "oversight" is the related Greek word episkope which means to watch over. It doesn't even use the noun episkopos for overseer so there is certainly no justification to use "the office of overseer" in this text. Episkopos is never used as a title in the New Testament. (More information on episkopos).
Acts 20:17-35
From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, telling the older men of the assembly to come to him. When they arrived, he said to them, “... You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would be helpful, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying to both Jews and Greeks about changing their minds toward God and trust in our Lord Jesus. ... I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all. For I did not hold back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God. Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
We see here that the older men (elders) of the assembly (people) have been made overseers by the Holy Spirit and are to shepherd the assembly (people) of God. The duty to shepherd and to watch over is given to the older men. When we see the word overseers in scripture or shepherds (in Ephesians 4:11) we can deduce that these are talking about the older men of God, the elders. The older men of God are given the charge to watch over and act as shepherds to the younger people of God.
The older men were respected because they were seen as more spiritually matured than others among them. They were called "shepherds" because they were already feeding (teaching) the flock. They were called "overseers" because they were already watching out for the flock. They were not doing these things because some group of Christians "appointed" them, but because the Holy Spirit "made" them overseers. Again, a man in the New Testament is called "elder" because of what he is: older and more mature in Christ; he is called "overseer" because of what he is doing, watching out for the spiritual condition of the people; and he is called "shepherd" because of what he is doing, teaching & guarding the younger. These older people naturally set the example for the kind of character God wants all His people to have.
How Today's Offices Differ from God's Functions
Just looking at this text from Acts let us look at how today's "pastors" and "elders" differ from what Paul spoke of here & how today's offices cause them to display the negative aspects he warns against.
"Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God"
Today's pastors have little to no relationship with the people they supposedly shepherd. You can't shepherd without a relationship. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said He knows His sheep by name. Pastors of larger churches couldn't possibly know all the people's names. This is why Christian communities took care of one another. The older looked out for the younger. Today's pastors & elders may see-over a crowd from the stage but few guard other's hearts.
Today's self professed "leaders" are like the older brother who tries to boss his younger siblings around claiming "Dad put me in charge" when Dad did no such thing. To be "watching out" for someone means you know where they are. The sheer reality of the man made pastoral office makes this impossible. Today's pastor is the rock star that might talk to you briefly after a performance but is too busy and has too many fans to take a real interest in almost anyone.
"Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them."
Paul warned that even of the men there some will exercise undue authority over God's flock. Rather than watching over and guarding the flock the older men themselves will become the wolves. Why would they do this? To "draw the disciples away after themselves." How often this still happens! Many churches speak more praise of their pastor than they do of Jesus. The pastor's name is always the one on the church sign while the name of Jesus, the only name given by which men can be saved, is absent.
Certainly "perversions of the truth" are taught wittingly or unwittingly in order to bolster the authority of the leaders. So many have selfish ambition and the others are blind to the enemies lies that keep them as substitutes for Christ (antichrists) at worst and distractions from Christ at best. Those who intend to rule well still intend to rule. The more you want followers the less likely you will continue following Christ yourself. When this happens the blind truly lead the blind. Jesus is never blind. Let us follow Him and be willing to listen to those who wish to point us toward Him.
"The message of God's grace (favor) is able to build you up."
So very many pastors don't preach God's grace but a mix of the old and new covenant where people are saved by God's unconditional favor (grace) but must maintain a relationship with God by keeping laws and being constantly aware of what could be considered sin. They tear people down with blanket behavioral judgments & condemnation. They speak the lie of God's near constant dissatisfaction with us rather than His favor and love. When oppressive men teach an oppressive God they block, discredit, or even demonize the light of freedom.
"I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. .. It is more blessed to give than to receive."
This is simple. Today's pastors are paid professionals. They don't provide for their own needs nor the needs of those around them. They are the takers not the givers. They live off of the people. Many desire silver and gold if not for themselves then for their church building to outshine the one across the street.
Conclusion
Today almost all think of elders, overseers, and pastors as official positions of leadership given to whoever is "trained and ordained" but they are actually older people who guide by example & teaching and who guard over the younger children of God. It is a voluntary act of service to God and others. "If anyone aspires to watch over others it is a good work he desires" (1 Timothy 3:1).
Because of the professional pastor and authoritative church elders, older men who are to truly shepherd and watch over God's people are disqualified from serving God(!) by the church! The church has replaced personal protectors with impersonal professional preachers! This means that countless more are attacked by fierce wolves and drawn away to false teachers because of this replacement. Which is more beneficial? One impersonal professional preacher per church building or a community of older men invested in personally looking out for and guiding the younger Christians? You can trace the Christian generational gap right to the pulpit of your local church.
Yes some wise men still do what older Christian men are supposed to do, thank God, but our preacher loving church system has largely robbed generation after generation of people of the wisdom, guidance, and guardianship of our older people.
Translation
In secular usage elder is an excellent translation (although it does not denote the gender) but because the church's traditions of an elder being an office/title/position of authority I think it would be much better to translate it differently. I prefer the term "older man" to "elder" because it gives us a clear idea of what the scripture is talking about. It also personalizes the text much more than a word often thought to refer to a position of authority. A position that is illegitimate in God's eyes anyway.
When you think "The older men who guide well are to be considered worthy of double honor" (1 Timothy 5:17) you can think of any lovingly helpful older person and thus value them as God intends. But we instead think of this as referring to someone in the office of elder or pastor honoring them in title rather than actual guidance because they are leaders in name but do not necessarily personally lead you.
Presbuteros was also used to refer to older men in Jewish leadership positions and is usually coupled with "chief priests and scribes" in the context letting us know this fact. The word presbuteros on its own does not include an idea of authority anymore than me saying "I saw an older man at the store" means "I saw a Jewish Rabbi at the store."
1 Peter 5:5 makes it obvious that presbuteros is not a title or position when it says, "You younger men be willing to yield & cooperate with the older men." "Younger man" is not a title or office and there is no scriptural reason to assume "older man" is either. Titus 2 also speaks to both older men and older women in regards to how they are to relate with younger men and women.
Poimen means Shepherd and should not be translated as Pastor.
Pastor causes us to think of the sole authoritative leader of a local church organization/building. This is an utterly foreign concept to the New Testament.
Pastor hides/replaces the true meaning of shepherd and the figurative implications that were intended by God.
Older Man for Presbuteros instead of Elder
Presbuteros means Older and can be singular "older man," plural "older men," and has a feminine form "older woman/women."
In secular usage elder is an excellent translation (although it does not denote the gender).
The church's traditions of an elder being an office/title/position of authority remove the meaning of "older man" for "office of."
Thinking of older people instead of people in positions causes us to give greater consideration to the actual older men and women among us as God intended.
Service for Diakonia instead of Ministry
Diakonia means Service and should not be translated as Ministry which means the class or occupation of church leadership.
Service is work done for the benefit of others. At the time of the KJV ministry meant "the function of a priest" & "office of priest" and today pretty much means the same thing just swap priest for pastor. Today most see ministry as a specially called occupational field that you "go into" like cops go into law enforcement ministers go into ministry.
Few see ministry as simply the act of serving others and instead see it as a life-long position or type of work God tells you to do. That mindset causes people to take God's direction as a destination. It makes them see God's will as "Here is your career assignment. See you in heaven." When God's temporal guidance is taken as a life-long mission you think you no longer need to talk to God, that you've found His will and now you can do it. This idea of ministry sees God as an employer who sends you away instead of an empathetic friend who walks with you.
Servant for Diakonos instead of Minister or Deacon
Diakonos means Servant and should not be translated as minister which means leader or deacon, which is an unbiblical hierarchical office.
This word was literally translated as the opposite of its meaning. The word minister (a person not a verb) was transliterated too from the Latin and Latin was the language of the Catholic Church which already had ministras (transliterated ministers) as men in power over other men well before the KJV was written. Minister meaning "priest" in English started in the early 14th century (1301-1400). Considering the grim & bloody history of the institutional church there is no reason to assume any translation choice to not be tarnished intentionally to serve their leaders, buildings, and system. It is no wonder they chose to transliterate so many words from Latin into English or use the English words that originated from Latin that were already associated with the church. It allowed the meaning to be related to their religion instead of the clear idea of a "servant" that those apart from religion/church could understand and thus freely trust in God and serve Him instead of the church system and its men in power.
See Also:
My Notes on Elders in the Church & Older People in the Assembly, it talks about older men being "appointed/ordained," the so called "qualifications," and the possible age range of these people.
My post The Word Leaders in the New Testament, it talks about why "one above another" authority and honorary titles are forbidden by Jesus.
Frank Viola's Straight Talk to Pastors E-Book (PDF), it looks at the elders/older men of the assemblies in scripture by going through the New Testament Chronologically.
The Body With and Without Leaders
Elder means "Older" not "Office"
Presbuteros is the Greek word traditionally translated "elder." Presbuteros is an adjective that means "older." It can be masculine or feminine which means it can be best defined as "older man" or "older woman." In the New Testament presbuteros always means a person who is older in age and nothing more. It is not a title but a word of comparison. The meaning of presbuteros never includes a function, title, responsibility or "office." But one can usually learn more about the older person from the context. Context identifies who the older person is and what they do.
In
the times of the Bible, it was a very important to honor and respect
people who were older. This certainly is a very good, Godly concept. But
tradition has turned this good attitude into a "one-way-street" of
rulership. Tradition makes an elder into a position of authority which
makes him more important than other people and this reinforces our
unbiblical ideas of hierarchy. By no means is "elder" a title of
authority over others, or a rulership. An elder is an older person.
Older people are expected to be a good example to younger people. (More information on presbuteros).
Pastor means "Shepherd" not "One Man Leader"
Pastor means "Shepherd" not "One Man Leader"
In Ephesians 4:11 poimen appears in the plural best translated as "shepherds" and is coupled with the word for "teachers" this means all shepherds are teachers. It also means that a singular shepherd/pastor is not found in scripture outside of Jesus Christ. There are shepherds in the assembly but no mention what-so-ever of a one man leader called a shepherd/pastor. (More information on poimen, see also the history of the office of pastor 1 2).
The verb form of poimen is poimaino which means "to act as a shepherd, to tend, feed, provide needs, care for," basically to do the things a shepherd would do. It is translated usually as "shepherd (the verb)," "to shepherd" or "feed."
Overseer is not an Office
Episkopos is the Greek word traditionally translated "overseer" (it is maliciously translated as bishop in the KJV to once again justify an office in the church). This word is currently well translated. An overseer is one who watches over another or others to guard. Overseer is translated as guardian in 1 Peter 2:25. They are relational watchtower guards.
In 1 Timothy 3:1 some translations use after "if any man aspires to" the phrase "the office of overseer" or "the office/position of bishop" (KJV, NKVJ, NASB, NET, BBE, NRSV). There is however no Greek word that represents the word "office" in that verse and it has been completely added into the text. It is properly translated "if any man aspires to oversight" where "oversight" is the related Greek word episkope which means to watch over. It doesn't even use the noun episkopos for overseer so there is certainly no justification to use "the office of overseer" in this text. Episkopos is never used as a title in the New Testament. (More information on episkopos).
The Older Men were Overseers & Shepherds
Now that we know what the words mean let us look at who these people
are in scripture. [Hence forth presbuteros will be translated as "older
men," poimen will be translated as "shepherd," and episkopos will still
be translated as "overseer"].Acts 20:17-35
From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, telling the older men of the assembly to come to him. When they arrived, he said to them, “... You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would be helpful, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying to both Jews and Greeks about changing their minds toward God and trust in our Lord Jesus. ... I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all. For I did not hold back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God. Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
We see here that the older men (elders) of the assembly (people) have been made overseers by the Holy Spirit and are to shepherd the assembly (people) of God. The duty to shepherd and to watch over is given to the older men. When we see the word overseers in scripture or shepherds (in Ephesians 4:11) we can deduce that these are talking about the older men of God, the elders. The older men of God are given the charge to watch over and act as shepherds to the younger people of God.
The older men were respected because they were seen as more spiritually matured than others among them. They were called "shepherds" because they were already feeding (teaching) the flock. They were called "overseers" because they were already watching out for the flock. They were not doing these things because some group of Christians "appointed" them, but because the Holy Spirit "made" them overseers. Again, a man in the New Testament is called "elder" because of what he is: older and more mature in Christ; he is called "overseer" because of what he is doing, watching out for the spiritual condition of the people; and he is called "shepherd" because of what he is doing, teaching & guarding the younger. These older people naturally set the example for the kind of character God wants all His people to have.
How Today's Offices Differ from God's Functions
Just looking at this text from Acts let us look at how today's "pastors" and "elders" differ from what Paul spoke of here & how today's offices cause them to display the negative aspects he warns against.
"Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God"
Today's pastors have little to no relationship with the people they supposedly shepherd. You can't shepherd without a relationship. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said He knows His sheep by name. Pastors of larger churches couldn't possibly know all the people's names. This is why Christian communities took care of one another. The older looked out for the younger. Today's pastors & elders may see-over a crowd from the stage but few guard other's hearts.
Today's self professed "leaders" are like the older brother who tries to boss his younger siblings around claiming "Dad put me in charge" when Dad did no such thing. To be "watching out" for someone means you know where they are. The sheer reality of the man made pastoral office makes this impossible. Today's pastor is the rock star that might talk to you briefly after a performance but is too busy and has too many fans to take a real interest in almost anyone.
"Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them."
Paul warned that even of the men there some will exercise undue authority over God's flock. Rather than watching over and guarding the flock the older men themselves will become the wolves. Why would they do this? To "draw the disciples away after themselves." How often this still happens! Many churches speak more praise of their pastor than they do of Jesus. The pastor's name is always the one on the church sign while the name of Jesus, the only name given by which men can be saved, is absent.
Certainly "perversions of the truth" are taught wittingly or unwittingly in order to bolster the authority of the leaders. So many have selfish ambition and the others are blind to the enemies lies that keep them as substitutes for Christ (antichrists) at worst and distractions from Christ at best. Those who intend to rule well still intend to rule. The more you want followers the less likely you will continue following Christ yourself. When this happens the blind truly lead the blind. Jesus is never blind. Let us follow Him and be willing to listen to those who wish to point us toward Him.
"The message of God's grace (favor) is able to build you up."
So very many pastors don't preach God's grace but a mix of the old and new covenant where people are saved by God's unconditional favor (grace) but must maintain a relationship with God by keeping laws and being constantly aware of what could be considered sin. They tear people down with blanket behavioral judgments & condemnation. They speak the lie of God's near constant dissatisfaction with us rather than His favor and love. When oppressive men teach an oppressive God they block, discredit, or even demonize the light of freedom.
"I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. .. It is more blessed to give than to receive."
This is simple. Today's pastors are paid professionals. They don't provide for their own needs nor the needs of those around them. They are the takers not the givers. They live off of the people. Many desire silver and gold if not for themselves then for their church building to outshine the one across the street.
Conclusion
Today almost all think of elders, overseers, and pastors as official positions of leadership given to whoever is "trained and ordained" but they are actually older people who guide by example & teaching and who guard over the younger children of God. It is a voluntary act of service to God and others. "If anyone aspires to watch over others it is a good work he desires" (1 Timothy 3:1).
Because of the professional pastor and authoritative church elders, older men who are to truly shepherd and watch over God's people are disqualified from serving God(!) by the church! The church has replaced personal protectors with impersonal professional preachers! This means that countless more are attacked by fierce wolves and drawn away to false teachers because of this replacement. Which is more beneficial? One impersonal professional preacher per church building or a community of older men invested in personally looking out for and guiding the younger Christians? You can trace the Christian generational gap right to the pulpit of your local church.
Yes some wise men still do what older Christian men are supposed to do, thank God, but our preacher loving church system has largely robbed generation after generation of people of the wisdom, guidance, and guardianship of our older people.
Translation
In secular usage elder is an excellent translation (although it does not denote the gender) but because the church's traditions of an elder being an office/title/position of authority I think it would be much better to translate it differently. I prefer the term "older man" to "elder" because it gives us a clear idea of what the scripture is talking about. It also personalizes the text much more than a word often thought to refer to a position of authority. A position that is illegitimate in God's eyes anyway.
When you think "The older men who guide well are to be considered worthy of double honor" (1 Timothy 5:17) you can think of any lovingly helpful older person and thus value them as God intends. But we instead think of this as referring to someone in the office of elder or pastor honoring them in title rather than actual guidance because they are leaders in name but do not necessarily personally lead you.
Presbuteros was also used to refer to older men in Jewish leadership positions and is usually coupled with "chief priests and scribes" in the context letting us know this fact. The word presbuteros on its own does not include an idea of authority anymore than me saying "I saw an older man at the store" means "I saw a Jewish Rabbi at the store."
1 Peter 5:5 makes it obvious that presbuteros is not a title or position when it says, "You younger men be willing to yield & cooperate with the older men." "Younger man" is not a title or office and there is no scriptural reason to assume "older man" is either. Titus 2 also speaks to both older men and older women in regards to how they are to relate with younger men and women.
Quick Word Reference
Shepherd for Poimen instead of PastorPoimen means Shepherd and should not be translated as Pastor.
Pastor causes us to think of the sole authoritative leader of a local church organization/building. This is an utterly foreign concept to the New Testament.
Pastor hides/replaces the true meaning of shepherd and the figurative implications that were intended by God.
Older Man for Presbuteros instead of Elder
Presbuteros means Older and can be singular "older man," plural "older men," and has a feminine form "older woman/women."
In secular usage elder is an excellent translation (although it does not denote the gender).
The church's traditions of an elder being an office/title/position of authority remove the meaning of "older man" for "office of."
Thinking of older people instead of people in positions causes us to give greater consideration to the actual older men and women among us as God intended.
Service for Diakonia instead of Ministry
Diakonia means Service and should not be translated as Ministry which means the class or occupation of church leadership.
Service is work done for the benefit of others. At the time of the KJV ministry meant "the function of a priest" & "office of priest" and today pretty much means the same thing just swap priest for pastor. Today most see ministry as a specially called occupational field that you "go into" like cops go into law enforcement ministers go into ministry.
Few see ministry as simply the act of serving others and instead see it as a life-long position or type of work God tells you to do. That mindset causes people to take God's direction as a destination. It makes them see God's will as "Here is your career assignment. See you in heaven." When God's temporal guidance is taken as a life-long mission you think you no longer need to talk to God, that you've found His will and now you can do it. This idea of ministry sees God as an employer who sends you away instead of an empathetic friend who walks with you.
Servant for Diakonos instead of Minister or Deacon
Diakonos means Servant and should not be translated as minister which means leader or deacon, which is an unbiblical hierarchical office.
This word was literally translated as the opposite of its meaning. The word minister (a person not a verb) was transliterated too from the Latin and Latin was the language of the Catholic Church which already had ministras (transliterated ministers) as men in power over other men well before the KJV was written. Minister meaning "priest" in English started in the early 14th century (1301-1400). Considering the grim & bloody history of the institutional church there is no reason to assume any translation choice to not be tarnished intentionally to serve their leaders, buildings, and system. It is no wonder they chose to transliterate so many words from Latin into English or use the English words that originated from Latin that were already associated with the church. It allowed the meaning to be related to their religion instead of the clear idea of a "servant" that those apart from religion/church could understand and thus freely trust in God and serve Him instead of the church system and its men in power.
See Also:
My Notes on Elders in the Church & Older People in the Assembly, it talks about older men being "appointed/ordained," the so called "qualifications," and the possible age range of these people.
My post The Word Leaders in the New Testament, it talks about why "one above another" authority and honorary titles are forbidden by Jesus.
Frank Viola's Straight Talk to Pastors E-Book (PDF), it looks at the elders/older men of the assemblies in scripture by going through the New Testament Chronologically.
The Body With and Without Leaders
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Family of God
In John 20:17 Jesus said to Mary Magdalene, “Do not touch Me, for I have not yet
ascended to the Father. And go on to My brothers, and say to them, ‘I
ascend to My Father, and to your Father, and to My God, and to your
God.’”
After His resurrection Jesus calls the disciples His brothers and says that God is their God and Father. Jesus shows us that His resurrection brought us into the family of God.
Jesus said in John 14:1, "Do not let your heart be troubled; trust in God, trust also in me." Jesus' cure for a troubled heart is trust in God and Himself. Just as when we were children we trusted our parents to take care of us and comfort us when we were troubled or afraid so we are to trust God enough to go to Him when we are troubled because we realize that He is the safest place to be. The problem with using the word believe in John 14:1 is it leaves the impression that we have to muster up some sort of feeling of confidence. But we are to trust God which is relational. It means we go to Him during our troubles.
In Matthew 5:48 Jesus says, "Be perfect as God is perfect." We don't expect children to be as mature as adults. In keeping with your development in Christ God can look at you as perfect not just as being made perfect in His Son but perfect in the place you are in your life. God isn't stupid. He doesn't expect a 3 year old to be like a 30 year old. He knows you fully and He doesn't expect you to be able to do or be more than you are today. God is satisfied with you.
Living with Siblings
When power enters into a relationship submission is about power and where you fall in hierarchy instead of submission being what God intended which is mutual respect and love for people we have a relationship with. Whenever you deal with relationships that are about power the relationship is selfish. It is all about the person with more power. The servant loves by serving and the master loves to be served. Jesus came as a servant even though He is the only master. None of us are to put ourselves above others.
So why do we think that being something other than a brother or sister to someone is what is superior? Brothers and sisters share the life of their Father. The older help the younger learn to grow. That is what a biblical elder is. An elder (older) brother or sister that helps you learn and grow. An elder is not a surrogate parent. We have only an inkling of how deep the family of God parallels to blood families. Just as our older siblings may try to manipulate and control us to make us obey them so it is with the family of God where men elevate themselves above others and claim authority they do not have over others.
Another thing to realize is that children who have the same parents can be wildly different people. It is the same with God and His family. With God's family being as large as it is there is tons of variety. I'm talking about individual personalities and behavior. I'm not condoning the segregating denominations which put the family in competition with or at odds with each other. Church institutions promote a sort of sibling rivalry. Anyone who claims to have everything right is automatically wrong and worse off than the humble person who realizes that all of God's children are in a process of growth and maturing. "If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know." (1 Corinthians 8:2)
Christians and Christian groups often bicker over who God loves most when the Father loves all of His children just as He loves Jesus who gave us the privilege of being children of God (see John 17:23 & John 1:12). We have the ultimate older brother in Jesus and He is the first born in Father's family. All of God's children are equally loved, equally clean, and equally righteous.
After His resurrection Jesus calls the disciples His brothers and says that God is their God and Father. Jesus shows us that His resurrection brought us into the family of God.
Jesus said in John 14:1, "Do not let your heart be troubled; trust in God, trust also in me." Jesus' cure for a troubled heart is trust in God and Himself. Just as when we were children we trusted our parents to take care of us and comfort us when we were troubled or afraid so we are to trust God enough to go to Him when we are troubled because we realize that He is the safest place to be. The problem with using the word believe in John 14:1 is it leaves the impression that we have to muster up some sort of feeling of confidence. But we are to trust God which is relational. It means we go to Him during our troubles.
In Matthew 5:48 Jesus says, "Be perfect as God is perfect." We don't expect children to be as mature as adults. In keeping with your development in Christ God can look at you as perfect not just as being made perfect in His Son but perfect in the place you are in your life. God isn't stupid. He doesn't expect a 3 year old to be like a 30 year old. He knows you fully and He doesn't expect you to be able to do or be more than you are today. God is satisfied with you.
Living with Siblings
When power enters into a relationship submission is about power and where you fall in hierarchy instead of submission being what God intended which is mutual respect and love for people we have a relationship with. Whenever you deal with relationships that are about power the relationship is selfish. It is all about the person with more power. The servant loves by serving and the master loves to be served. Jesus came as a servant even though He is the only master. None of us are to put ourselves above others.
So why do we think that being something other than a brother or sister to someone is what is superior? Brothers and sisters share the life of their Father. The older help the younger learn to grow. That is what a biblical elder is. An elder (older) brother or sister that helps you learn and grow. An elder is not a surrogate parent. We have only an inkling of how deep the family of God parallels to blood families. Just as our older siblings may try to manipulate and control us to make us obey them so it is with the family of God where men elevate themselves above others and claim authority they do not have over others.
Another thing to realize is that children who have the same parents can be wildly different people. It is the same with God and His family. With God's family being as large as it is there is tons of variety. I'm talking about individual personalities and behavior. I'm not condoning the segregating denominations which put the family in competition with or at odds with each other. Church institutions promote a sort of sibling rivalry. Anyone who claims to have everything right is automatically wrong and worse off than the humble person who realizes that all of God's children are in a process of growth and maturing. "If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know." (1 Corinthians 8:2)
Christians and Christian groups often bicker over who God loves most when the Father loves all of His children just as He loves Jesus who gave us the privilege of being children of God (see John 17:23 & John 1:12). We have the ultimate older brother in Jesus and He is the first born in Father's family. All of God's children are equally loved, equally clean, and equally righteous.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Word Leaders in the New Testament
The word leader(s) appears just 4 times in the NASB relating to Christians in the New Testament.
Leaders in Matthew 23:10
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them. And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:1-12 NASB)
The Greek word for leader(s) in Matthew 23:10 is the noun kathegetes. It means leader or guide. This word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Why? Because His disciples obeyed what Jesus told them. Jesus said do not be called Rabbi or leader, do not allow someone to address you with such a title. This scripture warns against using titles associated with teaching (Rabbi, Father, Leader). Jesus clearly said that God is the only one deserving of these distinctions. Jesus said to His disciples "you are all brothers" meaning they are equal in God's family. Note that Jesus did not say "Peter is your leader." Jesus said the greatest among you shall be your servant. Jesus did not say the greatest among you shall be your leader or your servant leader.
These commands prohibit the disciples of Jesus from seeking or receiving titles, producing distinctions among themselves, implying authority to control the opinions and conduct of others, and claiming that others should acknowledge them as superiors. Honorary/religious/spiritual titles are to be avoided by God's people. God forbids us to receive any such reverence. In the kingdom of God there are no titles, special names, given to set someone above the rest. No one was called Pastor Paul, Reverend Peter, Minister John, or Priest James.
What did the writers of the New Testament call themselves if they did not use the titles we have today?
Paul, a bond-slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (Romans 1:1)
James, a bond-slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1)
Simon Peter, a bond-slave and apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1)
Jude, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-slaves, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-slave John (Revelation 1:1)
All of the New Testament writers that acknowledged themselves as the authors of their writings called themselves bond-slaves or bond-servants of God. It is also worth noting that all of God's people are called His bond-slaves in Revelation 1:1. Bond-slave means one who sells himself into slavery to another, one who gives himself up to the will of another, one who serves another without regard for his own personal interests. The word therefore pictures the absolute submission of a man or woman to their Master. The bond-slave is totally devoted to the loving Master! It is the Master's love and the bond-slave's love for the Master which motivates this full submission. A bond-slave essentially says, "Nothing matters about me, so long as the Lord Jesus is glorified."
Leaders in Luke 22:26
"Behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:21-30 NASB)
The Greek word for leader in Luke 22:26 is the verb hegeomai. It means to lead or to guide. The word servant here is also a Greek verb which means one who serves. The NASB translates these as English nouns which gives the idea of status rather than action. Jesus is not using the title of leader here (which describes an official position) but rather describing one who leads (which describes an action which can be done by anyone). This would translate best to "Let the one who leads become as the one who serves."
Jesus is much more practical than we think. Christ is our one and only leader. We are not in bondage to obey men. Instead of setting up people in positions as official leaders He gives us all freedom. All followers of Christ can lead, guide, & direct because all of His followers are equal brothers and sisters. Jesus stressed the attitude that even when we are leading, guiding, & directing someone we are to do it as serving and caring. Jesus said that you shall not lord over others. Not so with us! Jesus exemplified this He came in the flesh to serve not to lord over others. The Lord didn't lord over others! We are not to lord over or exercise authority over other Christians in the Kingdom. Jesus did not put the focus on my works (leading) or my status (being a leader) but the needs of others (serving)!
Though Jesus gave the apostles the unique privilege to judge the twelve tribes of Israel in the future they are even equals even in that. Jesus didn't say, "Peter you will be the greatest judge and the rest of you will also judge." In this life they were still equals as well and they are addressed as brothers in verse 32. Remember Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. He has the unique status as the "firstborn son."
Jesus assures them that His kingdom is established on different principles from those of the world; that his subjects were not to expect titles, and power, and offices in his kingdom. We should not aim at office and power, but to be humble, and serve and help one another. (See this look at the word office in the New Testament if you suppose they exist).
The word "benefactor" is a title of one who bestows "favor/benefit" on another. It was applied to kings by way of "compliment or flattery." So again here Jesus says "not so with you" concerning titles of honor. Should we dare allow ourselves to be given titles or to bestow titles on others when our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and humbled himself to the point of death, not just death but death on a cross?
Leaders in Hebrews 13:24
Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. (Hebrews 13:24 NASB)
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:24 is the verb hegeomai. Again it means to lead or to guide. This verse is best translated as "Greet all of those leading you and all the saints." This does not suggest someone who sits in an office called Leader Ted who never actually leads anyone, is devoid of relationships, and only speaks to them as a crowd.
Leaders in Hebrews 13:17
Similar is my post The Proper Translation of Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
(Hebrews 13:17)
Of the four verses that use of the word leader(s) in the NASB this is the one that gets focused on the most by far. Simply by looking at the first two passages above we should recognize something sounds wrong here. Obey and submit to leaders? We already know that Jesus said that we shall not lord over or exercise authority over other children of God and that we are not to be called leaders or accept titles of honor. Does the bible contradict? No the bible does not contradict. The belief of the one man in authority over another hierarchy structure that exists in the church has caused scriptures to be skewed. Three words are mistranslated here: obey, leaders, and submit.
The English word obey means to carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of. It carries the idea of obligation to do what someone else says & failure to obey results in sin. But a word meaning obey does not appear in Hebrews 13:17. The Greek word translated obey here is peitho. Peitho means "to persuade; to be persuaded."
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:17 is the verb hegeomai. We saw earlier that it means to lead or to guide. Here it is best translated as "those leading you" or "those guiding you." Thus it is not a title of people in positions but a verb describing one who is performing the action of leading.
The Greek word for submit in Hebrews 13:17 is hupeiko. The word means to yield, to give in to. The word only appears once in the New Testament. The Greek word hupotasso is the primary word for submit in the New Testament and is not used here.
Hebrews 13:17 is properly translated as:
Be persuaded by those guiding you, and be yielding; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them watch over you with joy and not with grumbling, for this would be unprofitable for you.
This is essentially saying to be persuadable, to not be prideful but to be yielding. Allow those with wisdom to guide you to truth. Listen to the trustworthy and don't be rebellious. This verse does not say that there are leaders in positions or offices who we must obey on the basis of their authority. There is ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST! Those who watch over & guide others are to do so joyfully and willfully not with grumbling. We are not to cause them to grumble by our unwillingness to yield to God's truth.
The verse could also be put as this, "Be responsive to those who guide you. Listen to their counsel. They are those who who are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God and His truth." There is no guiding or guarding without relationship. If someone is not actually guiding you personally, if that person is not alert to the condition of your life then that person is not keeping watch over your soul! Thus you can't be persuaded by this person because they do not even communicate with you and wouldn't even know if you yielded to them. Those who allow themselves to be called leader or pastor do not lead or shepherd if they do not actually guide and guard. God gives function, gifts, and ministry (ministry means work done for the benefit of others) thus Christians are defined by love and good works not by titles, positions, or power. Christians are defined by action not positions or titles. A follower who is not following is not a follower at all.
The Consequences
The action of leading is a perfectly biblical concept but the freedom of Christ demands that any child of God can lead. Leading is done by serving, that is loving and caring for others. There is no special leader, no unique "man of God." We have one leader Jesus Christ! Modern Christianity is obsessed with leaders of or being leaders of congregations, movements, or groups far more so than being followers of Jesus Christ and servants of others.
The English word leader means, "a person who leads; One occupying the first or foremost position." Leader makes us think of authority. If you are a leader that means you are in charge. God did not set up anyone to be in charge but Himself. We lose our equality and our freedom to function when we exalt other men or ourselves as leaders rather than Christ. We arrogantly claim to be humble by calling ourselves "servant-leaders" thus we think we can ignore Christ's command of putting ourselves above others. Jesus acknowledged Himself as the one true Leader but also said that while on earth He came to serve. We do not need more servant leaders; we need more servants..period! Many leaders don’t mind being called a servant; they just don’t like being treated like one. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of death, death on a cross! Do we dare call ourselves humble?
Jesus' example for us runs very deep. Jesus didn't even go around calling Himself Messiah Jesus or Christ Jesus. Though there are many reasons we know that Jesus was often discrete in admitting who He was.
The woman said to Him, "I know that the Messiah is coming; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4:25-26)
So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” He answered them, “You say that I am.” (Luke 22:70)
So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” (Mark 15:2)
The problem with being called a leader or other religious title is that it is you allowing yourself to be considered greater than others when all of God's children are equals, united in Christ. Being called a servant leader or first among equals is just silly. Every follower of Christ has the same life giving spirit of Christ within them. Exalting men as leaders discourages and disarms. It says, "let the pros handle it." But the pros can't handle it because God never intended them to. God wants all of us to love. Jesus clearly teaches us that accepting titles puffs us up and robs God of His rightful place. Interestingly elders/overseers/shepherds\pastors are the ones who were to observe us to protect us. Instead we observe people who claim to be those very things who know little to nothing about us. God did not intend for leaders to serve while the rest of us observe. He wants all of us to serve because He is our one Leader and we are all brothers.
Leaders in Matthew 23:10
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them. And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:1-12 NASB)
The Greek word for leader(s) in Matthew 23:10 is the noun kathegetes. It means leader or guide. This word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Why? Because His disciples obeyed what Jesus told them. Jesus said do not be called Rabbi or leader, do not allow someone to address you with such a title. This scripture warns against using titles associated with teaching (Rabbi, Father, Leader). Jesus clearly said that God is the only one deserving of these distinctions. Jesus said to His disciples "you are all brothers" meaning they are equal in God's family. Note that Jesus did not say "Peter is your leader." Jesus said the greatest among you shall be your servant. Jesus did not say the greatest among you shall be your leader or your servant leader.
These commands prohibit the disciples of Jesus from seeking or receiving titles, producing distinctions among themselves, implying authority to control the opinions and conduct of others, and claiming that others should acknowledge them as superiors. Honorary/religious/spiritual titles are to be avoided by God's people. God forbids us to receive any such reverence. In the kingdom of God there are no titles, special names, given to set someone above the rest. No one was called Pastor Paul, Reverend Peter, Minister John, or Priest James.
What did the writers of the New Testament call themselves if they did not use the titles we have today?
Paul, a bond-slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (Romans 1:1)
James, a bond-slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1)
Simon Peter, a bond-slave and apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1)
Jude, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-slaves, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-slave John (Revelation 1:1)
All of the New Testament writers that acknowledged themselves as the authors of their writings called themselves bond-slaves or bond-servants of God. It is also worth noting that all of God's people are called His bond-slaves in Revelation 1:1. Bond-slave means one who sells himself into slavery to another, one who gives himself up to the will of another, one who serves another without regard for his own personal interests. The word therefore pictures the absolute submission of a man or woman to their Master. The bond-slave is totally devoted to the loving Master! It is the Master's love and the bond-slave's love for the Master which motivates this full submission. A bond-slave essentially says, "Nothing matters about me, so long as the Lord Jesus is glorified."
Leaders in Luke 22:26
"Behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:21-30 NASB)
The Greek word for leader in Luke 22:26 is the verb hegeomai. It means to lead or to guide. The word servant here is also a Greek verb which means one who serves. The NASB translates these as English nouns which gives the idea of status rather than action. Jesus is not using the title of leader here (which describes an official position) but rather describing one who leads (which describes an action which can be done by anyone). This would translate best to "Let the one who leads become as the one who serves."
Jesus is much more practical than we think. Christ is our one and only leader. We are not in bondage to obey men. Instead of setting up people in positions as official leaders He gives us all freedom. All followers of Christ can lead, guide, & direct because all of His followers are equal brothers and sisters. Jesus stressed the attitude that even when we are leading, guiding, & directing someone we are to do it as serving and caring. Jesus said that you shall not lord over others. Not so with us! Jesus exemplified this He came in the flesh to serve not to lord over others. The Lord didn't lord over others! We are not to lord over or exercise authority over other Christians in the Kingdom. Jesus did not put the focus on my works (leading) or my status (being a leader) but the needs of others (serving)!
Though Jesus gave the apostles the unique privilege to judge the twelve tribes of Israel in the future they are even equals even in that. Jesus didn't say, "Peter you will be the greatest judge and the rest of you will also judge." In this life they were still equals as well and they are addressed as brothers in verse 32. Remember Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. He has the unique status as the "firstborn son."
Jesus assures them that His kingdom is established on different principles from those of the world; that his subjects were not to expect titles, and power, and offices in his kingdom. We should not aim at office and power, but to be humble, and serve and help one another. (See this look at the word office in the New Testament if you suppose they exist).
The word "benefactor" is a title of one who bestows "favor/benefit" on another. It was applied to kings by way of "compliment or flattery." So again here Jesus says "not so with you" concerning titles of honor. Should we dare allow ourselves to be given titles or to bestow titles on others when our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and humbled himself to the point of death, not just death but death on a cross?
Leaders in Hebrews 13:24
Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. (Hebrews 13:24 NASB)
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:24 is the verb hegeomai. Again it means to lead or to guide. This verse is best translated as "Greet all of those leading you and all the saints." This does not suggest someone who sits in an office called Leader Ted who never actually leads anyone, is devoid of relationships, and only speaks to them as a crowd.
Leaders in Hebrews 13:17
Similar is my post The Proper Translation of Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
(Hebrews 13:17)
Of the four verses that use of the word leader(s) in the NASB this is the one that gets focused on the most by far. Simply by looking at the first two passages above we should recognize something sounds wrong here. Obey and submit to leaders? We already know that Jesus said that we shall not lord over or exercise authority over other children of God and that we are not to be called leaders or accept titles of honor. Does the bible contradict? No the bible does not contradict. The belief of the one man in authority over another hierarchy structure that exists in the church has caused scriptures to be skewed. Three words are mistranslated here: obey, leaders, and submit.
The English word obey means to carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of. It carries the idea of obligation to do what someone else says & failure to obey results in sin. But a word meaning obey does not appear in Hebrews 13:17. The Greek word translated obey here is peitho. Peitho means "to persuade; to be persuaded."
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:17 is the verb hegeomai. We saw earlier that it means to lead or to guide. Here it is best translated as "those leading you" or "those guiding you." Thus it is not a title of people in positions but a verb describing one who is performing the action of leading.
The Greek word for submit in Hebrews 13:17 is hupeiko. The word means to yield, to give in to. The word only appears once in the New Testament. The Greek word hupotasso is the primary word for submit in the New Testament and is not used here.
Hebrews 13:17 is properly translated as:
Be persuaded by those guiding you, and be yielding; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them watch over you with joy and not with grumbling, for this would be unprofitable for you.
This is essentially saying to be persuadable, to not be prideful but to be yielding. Allow those with wisdom to guide you to truth. Listen to the trustworthy and don't be rebellious. This verse does not say that there are leaders in positions or offices who we must obey on the basis of their authority. There is ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST! Those who watch over & guide others are to do so joyfully and willfully not with grumbling. We are not to cause them to grumble by our unwillingness to yield to God's truth.
The verse could also be put as this, "Be responsive to those who guide you. Listen to their counsel. They are those who who are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God and His truth." There is no guiding or guarding without relationship. If someone is not actually guiding you personally, if that person is not alert to the condition of your life then that person is not keeping watch over your soul! Thus you can't be persuaded by this person because they do not even communicate with you and wouldn't even know if you yielded to them. Those who allow themselves to be called leader or pastor do not lead or shepherd if they do not actually guide and guard. God gives function, gifts, and ministry (ministry means work done for the benefit of others) thus Christians are defined by love and good works not by titles, positions, or power. Christians are defined by action not positions or titles. A follower who is not following is not a follower at all.
The Consequences
The action of leading is a perfectly biblical concept but the freedom of Christ demands that any child of God can lead. Leading is done by serving, that is loving and caring for others. There is no special leader, no unique "man of God." We have one leader Jesus Christ! Modern Christianity is obsessed with leaders of or being leaders of congregations, movements, or groups far more so than being followers of Jesus Christ and servants of others.
The English word leader means, "a person who leads; One occupying the first or foremost position." Leader makes us think of authority. If you are a leader that means you are in charge. God did not set up anyone to be in charge but Himself. We lose our equality and our freedom to function when we exalt other men or ourselves as leaders rather than Christ. We arrogantly claim to be humble by calling ourselves "servant-leaders" thus we think we can ignore Christ's command of putting ourselves above others. Jesus acknowledged Himself as the one true Leader but also said that while on earth He came to serve. We do not need more servant leaders; we need more servants..period! Many leaders don’t mind being called a servant; they just don’t like being treated like one. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of death, death on a cross! Do we dare call ourselves humble?
Jesus' example for us runs very deep. Jesus didn't even go around calling Himself Messiah Jesus or Christ Jesus. Though there are many reasons we know that Jesus was often discrete in admitting who He was.
The woman said to Him, "I know that the Messiah is coming; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4:25-26)
So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” He answered them, “You say that I am.” (Luke 22:70)
So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” (Mark 15:2)
The problem with being called a leader or other religious title is that it is you allowing yourself to be considered greater than others when all of God's children are equals, united in Christ. Being called a servant leader or first among equals is just silly. Every follower of Christ has the same life giving spirit of Christ within them. Exalting men as leaders discourages and disarms. It says, "let the pros handle it." But the pros can't handle it because God never intended them to. God wants all of us to love. Jesus clearly teaches us that accepting titles puffs us up and robs God of His rightful place. Interestingly elders/overseers/shepherds\pastors are the ones who were to observe us to protect us. Instead we observe people who claim to be those very things who know little to nothing about us. God did not intend for leaders to serve while the rest of us observe. He wants all of us to serve because He is our one Leader and we are all brothers.
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