Organization Of The New Testament Church & Qualifications Of Church Leadership printable pdf download

Organization Of The New Testament Church & Qualifications Of Church Leadership

ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

QUALIFICATIONS OF CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Biblical Texts:

1 Tim. 3:2-7; Titus 1:5-16;

Collateral Reading: J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership,

131-136

As a Marine officer, I was expected to look past the bullets flying at me. I had to

trust that my superiors knew we could win if we advanced ahead, and I believed

that if we cowered in our foxholes we'd be wiped out. I had to convey that

confidence to my men in order to get them to follow me.

The analogy carries over to Christian leadership. The spiritual leader, like the

Marine lieutenant, is fighting in a war, but it's a spiritual war, against the powers of

darkness, to use Paul's phrase. The Christian leader, like the military leader, has to

get his orders from his Commander. He has to get God's vision of things.

Charles W. Colson, BreakPoint Commentary, November 17, 1998

1. FOUR REASONS POLITY IS IMPORTANT



Any deviation from God's plan produces inevitable weakness, if not failure &

judgment.



A worldly (business) structure of authority deprives the world of an alternative

demonstration of divine grace & power.



Aggregated authority inevitably produces resentment, repression & rebellion.



Limited authority fails to develop the "priesthood of all believers".

2. TYPICAL CHURCH ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES



Papal Rule or Authoritarian - Absolute authority of one individual over the church,

acting as Christ's vicar or vice-regent in the world. Give an example: ____________

Create below an organizational chart of this type of church.

Organization Of The New Testament Church & Qualifications Of Church Leadership