The Church: Oversight -Elders and Deacons (part 15)

The Worship Space and History of Ecclesial Hierarchy 


It is a historical fact that churches met in houses up and met in
circles (or squares) face to face until the Constantinian shift.
Following this entanglement and merge we see churches beginning
to meet in buildings that were very similar to the pagan temples
if not repurposing the pagan temples. A lot of our thoughts of
leadership and church rule derives from a stage and positions of
prominence based on the basilica format of the church building.
Rather than a circle of equal believers we now have a hierarchy
which occupies a stage and the location of the pulpit and altar
equals power and authority which God never intended. Even today
this plays into the elevating of certain people who stand on the
stage over other brothers and sisters. 


Words of Positional Authority 


• arche (a rank-and-file leader, head, or ruler) 


• time (an officer or dignitary) 


• telos (the inherent power of a ruler or tribute to a
ruler) 


• archisunagogos (a synagogue official) • hazzan (a public leader
or worship) 


• taxis (a post, position, or rank) 


• hierateia (a priest’s office) 


• archon (a ruler or chief) 


Yet not even one of these is used of any leader in the NT church
in the Bible. The favorite term used of those providing oversight
is diakonos from which we get deacon, but it means servant or
table-waiter. 


What is an Elder? 1 Tim 3:1-7 Titus 1:5-11 1 Peter 5:1-8 Hebrews
13:7, 17 1 Tim 5:17-22 


“Appointing Elders” One thing lacking when you look at the NT is
the appointing of elders at the planting of the church. The
apostle might stay for a little while but usually he’d plant the
church, train, and return at a later time to “recognize” elders-
those who were mature in the Lord. 


Who does Paul address in his Epistles to? If Elder was a position
of hierarchy and authority you’d think that Paul would address
his epistles to the “leaders”- the pastors and elders or deacons
or bishops - but he never does. 


What is a Deacon? Acts 6:1-6 1 Tim 3:8-13 Romans 16:1-2 


Decision making in the Early Church Acts 15:22-26 


All in all, the New Testament knows nothing of an authoritative
mode of leadership. Nor does it know a “leaderless”
individualism. It rejects both hierarchical structures as well as
rugged individualism. Instead, the New Testament envisions
leadership as coming from the entire church. The brothers and
sisters supply direction and decision-making by consensus.
Seasoned brothers and sisters supply oversight. In this way, the
early churches were guided democracies. Decision-making was
communal. It stood between hierarchical structures on the one
hand and individualism on the other. Elders and leaders were
called to exercise pastoral oversight in the context of mutual
subjection rather than in a hierarchical structure of
subordination. 


Elder Conclusions o Elders were simply old and wise person of
character o They had the function of teaching and discipling the
less mature brothers and sisters in a motherly/fatherly mentoring
role and the mature in an iron sharpening iron role o They
eldered, shepherded, and oversaw… this was their character,
function, and gifting not their office. o They are among the
flock not over the flock o All language of positional authority
is absent when talking of eldering in the NT 


Deacon Conclusions o Deacon-ing was complete service and
servanthood, void of positional power. o They do good works in
the public eye that reflect back on the body of Christ and Christ
himself so they must be of Christlike character and good
reputation. o They are servant ambassadors.