Church and Ministry

1
Church and Ministry
2
Church and Ministry

• The church is found wherever the Good Shepherd
  is found tending his sheep (Hermann Sasse)
• The church is the only society that exists for
  the benefit of its non-members
• (William Temple)

3
Church

• Chosen people of God are called together in the
  fellowship of the church.
• ekklesia Greek word meaning called out from
  ordinary life.

4
Church

• Church can be local congregation, a building,
  a denomination, all believers.
• It is the communion of saints people Jesus
  people.

5
Church

• VISIBLE CHURCH
• All who go by the name Christian including
  hypocrites.
• HIDDEN CHURCH
• The true church it is impossible for us to tell
  who the members are.

6
Church

• 1. ONE - Eph 41-6
• Oneness has been given by the Spirit but also a
  task assigned to the church. Both celebrate our
  oneness, and work hard to discover it.
• 2. HOLY (saints) 1 Peter 29,10
• set apart people not morally perfect saints
  striving to be saints!

7
Church

• 1. CATHOLIC - universal
• includes all. No one excluded.
• 2. APOSTOLIC An apostle is one sent by the
  risen Christ to proclaim the Good News. We are
  one with the first apostles. Apostolic
  succession

8
Ministry

• How does God ensure the transmission of the
  Gospel? God gives the office of preaching and
  administration of the Sacraments.
• The office of ministry has been established by
  God 2 Corinthians 35,6 Ephesians 411 Acts
  2028

9
Ministry

• Pastors are people are called by God,
  encouraged by others, educated, and then
  ordained to the office by the church laying
  on of hands and prayer for the gift of the Spirit
  (1 Tim 414 2 Tim 16f)

10
Ministry

• God given power/authority to
• teach and preach
• Absolve sin
• administer sacraments
• exclude? Lead to repentance (Matthew
  1815-20)
• POWER OF THE KEYS (Mat 1618f)

11
Ministry

• PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS
• 1 Peter 29 - All Christians have a
  responsibility to act as Gods representatives
  here caring, loving, etc
• So is ministry the result of delegation this
  responsibility NO Ministry gift of God.

12
Ministry

• Lutheran Church traditionally teaches there is no
  ideal model for ordering the ministry.
• Pastors can also be hypocrites, but ministry can
  still be valid.

13
Journal Entry

• A Pastor has an affair with a consenting adult
  member of his congregation. If the church
  leadership gets to know what should be their
  reaction?