THE CHURCH

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THE CHURCH
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ATTRIBUTES OF THE CHURCH

• ONE
• HOLY
• APOSTOLIC
• CATHOLIC CHURCH

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CHURCH IS ONE

• For Roman Catholics
• Unity consists in relationship with the Apostolic
  See
• This is better than the traditional institutional
  model of unity
• For the Reformed
• Unity is primarily of an internal, spiritual
  character
• One Lord, one faith, one baptism, doctrinal
  unity
• The Unity of the invisible church is no
  substitute for unity in the visible church
• Multiformity (or, pluriformity) of the churches
  is part of Gods providential unfolding of
  history
• Biblical Unitygrounded in Truth, John 1717

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CHURCH IS HOLY

• For many Roman Catholics, this has been
  interpreted in external terms
• At times, this affirmation, in light of the
  reality of the Churchs mixed character, has led
  to schismatic groups, such as Novationists,
  Donatists, Montanists, Cathari, etc. separating
  from the Church
• Fundamentally, the affirmation of holiness is
• An assertion of objective righteousness, i.e.,
  the Church in Christ Jesus
• Secondarily, it is an affirmation that God who
  sanctifies individuals is also at work purifying
  (sanctifying) his Church

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CHURCH IS HOLY

• The gap between these affirmations and the
  reality of present ecclesiastical life is a
  reminder
• The wheat/tares grow together till the end of
  the age
• It is often difficult to distinguish them
• Church Discipline- a necessary element for
  maintaining holiness in the Church
• The Standard of Holiness is Gods moral law
• The dangers of Antinomianism and Legalism are
  never far away

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CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC

• For Roman Catholics, affirmations of apostolicity
  are intertwined with notions of apostolic
  succession
• For the Reformed, apostolicity is continuity with
  the doctrines and principles of the apostolic
  church
• I Cor. 151-4, according to the Scriptures
• Jude 3, faith, once for all delivered
• The church is apostolic because it is founded on
  apostolic teaching. Ed Clowney, The Church, 77

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CHURCH IS CATHOLIC

• For Roman Catholics, catholicity (universality)
  is often equated with institutional unity with
  Rome
• For the Reformed, catholicity may refer either to
  the invisible church when referring to all true
  believers, or the visible church when referring
  to all who profess the true religion
• Catholicity has a temporal axis (i.e., its
  relation to the church of the ages) as well as a
  horizontal axis
• Catholicity and Heresy Heresy-hunting, A Lost
  Art in need of recovery

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MARKS OF THE CHURCH

• Augsburg Confession Article 7 (see Calvin, ICR,
  4.2.9)
• The Gospel is rightly taught
• The Sacraments are rightly administered. Of
  course, this implies church discipline (for
  Calvin at least)
• The Proper Exercise of Discipline is added in the
  Belgic Confession, Art. 29

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MARKS OF THE CHURCH

• Ultimately, all three marks may be summarized
  as the Word. Whether taught, sacramentally
  received, or practiced, it is the Word that is
  the ultimate mark (Nota) of the Church
• The issue of schism or separation
• Brought to the fore by the lack of faithfulness
  in many churches to maintain these three marks
• This was the dilemma of the twentieth century- a
  century in which unbelief was no longer outside
  the cathedral door, but often in the chancery,
  the pulpit, and the confessional

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THE CHURCHS PURPOSE

• The Purpose of the Church Per Wayne Grudem,
  Systematic Theology, 867ff
• Ministry to God Worship
• Ministry to Believers Nurture
• Ministry to the World Evangelism and Mercy
• All three purposes of the church are commanded
  by the Lord in Scripture therefore all three are
  important and none can be neglected. Grudem, ST,
  868

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THE CHURCHS PURPOSE

• Per David Smith, All Gods People, 341
• Martyria, or Witness
• Diakonia, or Service
• Koinonia, or Fellowship
• Leitourgia, or Worship

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Extraordinary Officers in the Church
• Apostles
• Mark 314, And he appointed twelve (whom he also
  named apostles) so that they might be with him
  and he might send them out to preach
• Luke 613, And when day came, he called his
  disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he
  named apostles
• Gal. 11, Paul, an apostle- not from men nor
  through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the
  Father, who raised him from the dead
• Acts 121, So one of the men who have
  accompanied us during all the time that the Lord
  Jesus went in and out among us

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Extraordinary Officers in the Church
• Prophets
• Acts 1128, And one of them named Agabus stood
  up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be
  a great famine over all the world (this took
  place in the days of Claudius).
• Acts 131,2, Now there were in the church at
  Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon
  who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a
  member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and
  Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and
  fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me
  Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
  called them.

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Extraordinary Officers in the Church
• Prophets
• I Cor. 1210, to another the working of
  miracles, to another prophecy, to another the
  ability to distinguish between spirits, to
  another various kinds of tongues, to another the
  interpretation of tongues.
• I Cor. 132, And if I have prophetic powers, and
  understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and
  if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
  but have not love, I am nothing.
• Eph. 220, built on the foundation of the
  apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being
  the cornerstone

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Extraordinary Officers in the Church
• Prophets
• Eph. 35, which was not made known to the sons
  of men in other generations as it has now been
  revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the
  Spirit.
• Eph. 411, And he gave the apostles, the
  prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
  teachers

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Extraordinary Officers- or Ordinary?
• Evangelists
• Acts 218, crying out, Men of Israel, help!
  This is the man who is teaching everyone
  everywhere against the people and the law and
  this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into
  the temple and has defiled this holy place.
• Eph. 411, And he gave the apostles, the
  prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
  teachers
• II Tim. 45, As for you, always be sober-minded,
  endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist,
  fulfill your ministry.

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Ordinary Officers
• Elders, presbyteroi,
• Acts 2017,28, Now from Miletus he sent to
  Ephesus and called the elders of the church to
  come to him. . . . Pay careful attention to
  yourselves and to all the flock, in which the
  Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for
  the church of God, which he obtained with his own
  blood.
• I Tim. 31, The saying is trustworthy If anyone
  aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a
  noble task.
• I Tim. 414, Do not neglect the gift you have,
  which was given you by prophecy when the council
  of elders laid their hands on you.

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Ordinary Officers
• Elders, presbyteroi,
• I Tim. 517,9, Let the elders who rule well be
  considered worthy of double honor, especially
  those who labor in preaching and teaching. . . .
  Do not admit a charge against an elder except on
  the evidence of two or three witnesses.
• Titus 15,7, This is why I left you in Crete, so
  that you might put what remained into order, and
  appoint elders in every town as I directed you .
  . . For an overseer, as God's steward, must be
  above reproach. He must not be arrogant or
  quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy
  for gain

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Ordinary Officers
• Elders, presbyteroi,
• I Peter 51,2, So I exhort the elders among you,
  as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings
  of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory
  that is going to be revealed shepherd the flock
  of God that is among you, exercising oversight,
  not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would
  have you not for shameful gain, but eagerly

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Ordinary Officers
• Teachers, didaskaloi,
• Eph. 411, and he gave the apostles, the
  prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
  teachers
• I Tim. 517, Let the elders who rule well be
  considered worthy of double honor, especially
  those who labor in preaching and teaching

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• II Tim. 22, and what you have heard from me in
  the presence of many witnesses entrust to
  faithful men who will be able to teach others
  also.
• Titus 19, He must hold firm to the trustworthy
  word as taught, so that he may be able to give
  instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke
  those who contradict it

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Deacons, diakonoi,
• Phil. 11, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ
  Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are
  at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons
• I Tim. 38-10,12, Deacons likewise must be
  dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to
  much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They
  must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear
  conscience. And let them also be tested first
  then let them serve as deacons if they prove
  themselves blameless. . . . Let deacons each be
  the husband of one wife, managing their children
  and their own households well

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CHURCH AND POLITY

• Deacons, diakonoi,
• Acts 61-6, Now in these days when the disciples
  were increasing in number, a complaint by the
  Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because
  their widows were being neglected in the daily
  distribution. And the twelve summoned the full
  number of the disciples and said, It is not
  right that we should give up preaching the word
  of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick
  out from among you seven men of good repute, full
  of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint
  to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to
  prayer and to the ministry of the word. And what
  they said pleased the whole gathering, and they
  chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the
  Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and
  Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a
  proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the
  apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on
  them.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT

• Current Options
• Episcopal, in which oversight is vested in
  Bishops
• Congregational, in which oversight is vested in
  the congregation
• Presbyterial, in which oversight is vested in the
  elders of the Church

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• The Office-bearers were chosen by the people
• Acts 113-26, And when they had entered, they
  went up to the upper room, where they were
  staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew,
  Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James
  the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and
  Judas the son of James. All these with one accord
  were devoting themselves to prayer, together with
  the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his
  brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the
  brothers (the company of persons was in all about
  120) and said, Brothers, the Scripture had to
  be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke
  beforehand by the mouth of David concerning
  Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested
  Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was
  allotted his share in this ministry.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• (Now this man bought a field with the reward of
  his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst
  open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
  And it became known to all the inhabitants of
  Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their
  own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
  For it is written in the Book of Psalms, May
  his camp become desolate, and let there be no one
  to dwell in it and Let another take his
  office. So one of the men who have accompanied
  us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went
  in and out among us, beginning from the baptism
  of John until the day when he was taken up from
  us- one of these men must become with us a
  witness to his resurrection.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• And they put forward two, Joseph called
  Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and
  Matthias. And they prayed and said, You, Lord,
  who know the hearts of all, show which one of
  these two you have chosen to take the place in
  this ministry and apostleship from which Judas
  turned aside to go to his own place. And they
  cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias,
  and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• Acts 65-6, And what they said pleased the whole
  gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of
  faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and
  Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas,
  and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they
  set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid
  their hands on them.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• The titles Bishop and Elder appear to distinguish
  the same office and the same order of persons
• Acts 2017,28, Now from Miletus he sent to
  Ephesus and called the elders of the church to
  come to him. . . . Pay careful attention to
  yourselves and to all the flock, in which the
  Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for
  the church of God, which he obtained with his own
  blood.
• I Tim. 31, The saying is trustworthy If anyone
  aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a
  noble task.
• I Tim. 517, Let the elders who rule well be
  considered worthy of double honor, especially
  those who labor in preaching and teaching.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• The titles Bishop and Elder appear to distinguish
  the same office and the same order of persons
• Titus 15,7, This is why I left you in Crete, so
  that you might put what remained into order, and
  appoint elders in every town as I directed you .
  . . For an overseer, as God's steward, must be
  above reproach. He must not be arrogant or
  quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy
  for gain,
• Phil. 11, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ
  Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are
  at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons
• James 514, Is anyone among you sick? Let him
  call for the elders of the church, and let them
  pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name
  of the Lord.

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CHURCH GOVERNMENT Principles

• In each church there was a plurality of Elders
• Acts 1423, And when they had appointed elders
  for them in every church, with prayer and fasting
  they committed them to the Lord in whom they had
  believed.
• Acts 2017, Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus
  and called the elders of the church to come to
  him.

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COMPETENT LEADERSHIP

• Competent Leaders exercise authority to
  accomplish the Good
• Competent Leaders need to define what is
  (Reality) and declare what will be (Future)
• Competent Leaders do not simply respond to
  crisis, but also determine how you go about
  mission

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COMPETENT LEADERSHIP

• Competent Leaders do what God sent them to do
• Competent Leaders are effective in giving a
  witness in the 21st century, in a time of
  denominational change, cultural shifts, and
  institutional turmoil
• Competent Leaders define excellence in the moment
  
• Competent Leaders define systems that will serve
  us well

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COMPETENT LEADERSHIP

• Competent Leaders display the whole love of God,
  the affective and the effective, making use of
  all faculties (the whole person), all persons,
  and all gifts
• Competent Leaders keep direction by intention
  in the midst of whitewater
• Competent Leaders rely upon Christs efficacy,
  not their own effort
• From Gordon-Conwell Roundtable III

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THE CHURCH