Biblical Description of the Church Part 3

Biblical Structure of the Church

1. Jesus is the head
Ephesians 5:23
23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

- Because HE died for us - not the pastor, not anyone else. He made all the rest possible
-He is the image of the invisible God
Col 1:15-20
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

2. God gives elders, bishops, and pastors
-these are actually three names for the same thing.
Elder comes from presbyter (hope I spell these correctly)
speaks of the man - one who is mature in the Lord
1 Timothy 5:17-20
17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
-Deuteronomy 25:4 Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
- Luke 10:7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
Bishop comes from episcopus or overseer
speaks of the ministry
1 Timothy 3 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,[a] he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
Pastor comes from feeder
Speaks to the method
1 Peter 5:2-4 2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Feed the lambs, equip the saints

Titus contains a basic job description for a pastor
preach
raise up leadership
protect the congregation from false teaching

There are other needs in the congregation
3. For those needs God gives deacons

Comes from one diakonos which means one who serves
hupereteo "to do the service of a huperetes", properly, "to serve as a rower on a ship,"
To serve the Lord - be an under rower - get the ship where it needs to go

Deacon can be male or female

4. Saints One who is set apart
Philippians 1:1-2 1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops[a] and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are a living organism, a body, knit together by many joints
Romans 12:3-13

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

"If a pastor is expected to do all things then his bible studies will be undercooked and he will be fried"

Acts 6 1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

At first reading you might wonder who Peter thinks he is - too good to wait tables? But if you remember this is the same Peter who asks to be turned upside down at his crucifixion because he doesn't think it right he should die the same way as his savior.

It is not good for the church, and because they put their priorities in the teaching of the Word, Word of God spread, revival broke out, disciples increased, and the most unlikely people came to Christ.