Does the local church need deacons? Can women become deacons? What is the role of teachers in the local church? Does this include those teachers in the Bible school, in the Christian school, and in Sunday school? Are those men and women who do other tasks in the church part of leadership, i.e, music, finance, compassion, literature and maintenance?
As the local church increases the number of leaders directly involved in the ministry, it will grow further. As the number of members who are not involved in the ministry decreases then the church becomes spiritually healthier. Is not the pastor sufficient to do the ministry of the local church? If this is so then how can the pastor teach both the nursery and the adult classes? Can he preach the word while maintaining the cleanliness of the comfort rooms? Can he play the piano while leading the congregation in singing? The pastoral leadership’s success is measured by the number of members whom he has trained to serve either with or under him.
Let us identify from the Bible the kind of biblical leaders and modern day church leaders who emanate from biblical principles. First, we have the deacons. Second, we have the teachers at various areas and levels of teaching. Third, we have the musicians. Fourth, we also have the people who help the pastor in financial management. Fifth, we have those behind the maintenance work of the church. Sixth, we also have those engaged in literature and publication ministry. And likewise those devoted to the compassion ministry of the local church. Not all of these leaders could be extensively discussed in this article. But whatever is your position in the local church, you exist to help the pastor do the work of equipping people or aiding someone the pastor has authorized to do something for him. Do not neglect that your authority is delegated by the church pastor. Thus, it can be withdrawn and be given to another! So take care of it and use it well for the advancement of the local church under the pastoral leadership.
Church deacons are men selected by the church leadership and appointed by the pastor. They must comply with minimum qualifications as determined by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Various life areas of a deacon candidate are covered in that qualification. Men who desire to serve the Lord in this capacity must start to study and qualify themselves into the details of qualifications. After faithful deacon service such a man is worthy of the degree or title Deacon. They are chosen to serve the church by alleviating the pastor of the non-spiritual tasks he deemed proper to delegate. However, teaching and preaching tasks may not be delegated as they are primary tasks of the pastor, except in extreme cases. Once a man was chosen to serve as deacon, and he did it faithfully. Later he became an evangelist. Our assistant pastor was once a deacon and now he is into full time teaching-preaching ministry. Another man was once a deacon and now he is in missionary work. As church leaders of high honor in the local church they deserve high respect from the membership. Their duty may not be at the frontline. Yet their fulfilled work is not a mean task in the ministry. Thus, we must call them appropriately as Deacon_____. As the local church grows in number and in various ministries, it must increase the number of its deacons. But once appointed as deacon, he will remain in that office until any of the following occurs such as death, disqualification, or resignation from membership or office.
When deacons are godly and supportive to the pastoral leadership the pastor will succeed in leading the church to where God wants him. On the contrary, when the church is beset with problems it is sometimes because of the poor quality of the deacons’ life and ministry. Let us pray to God to increase the number of godly deacons in Cornerstone.
Teachers are carefully selected and appointed by the pastor into the teaching office. Paul discussed this office in 1 Corinthians 12:28. Primarily, this is an office belonging to male teachers. But it may include female church leaders who exhibit teaching gift especially among children. The male teachers may progress into the preaching ministry, but the female teachers can not as the preaching ministry office belongs only to qualified men. As teachers they are the extension of pastoral teaching ministry. Every teacher must be careful in belief and behavior that their words and ways are consistent with the pastoral belief and behavior, else, much harm could be inflicted upon the students of the teachers. The pastor develops and trains them to be apt to teach as well as fit to teach. Every teacher regardless of his or her teaching group must seek to be trained by the pastor and ensure his teaching content and lifestyle is fully recommended by the pastor.
These teachers include those in the music ministry. They also teach through music and hymns. Workers assigned at evangelistic centers and any strategy-based soul winning center area also covered by this teaching duty. Those who are engaged in literature ministry production are likewise in the teaching ministry.
Church members must highly regard teachers as pastoral representatives. This is what Paul taught the Thessalonians in 1 Thess. 5:12-13. Teachers help the pastor in equipping all sectors of the church members so the latter may do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12-16). Therefore, they must not be neglected in their needs (1 Tim. 5:17b-18).
Teachers who go outside the realm of the local church authority are doing harm to the local churches. This could happen both to those who teach without pastoral scrutiny of their life and teaching material as well as to those who teach outside the local church authority. The latter unconsciously develop dependency upon them and indirectly discourage students to rely upon their pastoral authority. So you will hear students seeking counsel from their Bible school professors and not from their local church pastor. Some students regard their professors as more authoritative than their pastors especially in issues where scholarship is highly factored in such as the issue on Bible versions.
As a pastor, I feel bad that some workers do not regard their pastor’s position and arguments on such a crucial issue. They would rather listen to what the scholars say. Recently, one student saw that his pastor loved him much more than the teachers. Missionaries on the field, whom will you trust and seek counsel in such significant issue, your pastor or your Bible school teacher? Why ask them who do not even know what the pastorate is by ignorance in practice? Whom will you trust in teaching ministry and pastoral work, your pastor or your seminary teacher? Beware lest the devil or your heart deceive you as others have been ruined. You will forfeit the wisdom of the man of God who oversees, who cares, who feeds, and who protects you from deceivers and enemies!
Evangelists were divinely given to expand the missionary work of the local church. You will see this office in Ephesians 4:11. Evangelists were tasked by the Lord to engage in evangelistic ministry. Entering into office necessitates similar qualification with the office of the pastor as it also involves teaching and preaching ministry. The difference of evangelism office with the pastorate is in the area of ministry geography. The former starts the work and turns it over to the latter for maintenance and growth. Both are significant in the overall growth of the local church. In the absence of an evangelist the local church pastor must do the work of an evangelist else it will have a hard time growing in number. On the other hand, when pastors linger in evangelism and neglect feeding his people the latter may become spiritually hungry. So, one has to be sure of the true divine calling and leading before entering the office.
In Acts 14:21-28, we have a pattern for evangelistic work exemplified by Apostle Paul. I believe this is more scriptural than the modern day so called evangelists who prey on church members and church goers to start a new local church. True evangelist work is praying and preparing to enter a new land where there is no work of his kind. Second, testing the field and starting to prepare the field for gospel sowing. Third, actually sowing the gospel through various means or strategies. Fourth, winning the open hearted and discipling them to grow in the faith. Fifth, baptizing the disciples into the local church. Sixth, teaching them all the necessary doctrines and practices of the evangelist’s position. Seventh, training and preparing the local trained leader to pastor the newly established local church. Finally, leaving and turning over the work to the new national or local leader to act as the baptized members’ pastor. Thereafter, the evangelist returns to the sending church to report his accomplishment. Then after a while of rest and recovery, he starts again in another location. This he will do until the Lord returns.
As a local church, such is our model in church planting at every province and nation of Asia. As we showed high respect to deacons and teachers, when the pastor finally selects and anoints a man who will engage in full time evangelism, we must also show similar respect to him. Such is also taught in 1 Thess. 5:12-13. Cornerstone members, let us diligently pray that the Lord will grant us a full time evangelist in the above philosophy and practice. To conserve our current gains, we must select and send such a man.
Even though this office is grossly neglected by Christians, let us blaze the trail for others to follow. Let us now prepare, select, and send evangelists who will do the work of the local church. We need to fill every province of this nation with Cornerstone belief and behavior to counter the spread of falsity among fundamentalists and evangelicals. We must reproduce faster than the average rate of local churches. Cornerstone juniors, youth, singles, married and seniors, come and join this wagon of laborers who are continually training to become servants of the Lord that will bring Christ to every province and Asian nation! Amen
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