Outline:
I. Description of the Church
A. Definition of the word, “ekklesia”
B. Universal and local churches defined
1. Universal church
2. Local church
C. Biblical terminology for the church
1. Body
2. Household/house
3. Temple
4. Dwelling
5. Bride
6. Field
7. Priesthood
8. Flock
D. The difference between Israel and the church
1. Their births
a. Israel
b. Church
2. Their characteristics
a. Israel
b. Church
3. Their futures
a. Israel
b. Church
II. Leadership in the church
A. Elder, deacon and deaconess
1. Their roles
a. The elder
b. The deacon
c. The deaconess
2. Their spiritual qualifications
a. Qualifications of an elder
b. Qualifications of a deacon
c. Qualifications of a deaconess
3. Their function
a. Function of an elder
b. Function of a deacon
c. Function of a deaconess
B. Evangelist and pastor
1. The evangelist
2. The pastor
III. Purpose of the Church
A. Glorification
B. Evangelism
C. Edification discipleship
D. Fellowship
E. Worship
IV. Function of the Church
A. Ministering the Word of God
B. Ordinances
1. Baptism
a. Spiritual baptism
1. Significance
2. Recipients
3. Mode
4. Spiritual baptism from the Book of Acts
b. Water baptism
1. Significance
2. Recipients (Believers, not infants)
3. Mode
2. Lord’s Supper
a. Significance
b. Recipients
c. Mode
C. Giving
1. Principle of giving
2. Frequency of giving
3. Attitudes of giving:
4. Ultimate issue of giving
D. Serving/gifts
1. Examples of our Savior
2. Attitudes of service in the body
3. Spiritual gifts and the body of Christ
E. Church discipline
1. Purpose of discipline:
2. Process for believers to deal with discipline
3. Ways for the church to deal with discipline
F. Relationships in the church (“One another” statements)
1. Colossians 3:12-17
2. Responsibilities to “one another” in the body of Christ
3. Things we are to do to strengthen the church (total of 7)
4. Things we are not to do in order to strengthen the church (total of 6)
V. Goals of the Church
A. Manifesting faith
1. The definition of faith — Heb 11:1-3
2. The kind of faith that pleases God — Heb 11:6; 10:37-39
3. The kind of faith that is our foundation for living — 2 Cor. 5:7; Jude 20
B. Manifesting hope
1. The definition of hope — 1 Cor. 9:10-11; Eph. 2:11-12
2. The reason we can have hope — 1 Peter 1:3
3. The focus of our hope — 1 Tim. 1:1; Col. 1:3-5
C. Manifesting love
1. The definition of love
2. The consequences of not having love
3. The strength of love
4. The necessity of love
D. Manifesting unity
1. The definition of unity
2. The importance of unity in the body
3. The necessity of unity
VI. Organization/administration of the church
A. Necessity for organization — Exodus 18:13-27
B. Necessity of administration — Acts 6:1-6
VII. Being an effective Church
A. Being a culturally-relevant church
B. Being a church that manifests the truths from this study
VIII. Congregations’ responsibility to their leaders
INTRODUCTION:
WHY STUDY SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY?
The study of systematic theology helps believers to systematize what the Bible teaches on a specific subject. In your time at Kiev Christian University you will study the following areas of systematic theology:
* Theology Proper (The study of God)
* Anthropology (The study of man)
* Bibliology (The study of the Bible)
* Pneumatology (The study of the Holy Spirit)
* Christology (The study of Christ)
* Soteriology (The study of salvation)
* Ecclesiology (The study of the church)
* Eschatology (The study of end time events)
When you can see what the Bible teaches on these subjects within their proper context and dispensation, you will be able to better understand the Bible and these areas of theology.
Also, you will be able to better understand how to live your life in a more Christlike manner. I say this because every person has a theology (theo = God; -ology = study of). Even an atheist has a theology. It is just that their theology and our theology is different. Theology from an atheistic point of view is that God does not exist. Therefore, the spiritual realm does not exist; we are nothing more than the result of evolution and biological processes; we have no soul; there is no heaven or hell; there will be no future judgment. This is the theology of the average atheist. This theology directs them in life.
What about you? What is your theology? How does what you believe about the Bible (correct of incorrect) direct your life? Your decisions? Your future? This is why theology is crucial to our lives, because we all have a theology by which we live. So as we study together this semester, we need to ask God to make these biblical truths real in our personal lives; and as we rely on them on a day-to-day, moment-by-moment basis, we will have victory over our flesh and the devil. So when we are confronted with the happenings of everyday life that seem to contradict the truths we understand about God, we can call upon the truths of His inerrant and infallible Word for stability and direction.
I. Description of the Church
A. Definition of the word, “ekklesia”
From the Greek words:
ek — out
kaleo — to call
So the church is made up of those people that are called out by God.
The first place this word is used is in Matthew 16:18 where Jesus
said:
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I
will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower
it.”
B. Universal and local churches defined
1. Universal church
a. Is constructed by Christ — Matt. 16:18
b. Is lead by Christ — Eph. 5:23b; Col. 1:18
c. Was purchased by Christ (all believer in the church age) —
Eph. 5:23c, 25b
d. Is made up of all true believers — 1 Cor. 12:13
e. Is located wherever there are believers — Acts 9:31
FROM THESE VERSES, HOW WOULD WE DEFINE THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH?
The universal church is composed of all believers in Christ from the
church age — past, present and future — which Christ died for and is
the head of (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 5:23c,25b). The universal body
has been and continues to be built by Christ who leads and directs it
(cf. Mat. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:12,27; Eph. 5:23-24).
ILL: So this would be believers in Ukraine, Russia, America, Africa,
Israel, Indonesia, etc. — all the believers of the world — past,
present and future.
2. Local church
a. Is an established body of believers with a specified,
biblical purpose — Acts 13:1
b. Is located in a specific place
1) A specific geographical location
a) Church of God which is at Corinth — 1 Cor. 1:2
b) Church of the Laodiceans — Col. 4:16
c) Church of the Thessalonians — 2 Thes. 1:1
2) A specific place of gathering in a geographical place —
Rom. 16:5
FROM THESE VERSES, HOW WOULD WE DEFINE THE LOCAL CHURCH?
The local church is a group of individual believers that gather
together to carry out the work of Christ. While the universal
church is directed by Jesus Christ, the local bodies are to be
directed by elders who are to be led by Jesus (cf. 1 Pet. 5:2-4).
ILL: So these would be the individual churches in a city such as
Kiev, in a village, a region, a country or a continent.
C. Biblical terminology for the church
1. Body
a. We are fellow heirs of one body — Eph. 3:6
b. Christ is the head of His body — Eph. 5:23
2. Household/house
a. We are saints in God’s household — Eph. 2:19
b. We are Christ’s house — Heb. 3:6
c. We are living stones being built into a spiritual house —
1 Pet. 2:5
3. Temple
a. The body of Christ is growing into a holy temple — Eph. 2:21
b. The Corinthians were called a temple of God — 1 Cor. 3:16
4. Dwelling
a. The body is being built together into a dwelling of God —
Eph. 2:22
5. Bride
a. We are the bride of Christ — Rev. 19:7
b. We will be married to Christ as His virgin bride — Eph. 5:24-
27
6. Field
a. We are God’s field — 1 Cor. 3:9 (cf. Heb. 6.7-8)
7. Priesthood
a. We are a holy, royal priesthood — 1 Pet. 2:5-9
8. Flock
a. The body is as a flock of sheep — Acts 20:28-29
b. The body is the flock of God that are to be shepherded —
1 Pet. 5:2-3
D. The difference between Israel and the church
1. Their births
a. Israel
1. Its conception (Abraham) — Gen. 12:1-3
2. Its development:
Isaac — Gen. 21:12; 26:1-5
Jacob — Gen. 32:24-32; 35:9-15
Joseph — Gen. 45:16-20; 46:1-27; 47:5-6
In Egypt — Exo. 1
3. Its birth — Exo. 12:31-51; 19-20
b. Church
1. Its conception (Jesus) — Matt. 16:18-19
2. Its development:
Jesus to Jerusalem — Luke 9:51
Jesus final rejection by the Jews — Luke 19:41-44
Jesus on the cross — Matt. 26:17-28:20
3. Its birth — Acts 2
2. Their characteristics
a. Israel
1. They were a nation of people — 2 Sam. 7:23
2. They received the Old Covenant — Exodus 19:1-23:19;
Leviticus; Deut. 5-26
3. They had a priesthood — Lev. 21-22
4. They had a temple — 1 Kings 6; Haggai
5. They had a sacrificial system — Heb. 10:11
6. They were to offer dead sacrifices — Lev. 1, 3, 4, 5,
6:1-7
7. They had a fallible high priest as a mediator — Heb. 9:6-
7
8. They had brief encounters with the Holy Spirit — Jud.
16:20; Psa. 51:11
b. Church
1. We are a nation of people from those who were not a
nation — Rom. 10:19
2. We received the New Covenant — 2 Cor. 3:5-6
3. We are a priesthood — 1 Pet. 2:9
4. We are God’s temple — 1 Cor. 3:16
5. We have the final sacrifice — Heb. 10:12
6. We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices — Rom.
12:1-2
7. We have an infallible High Priest for a mediator — Heb.
9:11-14
8. We have an indwelling Holy Spirit — 1 Cor. 3:16
3. Their futures
a. Israel
1. Israel will receive restoration — Rom. 11:25-27
2. Israel will receive the New Covenant — Jer. 31:27-34
3. Israel will receive the promised kingdom — Isa. 11;
65:18-25
4. Israel will enter the new earth for eternity — Rev. 21-22
b. Church
1. The church will be raptured by Christ — 1 Thes. 4:13-18
2. The church will be married to Christ — Rev. 19:7-16
3. The church will be reigning with Christ — Rev. 5:6-10
4. The church will enter the new earth for eternity — Rev.
21-22
II. Leadership in the church
A. Elder, deacon and deaconess
1. Their roles
a. The elder — Acts 20:17,28
The elder has three different titles that describe his
function. They are:
1) Elder — vs. 17
Refers to his spiritual maturity — he is not to be a new
convert, but grounded firm in his faith and walk. He is
to exemplify the characteristics of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and
Titus 1:5-9.
2) Overseer — vs. 28
Refers to his function — overseeing the affairs of the
church.
NOTE: The Greek word used in this passage for “overseer”
is the same word used in 1 Timothy 3:1
translated “bishop” in the Russian Bible
(“episkopos”). A “bishop” in the New Testament is
a man or men that oversee or manage a church, not
a pastor that oversees many pastors and their
churches.
3) Shepherd — vs. 28 (cf. 1 Pet. 5:2,4)
Refers to his work — that of loving, guiding, directing,
correcting and protecting the flock.
DEFINITION OF AN ELDER:
Therefore an elder is a man that is spiritually mature,
oversees the affairs of the church and shepherds the flock
of God.
b. The deacon
This word comes from the Greek word which means servant. So
the deacon is a servant of the church.
NOTE: A deacon is not a spiritual leader in a church, but a
servant who is to meet spiritual qualifications as a
representative of the church.
c. The deaconess
A deaconess is the female version of a deacon — a servant of
the church.
2. Their spiritual qualifications
a. Qualifications of an elder — 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9 (See
Getz, “Sharpening the Focus of the Church”)
1) From 1 Timothy 3:1-7
“An overseer, then, must be:”
a) Above reproach (A good reputation)
b) Husband of one wife (Moral purity)
c) Temperate (Balanced and moderate)
d) Prudent (Man of wisdom — self-controlled and
sensible)
e) Respectable (Adorning or displaying the gospel in
one’s life — orderly)
f) Hospitable (Giving a cup of cold water — generous,
caring for others)
g) Able to teach (Teaching others in a humble, gentle
manner; teachable)
h) Not addicted to wine (Avoiding overindulgence)
i) Not pugnacious (Not resorting to violence or being
quarrelsome)
j) Gentle (Being meek and a fair-minded man —
reasonable)
k) Uncontentious (Being a peacemaker — not being
contentious)
l) Free from the love of money (Being a generous man —
not loving money)
m) He must be one who manages his own household well,
keeping his children under control with all dignity
n) Not a new convert (Must be a mature man)
o) He must have a good reputation with those outside the
church
2) From Titus 1:5-9 (Only those characteristics not covered
in 1 Timothy 3:1-7)
“Namely, if any man:
a) Having children who believe, not accused of
dissipation or rebellion (Having children who are
trustworthy, faithful, respectable and obedient —
under-control)
b) Not self-willed (Not being self-centered)
c) Not quick-tempered (Not letting the sun go down on
your anger)
d) Loving what is good (In all aspects of his life —
hating what is evil)
e) Just (Being righteous and upright)
f) Devout (Living a holy life)
g) Self-controlled (Being a disciplined man)
h) Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance
with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort
in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict
(Must hold strong to the faith and refute those who
teach otherwise)
b. Qualifications of a deacon — 1 Tim. 3:8-10,12-13; Acts 6:3
1) 1 Timothy 3: 8-10,12-13
“Deacons likewise must be:
a) Men of dignity
b) Not double-tongued
c) Not addicted to much wine
d) Not fond of sordid gain
e) Holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear
conscience
f) Let these also first be tested; then let them serve
as deacons if they are beyond reproach
g) Be husbands of only one wife
h) Good managers of their children and their own
households
“For those who have served well as deacons obtain for
themselves a high standing and great confidence in the
faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
2) Acts 6:3
a) Good reputation
b) Full of the Spirit
c) Full of wisdom
d) Can take charge of a task
c. Qualifications of a deaconess — 1 Tim. 3:11
“Women must likewise be:
1) Dignified (honorable and honest)
2) Not malicious gossips (not to be a false accuser or a
slanderer)
3) Temperate (self-controlled; to be free from influences,
things that control)
4) Faithful in all things (trustworthy, sure, true)
NOTE: These are not the qualifications of a deacon’s wife. If
it were, then Paul would have needed to have given the
spiritual qualifications of the elder’s wife.
3. Their function
NOTE: Have the students look these passages up as an evening
homework assignment and define the functions of an elder.
a. Function of an elder
1) Prayer and ministry of the Word — Acts 6:4
2) Guard and shepherd the flock– Acts 20:17,28-30
3) Restoring those who have strayed into sin — Gal. 6:1
4) Labor diligently among, have charge over and give
instruction to the flock — 1 Thes. 5:12
5) Manage the church of God — 1 Tim. 3:5
6) Be an example to the flock, publicly read the Scriptures,
exhort and teach, using their spiritual gifts in service,
being diligently involved in these things, watching
themselves and their teaching carefully — 1 Tim. 4:12-16
7) Ruling and working hard at preaching and teaching —
1 Tim. 5:17
8) Keep watch over the souls of the flock — Heb. 13:17
9) Pray for the sick — James 5:14-15
10) Shepherd the flock, giving oversight willingly, being an
example to the flock — 1 Pet. 5:2-3
ATTITUDE IN THE ELDER’S WORK:
1) He is to aspire and desire to do this work — 1 Tim. 3:1
2) Not under compulsion, voluntarily, not for sordid gain,
with eagerness, not lording it over, being an example —
1 Pet. 5:2-3
SUMMARIZE THE FUNCTION OF AN ELDER:
They are to focus on prayer and ministry of the Word. In
regard to ministering the word they are to publicly read it,
exhort others with it, teach it, and preach it. They are to
protect the flock from false teachers, take care of them,
labor diligently among them and have charge over them. They
are to minister to the sick, restore the spiritually wayward,
be an example to the flock and be concerned about and watch
over their own spiritual life. They are to desire to do this
work, not doing it because they have to, but because they
want to do it with eagerness. They are to do their work with
pure motives.
b. Function of a deacon — Acts 6:1-5
1) Service of the church
2) Handling church finances
3) Administration
Nothing else is given about the deacon except this example of
how the first deacons serviced the church in Jerusalem. This
is because the deacon’s function is determined by the current
need of the church in its culture and time. His position is
not as specific as the elder’s.
c. Function of a deaconess
The same is true of the deaconess as the deacon. Again we
only have examples of the work of a deaconess.
WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT THESE WOMEN?
1) Phoebe — Rom. 16:1-2
a) A servant of the church
b) A helper of many
2) Priscilla — Rom. 16:3-4; Acts 18:24-26; 1 Cor. 16:19
a) Risked her life for others– Rom. 16:3-4
b) Was knowledgeable in the Word and able to teach
others — Acts 18:24-26
c) Opened her home for a church to meet there — 1 Cor.
16:19
3) Anna — Luke 2:36-37
a) She was a widow
b) She always served in the temple — serving night and
day
c) She was a woman of prayer
d) She was a woman that fasted
Though the Scriptures do not call these women deaconess’s,
they are definitely servants of the church and meet the
Scriptural qualifications. So they are examples for us to
look at.
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ON WOMEN’S ROLE IN THE CHURCH:
a) Women are not to teach or exercise authority over a man —
1 Timothy 2:8-15
1. Women in the church are to live godly — vss. 8-10
a. Men are to lead the church in godliness — vs. 8
b. Women are to adorn themselves with godliness —
vss. 9-10
DEF: modesty — bashfulness, reverence.
discreetly — soundness of mind
b) Women in the church are to be in submission — vss. 11-15
1. She is to receive instruction with entire submission –
– vs. 11
1 Corinthians 14:34-35.
“Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they
are not permitted to speak, but let them subject
themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 And if they
desire to learn anything, let them ask their own
husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to
speak in church.”
The two key phrases here are:
* Subject themselves.
* Improper for a woman to speak in the church.
2. She is not to teach or exercise authority over a man –
– vs. 12-15
a. The command not to do this — vs. 12
DEF: teach — to instruct.
authority — to act of oneself, dominate.
b. The reason not to do this — vss. 13-15
1) God has created an order — vs. 13
2) God created men differently than women — vs.
14
3) God has a different focus for women — vs. 15
Paul then ends this passage with this very
difficult verse. The key to this verse is
the word “preserved” in the NAS and “saved”
in the KJV. Another way this Greek word can
be translated is, “made whole.”
We need to remember to take this verse in
this light and in context of the entire
passage. So what Paul is saying is this:
Godly women, those that continue in faith and
love and sanctity with self-restraint, are
preserved, saved or made whole, made
complete, through the bearing of children.
Paul is stating that for the godly Christian
woman, her priority is that of bearing and
raising children through which she will
obtain her glory and dignity. So though she
may not be in an influential position within
the church, that’s nothing to feel bad about,
because she has a very special position as a
mother, because it is as a mother that she
will find her honor and dignity. So it is
being faithful in the realm God has given us
where we will be successful and rewarded by
God, not by stepping into areas where we are
not to be. So if she lives godly, she will
find her special place as a mother, raising
the future church leaders. But if she does
not live godly, she will not be made whole
through the bearing of children because she
is not satisfied.
NOTE: Women are not to fulfill the role of either a
pastor or an elder — even where there are no
men that are willing or not enough mature
men. This passage is not giving us an
suggestion, but a command to be followed.
The ends do not justify the means.
Also note that these truths applied to
Priscilla as well who was a gifted and
committed woman (cf. Rom. 16:3-5) and teacher
(cf. Acts 18:26), who was also ministering
with her husband in the church in Ephesus
(cf. Acts 18:18-19) where Timothy was pastor
(cf. 1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim. 4:12).
c. What about Deborah? — Judges 4
1) Deborah was a wife, prophetess and judge —
vss. 4-5
“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of
Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
5 She used to sit under the palm tree of
Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill
country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel
came up to her for judgment.”
Deborah being a judge was not the norm, but
an abnormal situation. God had Deborah step
in a place of leadership only because there
was no man to do this.
2) Barak, the commander of the army, was sent by
God to go to war — vss. 6-7
“Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of
Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to
him, “Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel,
has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor,
and take with you ten thousand men from the
sons of Naphtali and from the sons of
Zebulun. 7’I will draw out to you Sisera, the
commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots
and his many troops to the river Kishon, and
I will give him into your hand.'”
Please note that God sent Barak and not
Deborah. Deborah did not try and usurp
Barak’s role. Deborah wanted Barak to lead
the men into battle. Deborah desired to do
things according to what God desires, that of
men being the leader.
3) Barak was afraid to go without Deborah — vs.
8
“Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with
me, then I will go; but if you will not go
with me, I will not go.”
We see here that Barak did not have the
courage to do what God had commanded him.
4) Barak lost his honor to a woman because of
his lack of faith — vs. 9
“She said, “I will surely go with you;
nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on
the journey that you are about to take, for
the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a
woman. Then Deborah arose and went with
Barak to Kedesh.”
Deborah went along, though only because Barak
would not otherwise go. He as the commander
of the army of Israel was a coward as were
the rest of the men of the nation.
5) God gave the honor of the victory to Jael (a
woman) — vs. 21
“But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and
seized a hammer in her hand, and went
secretly to him and drove the peg into his
temple, and it went through into the ground;
for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he
died.” (cf. 5:24-27)
It was a dishonor for Barak to not trust God,
so to his shame his victory was given to a
woman. Why did this bring shame to him?
1 Peter 3:7 tells husbands:
“You husbands in the same way, live with your
wives in an understanding way, as with
someone weaker, since she is a woman; and
show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace
of life, so that your prayers will not be
hindered.”
Scripture is clear that women were created
differently than men. They were created
weaker and as the helpmate of men (“Then the
LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to
be alone; I will make him a helper suitable
for him.”; Gen. 2:18). God did not create
them to lead the man, but to help those who
lead.
Isaiah 3:1-12 gives us another example (focus
on vs. 12):
“1 For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is
going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah
Both supply and support, the whole supply
of bread
And the whole supply of water;
2 The mighty man and the warrior,
The judge and the prophet,
The diviner and the elder,
3 The captain of fifty and the honorable
man,
The counselor and the expert artisan,
And the skillful enchanter.
4 And I will make mere lads their princes,
And capricious children will rule over
them,
5 And the people will be oppressed,
Each one by another, and each one by his
neighbor;
The youth will storm against the elder
And the inferior against the honorable.
6 When a man lays hold of his brother in
his father’s house, saying, “You have a
cloak, you shall be our ruler,
And these ruins will be under your
charge,”
7 He will protest on that day, saying,
“I will not be your healer,
For in my house there is neither bread
nor cloak;
You should not appoint me ruler of the
people.”
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has
fallen,
Because their speech and their actions
are against the LORD, To rebel against
His glorious presence.
9 The expression of their faces bears
witness against them,
And they display their sin like Sodom;
They do not even conceal it. Woe to them!
For they have brought evil on themselves.
10 Say to the righteous that it will go well
with them,
For they will eat the fruit of their
actions.
11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with
him,
For what he deserves will be done to him.
12 O My people! Their oppressors are
children,
And women rule over them.
O My people! Those who guide you lead you
astray
And confuse the direction of your paths.”
We can see from these verses that women
ruling over Israel was not seen as a good
thing by God, but as a judgment for their
sin. Even in the case of Deborah, she was a
Judge of Israel because there were no men who
wanted to lead. Therefore she as a
prophetess took the roll of judge because
there were no men to do it.
Now, does this mean that women do not have
the ability to lead? No. There are women who
are excellent leaders. But the question
is, “Is this God’s perfect design, that they
would be in a position to lead men and
nations?” Also, if women do not lead, does
this make them less then men? Absolutely
not. It is just that their role is different
as we see within the Trinity. All three
members of the Trinity are equal, though the
Son and the Holy Spirit are in subjection to
the Father. As Galatians 3:28-29 says:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither slave nor free man, there is neither
male nor female; for you are all one in
Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs
according to promise.”
Therefore in Christ we are all equal, though
we have different roles which we need to
follow.
B. Evangelist and pastor — Eph. 4:11-12
1. The evangelist
Means, “bringer of good tidings” — that being the gospel message
of Jesus. He is an equipper of the saints for the work of the
service besides one that leads people to Christ.
2. The pastor
The office of pastor is that of a shepherd and teacher. He meets
the qualifications and function of an elder listed above. His
goal as the evangelist is to equip the saints for the work of the
service and give guidance and direction to the elders.