Spiritual Leaders in the Local Church - Chapter 6
The Responsibilities of Spiritual Rulers In The Local Church
or
What are the duties of Spiritual Rulers?
by Fred G. Zaspel
Published by Word of Life Baptist Church, Pottsville, PA
copyright © 1987; revised, 1998. All rights reserved
Copying or other reproductions permitted for non-commercial use only.Chapter Outline • Full Document
Previous Chapter • Next ChapterChapter 6
The Responsibilities of Spiritual Rulers In The Local Church
or
What are the duties of Spiritual Rulers?
Also of great importance is the question of what duties and responsibilities the New Testament gives to elders. What is their job description? Why has God given them to the church?
Surveying the Evidence
Their Purpose
Basic to the answering of this question is the issue of their purpose in the church. Why did Christ give them to the church (Ephesians 4:11).
Paul answers the question plainly: pastors-teachers are given "for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). This verse states that the purpose of pastors-teachers is to "perfect [equip] the saints." II Corinthians 10:8 teaches the same; Paul states that his authority was given him for the purpose of "edification." Note that in Ephesians 4:12, Paul does not say that the pastors-teachers are "for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (KJV); he says that the pastors-teachers are "for the perfecting of the saints to the work of the ministry." Or, as the NIV paraphrases, "to prepare God's people for works of service." They are to equip the saints (believers) who, in turn, are responsible for the work of the ministry and the building up of the body. In other words, their purpose is to teach and apply the Word of God to the lives of believers and so equip them to serve and build up the church themselves. The passage continues in this vein: through the equipping of the pastors-teachers the members minister to the body, bringing it to "unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (verse 13) and to stability in doctrine (verse 14) and life (verse 15), working together in the power of God toward further mutual edification (verse 16).
This ministry is in keeping with Paul's command to Timothy, "the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (II Timothy 2:2). This is a good motto verse for any pastor. It is their responsibility to teach and train others for ministry.
In Titus 2 Paul instructs Titus in this way also. Titus is exhorted to teach (verse 1) "so that" every man and woman in the church will be able to minister, in turn, to others (verses 2-5). The duty of elders-pastors is to teach and train others to minister for Christ also, each in his own capacity.
Their Titles
The titles given to the spiritual rulers also reveal their duties. These men are called elders, bishops, and pastors. As explained in chapter 2, these titles emphasize different aspects of their work. Elder was a term evidently borrowed from the Jewish synagogue to designate the ones given the responsibility of teaching and ruling. Bishop was to the Greek a manager. A Pastor is a shepherd, one who guides the sheep. And the title pastor-teacher speaks of shepherding and teaching.
From these titles it is evident that the duties of spiritual rulers are basically two: leading and feeding, ruling and teaching.
Specific Instructions & Commands
Expanding on this, the New Testament writers also give many specific instructions and commands (both by precept and by example) to elders concerning the fulfilling of their ministry. These commands, all taken together, provide a basic job description for them. A few of them are surveyed here.
*In Acts 6:4 the apostles give matters of lesser concern to others so that they may give themselves "to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." This verse is significant in that it views prayer as one half of the elders' ministry. Elders must teach and pray.
*Throughout Paul's first letter to Timothy (properly called a "pastoral epistle" because of its purpose to give instruction concerning the ministry) he speaks over and again of doctrine and teaching (1:3, 10; 3:2; 4:6, 13, 14, 16; 5:17; etc.). His second letter to Timothy emphasizes the same (1:6, 8, 13; 2:2; etc.), as well as his letter to Titus (1:9; 2:1; etc.). Elders are to teach.
*According to Acts 20:20 elders are responsible for both public and private teaching.
*Elders are to contend for the faith, refuting and rebuking false teachers (I Timothy 1:18; Jude 3; Titus 1:9-16).
*Elders are to guard their people from errors and sins and dangers of all kinds, both from within and without (Acts 20:28-31; Hebrews 13:7; I Timothy 4:16).
*Elders are to exhort (Titus 1:9; II Timothy 4:2), which combines all the ideas of encouragement, comfort, persuasion, counseling, teaching, rebuking, etc.
*Elders are to rule (I Peter 5:1-2; I Timothy 5:17).
*Elders are to lead both by precept and example (I Timothy 4:12; I Peter 5:3).
Summary & Conclusion
While all elders do not have identical duties, it is the responsibility of elders to lead and feed, rule and teach. Within this basic guideline are many other responsibilities (such as prayer, guarding, exhorting, etc.). It is the inescapable duty of each presbytery (body of elders) to serve its church in this way. This is God's prescribed method of equipping His church.
An Observation
It is a worthwhile comparison to place this job description along side many job descriptions for modern pastors. Marrying, burying, and praying at local social gatherings may be fine as also are daily calling, sitting with someone at the hospital through a loved one's four-hour surgery, Thursday night visitation, organizing bus routes and church socials and other special events, youth outings, camp, choir directing, children's church, or even church yard mowing, painting, building maintenance, cleaning, ordering janitorial supplies and music and Sunday School curriculum, setting mouse-traps in the church kitchen, arranging chairs, setting up tables, et al. None of these is wrong, but any and all of them must be avoided if and when they interfere with the Divine mission of "equipping the saints to the work of the ministry." Nothing, but nothing, must be allowed to distract from the God-given duties. The church cannot afford it.
In other words (to end on a negative note), the kind and often-heard comment, "He can't preach, but he is a good pastor," is a self-contradiction. If a man does not by his teaching and preaching equip his people for the ministry, he is not a good pastor, for he has failed to fulfill God's requirements for that office. A good "shepherd" is one who will not starve his sheep but feed them, as well as lead them.
Chapter Outline • Full Document
Previous Chapter • Next Chapter
HOME
Word Of Life Baptist Church Web Site
Biblical Studies & Sermons | Book Reviews | Software Reviews
Word of Life Bookstore | About Us | Email