Spiritual Leaders in the Local Church - Chapter 7
The Methods of Spiritual Rulers In The Local Church
or
How Are They To Accomplish Their Purpose?
by Fred G. Zaspel
Published by Word of Life Baptist Church, Pottsville, PA
copyright © 1987; revised, 1998. All rights reserved
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Chapter 7
The Methods of Spiritual Rulers In The Local Church
or
How Are They To Accomplish Their Purpose?
It has been shown that the pastor's purpose is "to equip the saints to the work of the ministry" (Ephesians 4:11-12). He is to feed and lead, teach and rule, so that as a result those under his care will be brought to the place where, 1) they know well the teachings of Holy Scripture, 2) their lives conform to and adorn the doctrine they profess, and 3) they carry on the work of the ministry. This and nothing less is his goal.
The New Testament writers also address the question of methods. How is the pastor-teacher to bring his people to this point? Answer: teaching and ruling. This teaching and ruling, however, is accomplished with a variety of methods. These methods can be generally classified under two headings:
1) Pastors teach and rule by precept teaching the truths of Scripture and applying its principles to daily living; i.e., expounding and explaining Scriptural doctrine and showing and insisting upon Scripture's demands for daily life personally and church life corporately. Nothing can ever be an adequate substitute for the declaration of Divine Truth: it alone is life-giving (James 1:18, I Peter 1:23) and life-sustaining (I Peter 2:2). Pastors who neglect teaching and preaching do so at the expense of the church's health and well-being. Pastors must rule by precept explaining and applying the teachings and principles of Scripture.
2) Elders also teach and rule by example living the life that is required in Scripture: maintaining a lifestyle which upholds the Divine Precepts and responds to circumstances and situations in the manner prescribed in God's Word.
Teaching
Teaching cannot be accomplished fully by a Sunday Morning acquaintance with the people only. It demands personal involvement. Therefore, while established teaching and preaching sessions are the best method, they are not the only method. And while they may be the starting point, they are just that the starting point. As already stated, there can be no substitute for the exposition of Scripture in the assembly of the saints, but the pastor will find further effectiveness in the lives of his people when he seeks them out on a personal basis.
The variety of methods available at this point are endless home visitation, social gatherings of all kinds, bringing people into his own home ("given to hospitality"), etc. These occasions, if seized upon, lend themselves very well to informal teaching in the discussion of certain issues doctrinal and other specifically Scriptural topics as well as other issues which arise in politics or society or every day life which can be exposed in their relation to the principles of Scripture. In such an environment the people are being taught to think Biblically, to think through all affairs of life in their relation to Scripture, the only infallible guide for faith and practice. This is teaching by precept.
Furthermore, in such circumstances the people will presumably be shown an example of a life and mind which submits to Scripture in all areas and which "brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5). With a life shaped and guided by Divine Principles, the elders teach by example. Through it all the pastor can more fully "equip the saints to the work of the ministry."
So there is the need for formal and informal teaching, publicly and privately (see Acts 20:20, 28).
Ruling
There is also the need for ruling both in public and private. By the nature of it, this is done primarily by precept by direct, specific application of the principles of Scripture to human concerns, questions, problems, and errors. As shepherds of the flock, pastors are also to lead in the difficult but necessary matters of discipline. They must insist on keeping the precepts and principles of Scripture. Faithful ruling requires the public addressing of Scriptural responsibilities as well as public and private exhortation, admonition, and even rebuke. This is a necessary part of the ministry in general and of ruling in particular (see II Timothy 4:2).
Ruling by precept also implies a real exertion of authority when and if need be. In the face of sin, for example, Paul would rather try first to settle the matter by Scriptural instruction (I Corinthians 1:10-13), but he was also willing to be more bold in his rebuke when it was necessary (I Corinthians 4:21, "rod"). In I Corinthians 4:14 Paul says that his intention was not to "shame" the Corinthians for their sin, but rather to "admonish" them and so correct the problem. However, just a cursory glance over verses 6 through 13 reveals that "shaming" them is precisely what the apostle did, even to the point of stinging sarcasm. Verse 14 means, then, that he was willing to be as stern as necessary in his ruling and dealing with sin, but only as a means to a greater end; the resolution of the problem. In other words, elders must rule even to the point of stern rebuke and not by mere example or entreaty only.
Praying
Acts 6:4 gives another and often overlooked pastoral requirement: prayer. Indeed, this is shown to be one half of the ministry. Moreover, it is the half which gives the other its greatest effectiveness. "We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." God has promised to work through the means of prayer; the pastor who neglects prayer does so to the hurt of his people as well as himself. He must never presume that God will do apart from prayer what He has promised to do through prayer. That church whose pastors continually bring them to God in prayer is a blessed church.
It would seem obvious that a pastor's prayer should not only be for his people but also with his people. Again, this is a part of the ministry and also a method of accomplishing the other aspects of it. Praying with his people a pastor not only brings his and their petitions to God, but he also teaches them (by example) the importance and practice of prayer itself. He also by this shows them how to pray. Furthermore, he thus stresses the value of spiritual things in general by maintaining this heavenly focus and emphasizing a dependence upon God for all things. In short, by this the pastor further equips the saints for their ministry to the body. This dimension of teaching is invaluable to the people individually and to the church corporately, and it often can be accomplished in no other way.
Hard Work!
No discussion of the elders' work would be complete without showing just how much work it requires. Paul said it well in Colossians 1 where he said that his goal to bring men to maturity (verse 28) is accomplished only through "labor, striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily" (verse 29). The Greek root words behind this are still more emphatic they speak of "energy," "agony," "dynamic." For a pastor to study, pray, teach, preach, and exhort as he should, it will put a drain on his heart and often brings mental and as well as physical fatigue. It is a price well worth the result, to be sure. But a high price, nonetheless. There are no short-cuts to effective ministry.
Summary & Conclusion
Pastors must rule and teach, both publicly and privately, in many ways and always in conjunction with prayer. This is the divinely appointed program for the ministry. This is the way to true success in the church.
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