Theology IV Professor Christopher Ullman

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Theology IVProfessor Christopher Ullman

• Church Government

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Authors

• Wayne Grudem
• Professor at Phoenix Seminary (2001-present)
• Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
  (1981-2001)

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Authors

• Peter Toon
• L. Roy Taylor
• Paige Patterson
• Samuel E. Waldron

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• The Economic Reason Each church has a finite
  quantity of donated
• Wealth, including
• Capital (physical plant)
• Real estate
• Supplies
• Time
• Energy

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• and how each of these are utilized is related
  to how power is viewed and managed, in the church
• Inefficient church government wastes the valuable
  commodities available to the church
• Efficient church government maximizes the value
  of the donations

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• The Political Reason Power tends to corrupt, and
  absolute power corrupts absolutely
• Church politics is unavoidable Decisions must
  be made
• Politics does not have to be corrupt
• Power requires oversight

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• The Social Reason forming close relationships
  involves trust
• Good government secures the safety necessary for
  trust
• Leadership integrity encourages trust
• Government monitors integrity

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• The Missional Reason each church has missions to
  fulfill
• Universal missions minister to God, minister to
  the church, minister to the world
• Specific missions gift-dependent and
  field-dependent
• Fulfilling missions requires coordinated effort

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• The Lords Anointed, the Spirits Appointed
• Gods prophets, priests, and kings were anointed
• The anointed were respected
• The Holy Spirit appointed men for work (Acts
  132), counsels the church (Acts 1528), etc., so

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Why Bother Studying Church Government?

• Jesus is ruling as Head of the Church through
  anointed, appointed believers
• I need to pay attention to them
• I need to understand the basis for their
  authority
• I need to obey God by submitting to His government

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Jesus Christ the Head of the Church

• and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will
  received the crown of glory that does not fade
  away (1 Pet. 54)

Greek archipoimen arche (chief, first
place) poimen (shepherd, pastor) cf. Eph.
411 Lk. 28
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Jesus Christ the Head of the Church

• Jesus The Shepherd
• . . .the shepherd of the sheep (Jn. 102)
• . . .the good shepherd. . . (Jn. 1014)
• . . .one shepherd (Jn. 1016)
• Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord
  Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the
  sheep. . . (Heb. 1320).
• . . .the Chief Shepherd. . . (1 Pet. 54)

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Jesus Christ Head of the Church

• And He put all things under His feet, and gave
  Him to be head over all things to the church
  (Eph. 122)
• but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in
  all things into Him who is the headChristfrom
  whom the whole body, joined and knit together. .
  . (Eph. 415,16)
• For the husband is head of the wife, as also
  Christ is the head of the church and He is the
  Savior of the body (Eph. 523)

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Jesus Possessor of All Authority
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on
earth Matthew 2818

• What is the claim?
• Who gave this authority? (see 1 Corinthians
  1524-28)
• How much independent authority does that leave
  for church leaders?

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How is Jesus authority revealed today?

• God speaks through the Son (Heb. 11-2)
• Jesus word is revealed through the apostles
  word (1 Cor. 1437)
• The Bible is Gods complete and final revelation
  (2 Tim. 316, 17)
• He has given to us all things that pertain to
  life and godliness (2 Pet. 13)

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Pictures of the Church Demonstrate Christs
Preeminence
And He is the head of the body, the church, who
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He may have the preeminence
(Col. 118)
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Pictures of the Church Demonstrate Christs
Preeminence
Church Christ
High Priest (Heb. 31)
Royal Priesthood (1 Pet. 29)
Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 220)
House of God (1 Tim. 315)
PREEMINENCE
Flock of God (1 Pet. 52)
Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 54)
Body (1 Cor. 1227)
Head (Col. 118)
King (1 Tim. 615)
Kingdom (Rev. 16)
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The Churchs Headquarters?

• For if He were on earth, He would not be a
  priest. . .For Christ has not entered the holy
  places made with hands, which are copies of the
  true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in
  the presence of God for us (Heb. 84 924)

• In heaven where Christ sits and rules
• Not on earth

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Church Officers

• Biblical Titles
• Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
  teachers
• Eph. 411, 1 Pet. 52
• Elders (bishop, overseer)
• Ex. 316, Titus 15
• Deacons
• 1 Tim. 38, Acts 63
• Priests
• Ex. 281, Rev. 16

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Church Officers

• Commonly appearing titles
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Board member
• Director of ______ (a specific area of ministry)
• Business manager
• Trustee
• Staff member

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Church Officer Defined

• Someone who has been publicly recognized as
  having the right and responsibility to perform
  certain functions for the benefit of the whole
  church. Grudem p. 905
• The functions of an apostle are still needed,
  even if the office no longer exists

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The Five-Fold Ministry

• Ephesians 411-13
• The Hand of God mnemonic
• Gift ministries People whose whole lives are
  gifts to the Church (He gave some to be ) to
  prepare Gods people for works of service until
  we all reach unity in the faith
• Has the goal been reached?

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The Five-Fold Ministry

• Ephesians 411
• Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
  teachers
• Each are mentioned in the Bible
• Each had their counterfeits
• Do false claimants to an office result in the
  obsolescence of that office?

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Five Types of Ministers Given to the Church

• Ephesians 411
• Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
  teachers
• Each are mentioned in the Bible
• Each had their counterfeits
• Do false claimants to an office result in the
  obsolescence of that office?
• What if we find out that Obama isnt a
  natural-born U.S. citizen?

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Episcopalian Form
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Presbyterian Form
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Single-Elder Congregational Form
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Plural-Elder Congregational Form