Someone once said that “to be “Christian leader”, a leader of Christians, “simply means that you will be the first to be crucified.” Perhaps if we understood this there would be less of a rush to climb what should be truly some non-existent ladder to get to the top of the hierarchy and be one, and a greater understanding that we are all intended to be simply servants. Servants of our one true Head and King, Jesus, and, in Him, servants of one another. A community of servants.
[Mark 9:35 NASB95] 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
This teaching of Jesus on servanthood, recorded in Mark, is just one of several times that He made it clear to the 12 that there would be no hierarchy among them or His followers. We have touched several times in the past on the truth that Jesus taught them that they would not be “lording” over one another. There are examples in all the gospels. Here is another:
[Matthew 20:25-28 NASB95] 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and [their] great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Yet, still by far and in large part today members of the Body strive or have position and wear a title. When truly, what the church and the world we reach out to, is in desperate need of is Christians servants. Servants in love that make the world take note of their service in love even as Jesus did. Servants who are willing to lay down their lives in service to Him and others. Servants willing to experience life in the Body of Christ, in Him, instead of seeking to chase a desire to be a “this” or known as a “that”, and driven by lust for leadership. Those that are humble enough to receive from others in a discipleship process that comes from functioning in and among and sharing in the body, and then being directed by the LORD.
But, Randy, you say even Paul wrote [1Timothy 3:1 NASB95] 1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires [to do.]. Yes, but understand he called this an office. It is an office, and as such is a position recognized by men, not ordained of God. And, most importantly the one that may aspire to be recognized is not seeking or desiring the title and position. He is DESIRING THE WORK, to serve; “it is a fine work he desires.” And, in other of the apostle’s writings regarding elders we find the recognition comes from service that has exposed a great list of character qualities in those recognized.
Yeah, well what about Ephesians 4:11? [Ephesians 4:11 NASB95] 11 And He gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers.” Again there is no hierarchy instituted here. While I embrace these ministries and the need for them in the ekklesia. They have no authority to “lord it over anyone”. They are not in charge. I generally call them “ministry gifts” because the context makes it clear they are God given gifts (He gave) of particular men (some) as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They are not the leaders, rulers, directors, or (heaven forbid) first among equals (whatever that is). They do not belong on pedestals, nor to be positioned in places of honor amongst believers, and certainly are not to be feared and worshiped as “authorities” who rule the church. The context makes it clear that He/God gave these gifts to the church as those that would be gifted and called by Him to equip other members of the body for what…. service?… the work of service.. and to build up/edify saints into manifesting the fullness of Christ Jesus in His body. [Ephesians 4:12-13 NASB95] 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. {And I might add it is my opinion that they were not intended to function as platform-to-spectator teachers/trainers and lords over people. Their function when working well and as intended happens primarily one on one, not calling any great attention to themselves or their gift, but to the one it came from.} They are nobody special and hold no special authority or position of hierarchy. They serve the same Head and Lord we all serve, simply equipping and building up others to also serve others as Jesus.
It is why Paul would write to Corinth saying” [1Co 15:7-10 NASB95] 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
Today men aspire to recognition as one of these gifts. It is not an office you can aspire to, recognized by men, like that of an Elder. God simply and sovereignly gives these ministry gifts in men to the church for His purpose.
(I.e. [Romans 1:1 NASB95] 1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called [as] an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, …and please do note that even here Paul saw himself as a bond servant first) We have unfortunately blown recognition of some of these gifts out of proportion and in doing so have corrupted them in our culture and times, and have, unfortunately, often created Charlatans as well by doing so.
I hear and read much today about apostolic ministry. I do not deny that apostles exist today. Nor would I deny prophets exist today. Anymore than I would deny evangelists, pastors and teachers exist. Their function in equipping and building up saints is still necessary in my opinion. However I do think we hear much called apostolic and prophetic, in particular, that simply isn’t
I do think we all have a place in apostolic ministry in our time, as we are here to model Jesus, and to model and establish a community of servants that gives testimony of Him and His Kingdom, manifesting Him and life under His Lordship and His alone.
An apostle is a delegate (one sent to represent someone else), a messenger. Literally: one sent forth under orders
As with all these ministry gifts, Jesus was perhaps the first apostle, the first prophet, the first evangelist, the first pastor, the first teacher in respect to the church, the saints. He modeled and gave example of the serving, equipping and building up as Jesus – The Apostle, Jesus – The Prophet, Jesus – The Evangelist, etc.
He was sent by the Father to raise up a community of servants, giving testimony of Him and His Kingdom, and manifesting Him and life under His Lordship. He was successful with the twelve and perhaps many others followers.
These twelve then raised up a community of servants giving testimony of Him and His Kingdom, and manifesting Him and life under His Lordship in those around them, perhaps including the likes of Stephan of Barnabas.
Paul was present at the stoning of Stephan and was affected by the Barnabas and Silas and perhaps others. And he went on to raise up communities of servants giving testimony of Him and His Kingdom, manifesting Him and life under His Lordship to Gentile areas. He did so by establishing beach-heads of believers he sometimes took with him (Timothy, Epaphras and others) to those places whom he left there to establish works in those places. And they would raise up a community of servants that would….. you get it by now.
We tend to read these names, Jesus, Peter, Stephan, Barnabas, Silas, Paul, Timothy, Epaphras, and think of them as incredible men of faith with special calling and ability. But, for the most part, they were just like me and you. Men, and some women too (although I did not mention them here), who had an encounter with the Holy Spirit and Jesus and who became a part of His body and then, a community of servants …. giving testimony of Him and His Kingdom, and manifesting Him and life under His Lordship. As such we become apostles; delegates of the Kingdom representing it, messengers and even the message itself read by all men, and most certainly those sent forth under orders. So, let us be less concerned with being a “leader” or an “apostle, prophet, etc” and be focused on being servants of Him and one another, provoking the world to jealousy to be as we are and love as we love as a community of servants.