A Biblical-Historical Model of Church Order, Part I

Introduction

The purpose of this series of essays is to present a picture of early church governance by tracing the development of local church leadership from the earliest apostolic period (AD 40 to 90) to the early post-apostolic period (AD 70–150). I will argue that the original first century apostles and prophets, knowing that their particular foundational offices were temporary, established a distinct and identifiable local church order, with the intention that this post-apostolic order continue after their deaths. This church order is discernible in the New Testament texts when read in light of the actual situation in the earliest post-apostolic churches (AD 70–150).

In preview, I will argue that the apostles and prophets of the New Testament church intended that local Christian churches reflect a three-fold office of episkopos (overseer), presbyteroi (elders), and diakonoi (ministers). Though the actual names and titles of these three offices changed over a period of about fifty years, eventually they settled on these particular terms to describe the offices necessary for administering worship, ministry, and service in the local church. Today we might call these offices “senior/lead pastor,” “elders,” and “deacons.”

The Apostolic Church Order (AD 40–90)

During the widespread missionary activities of the apostles (Paul, Peter, James, John, etc.) and their delegates (Timothy, Luke, Sosthenes, Silas, Clement, etc.), we see a simple twofold church order emerge, established by the apostles and based on the order of the original church in Jerusalem. In the Jerusalem church the original twelve disciples established the order of “deacons” to assist them in carrying out the work of the ministry (Acts 6:1–7). These “ministers” or “deacons” as they came to be called, were taken from the congregation and were ordained to their ministry by the apostles through the laying on of hands and prayer (Acts 6:6).

In Acts 20:17, 28, we see a clear description of the ministry of the elders in a local church. Near the end of his third missionary journey around AD 58, Paul made a brief stop in Miletus on the western coast of Asia Minor. From there “he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders (presbyteroi) of the church” (Acts 20:17). We see that there was a clear identification of this group of leaders in that local city. After informing them of his determination of go to Jerusalem, he gave them the following charge: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (episkopoi), to shepherd (poimaino) the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). From Acts 20 we see the convergence of three key terms used to identify the leadership in the local church: presbyeroi (elders), episkopoi (overseers), and poimaino (to pastor or shepherd). At this stage in the development of local church order, “elder” and “overseer” were interchangeable terms, and these officers of the church were responsible for the pastoral work. There was no distinction between pastors and elders; these terms described the same office.

A few years later (AD 61), Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, in which he addressed “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers (episkopoi) and deacons (diakonoi).” Thus, we are informed that the local church in Philippi had a leadership structure of overseers (synonymous with “elders” and “pastors”) and deacons (synonymous with “ministers”), distinct from the general congregation of “saints.” All of these offices, though, were under the direct authority of the apostles and their delegates.

At about the same time, Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus and revealed the distinct ministries current in the first century apostolic period. In Ephesians 4:11–12, he wrote, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists (euangelistai), and some as pastors (poinmenai) and teachers (didaskaloi), for the equipping of the saints for the work of service (diakonia).” In this list we see the foundational ministries of the apostles and prophets listed first. “Evangelists” may refer to apostolic delegates or, perhaps, to a type of leader in the local church (see 2 Tim 4:5). It is apparent, though, that “pastors and teachers” refer to those who are elders or overseers in the local church. It has been argued in the past that the Greek underlying “pastors and teachers” actually indicates a single office of “pastor-teacher,” but this view has been set aside in light of more recent research. Instead, it is best to see “pastors” and “teachers” as two types of elder and overseer ministries, so that within the office of “elder/overseer” there is a diversity of responsibilities: pastoral, teaching, and evangelistic. In any case, all of these offices were under direct authority of the apostles and prophets.

Near the end of Paul’s earthly ministry, he wrote his letters to Timothy, who was at that time in charge of the church in Ephesus. This is in continuity with the pattern of apostles and prophets (and their delegates) exercising direct authority over the local church leadership of elders and deacons. In this context, Paul wrote to Timothy, the “apostolic” leader in Ephesus, “If any man aspires to the office of overseer (episkopos), it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer (episkopos), then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will be take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:1–7). Here we see the general qualifications for the office of “overseer” or, as it is called in other texts, “elder.” The qualifications include teaching, managing, and shepherding.

Following this description, Paul deals with the other office in the local church, the “deacons.” He writes, “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach” (1 Timothy 3:8–10). He also gives qualifications for their wives and notes that they must be able to manage their own households well (3:11–13).

Paul then explains to Timothy why he is writing these things: “In case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (3:15). That is, Paul is both describing and prescribing how leadership in the local church should be ordered under the oversight of Timothy, Paul’s personal apostolic delegate. So we see emerging, with the absence of the apostle himself, a threefold ministry—the apostolic leader (Timothy), the elders/overseers/pastors/teachers/managers (the episkopoi) and the deacons/ministers (diakonoi).

It is important to point out that at this time some elders in the church of Ephesus were compensated for their service. First Timothy 5:17–18 states, “The elders (presbyteroi) who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,’ and ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.’” The church at this time was undoubtedly compensating those who devoted their lives to full time proclamation and teaching in Ephesus. The fact that some elders were compensated for their pastoral work did not mean they ceased to be elders.

Paul wrote a similar epistle to his delegate, Titus, whom he left in Crete. He wrote, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders (presbyteroi) in every city as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). In his description of the qualifications for these elders, he uses the alternate term, episkopos: “For the overseer (episkopos) must be above reproach as God’s steward” (1:7). The responsibilities of the elders/overseers include moral qualities, but also the ability to “hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” That is, the elders/overseers were primarily responsible for doctrine, teaching, and correction.

Around the same time (AD 63–64), the apostle Peter also made mention of the kind of apostolic church order that existed under the ministry and authority of the apostles and prophets. He wrote, “I exhort the elders (presbyteroi) among you, as your fellow elder (presbyeros) and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd (poimaino) the flock of God among you, exercising oversight (episkopeo) not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1–3). In this passage, the same trio of descriptions is used of this body of leadership: elder, overseer, pastor, indicating that these various responsibilities rested within the same group of leaders in the churches. In fact, Peter, an apostle, counted himself among the “elders,” even though he exercised direct authority over the others as an apostle.

I must at this juncture point out that this apostolic church order only prevailed as long as the apostles, prophets, and their delegates were present among the churches to exercise apostolic oversight and leadership. The apostles and prophets (Paul, John, Peter, James, Timothy, Titus, etc.) exercised authority over these churches, appointing and instructing elders, ordaining them to their offices, and serving as advisors and supervisors. Also, it was typical for each elder/overseer, probably in conjunction with a deacon, to be responsible for individual “home churches” within the larger city church. We see this described in detail in Paul’s letter to the Romans (AD 57–58), where he mentions several names and those congregations that met in their homes (Romans 16:3–15). That is, we are not seeing here a single body of believers with multiple leaders, but rather a single local city church composed of smaller groups, with each group under the care of an elder/overseer/pastor working with one (or more?) deacons/ministers. Thus, each local city/community church was composed of smaller identifiable groups each under the care of an elder and deacon.