The Lord’s Harvest Community Church

DISCOVER LIFE BIBLE STUDY
Instructor- Dr. Juan P. Barrientez II
The Pastor’s Authority

Key Verse: Acts 20:28, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

Definitions:

1. Pastor - A shepherd; one that has the care of flocks and herds. A minister of the gospel who has the charge of a church and congregation, whose duty is to watch over the people of his charge, and instruct them in the sacred doctrines of the christian religion. (Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of American English)

History- The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were: - to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep - to defend the sheep from attackers - to heal the wounded and sick sheep - to find and save lost or trapped sheep - to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.

2. Elder - Presbuteros (pres-boo’-ter-os); among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies (or churches) The NT uses the term bishop, elders, and presbyters interchangeably (Strong #: 4245)
3. Overseer/Bishop - Episkopos (ep-is’-kop-os); a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or superintendent. (Strong #: 1985)

Biblical Truths:

1. THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE IN CHURCHES CALLED RULERS AND OVERSEERS (Acts 20:28; 1 Th. 5:12; Ph. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:7). These verses teach that God-called pastors (the same office is called elder and bishop) have authority over the assemblies. Other Christians are to submit to this authority. The pastors are over me in the Lord. When I honor and submit to them, I am not submitting merely to a man; I am submitting to the Lord and Chief Shepherd of the church.
2. EACH CHURCH IS TO HAVE ITS OWN LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT (Tit. 1:5; Acts 14:23). Since this is clearly the N.T. pattern, any outside form of control over the churches is unbiblical and dangerous.
3. EVERY PASTOR IS TO BE GOD-CALLED, SCRIPTURALLY QUALIFIED, and ORDAINED (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1). N.T. churches are not to be led by unordained people or by people who cannot do the whole work of a pastor. Every pastor is to be both a teacher and a ruler (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:9-11; 1 Pet. 5:1,2).

This Weeks Challenge
Make a commitment to submit to Pastoral Leadership

 

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