Exploring the New Testament Model, Part 6 "Overseers in the Local Church"

We want a King! We want a King!

      God has always wanted to remain the only King of Israel, but the elders of Israel wanted something more. They wanted a king that they could touch, and be physically led by, just like all the other nations round about them. When Samuel, the last Judge of Israel was old the elders of Israel came to him with this request: 

    "Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them (1 Sam 8:4-7)."

"They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me"

     Can you feel God's pain? God has known rejection from His covenant people throughout Bible times. Nothing has really changed from then to now either. Man still wants a physical king to follow and a palace to house him, just like all the other religions. They have once again rejected God who desires to lead His people through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus hated what overlords did to His church in the New Testament, and I'm quite certain He feels the same way now.

     It took less than sixty years for the church to become infected by dominating overlords. The Bible records the word "hate" proceeding from Jesus lips only twice; both times when referring to the letters to the churches in the second chapter of the book of Revelation. Both times this word was directed to the doctrine of the same group of people. This group was known as the Nicolaitans. This is what Jesus said to the church of Ephesus, "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate (Rev 2:6)." And then to the compromising church of Pergamos Jesus said, "Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate (Rev 2:15)."

     Now if Jesus hated the doctrine of this group known as the Nicolaitans, shouldn't we try and understand what it was about this group that he so hated? In order to do this we must dissect the word "Nicolaitan". 

     This word Nicolaitan is made up from the combining of two words: Nicholaus and the word laity. The word Nicholaus (according to the flow of the Greek in Strong's Concordance beginning at #G-3531) means to conquer or to triumph over one’s own group of people. The word laity as defined by the Webster Dictionary refers to: the people of a religious faith as distinguished from its clergy. On the surface this all seems like what we're used to, but not so with Jesus. He hated it! The only one who is to rule the church is Jesus Christ himself through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Just look at this verse:

"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away (1 Pet 5;2-4)."

     A good illustration of this godly oversight might be that of a shepherd and a flock of sheep. A good shepherd would typically lead the sheep in his care to a green pasture, beside still waters (i.e. Psalm 23) and guard them as they grazed. He did not go from sheep to sheep stuffing grass in their mouth. He allowed them to pasture. This is what God desires from the elders the Holy Spirit sets up in local church settings. For the most part overseer’s are invisible in a gathering unless something go wrong, and then they exercise their responsibility to correct and/or to protect.

There was to be no class distinction in the Body of Christ

     All of us make up the Body with Christ as our head. This ministry is to be carried out by the Holy Spirit working through the spiritual gifts of men and women. God has set overseers, called elders, bishops or presbyters (not overlords), to bear responsibility for the spiritual church as it functions through the leading of the Holy Spirit. The word elder is interchangeable with bishop or presbyter, however it’s interesting to note that the term “elder” indicates the maturity, spiritual experience and understanding of those so described; the term “bishop” or “overseer,” indicates the character of the work undertaken. The use of the term “bishop or presbyter” is not very common nowadays.

     The five-fold ministry spoken of in Ephesians 4:11-13  is not speaking of a group of overlords, but rather of those more mature gifted believers who help to equip the saints to be all that Jesus has called them to be, so that they can one day do the same. The biblical role of a pastor is clearly not that of "the Office of Pastor," but rather the function of a pastor who may or may not even be an elder. Perhaps this will help clarify:

• Apostles have a passion to expand and establish the Body of Christ. Their ministry was biblically accompanied by signs and wonders (and should still be today).
• Prophets have a passion to speak forth the mind of God in the first person.
• Evangelists have a passion to win souls.
• Pastors have a unique burden to, one on one, (spiritually) care for believers that make up the local body of believers.
• Teachers have a passion to drive home the teachings that come forth through the Spirit.

     This five-fold ministry may, or may not, be the overseers of the local church. The Holy Spirit is the one who should be allowed to distribute these functions amidst the church; not men.