Church Polity

Great to see you all here this morning. Please take out your copy of God's Word. We're going to do something a little different this morning. You may have noticed in your bulletin if you pay attention to that at all that we are not going to continue in Mark today.

And I know that some people get very dogmatic about what preaching should look like. Many people say that expositional preaching must be verse by verse. Exposition is just simply, in the most simplest of terms, preaching what the Bible has to say about any given topic.

Say, picking for the main points of a sermon, the main points of a text for the sermon. That's the definition in its simplest form. And so it's healthy at times to stop and take a little topical look at some things, a more broad look.

And so that's what we're going to do together today is we're going to look at church polity together. And the reason for that is this evening we're having our direction dessert when we get together and present a vision for next year and what we believe God is leading us into.

Next year and we have newly appointed elders. It just happened, oh gosh, maybe five or six weeks ago we appointed elders of our church and we have yet to really take the time to stop and talk about what that even means.

So that's what I would like to do with you today. So I have a lot of texts for you to turn to. And in habit I actually told you to take out your copy of God's Word. I didn't tell you where to turn because I'm going to give you a lot of places.

You may find it best for you today to just simply jot down references and turn to them later.

You might want to catch me on some of the longer ones. You may try to keep up with me.

But for the sake of time I'm going to move pretty quick and I'm not going to wait until I hear pages stop flipping in order for us to get through what needs to be accomplished this morning.

I want to say to you also church polity is the doctrines about the organizational structure of the church and it's a subset of a greater study, the doctrines of the church called ecclesiology.

What we're going to do this morning is going to be very glossary.

I can't possibly expound all of this in a single service unless you guys were willing to stay here until one or two, which I don't think you are.

So we're going to kind of glance over some things.

So if I don't make a connection for you, I know I'm not making the connection for you.

Let's talk about it later. We can connect the dots together.

So with that in mind, let's pray and then I'll pile in where we're going to head today.

Father, we thank you for the great love that you've shown us in Christ.

We are here sitting together in this room because of his completed work.

I thank you that we have such a great hope in him.

We thank you, Father, that you've also given us, because of Christ, your spirit.

There's great triune work in play right now on our behalf.

And we pray by your spirit, Lord, that you'll work today.

You know our frailties even better than we.

And Father, I know that I can accomplish nothing good apart from you.

So I pray that you'll work this day in our hearts to bring us into conformity with your son for the praise of your glory.

We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

I hope in your Christian walk you are growing in your appreciation for the church.

Because the church is what Christ came to die for.

The church itself was purchased by Christ's blood.

And I mean that in a universal sense.

The church today, the church past, the church future.

All those who will be found in Christ, who will place believing faith in him, were purchased by Christ's blood.

It was his very intention in coming here was to purchase the church for himself.

1 Corinthians 15.3 says,

Paul states in Ephesians 5.25 that Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

This is why Christ came.

This is why we have hope in this season in him.

Because Christ came and purchased the church.

It was precious to him.

It is his bride.

And he completed that work.

Wes mentioned that earlier.

This was something that happened once and for all.

He was able to with confidence say,

it is finished.

The writer of Hebrews 10.14 says,

For by a single offering,

he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

So this is an accomplished work on Christ's behalf.

Yet we still find it carrying out.

Still find it having its effect.

We have been made perfect in him and yet we are being made perfect.

Perfect.

As individuals and as the church.

Sorry again for Judah.

We're in this process and God has given to us a great responsibility.

As the church.

As the global church.

Right?

He's set us about a mission.

And I think rightly it's good to say,

not that God has given a mission to the church,

but that he's given the church to his mission.

Matthew chapter 28.

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

Verse 16 through 20.

After Jesus is resurrected,

spending time with his disciples.

Verse 16 says,

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee,

to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

And when they saw him,

they worshipped him,

but some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them,

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold,

I am with you always to the end of the age.

And we can see even here,

this work that has been completed

and is being completed

by the power and grace of God.

Right?

This is the command that's been given to us

as a local congregation.

And it's a big, mighty task.

So we see most commonly mentioned in the scriptures

when we speak of church,

the gathering of believers,

those local congregations,

which we would be one of.

And as the global church has this mission

to go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe,

to be disciple-making disciples,

we as a church have been given that very same command.

This is true of us as well.

So it's important that we ask the question,

how?

How are we supposed to do this?

This is a big, mighty task

that has been given to the church.

And very quickly,

lots of people will give you lots of answers to that.

Ask anybody who serves in full-time ministry

what their philosophy of ministry is,

and you're going to hear all sorts of answers.

I feel that for our church it is a grace,

and I am thankful to get to serve at a church

that believes in the sufficiency of Scripture

and actually lives like they believe

in the sufficiency of the Scriptures.

God has given to us a book

that is the guide and rule for all holiness,

and that includes the way in which

we govern our church.

James Montgomery Boyce

was a 20th century Philadelphian pastor,

just means he pastored in Philadelphia,

and said,

I don't know why I wrote it down that way,

said,

while many churches now confess belief

in biblical authority,

they remain undecided

whether the Bible is sufficient

for the church's life and work.

We confess its authority,

but we discount its ability

to do what is necessary

to draw unbelievers to Christ,

enable us to grow in godliness,

provide direction for our lives,

and transform and revitalize society.

He adds,

in the 16th century,

the battle was against those

who wanted to add church traditions

to Scripture,

the Catholics,

but in our day,

the battle is against those

who have to use worldly means

to do God's work.

Our great battle

in American Christianity

is not over the inerrancy

of the Scripture,

but of the sufficiency

of the Scriptures.

Has God given us what we need

to accomplish the task

that He's laid before us?

The answer is yes.

You can't just say that

and not live that appropriately.

And so what I want to show you today

is the way in which

we have arranged

our organizational structure

as we see the Scriptures

teach them to us.

And I gave you a phrase

that's in the top of your bulletin

in the notes

that says simply this,

maybe not simply,

Christ Family Church is

God-ordained,

Christ-ruled,

Spirit-led,

elder-guided,

deacon-served,

and congregation-governed,

or congregationally

if you prefer.

Christ Family Church

is God-ordained,

Christ-ruled,

Spirit-led,

elder-guided,

deacon-served,

and congregation-governed.

So I want to break

this phrase down for you.

We certainly see

that the Godhead

starts out this phrase, right?

This is a church

that has been given to us.

It belongs to God.

It's God-ordained.

It's Christ-ruled.

It's Spirit-led.

It's God-ordained

as all things are.

All things in this world

are ordained by our Lord.

They're all held

in His providence.

And therefore,

we can safely say

that our church

is God-ordained.

Isaiah 45.7

God says,

I form light

and create darkness.

I make well-being

and create calamity.

I am the Lord

who does all these things.

Job recognized this.

Job 42.2.

He said,

I know that you can do

all things

and that no purpose

of yours can be thwarted.

King Nebuchadnezzar,

after his wild times

in the wilderness,

when he comes back

to his senses

in Daniel 4.35,

says of God,

He does according

to His will

among the host of heaven

and among the inhabitants

of the earth,

and none can stay His hand

or say to Him,

what have you done?

Paul,

in Ephesians 1.11,

says that God works

all things

according to the counsel

of His will.

He is sovereign

over everything

and therefore,

the very fact

that this church exists

means that God

ordained it.

That we have a name

and we are here

means that God

is in control

over what is happening.

I think every good sermon

has a Charles Spurgeon

quote in it.

It makes my brother

plain language

beautiful

to read something

he said.

So let me just read to you

this beautiful quote

by him.

He said,

I believe that

every particle of dust

that dances in the sunbeam

does not move an atom

more or less

than God wishes.

That every particle

of spray that dashes

against the steamboat

has its orbit

as well as the sun

in the heavens.

That the chaff

from the hand

of the winnower

is steered

as the stars

in their courses.

The creeping of an aphid

over the rosebud

is as much fixed

as the march

of the devastating pestilence.

The fall of leaves

from a poplar

is as fully ordained

as the tumbling

of an avalanche.

Isn't that beautiful?

And so this is true

of our church.

Christ's family church

is God

ordained.

And it is

Christ ruled.

Matthew 16

Matthew 16:18

verse 18

Jesus says

in response

to Peter

claiming that

he is the Christ

he says

and I tell you

you are Peter

and on this rock

that truth

the very truth

that he is the Christ

I will build

my church

and the gates of hell

shall not prevail against it.

Notice the language there

he says

Christ says

that on this truth

I will build

my church.

Christ rules

Christ family church.

Christ family church

is God ordained.

things under Jesus' feet

and gave him

his head

over all things

to the church.

And again later

in Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5:23

verse 23

that Christ

is the head

of the church.

We are simply

an extension of him.

His body

moving

and working

in this world.

Christ family church

is God ordained.

It is Christ ruled.

And it is

spirit led.

It is

by God's spirit

that this

act

is accomplished.

The spirit

is an agent

of Christ

to us.

A helper

sent to us

to help us

accomplish

this great task

that has been put

before us.

Romans 8

Romans 8:14

verse 14

and then verse 17

says

for all who are led

by the spirit of God

are sons of God.

Verse 17

if children

then heirs of God

and fellow heirs

with Christ.

So we have been

called together

as these heirs

of God

who are led

by the spirit.

And that is the way

in which we function

in the church.

Paul exhorts us

in Ephesians

Ephesians 4:3

chapter 4

verse 3

in the beginning

of verse 4

that we ought to be

eager to maintain

the unity

of the spirit

in the bond

of peace

for there is

one body

and one spirit.

So we are

therefore

by the Godhead

led along.

Christ family church

is God ordained

Christ ruled

and spirit led.

But now what part

do we play

in this?

How is it that

the Godhead

intervenes

and connects

in our lives

and we actually

play this out?

The scriptures

have been very clear

to us

in this way.

Now let me say to you

that there are

various forms

of church government

that I find

acceptable.

I just find the one

that we practice

most acceptable.

I think it's

most clearly

laid before us.

I think church history

has spoken clearly

to us that this is

the most health

giving form

of polity.

But I will grant

that there are

some variations

of some degree

that are also

acceptable.

But let's just

talk about elders.

Christ family church

is elder

guided.

This word elder

in the scriptures

has also been

translated bishop

or overseer.

it's translated

only as pastor

one place

in the entire

scripture

which is found

in Ephesians

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4.

That's the only time

you see that term

as a noun.

Otherwise

it's a verb

that elders

are called

to pastor

in that way.

And so the role

of elders

in the church

if you look

in 1 Timothy

5.17

is to rule

to preach

and to teach.

It says

let the elders

who rule

will be well

considered

worthy

of double

honor

especially

those

who labor

in preaching

and teaching.

Elders are

to care

for God's

church.

1 Timothy

3.4

and 5

He must

manage

his own

household

well.

This is a

qualification

for an elder.

He must

manage

his own

household

well

with all

dignity

keeping

his children

submissive.

For if

someone does

not know

how to

manage

his own

household

how will

he care

for God's

church?

Right?

Judah

making me

look bad

this morning.

1 Peter

5

2-3

we see

that

elders

are to

shepherd.

Instruction

here

Peter is

giving to

the elders

of these

churches

that he's

writing to

shepherd

the flock

of God

that is

among you

exercising

oversight

not under

compulsion

but willingly

as God

would have

you

not for

shameful

game

but eagerly

not domineering

over those

in your

charge

but being

examples

to the

flock

keeping

watch

over

their

souls

this is

the

instruction

that's

been

given

to

us

Hebrews

13

17

obey

your

leaders

and submit

to them

for they

are keeping

watch

over your

souls

as those

who

would

give

to give

an

account

let them

do this

with joy

and not

with groaning

for that

would be

of no

advantage

to you

so elders

are to

look

after the

spiritual

well-being

of the

flock

that's

been

given

them

it's

the

tasks

that are

laid

before

them

they

must

possess

outstanding

character

we don't

have time

to get

into all

of these

things

you can

look at

these

later

1st

Timothy

3

1-7

and

Titus

1

6-9

I

encourage

you

to take

a look

at those

we

believe

fully

that elders

should be

plural

in nature

we should

have a

plurality

leadership

Acts 14

23

Paul and

Barnabas

have just

been

drug

out of

Lystra

Paul is

beaten

they think

to death

some of

the

Christians

gather

around him

and he

rises

and then

Paul and

Barnabas

return

they go

to Derbe

for a while

then they go

to Lystra

Iconium

and to

Antioch

and it

says

and when

they had

appointed

elders

plural

for them

in every

church

with prayer

and fasting

they committed

them to the

Lord

in whom

they had

believed

later in

Acts 20

Acts 20:17

verse 17

we see the

record that

now from

Miletus

he sent

to Ephesus

and called

the elders

of the church

to come to

him

again plural

elders

Titus

1.5

Paul writes

to Titus

this is why

I left

you in

Crete

so that

you might

put what

remained

into order

and appoint

elders

in every

town

as I

directed

you

James

5.14

is anyone

among you

sick

let him

call for

the elders

of the church

and let

them pray

over him

anointing

him

with oil

in the

name

of the

Lord

and then

1 Peter

1 Peter 5:1

chapter 5

verse 1

and the

beginning

of 2

so I

exhort

the elders

among you

as a

fellow elder

and a

witness

of the

sufferings

of Christ

as well

as a

partaker

in the

glory

that is

going

to be

revealed

shepherd

the

flock

of

God

that is

among

you

or

pastor

the

flock

of

God

that is

among

you

that is

enough

for me

that is

enough

that we

see

this

plurality

as an

example

to us

again

and again

is enough

for me

to say

we need

more

than one

we don't

need a

guy on

top

making

all of

our

decisions

for us

I have

found

practically

it to be

of great

benefit

I have

men

that I'm

accountable

to

I have

men

that I

get to

shoulder

the

burden

of

service

share

in the

joy

of

service

and

guidance

to

our

church

it's

of

great

benefit

for

us

I

have

seen

in my

very

young

years

so

many

pastors

tumble

from

the

top

because

they

have

no

accountability

they're

placed

on a

pedestal

as if

they're

perfect

and they

try to

live that

way

on the

outside

on the

inside

they

absolutely

rot

away

we're

working

hard

together

for that

never

to be

the

case

with

us

I

want

you to

know

that

I'm

a

man

in

need

of

grace

right

it is

my

hope

it is

my

goal

to

lead

you

and to

lead

you

well

but I

fail at

things

sometimes

and I

need

accountability

in my

life

and this

provides

that

having a

plurality

of

leaders

in that

way

so we

see that

we're

to give

guidance

to the

church

and we'll

talk in

a moment

about

congregationalism

and what

role you

play

in that

effort

I want

to tell

you who

the elders

of our

church

are

and I'll

just let

you guys

raise your

hands

if you

will

Wes

Shelnut

who has

served our

church for

so many

years leading

us in

music and

pastoring

us in

that way

has been

elected as

an elder

Doug

Hitchcock

I picked

him out

here on

the aisle

Stan

Luttrell

over here

Daryl

Allison

in the

back

and then

myself

we have

five elders

of our

church now

and this

is a

massive

blessing

I may

feel it

more than

any of

the rest

of you

do

but I

love

that these

men are

coming

alongside

and helping

me serve

in leading

you all

it's a

huge

huge

blessing

to our

church

and to

have

men

of this

quality

by God's

grace

is a

great

blessing

to us

as well

and I

hope that

you'll

recognize

that you

have a

leadership

structure

here

that you

can go

to

I

can't

possibly

give each

and every

one of

you

the attention

that you

may need

in your

life

but there

are

men

that can

look to

them

for

leadership

trust

them

for what

they bring

before you

so

Christ

family

church

then

is

God

ordained

Christ

ruled

spirit

led

elder

guided

deacon

served

we don't

want to

forget about

our

deacons

our precious

deacons

and I

think

that our

deacons

would

actually

prefer

that we

forget

about

them

these

are the

kind of

people

that want

to serve

quietly

the kind

of people

that if

they're doing

everything

well we never

notice it

never notice

just quite how

clean the

building is

or how

perfectly the

sound goes

no one ever

really notices

when the words

are right on

the screen

but we

definitely

notice when

they're wrong

on the screen

right

these are

the people

who want

to fly

under the

radar

and receive

no praise

in Acts

Acts 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

we see the

very first

appointing

of deacons

and an

issue had

arisen

the

hellenistic

jews

weren't

being

served

in the

serving

of

meals

and so

a complaint

arises

and it

makes its

way to

the apostles

who were

teaching

and they

say it's

not fitting

for us

to serve

tables

and you

recall

this

record

right

not because

it was

below them

but because

they had

other things

that were

more pressing

for them

to be

working on

right

the other

things were

important

the serving

of the

tables

mattered

but just

not for

the

apostles

and we

see

they

elect

deacons

to serve

and to

make sure

these things

are taking

place

and we

can gather

from this

three

general

job

descriptions

for deacons

they're to

serve the

physical needs

of the church

they actually

went and

physically

fed

they took

the bread

around

and fed

the people

they're to

quell

or put

down

grumbling

which is

what was

happening

right

rightly

there was

appropriate

grumbling

happened

but their

job was

to come

in and

intervene

in that

situation

and to

insulate

the apostles

from all the

grumbling

about the

little

things

and they

were to

protect

the job

of

the

apostles

which

later are

the elders

as they

work out

ministry

Peter

as we

just read

refers to

himself

as an

elder

in

1 Peter

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5

these are the

three general

job descriptions

of deacons

and they must

also possess

outstanding

character

1 Timothy

1 Timothy 3:8–12

chapter 3

verses 8

through 12

is where you

can read

about that

now let me

make a case

to you

for

female

deacons

this is a

highly

contended

issue

in a lot

of churches

we

we

believe

that

it's

okay

for

women

to

serve

in

this

role

now

in

some

churches

particularly

southern

baptist

churches

deacons

are not

as

scripturally

prescribed

as they

should be

they're

really

more like

elders

they're

kind of

quasi

elder

deacons

they sit

on a

board

they make

spiritual

decisions

for the

church

they often

give

oversight

to the

pastor

they

do

spiritual

things

in the

church

right

we're

not

talking

about

!

that type

of deacon

we're

talking

about

those

who

serve

in

purely

physical

ways

not

in

spiritual

ways

at

all

1st

Timothy

chapter

3

verse

11

in

your

ESV

if you're

following

along

with me

reads

their

wives

likewise

must be

dignified

not

slanders

but

sober

minded

it's

in

this

list

of

things

that

must

be

true

of

a

deacon

sober

minded

faithful

in

all

things

I

don't

care

for

the

way

the

ESV

renders

this

NASB

renders

it

women

likewise

the

term

here

used

that's

translated

in

ESV

their

wives

was a

very

general

term

the

word

guna

is the

Greek

word

and it's

just a

general

term

for a

woman

of

any

age

I

think

it's

more

properly

rendered

women

here

you

see

some

interpretive

difficulty

what

really

clears

it

up

for

me

is

when

we

see

this

word

diakonos

servants

where we

get our

word

deacon

from

we

see

it

attached

to

a

woman

in

Romans

Romans 16:1

chapter

16

verse

1

it's

the

example

of

Phoebe

who

said

was

a

servant

of

the

church

at

Kincrae

she

was

actually

sent

on

a

physical

task

to

bring

aid

to

Paul

right

and

she's

yes

if you

would

like

of

the

church

at

Kincrae

and that

helps

I believe

clear up

for us

what is

meant

in

1 Timothy

1 Timothy 3:11

chapter

3

verse

11

now we

have to be

really careful

at this

point

because we

can't

always

lean on

our

experience

right

hear me

we can't

always lean

on our

experience

but our

experience

does

confirm

the

truths

of

scripture

and I

found

for our

church

the

female

deacons

that we

have

have served

very

well

and caused

no

problems

it's been

and so

it

therefore

affirms

that

at least

in my

own

mind

we

also

looked

as we

were

making

this

decision

at

church

history

I

often

lean

on

men

that I

know

are

wiser

than

myself

just

like

you

might

call

a

relative

you

know

who's

a little

smarter

than

you

if

you

have

uncles

maybe

that are

a little

bit

wiser

most

people's

uncles

are

not

but

if

you

have

an

uncle

that's

a little

little

ahead

and

again

many

of

the

very

healthy

church

movements

had

female

deacons

our

deacons

that are

currently

serving

for us

now

are

tasked

up

they

have

got

a lot

going

on

Liz

Shelnut

she's

here

sitting

next

to

Wes

can you

raise

your

hand

Liz

Liz

is

handling

all

the

administration

for our

church

as well

as

the

communication

efforts

trying

to get

information

out

to you

guys

in a

timely

manner

She

helps

me

cut

checks

and

balance

books

and

all

those

joyful

things

that

I

actually

hope

none

of

you

ever

really

know

go on

it's

the

underbelly

of

church

work

Liz

helps

me

with

that

Barbara

Hitchcock

you

probably

all

know

Barbara

because

she's

in

touch

with

you

a lot

about

hospitality

and

cleaning

Barbara

is

the

one

that

makes

sure

a lot

of

people

get

in

there

and

get

involved

and

thank

you

to

everyone

who

sure

that

this

building

stays

up

again

a

thing

that

we

don't

really

realize

until

it's

bad

right

she

does

a

lot

of

work

to

organize

and

get

those

things

done

all

that

coffee

that

you

guys

drink

gallons

and

gallons

of

coffee

Barbara

makes

sure

that

that's

made

when

we

have

meals

like

tonight

we're

having

our

dessert

together

Barbara

helps

organize

and

plan

those

types

of

things

John

Cheatham

is

making

sure

we

have

volunteers

and

people

like

that

to

make

sure

these

mics