| Titles and Status in Christian Ministry |
On this important subject I am speaking entirely in regard to Christian ministry. My reason for this emphasis is that in almost every vocation there are both personal efforts involved in the process of ordinary development, and what might be referred to as “selfish development.” We must differentiate between honest self-development and dishonest self-promotion. Over more than 50 years I have observed both of these. There is nothing wrong with men or women dedicating themselves to a rather tough regiment of dedicated Christian service that will be demonstrated in growing opportunity and notoriety among their brethren. It will in the long run be judged upon the selflessness and humility that they manifest in the process of development. By observing these qualities thoughtfully, people recognize the real nature of their pastoral or spiritual leadership. I recall the rather caustic remark of an observant pastor’s wife who was discussing her husband with a couple of other women. One of the women remarked, “I think your husband is a pulpit master.” The pastor’s wife replied, “Yes, but I think he spends too much time aiming at that objective.” That remark was a revealing index of his true motivation in ministry from his pulpit.
Over the centuries in which the Christian Church has carried out its divine assignment, religious leaders have sought distinction by using various New Testament words in an effort to designate their authoritative status in both the local and national church in which they were serving. For years I have tried to understand exactly what the different New Testament terms originally meant, and I think the following reflects my best scholarship:
| 1. | Deacons: | A careful study of the New Testament indi- cates that deacons were appointed in each local church. The Greek term “diakonos” identified this local church ministry. Primarily it meant a good person who freely volunteered to be a Christian servant to all. We find the word in I Tim. 3:10 and 3:13. Phil. 1:6; I Tim. 3:8 and 3:12 indicate that there was often more than one deacon in each congregation. Church history reveals that deacons often were individ- uals who volunteered their service, or due to personal leadership qualities, were accepted as deacons by the members of each local church. The word “deacon” seems to identify the first order of local church officers or caretakers.
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| 2. | Elders: | Elders were generally older, more experienced persons who showed leadership qualities, and were generally appointed by the apostles or others whom the apostles appointed to choose the eldership of the church. Note these Scriptures. I Tim. 5:1, 19; I Pet. 5:1; I Tim. 5:10; Titus 1:5; I Pet. 5:1-4; III John 1:1; and James 5:14. Elders were identified by the Greek word pres- buteros, from which we get the English word “presbyter.”
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| 3. | Bishop: | The Greek word for bishop was borrowed from |
However, a careful study of Acts 1:21 does throw considerable light upon the question. In that reference, the term “bishopric” appears in reference to the “apostolic” status that Judas Iscariot lost in his denial of Christ. The word “bishopric” in the Greek is episkopeen---ministry that is performed by a bishop. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, looked upon apostolic ministry as that of a bishop, as is indicated by his use of this word in reference to the apostolic ministry that Judas lost to someone else. While original apostolic leadership will not be replicated, it is obvious that a level of apostolic ministry is possessed and exercised. It obviously is a type of ministry that is given by God to specific persons.
Therefore, a biblical use of the title Bishop would carry a clear connotation
of an apostolic gifting most likely resulting in the minister having planted
two or more churches in his ministry. It would seem reasonable that those
churches would continue and have a paternally-oriented relationship with
their founder.
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