Whom did God Chose for Church Office?
When the Officebearer Speaks
A Time to Be Silent and a Time to Speak
Caring for the Flock of Christ
Diakonia vs. Office
The Office Bearer Is Only Human
Two Offices (Elders/Bishops and Deacons) and Two Orders of Elders (Preaching/Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders): A New Testament Study
Seeking Office in the Church?
Selecting Elders and Deacons
Qualified Counsellors?!
A Biblical Plan for Ministry
Calvin's Directives on the Call to the Office
Brothers, Beware of Sacred Substitutes
Unworthy Slaves
The Noble Office in Church — Does it Repel or Attract?
Availability for the Kingdom of God and a Career The elder and deacon and their availibility for the church office
God's Word and Women in Office
God's Word and Women in Office
Coming With A Calling The Calling of the Office-bearer in the Church
The Elders in Jerusalem in the Book of Acts
The Holy Office About the Office in the Church
Authority of the office
Church Revitalization Begins with Personal Revitalization
This article stresses the need for church leaders to engage in personal revitalization before looking for the church to do the same.
Ten Ways to Thrive in the Face of Pastoral Challenges
This article outlines ten practical and scriptural guidelines for functioning well in leadership positions in the church.
Seven Essential Elements of an Effective Shepherding Ministry
Elders and pastors are called to shepherd God's church. How can you provide an effective shepherding ministry? This article introduces seven essential elements.
Dealing with Disappointment in the Church (Part 2)
At times people can be disappointed in you as a pastor or an elder. How do you deal with disappointment in the church when you are criticized? This article gives seven questions you can ask to help you deal with disappointment.
6 Marks of a Faithful Ministry
What should characterize a faithful ministry? There are at least six marks that are the characteristics of faithful ministry. This article explains them.
"Equipping" Ministry in Ephesians 4?
Can the function of the ordained ministry be reduced to "equipping saints" for service? Ephesians 4:11-12 is often read in that way. The question is therefore whether Ephesians 4:12 teaches that the "ministry of the Church" is done by the "saints" and the only distinctive role of the officers is to equip the saints for such service. The article, through a presentation of a translation and exegesis of these verses in context, argues against such a view.
The Local Church Is the Place for Biblical Counselling
The author highlights five advantages to having counselling carried out in the local church, over against the secular model of the office-bound counsellor.
The Blood of Souls
Grace and Godliness
Why Deacons Who "Learn on the Fly" are Bound to Have a Crash Landing
Office Bearer Training and the Wellbeing of the Church
How Much Time Should the Office Require?
The Offices and the Congregation
The Bible's Teaching on Women and Ecclesiastical Office
Can women be appointed as officebearers? This article looks at the biblical teaching on equality and functional subordination in relation to this question.
Pray For Us (3)
This trilogy of articles are an exposition of 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 about prayer. Those involved in the ministry must be prayed for. The nature of their work requires it, because of the importance of the work and the abundance of temptations and difficulties facing them.
Pray For Us (2)
This trilogy of articles are an exposition of 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 about prayer. Those involved in the ministry must be prayed for. The nature of their work requires it, because of the importance of the work and the abundance of temptations and difficulties facing them.
Pray For Us (1)
This trilogy of articles are an exposition of 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 about prayer. Those involved in the ministry must be prayed for. The nature of their work requires it, because of the importance of the work and the abundance of temptations and difficulties facing them.
Shepherds After God’s Own Heart
Christ cares for His church by providing trustworthy pastors, elders and deacons. Christ knows how to provide shepherds for His church because He is the Chief Shepherd of the church. In relation to this topic, the author discusses God's promise to His people in Jeremiah 3:15.
New Testament Church Practice
In the New Testament worship service there was no distinction between laity and clergy; rather, there was a priesthood of all believers. However, this does not mean that everyone had the right to preach or teach - this God entrusted to the elders. We should take this into account when reflecting on our worship today.
The Place and Significance of the Offices in the Congregation of Christ
Women in Office — What Changed My Mind
I have laboured in vain
Should We Have Female Office-Bearers?
Were Apostles Unique and Unrepeatable Messengers of Christ?
The twelve apostles were chosen by Christ for a unique, unrepeatable role in the history of redemption. Missionaries and church planters today are authorized by the risen Christ to carry out their task, but they have a different level of authority from that which the apostles had.
Church Offices in Historic Reformed Doctrine
Willing Leaders
A Scandal to the Church The Question of Titus 1:6 and the Children of Elders
Laying On of Hands at the Ordination of Elders
Called to the Office?
Three Offices: Minister, Elder, Deacon
And He Shall Purify: An Exposition of Malachi 2 and 3
Are There Still Apostles Today?
This article explores the question of whether apostles still exist in the church today. It considers the qualifications necessary for apostleship, the uniqueness of Paul's apostleship, the apostolic authority and the closing of the canon, the foundational role of the apostles, and the testimony of those following the apostles. The inevitable conclusion is that there are no longer apostles today.
Apostles of Satan
There are some ministers who are actually false prophets and apostles of Satan. These preachers deny the enormity of sin, the wrath of God upon sinners, and Jesus as the only true way to God.
Are Elders and Deacons Really Office-Bearers?
The Nature of the Ministry According to Paul
What is the nature of the ministry of the church in relation to the nature of the church? In this paper, the author wants to present an accurate picture of the nature of the Christian ministry as Paul conceived of it.
John Calvin's Movement from the Bible to Theology and Practice
How do we move from the Bible to formulating theology? This article believes that a study of good examples may help to prevent the exercise from becoming purely theoretical. The author uses John Calvin to present an example of how one person made such a move. In particular he uses Calvin’s implicit approach to church leadership and in particular church government. This article wants to understand how Calvin moved from the Bible to practice and then compares it to contemporary models.
Church Functionaries – The Witness in the Literature and Archaeology of the New Testament and Church Periods
This essay notes the different New Testament church offices and their Old Testament background. Special attention is given to the elder.
Hermeneutics of Women in Ordained Office
Can women function in the special church offices? This article starts by discussing the place God gave women in his creation, especially in relation to the man. Then it goes on to talk about the question if a woman can be ordained in the teaching office or the office of deacon. It does this by looking at the Biblical teaching and at church history. Before the conclusion it looks at the identity of women and the special ministry of women.
Office Bearers in Christ’s Church
Charismatic Versus Organized Ministry? An Examination of An Alleged Antithesis
How should the relationship between organized and charismatic ministry in the early church be perceived? What is the relation between church order and charismata? Fung critically engages with contemporary reconstructions of this relationship.