The Number of Pastors

Introduction

Benefits:

balances people’s weeknesses

lightens the workload

provides accountability

Biblical Basis

Acts 11:30 “Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”

James 5:14–15 “Is any sick among you? 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 the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”

Acts 15:4–6 “And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.”

Acts 14:23 “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

Acts 20:17 “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.”

1 Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”

Philippians 1:1 “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”

Titus 1:5 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:”

1 Peter 5:1 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:”

1 Thessalonians 5:12 “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;”

Historical Evidence

Common Arguments Against

Angels of the churches in Revelations are singular- the word angel here means messanger and could have just been the one elder delegated to bring messages from John to the churches

James- James took leadership among the apostles as an apostle but even in that text a group of elders were involved

Arguments against:

There was clearly a senior pastor at the Jerusalem council- rebuttal “and elders”

This is just presbyterianism- Presbyterianism has structures outside the church not just within the church

The churches had house churches so each elder was in charge of one house church-

The cell groups (proper term) all had a single identity- the church of Ephesus

These elders functioned as a group- they met together to decide things at the Jerusalem council, Paul called them all together at Ephesus

The bible mentions a prebytery ordaining Timothy

While the church did meet in houses, some of the houses could hold 100-200 people, the early church also met in the temple which could hold thousands

This violates congregational rule- not any more than have a single pastor does. While the church has congregational rule it is still pastor led. In this model it is elder led not elder ruled.

Aren’t churches with elders just replacing their deacons? Elders and deacons have two different functions. Elders are the spiritual leaders and shepherds of the flock while deacons are to serve the physical needs of the church. Again an elder is a pastor.

Historical evidence:

1 Clement of Rome- rebukes the Corinthians for removing elders from their church and recognizes a group of elders in the church. Clement wrote around 95 AD soon after the apostles.

By 110 AD, we see the church having a plurality of elders but they are starting to move to a episcopalian model with one bishop over the elders still within a single church.

At the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, four regional bishops were placed in charge of the four main regions of Christendom: Bishop of Antioch, Bishop of Ceasarea, Bishop of Rome and later the Bishop of Constantinople.

By 451 Rome and Constantinople are vying doe supremacy. But both are in equal power at the time.

In the 500’s central power was vested in the bishop of Rome though the title of pope would not be formalized until the 11th century.

Baptist Confessions- Second London Baptist Confession A particular church… ought to consist of officers and members; and the officers appointed by Christ… are bishops or elders, and deacons.” Note that “officers” is plural, and “bishops or elders” is treated as one office but normally shared among more than one man.

John Gill quote “many Baptists have both affirmed that New Testament churches were led by a plurality of elders and practiced plural elder leadership in their churches. For instance, in 1697, Benjamin Keach mentions … ‘elder or elders’ to lead the church. Likewise, in 1743, Benjamin Griffith argued … that churches should maintain a plurality of elders.” 

charlseston Baptist Association of 1774- “If there is not a sufficient presbytery in the church, neighboring elders are to be called and authorized to perform that service… The elders being satisfied with regard to the gifts, graces… ”

Welsh Tract Church established by English Baptists- The minutes from the Welsh Tract Church—a congregation established by English Baptist colonists—explicitly mention Abel Morgan, “teaching Elder,” and James James, “ruling Elder,” as part of the group sent to help form a new congregation in South Carolina:

“Abel Morgan teaching Elder … James James, Ruling Elder … are removed to Carolina…”

Why is it that churches switched to a single elder model during the 19th and 20th century?

small congregations with few qualified pastors

cultural shift with the modern business world

teaching on this issue wasn’t being spread