Baptist Faith and Message Part 12

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Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
Let’s deal with the two offices first.
As Baptist, we believe there are two officers in the church.
Not one, Not Three, Two.
And We clearly define those officers.
Pastors and Deacons.
Let me hear some answers from you.
What is a pastor?
Let’s even think about the word pastor and what it means.
What are some other words listed in the New Testament that refer to the same office?
Elder
Bishop
Overseer
Pastor
I personally love the Word Pastor- because I believe there is so much meaning there.
What does the Word pastor mean? 
He is a shepherd. To be clear, I am not the Chief Shepherd here at this church, nor is any pastor the chief shepherd of their church.
Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd of this Church. I am just an under-shepherd.
But what does it mean to be a pastor? What does it mean to be an under-shepherd?
Which means what? What are his major functions?
Protection
From false doctrine by way of-
Teaching
Music
Associations
Feeding
Preaching the Word
Teaching Doctrine
Answering Questions.
Leadership
This I believe is in reference to the spiritual sense of the word.
The pastor is to lead the church.
Care
Pastoral Care.
Burk Parsons- “A faithful shepherd smells like his sheep.”
Cannot be a pastor and not care for the sheep.
What are His qualifications?
1 Timothy 3:1–7 NASB95
It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
The key thing there is MUST BE.
These are not negotiables.
We can’t lay any of these aside.
Sometimes we seek to create loopholes. There are no loopholes here. If I am not hospitable, I am not qualified.
If I’m not gentle, I am unqualified.
If I don’t manage my household well, I am unqualified. And so with the rest.
There has been debate on whether or not certain sins disqualify someone permanently from holding the office of pastor.
There are questions that have to be asked- but generally I do think there are some sins that would disqualify a pastor permanently from ever being able to hold the office of pastor again.
The Key there is above reproach.
Again, I do think there is room for grace, especially toward those men who were involved in something before they were a believer and a pastor. And I even think there are times when there is room for restoration for a pastor who sins while being a believer, although I do believe that it would be wise in the case of the church to force the pastor to step away to provide opportunity for repentance.
Paul and Peter- examples of this:
Paul- had a hand in murdering Christians- before he was saved. Saved and called to be a missionary
Peter- denied Jesus three times, after having been saved. Repents Restored and follows Christ to His death as one of the main actors in the early church.
However, again, I also believe there are some sins that permanently disqualify because so long as the pastor lives, he would not be above reproach.
One problem we are currently dealing with in the convention is the prevalence of a pastor being caught in some sort of scandal. Moving from one church, and moving on to the next. I think that is problematic.
Any questions or comments on the role or office of the pastor?
What is a deacon?
First, again we have to look at the word.
What does the word deacon mean?
Servant.
A deacon serves the church.
Acts 6:1–7 NASB95
Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
A deacon serves the church. That’s his job.
What are His qualifications?
1 Timothy 3:8–13 NASB95
Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Pretty clear there.
Their qualifications are not unlike the overseers.
Both are called to the same qualifications. Save Able to Teach.
There are not two separate standards for one and then another standard for the other.
In the church, there seems to be a difference in the way we approach these things.
In the world, they see no difference in the failure.
The two offices are to be held in high regard.
Before we move on to the second part tonight-
How many? How many deacons? How many pastors?
Biblically, we have no grounds to declare anything other than this.
Multiple people served in both roles in the early church.
Multiple men served as pastors .
Multiple men served as deacons. Now you can make an argument from Acts 6- that the number of deacons is 7, but I think they picked that number based upon need and not some sort of overarching principle.
But At times, in church by laws even, there is a specified number. I mean thats fine so long as its not set in stone that way.
Because the answer we come away with when you read 1 Timothy and Titus to the how many question is-
As many as are qualified- especially with the office of elders.
There ought to be more than one man making the spiritual decisions of the church.
The church should recognize and honor those men that God has set apart for the teaching and preaching ministry of the church.
I don’t mind telling you. One of my prayers here is and one of my goals here as your pastor is to raise up more men who will serve along side of me in the office of elder/pastor/overseer. Lay pastors. Men the church recognizes that these are the spiritual leaders. Able to teach. Trustworthy.
In the NT, there were always multiple elders and multiple deacons.
Any questions on that?
While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
Honestly, I think this statement is a little weak.
I believe it should include the office of deacons as well. It doesn’t here.
There are churches within the SBC that have women serving the office of deacon.
There are two biblical places in the New Testament where people generally make their arguments here.
1 Timothy 3- the mention of Wives or Women.
Those who would argue for women serving the office of deacon they would argue that this mentioning of wives is warrant for allowing it.
I think it does this to make mention of the wife of the elder and deacon. That there are qualifications for the wives attached to these men as well.
I think Paul is pretty clear here.
1 Timothy 3:10–12 NASB95
These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
How we come away from that thinking that women serve the office of deacon, I think is a pretty weak argument.
Romans 16:1-2
Romans 16:1–2 NASB95
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.
Romans 16:1–2 ESV
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
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