30 May, 2007

When Has Authority Gone Too Far?

The original article can be found here. I am posting this as part of an effort to think through and study this issue. May we all be Bereans.


When Has Authority Gone Too Far?
by Jon Zens


Jesus Christ rules His churches by the Spirit through His Word. The churches have authority to act according to Christ's Word. The common notion that authority belongs to a segment of the church (the "pastor," the "session,"the "board," etc.), rather than to the whole church cannot be sustained by the NT.


It is from this misconception that wrong ideas of authority flow. Several propositions follow that will seek in brief compass to crystallize critical matters regarding authority in the church.


1. The church has authority to act on Christ's Word (Matt. 18:15-18; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 6:1-8). If reconciliation is not effected at lower levels, offenses must be brought "to the church." The elders are certainly a part of that process, but they are not the process itself. The idea that "take it to the church" really means "take it to the elders" is not based on the NT.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul does not chide the elders for not taking action, but rather confronts the whole church. We have no reason not to believe that Corinth had elders. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul assumes that the church has the ability and resources to work out its internal problems.


2. Elders recognized by the people are responsible to equip the flock for ministry, lead them into maturity, teach and apply the Word; are accountable to God for their oversight; and are to exercise their care of the flock after the servant-pattern of Christ(Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17; Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Pet. 5:1-3).


3. A mammoth problem exists because the "office of pastor" has been separated from NT eldership, and an authority has been attached to it that is unknown in the NT. "The Minister" concept has no denominational boundaries--it is everywhere assumed. "The pastor" doctrine presupposes and perpetuates the clergy/laity distinction, as a "Reader Survey" from Leadership magazine illustrates:

In 1904, I.M. Haldeman asserted that "Bishop and Elder do not exist today... The Pastor is a Gift to the Church." Abraham Kuyper said that "the Reformed allege that the office of the Word is a separate office which demands its own preparation and its own unique gifts." The Puritans believed that "a minister's authority derives from his office... None can preach with authority 'but who is in office'."


This "office" is totally different from being an "elder." It has a "call" that other elders apparently do not receive. It has training (seminary) not required of "elders." Men leave their families for it. When they "enter the ministry," they become "the leading officer of a congregation."


Brethren, as long as we assume that "the pastor" fits the following job description, problems of authority are inevitable.


[The pastor is] like the cerebellum, the center for communicating messages, coordinating functions, and conducting responses between the head and body... The pastor is not only the authoritative communicator of the truth from the Head to the Body, but he is also the accurate communicator of the needs from the Body to the Head... he edifies the Body.


Christ nowhere assigns such tasks to one man. The fact that we think He does is the source for many of our problems.

4. Perverted authority is often subtle, but Christ's sheep are able to sense its tentacles. If a church atmosphere causes people to walk around with a dark cloud over their heads (no joy, Gal. 4:15), to feel like they are being "watched" and "kept track of," and to feel like they can't talk or do things without "checking in" with the leadership, etc., there is probably an authority problem.


Some marks of perverted authority:


1. the claim of direct authority from God, rather than testing things by the Word;
2. the command is to "submit to me," rather than "I will serve you";
3. the method of leadership is to "order" people around, rather than to appeal for them to do the right things;
4. there is a dominating, "pushy" drive instead of a dependence on God to direct;
5. there is a sense of control, rather than a sense of support;
6. a gift is exploited so that others are made to feel dependent on it;
7. there is an inflexibility--"don't question me"--"don't touch the Lord's anointed";
8. there is unapproachability and intimidation--the "aura" around the leader keeps the followers in "awe";
9. there emerges an organization built around a man and his peculiar emphases instead of around Christ and His Word;
10. there will be cyclical challenges to the authority figure (which are immediately and forcefully purged);
11. there is more concern for maintaining the authoritarian structure than there is for caring about the people in it.


As you think about your own experience, it is apparent that "cults" do not have a monopoly on these tragic attributes. They too often permeate the structures of "Christian" groups and churches.
Image: Luther preaching in Whittenburg

8 comments:

WatchingHISstory said...

These eleven indicators describe Bellevue's history, under the leadership of Gaines and Rogers.

Probally every mega Church in America falls under these indicators.

ezekiel said...

Under the premis that we are to be disciples....then I would have to think that would put us equal to the original 12. Brothers as it were. Now I am not trying to say that I am even worthy to tie their shoes. But Jesus has his own system of authority and I think we have missed it.

Each of the original 12 certainly had their stonger points and weaker points. As John and James...the sons of Zebedee postured for the right and left hand of Jesus.......Jesus set them straight. The least will be first, the chief among them will be their servant.

Somehow we overlook this and chose to have rulers..as the Gentiles were known to have. But Jesus sets us apart in Matthew. Tells us we are different. But we still run out and get......

There would be a lot more openess and many more checks and balances if the true elders of the church, led bible study and took turns reading from the WORD on Sunday. Then just look at the money we would save....No ear tickling and I bet those elders would be really on their toes...

Lin said...

Hi EZ,

All I can say is AMEN!

Lin

WatchingHISstory said...

8. there is unapproachability and intimidation--the "aura" around the leader keeps the followers in "awe";
9. there emerges an organization built around a man and his peculiar emphases instead of around Christ and His Word;

Don't these two point out the fact that Bellevue was built on Dr. Rogers rather than Christ?

Anonymous said...

What happens when the appeal is made for the congregation to "be the blessing?" Is all scriptural hope for sound Biblically derived leadership then tossed to the self-help section of the local 'Christian' bookstore?

Lin said...

Scott, I know I am not supposed to but I could not help but chuckle at your question! I am afraid that too many churches have been browsing the self help section of 'Christian' bookstores for quite a while now. Some even have their own bookstore with very large self help sections! :o)

You did an excellent series a while back on this very question...

http://throughtheveil.wordpress.com/2007/03/09/how-then-to-lead-the-church-part-i/

(sorry, my link thingie is not working)

In any event, I am speaking from the perspective of one who comes from a church where the elders/pastor taught that 'unity' was the end all- be all...more important than Biblical truths. Of course, one has to overlook lots of doctrine to maintain that perspective. There is only unity in truth...of the Word. But focusing on unity of relationships does build mega churches.

Unfortuantly, there are lots of books in the self help section of the bookstore at this church that affirms that stance.

So, 'Be the Blessing' can be refreshing if viewed from the stance of having elders who are ignorant of basic Biblical truths.

We must all be Bereans.

By the way, your wife owes me an explanation about the Oxford Bible. Ask her...she will know what I am talking about. :o)

Maranatha!

Anonymous said...

And hence I think the point of your posted article...

"So, 'Be the Blessing' can be refreshing if viewed from the stance of having elders who are ignorant of basic Biblical truths."

Ignorance is not an excuse!! Its a crutch. It can only be refreshing in the guise of keeping the masses down so they won't really learn true Biblical doctrines. Misapplied scripture cannot and should never replace the real thing. Otherwise, it starts to take on a "PURPOSE" all its own.

(I'll definitely ask about the Oxford thing.)

Lin said...

Amen, Scott.