I have been thinking for a long time about the legitimacy of the America’s pastorate—not the biblical pastoral office, mind you, but the American use of the pastorate. A church hires a “pastor” to lead or rule the church. Sometimes, the pastor that the local congregation “hires” is a hireling unfree to do ministry as... Continue Reading →
On Sunday, May 30, 2021, we appointed Steve Faccio to the office of Elder at The Church at Sunsites. Ordination is an odd term that is not used in Scripture to refer to the appointment of elders (pastors) in a local church. Scripture does speak of appointing to office (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). Elders who... Continue Reading →
Beth Moore’s recent exit from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) over issues related to complementarianism has caused quite a few to ask what complementarianism is. I want to thank Mrs. Moore for making complementarianism a matter of interest. Moore’s exit from the SBC was unfortunate and seems to have mostly resulted from her own disdain... Continue Reading →
We are going to spend some more time in Acts 20. The detail we will consider is one that we have already considered in this study, but I want to spend some more time considering it because it is what we see in chapter seven of Elders in the Life of the Church. We will... Continue Reading →
“At the end of our day in Philadelphia the parable of the two churches could not have been clearer: When leaders fearfully accommodate the culture- no life. When elders preach God’s Word and guard the sheep with love and truth- life. Faith-filled, God-fearing, Bible-loving, sin-hating, sinner-loving, cultural drift-resisting leaders were the key” (Elders in the... Continue Reading →
We have seen, over the past few weeks, that elder plurality is desirable in every local church. In fact, it is the Biblical model. We have seen that the Biblical responsibilities of the elders in the local church are to lead the church doctrinally, lead the church practically concerning church discipline and vision and direction,... Continue Reading →
There are really only two types of churches. One type of church is focussed on gaining and keeping people. Everything about the church in its design, atmosphere, ministries, programs, buildings, and budget is utilized to this end. The other type of church is focussed on following Christ and participating with Christ in His mission. Everything... Continue Reading →
“It is often preferable… for some men in every church to apply themselves full-time to the labors of ministry, especially for those who will be involved in the weekly ministry of proclamation. That seems to be the clear intimation of 1 Timothy 5:17… My own weekly schedule… is filled with the rigorous study of preparing... Continue Reading →
We see all types of pastors in the world today. I seem to notice that most of these pastors are not Biblical pastors. They may be friendly. They may have some administrative skill. They may have some knowledge of the Bible. They may be compassionate. They may be good listeners. They may be very fun-loving... Continue Reading →
Last week, we saw the role of the church elders and what is seen as the basic responsibilities of one who holds the elder position in a church body. The responsibility of the elder is essentially one of doctrinal authority in service to the body. In Elders in the Life of the Church, the authors... Continue Reading →
andrew paul cannon 