Local Church Discussions - View Single Post - The Not-So Practical Expression of the Church

Hope · 07-28-2008, 08:48 AM

I have been reading about a link between the ground of locality and elders over a whole city. Whoa!! Where did this elders business come from? I can never remember an issue being made that the ground of locality equals anybody being over anybody. I thought the New Testament taught elders in every church and elders in every city. Where is the over every church or over every city? The New Testament teaches leadership is serviceship not lordship. Here are just a few passages.

Mark 9:35, 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all ."

Matt 20:24-28, 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mark 10:42-45, 42 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

All this political talk just makes my spirit sink. Trying to use this logic to address the issue of the ground of the church, the ground of locality, the ground of oneness or whatever phrase you would use does not apply. In the coming Kingdom age we may rule over cities but in this age we are called to guard the oneness of the Spirit until we all arrive at the oneness of the Faith and to be eager to serve one another in the meantime and to love our neighbor and shine into the darkness of the world around us.

As believers there is a big issue we should consider and confront. It is called division. The Lord prayed for a oneness that the world could see. Paul made it very clear that division was a work of the flesh and warned against any practice that divided the Body of Christ.

Forget the who can rule over who issue and consider our call to keep the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.

In Christ Jesus,

Hope, Don Rutledge

07-28-2008, 08:48 AM	#13
Hope Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 313	Elders - Authority - Over others - Over the whole city??? I have been reading about a link between the ground of locality and elders over a whole city. Whoa!! Where did this elders business come from? I can never remember an issue being made that the ground of locality equals anybody being over anybody. I thought the New Testament taught elders in every church and elders in every city. Where is the over every church or over every city? The New Testament teaches leadership is serviceship not lordship. Here are just a few passages. Mark 9:35, 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all ." Matt 20:24-28, 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:42-45, 42 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." All this political talk just makes my spirit sink. Trying to use this logic to address the issue of the ground of the church, the ground of locality, the ground of oneness or whatever phrase you would use does not apply. In the coming Kingdom age we may rule over cities but in this age we are called to guard the oneness of the Spirit until we all arrive at the oneness of the Faith and to be eager to serve one another in the meantime and to love our neighbor and shine into the darkness of the world around us. As believers there is a big issue we should consider and confront. It is called division. The Lord prayed for a oneness that the world could see. Paul made it very clear that division was a work of the flesh and warned against any practice that divided the Body of Christ. Forget the who can rule over who issue and consider our call to keep the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace. In Christ Jesus, Hope, Don Rutledge