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Understanding Baptist Distinctives
Part Four:
Two Officers- Pastor and Deacon
As we continue on with the fourth part of our study of why we are Baptists, or Baptist distinctives. We come to one of the things that set us apart from many other belief systems. That being that the church has two officers-Pastor and Deacon.
Baptists hold that there are two; pastors and deacons: besides these, there are no others. They assert that bishop and elder in the primitive churches were identical in office and authority, being pastors when holding the superintendence of churches, and evangelists when preaching from place to place; and that ruling and teaching elders were not, and properly should not be, distinct and separate offices in the churches. Consequently bishops are not a superior order of clergy, nor ruling elders an order distinct from teaching elders.
The term pastor signifies a shepherd, and well indicates the nature of the relation he sustains to the Church; that of leading, feeding, guiding and guarding the flock committed to his care.
The term deacon (diakonos) in the New Testament means a minister; a servant; one who ministers to, or serves others.
Quoted from The New Directory for Baptist Churches Written
by: Edward T. Hiscox (1859)
Qualifications for Pastor: I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus
1:5-9
The term Pastor is found only once in the New Testament...Ephesians 4:11
The term bishop is found in Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1,2; Titus 1:7; I Peter
2:25 (I Peter 2:25 refers to Jesus)
The term elder is found in many passages. Acts 14:23; 15:2, 4,6, 22, 23; 20:17;
21:18; I Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5 (notice the interchangeable terms); James 5:14;
I Peter 5:1
Qualifications for Deacon: I Timothy 3:8-13
The need for deacons is introduced in Acts 6:1-7. (They are not called
deacons here in the passage, but we find the need continued and the office
ordained)
Philippians 1:1 constitutes the entire membership of the local church as SAINTS,
BISHOPS, DEACONS
With all of that being let me interject a few other thoughts. If you pay attention to the news, you may know that yet another Ind. Baptist Pastor who is well known is going through another scandal. One of the things that disturbs me greatly is the frequency with which this happens, but I believe there is a reason for it. One thing that always should be remembered is that Absolute power corrupts, always. It seems to me that in a lot of churches a system has been set up that is perfect for abusers and perverts. That system plays out like this, Call a pastor and give him unchecked and total power. Should any question ever be raised you can then expect a healthy dose of “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (I Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15). For the record I believe those verses are true and I would urge anyone to follow them, the problem is there is no way to connect those verses with the New Testament office of pastor, that boat just won’t float, Sorry.
Of late I have been studying much on this subject and I can’t seem to find a church that Paul started in the New Testament that he left and turned it over to a single individual. But rather I find:
“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 14:23
“And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church” Acts 20:17
“Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” Philippians 1:1
Perhaps it is time for some folks to take a good honest look at Biblical church organization. It could be that if we more closely followed the Biblical model we would have less problems?
Anyway, the two Biblical church officers are Pastor and Deacon.