Lesson 14: Two Offices in the Local Church: Part 1

Lesson 14: Two offices:
How many Biblical offices do we find in the New Testament; how should we appoint individuals to those offices, and how should they function in the life of the church?

Why do we not five offices?
• Pastor: Used interchangeably with elder and bishop Acts 20:28-32
• Elder: Used most commonly 67 times in the NT
• Bishop: Essentially identical qualifications to the elder in Titus 1 Timothy 3:1-7
• Deacon: Not given authority or required to be apt to teach 1 Timothy 3:8-14
• Deaconess: There are no qualification for a female version of the deacon

A few additional clarifications:
• Pastor's wife
• Deacon's wife
• Assistant Pastor

The work of a Pastor/elder/Bishop
• Bishop: Oversight
• Elder: Spiritually mature
• Pastor: Spiritual care 1 Peter 5:1-4