Sign up for These articles have been written to help address the need for fellowship for those that cannot find it locally. Parts I through III discussed aspects of starting and maintaining house churches. This article will look at leadership.
All Christians have gifts, and all should minister to each other; building one another up in the body of Christ. There is “…neither Jew nor Greek…slave nor free…all [are] one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). Yet the Bible also speaks of leadership in the church (ecclesia). Elders (presbyteros) and overseers (episkopos) are mentioned in several places (1Tim. 3:1; 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14). Deacons (diakonos) are also mentioned (1Tim 3:8-10; Phil 1:1). What is the nature of this leadership? How does it work in practice?
For Christians, leadership ultimately rests with Christ, who is the head of the congregation (Eph. 5:23; Col 1:18). He should be directing our meetings, and Christians should pray for this direction explicitly. But even Jesus has a head over him, his God and Father Yahweh (John 20:17; Rev. 3:12; John 12:49). Although Jesus has been given “all authority in heaven and earth” (Matt. 28:18), he exercises this authority with respect for, and in submission to, his God and Father. Likewise, leadership in the house church should be exercised in submission to Jesus. It is servant-leadership: the kind that is not above washing the feet of fellow disciples (John 13:3-5, 12-17). We will look at the Biblical use of these terms—elder, overseer and deacon—and see if we can learn something about these roles.
The word for elder, presbyteros, means literally an “older man”, someone who presided over assemblies. The biblical sense is a spiritually mature person who can help others who are less mature. The Jews had a tradition of elders associated with the synagogue and the temple (Matt. 15:2; 26:3; Acts 4:23). In Acts, we see the Christian church borrowing the term. For example, when the issue of circumcision and the Law was being addressed, Paul and Barnabas went “…up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.” (Acts 15:2) Paul tells Titus to, “…appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” (Titus 1:5). Peter considered himself an elder as well as an apostle (1Pet. 5:1). Elders who led effectively were to be given “double honor…especially those who work[ed] hard at preaching and teaching” (1Tim 5:17).
Overseer (episkopos) has been rendered “bishop” in translations such as the King James version. Likely, this is an attempt to read a clerical hierarchy into Scripture. However, most modern translations, including the NIV, ESV and NASB, correctly render epsikopos as overseer.
We note that an overseer is placed in that role by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:28). He must be above reproach (1Tim. 3:2). He is God’s steward (Titus 1:7), and is the guardian of the souls of the church (1Pet. 2:25). In other words, an overseer has essentially the same functions as an elder—in fact, the terms are used interchangeably. Thayer’s GreekEnglish Lexicon notes that episkopos denotes the function of the role, borrowed from Greek tradition, and presbyteros the dignity, borrowed from Jewish tradition.
The word deacon, diakonos, is literally one who executes the commands of another--a servant, attendant, or minister (Thayer). Deacons perform tasks such as caring for the poor, widows and neglected and promoting the welfare of the ecclesia in general. A good comparison of deacons versus elders/overseers is found at Acts chapter 6. The apostles had summoned the church over the issue of widows being neglected. Rather than attending to the matter themselves, the twelve asked that seven men be selected, “…full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task” (Acts 6:3). The apostles would instead, “…devote [themselves] to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The statement found approval with the whole congregation" (Acts 6:4-5). It seems reasonable then, that this same pattern should apply in our time: elders/overseers are primarily responsible for the spiritual needs of the ecclesia, and the deacons for the material needs.
However, there appears to be overlap in these roles—they are not strictly defined offices. For example, Paul takes the lead in collecting money for the saints in Jerusalem (1 Cor 16:1-3). Stephen, who was identified as one of the seven who would help the widows in need (Acts 6:3) is the same person that boldly preaches to the Jews about the good news of Jesus Christ (Acts 6:9-10). In addition, the role of deacon is not limited to men. Paul identifies Phoebe as a “servant [diakonos] of the church which is at Cenchrea” (Romans 16:1).
Now that we have established that these roles of elder/overseer and deacon are Biblical, the question is how are these roles to be determined in our house churches?
First, we note that the requirements are well defined. Overseers must be “…above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity” (1 Tim. 3:2-5). Paul goes on to write that he must not be a new convert to the faith and that he must have a good reputation among those outside the church (6-7). Titus 1:6-9 adds that they must also be able to teach and defend sound doctrine. Deacons must be “…men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience (1 Tim. 3:8-9).
The second thing we note is the appointment process itself. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in the churches they visited (Acts 14:23). Paul asks Titus to appoint elders in “…every city as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). There is a precedent, therefore, for mature elders to appoint new elders.
The Greek word used for appoint in Acts 14:23 is cheirotoneo, literally stretching out the hand. It is unlikely that this means to vote, since it is Paul and Barnabas that stretch out their hands, not the ecclesia. In Titus 1:5, the word used is kathistemi, meaning to place down, to designate, to declare or show to be. Taken together, a reasonable explanation is that Paul, Barnabas and Titus were “pointing out”, or “selecting” those that had met the requirements of these roles. The Holy Spirit had developed these attributes in certain people and Paul, Barnabas and Titus were pointing this out to the local ecclesia.
The process should be similar in our house churches today. Those who are willing, and who meet the Biblical requirements, should be recognized as such by the ecclesia. Current elders can “point them out” to the group. The elders/overseers and deacons are the people that the house church will depend on for spiritual and material support and help. In turn, these servant-leaders must be prepared to give of themselves entirely in service to their brothers and sisters, with the aim of building up the body of Christ in love, under the headship of Jesus Christ our Lord.
