What is the role of ushers in the church?
A church usher is a person who helps ensure a smoothly running church service and who ministers to people in a variety of practical ways. The specific responsibilities of an usher vary with the church, but his duties usually include greeting people as they arrive for the service, assisting people with special needs, and collecting…
Should it be required that a man have formal Bible education before he can serve as a pastor?
The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:11–12 that, when a man fills the office of evangelist, pastor, and teacher, his calling is actually a gift from God for the work of the church. The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to equip the members of the church for a life of service to God.…
What does the Bible say about women pastors?
There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than that of women serving as pastors. As a result, it is important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of…
Does the Bible teach that there should be a plurality of elders?
Some churches have just one elder or pastor leading them. Others have a plurality of elders—that is, church leadership is shared among several individuals. While this is not a salvation issue, it has implications for church administration, which affects church growth and overall health. As with any other subject, we seek to understand what the…
Does the Bible teach the office of pastor?
The word pastor comes from a Latin word which means “shepherd.” The New Testament presents two offices that constitute church leadership—elder/overseer and deacon. Paul lists the qualifications for elder/overseer in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9. Notice that in the 1 Timothy passage, Paul refers to them as overseers (episcopos in the Greek), and in…
Can women serve as elders in the church?
There are two primary viewpoints on the question of whether women can serve as elders in the church. The egalitarian view holds that women can serve as elders as long as they fulfill the requirements as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The complementarian view affirms the opposite and states that women are…
What are the qualifications of elders and deacons?
The Bible has a clear set of qualifications for a deacon and an elder and their positions in the body of believers. The office of deacon was developed to deal with a practical issue in the church: “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to…
Should the title of “reverend” be given to a church leader?
Psalm 111:9 (KJV) states, referring to God, “Reverend is his name.” Some interpret this as saying the title “reverend” is to be used of God alone and vehemently oppose any human church leader being referred to as “reverend.” The original Hebrew word, though, is not referring to a title. It is declaring that God’s name…
What is a church trustee?
Generally speaking, a church trustee is a layman who takes care of the secular business of running a church. Trustees manage finances and property, and ensure the church is compliant with any legal requirements. Acts 2:42 describes the early church: “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking…
Can women serve as deacons in the church?
Scripture is not completely clear whether or not a woman can serve as a deacon. The statement that deacons are to be “men worthy of respect” (1 Timothy 3:8 NIV) and the qualification “the husband of but one wife” (1 Timothy 3:12) would seem to disqualify women from serving as deacons. However, some interpret 1…