Beresford Job's Biblical Church - 10

Chapter 11 is complicated, and if you're following this series, this is a good reason to buy the book, and carefully check it against the Bible to see if it is accurate. Here, I'll summarize the case.

As we saw last time, New Testament assemblies/churches meet in homes. This keeps the numbers down, and so the kinds or levels of leadership suited to large organizations are simply irrelevant. There will be no CEO. (125)

Job examines Acts 1 and Acts 6 - in both, the fledgling Christian community in Jerusalem had some tough decisions to make. In both, Peter takes the lead. But how? Not by himself making the call. Rather, he leads by framing the issue and giving an argument about the best way forward. In short, he didn't order, but rather persuaded the assembly. The consensus of the whole group was the key - Peter played an active, stimulating, and guiding role in the formation of it. (125-8)

In another episode, Acts 15, the leaders (apostles & elders) not only convene the meeting, but they, on behalf of and in front of the assembly, argue through a matter. The result? Consensus. Quoting Acts 15:22, "Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided..." (130, original emphasis) Job comments,

What a contrast this is to clergy-led doctrinal convocations behind closed doors at denominational headquarters; or even just an individual Minister of an individual church unilaterally deciding how things ought to be! (131)

Some of the toughest decisions a church must make have to do with disciplining members by kicking them out (hopefully temporarily). Jesus in Matthew 18 seems to imply that this is the work of the whole assembly, and this is confirmed by Paul's handling of sexual immorality in the Corinth assembly, 1 Cor 5. (131-4)

In sum, churches should have non-hierarchical leaders - their elders standing not as a special class, but just brothers along with the rest, with no positional perks or powers. They should lead by moral authority, having earned the right to influence people's free choices, so that they follow Jesus together. (140-1)

There is a place in the world for hierarchical leadership - Job cites government and family, in which the mayor or husband does by virtue of his position stand "above" those under him. But "there is no hierarchy in a biblical church because one already exists: Jesus - and everyone else!" (136) Jesus should function as head not only of the universal church, but on individual assemblies, and he doesn't need middle management. (136)

At the end of the chapter he makes a very interesting argument. God has ordained hierarchical leadership in the family - husband over wife and kids, and parents over children - see Ephesians 5 and Col 3. (136-8) (I would hasten to add that this is Christ-like, non-domineering leadership.) Suppose that the Rev. Lovejoy, picture above, is a legit hierarchical leader over a family - which means that they should submit to him. Job points out that this is not consistent with the hierarchies just mentioned. Suppose Lovejoy wants the wife to teach Sunday-school and the husband doesn't want her to. To whom should she submit, pastor or husband? Again, suppose Lovejoy wants the kids to give all their allowance to cause X, and mom and dad disagree. What should the kids do? Job says, "we are presented in a nonsensical and absurd impasse" (139) - so long as we take the idea of hierarchical clerical leadership seriously. But, we should not. Sorry, Lovejoy!

Next time: What about NT exhortations to obey our leaders?