“Is there an office in the church that should only be held by men? In this video, I’m going to argue yes, and I’ll lay out a brief case in three points. First, an argument from church history. Second, an argument from scripture. Third, a theological point about the ontology of gender.” - Truth Unites
“But what about my aspiration to pastor? Was that something I’d have to give up on? No, far from it! In fact, in God’s kindness, the fits and starts of my journey made my pastoral aspirations even more clear. My aspiration was to be a lay elder.” - 9 Marks
“I want to make a case from Scripture for why we should understand that these three terms refer to the same office. My argument moves along three steps.” - 9 Marks
“Unfortunately, many pastors know all too well, members meetings are not always joyful or unifying. Therefore, pastors may dread them, forecasting the hostility they are about to encounter from unhappy members.” - 9 Marks
“There are business administrators, receptionists, directors of children’s ministry, youth pastors, ministers of music…. None of those titles are in the Bible. Doesn’t that mean we should give up the two-office game and go ahead and list as many offices as we need?” - 9 Marks
Where are the pastors and missionaries for the next generation? Where are the leaders to be trained? The laborers have always been few (Luke 10:2). But why do they seem even fewer in the twenty-first century? Even more troubling, why are so many churches today no longer training leaders? Here are five possible reasons.
“There was the time a church fought over the appropriate length of the pastor’s beard… We witnessed a conflict over people leading worship with their eyes closed during a portion of the song. One church held two business meetings to determine which weed-eater to purchase.” - CPost
“While much focus is placed on pastoral leadership, deacons are no less essential to the church’s mission. No single passage outlines the exact duties of a deacon, but several themes emerge from Scripture, particularly in Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3.” - Church Answers
“Whether you’re a church leader or an active member seeking to enhance your church’s governance structures, understanding best practices and leveraging available resources is crucial.” - Brian Cederquist
“It’s a little bit of a bummer to realize that later I’ll look back at the me I am now and be glad I’m not entirely the same me any longer. But [1 Tim 4.15] has mainly been an encouragement. It means I can be qualified to be an elder and set an example with my life without ‘having arrived.’ I can grow.” - Kevin DeYoung
