LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY

 CHURCH SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY:

Apostle James R, Winfree, Sr, I Am Mandated By The Lord To Cultivate, Enlighten, and Empower, God's Nations Son's And Daughters In His Love. Know this, I'm Not in the Work or Ministry For Any Income, But I am in God's Work and Ministry to hear Him say, Well Done, this is the Income I am looking to receive.

( ONLY JESUS CHRIST SAVES SOULS!!! )

The other day I talked with a Jewish Rabi leader, and he asked me to do a teaching on this subject at hand Church Leadership and we talked about ebony Africans being God's original Hebrew chosen people and the lost tribe or children of Israel and that I open his understanding to this sound biblical truth in sharing my knowledge with him and his with me.

. There is a distinct pattern for Church leadership in the New Testament, although the pattern seems to be biblical rather than religiously ordered. The New Testament mentions five official positions in the Church: Apostles and Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers (also called spiritual fathers or Church overseers). With many other ministering gifts.

The words Elder (sometimes translated as “Presbyter”), Pastor (which may be translated as “Shepherd”), and Overseer (sometimes translated as “Bishop”) are used interchangeably in the New Testament. Even though these terms often mean different things among various religious Churches of our day, the New Testament seems to point to many ministering gifts offices, which were occupied by several godly men/women within each Church Family body. The following verses illustrate how the terms overlap and are used interchangeably as you will note all ordained ministers are Elders:

In Acts 20:17–35, Apostle Paul is speaking to leaders from the Ephesian Church. They are called “Elders” in verse 17. Then in verse 28, he says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you Overseers, to care for the Church of God.” Here the Elders are called “Overseers” and their Pastoral/Shepherding duties are implied as the Church is called the “flock. Not religious buildings, family businesses, and personal kingdoms or ministries”

In Titus 1:5–9, Elder Paul gives the qualifications of Elders ( verse 5 ) and says these qualifications are necessary because “an Overseer must be above reproach” ( verse 7 ). In 1 Timothy 3:1–7, Apostle Paul gives the qualifications for Overseers, which are essentially the same as the qualifications for Elders in Titus. In 1 Peter 5:1–4, Apostle Peter tells the Elders to “Shepherd the flock of God.” From these passages, we see that the office of Elder/Pastor-Shepherd/Overseer-Bishop is one. Those who occupy this office are to lead, teach, and watch over the Church like a Shepherd with the support and help of God's ordained Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Teachers. also Prophetess, Leading Women, spiritual Parents.

Furthermore, we see that every Church has Elders. Elders are supposed to rule and teach ( 1 Timothy 5:17 ). The biblical pattern is that a group of men/ women (and Elders are always godly and chosen) is responsible for the spiritual leadership and ministry of the Church body's needs. There is no mention of a Church with a single Elder/Pastor who is in charge of everything, nor is there any mention of congregational rule (although the congregation plays a part The Church that Jesus built has all His ministry gifts serving and supported).

While the Elders are responsible for teaching and leading the flock, there is still much that needs to be done on the physical level because today's leaders well most of them are self-centered, and self-interest and leaving God's Church in the hands of their families members, t his is not God's will nor plan for His chosen people. 

The office of the deacon male or female focuses on the physical needs of the Church. In Acts 6, the Church in Jerusalem was meeting the physical needs of many believers in the Church by distributing what was needed. Some of the widows came to the Apostles because they were not getting what they needed. The Apostles responded, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables” ( Acts 6:2 ).

 To relieve the Apostles, the believers were told “Pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word” ( Acts 6:3–4 ). Although the men chosen here are not called deacons, most Bible scholars see them as the first deacons, or at least prototypical of the position. The word deacon simply means “servant.” Deacons are appointed Church officials who minister to the more physical needs of the Church, relieving the Elders to attend to more spiritual ministry. Deacons are to be spiritually fit, and the qualifications of deacons are given in 1 Timothy 3:8–13. We need and must have leaders who actually and truthfully care for God's sons and daughters, His spiritual Churches.

In summary, Elders lead and deacons serve. These categories are not mutually exclusive. Elders serve God's household of faith by leading, teaching, praying, counseling, etc.; and deacons may lead others in service. Deacons might be the leaders of service teams within the Church body. Still, there is a basic distinction between those responsible for the spiritual leadership of the Church and those responsible for service.

So, where does the congregation fit into the pattern of Church leadership? In Acts 6, it was the congregation who chose the deacons, so many Churches today will have the congregation nominate and ratify the deacons of the Church. Members also serve in various capacities in the Church. And, of course, the members of the congregation are to be the primary ministers and evangelists reaching out to a lost world. The fact that the congregation hires professional ministers to do the work of the Church is unbiblical. All those who serve the saints should and must be financially supported by that ministry or Church family.

There may be no biblical word for local churches, religious leadership made this up for personal gain in keeping their bank accounts full and fat... because this is only a basic pattern; every detail is not prescribed in Scripture. The basic pattern found in the New Testament is that every Church should have a plurality of godly anointed leaders who are responsible for leading and teaching the Church and godly ministers who are responsible for facilitating the more physical aspects of Church ministry. A plurality of leaders protects the Church family from the weaknesses and possible excesses a single Pastor, Bishop, or Overseer might bring. As long as this basic pattern is followed, the Church is operating according to the biblical pattern.

 Having a sole Pastor, Bishop, or MinistryFounder who controls the Church is not the biblical pattern or order of the Lord Jesus Christ, and neither is an arrangement in which the Pastor, Bishop, or the other Ministry team such as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers works for the deacons who run the Church Group. The congregation is to follow the leading of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Teachers who follow Christ. In their wisdom, the Elders may request congregational approval of major decisions, but the congregation should not be the final authority. The buck stops with the ApostlesProphets/ Evangelists/ Pastors/ Teachers/overseers, who answer to Christ who is The Head of His Churches. Amen.

We Are Not Called, Sent, Anointed, And Appointed To Building Or Invest Into Religious Buildings,
Many Calls Their Churches, Temples, And Houses Of God, But We Are Mandeted Commission And Chosen To Serve And Build Up The Kingdom Of God's Sons And Daughters In The Lord Jesus Christ.
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Your, Honorable Apostle James R Winfree Sr.

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