Hasten To The Word of God

3 Wheels of a Church

A wheel in a wheel in a wheel.  

 

Last night in a vision with insight I saw a wheel in a wheel in a wheel describing how a church body works together.  The good success and even the bad success depends on whether or not at least two wheels operate together.  If there is no wheel but only a hub, then all we see is potential.  The hub is the potential core group of a church.  One person is a beginning with a promise not the fulfillment. A healthy hub is 5 men and women, three will end up crippling the hub into a power struggle. God is able to work in a trinity because they are all of the same essence, power and will.  The design for the building up of a church body is a five fold ministry in which all have the same goal, all working together with the same harmonious unity.  It is not necessary for the five fold ministries to be singular, such as one ministry calling for each person.  In real life believers generally weave two or 3 types of callings into one, with one primary.  Then when these men and women are joined together in a hub there is available all the ministries with the attached gifting of the Spirit, and the ministries interweave supporting and giving strength.  That kind of a hub is powerful. It is powerful when each believer is respected, honored, encouraged and released into their callings and gifts.  Generally the one with an apostolic calling is the fulcrum of the nucleus.  But without the interworking of the other five ministries, life is minimal and cannot grow.  

It is necessary to have some understanding of the five fold ministries.  They are life callings, not gifts or grace effects of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Of course those personal callings will grow and must have the support of whatever gifts the Holy Spirit chooses to equip them. Ephesians 4:11 tells us that Jesus Himself personally calls those in the fivefold ministries.

The first wheel around the hub is the beginning of the life of the Body of the church group.  It is composed of those who are supported, encouraged and held together by the core group.  Jesus painted a picture of service and leadership in Matt. 20:25-28 in which Jesus suffers death (came to give His life for us) and came to serve and support life in others.  This is how life is brought forth. If the core group in strong unity does not call forth, encourage other's (outside the core) into service themselves, then there is no life, only the potential for life. The first wheel is composed of elders and deacons.  These are people who desire to work in the ministry of the church and who join "hands" with the core like the spokes of a wheel.  They must be individuals with good character, mature in Christ. My understanding is that elders are more mature individuals having been in Christ longer, who hold enough wisdom and example to be good role models for new believers. Deacons do not need to be older or as mature, but must be as dedicated to serve.  But they must have something to contribute.  Elders may not have a life calling to teach or evangelize but they must be able to do so on some level. There must be wisdom learned from being a long time believer. The deacons are often the ones who faithfully keep up the daily work of worship, Sunday morning services, keeping up the church grounds, kitchen service, helping in all areas of the daily needs of the church.  All must be ready and willing to faithful lift up a body of believers in prayer.

A church can be strong even though small with this one hub and one wheel.  The second wheel are those who come supporting the ministry of that church.  Many churches have a crippled hub and a crippled first wheel, or even no first wheel, only the second wheel which is those who attend.  That is like a wheel with missing spokes and missing spots on the wheel.  Those who attend need the personal support of dedicated spiritually anointed elders and deacons.  They are the hands that reach out in the personal lives of believers to fill in the areas the hub/core cannot reach or fulfill.

Throughout this picture of interlocking wheels attached to a center hub must be men and women with not only a true commitment to Jesus as savior and Lord but the hub and the first wheel need to be dedicated believers who have the anointing of the Holy Spirit working in their lives.  If we only have one gender in the hub and in the first wheel, then the church is imbalanced. And since the one gender is usually male, the imbalance is usually one of authoritarianism. But that imbalance can happen even with a good mixed group and must be diligently guarded against.  If we have true believers in these places but who have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit then we are imbalanced and flesh will work against the Spirit.  

 

This is the vision and the insight I saw.  I will update as I see things I may have missed.

Elders, Women and 1 Timothy

 

Briefly here are some of my thoughts on how to deal with 1 Timothy, women, and the subject of teaching elders.

 

Firstly, Timothy was having a problem with wrong teachings.  We see this in Paul’s first responses in chapter one.  Men and women were trying to teach about things they really knew little of.  Here is where some scholars believe Paul is referencing gnostic ideas being taught which may have come from the teachings of the Diana worshippers.  New converts.  Of those people Paul only names two whom he handed over to Satan because he thinks they are not teachable, and they have rejected good conscience. And one wonders if they were true believers.

 

At least one of these debaters was “a woman”.  Paul has more compassion for this person as he first reminds others about his own ignorance before He believed.  He reminds Timothy that God treated him with mercy and patience.  So, while he admonishes the whole group of debaters to cease fighting and to pray, and to the women in general to dress more modesty (possibly relevant to the flamboyance of Diana worshippers), he speaks of this one woman (or perhaps a few women) differently.  In a different tone of emphasis Paul says to LET the woman learn.  Paul uses a common phrase applied to learners, that of learning in quietness and full submission – yielding their attention to the teacher.  And the woman is not to attempt to teach or usurp the teacher’s position of teaching.  

 

The word translated as “exercise authority” is more complicated than that.  Exousia means simply to exercise authority as in giving permissions, etc.  Authentein, the Greek word used here, is only used this one time and is an old term possibly having a narrow audience of use.  It was used of forceful activities including murder, forcing another to one’s will and the like.  While this can seem like referring to exercising authority over another, it is harsher.  The question comes up as to why he used it.  Perhaps, that is the way the woman or women were behaving; with forcefulness, pushiness, pressuring and intimidatingly.  Perhaps, they acted a lot like Paul did before Jesus stopped him.  And Paul thought he had the higher road.  But he found out he was mistaken.  This woman or women needed to find out they were mistaken, by learning.  Because like Eve, they had been deceived.  One of the many gnostic teachings about creation taught that Adam was deceived, not Eve.  And they taught that women could not be spiritual unless they forsook bearing and raising children. (Paul mentions again in chapt. 4 verse 3)  This then makes sense of verses 13-15.

 

So, then the question becomes why did Paul then start talking about being elders/overseers.  Firstly it is likely that elders were a primary source of teachers.  While it is understood that a special anointing of more scholarly and spiritual teaching was only given to some who would be willing to spend most of their lives researching Scriptures prayerfully, like Paul; yet there had to be others who would spend time and effort mentoring and sharing the apostolic teachings in many venues.  These would be the elders who in supervisory caring ways would be easily available to the community in teaching, caring, counseling, etc.  Paul served in many areas: apostle, teacher, elder and servant.  :)

 

I believe that Paul progressed from warning about gnostic teachings, to admonitions to pray and not fight, and to strongly urging Timothy to let the status seeking, Thunder Brothers type woman (or women) learn, SO THAT they might in time qualify to be an overseer or deacon at some point in the future.  Overseers and elders are sometimes referred to in the same ways.  This points to them being older people who minister in supervisory works.

 

Contrary to what traditionalists and patriarchalists have trampled the Word to say, chapter 3 is not to men only.  It starts out with “some” or “someone” (Greek, tis), which is highly inclusive.  So, it is acceptable if someone aspires to the work of overseer, as that one desires a good work.  I’ve always loved Paul’s writing style.  And here it is notable that he starts off with “the saying is trustworthy”, and then his first qualification is to be “above reproach”, I.e. Trustworthy.  And then the second qualification is to be trustworthy in marriage.  Aner heis gyne, is a common phrase meaning “man of one woman”.  We still use this phrase today when referring to someone who is a faithful.  He is a one woman man.  Or she is a one man woman.  When used generically the gender falls back to masculine.  We see this in verse 12 where Paul is referencing both male and female deacons, but still says they must be a “man of one woman”.  Unknown or mixed audiences typically default to the inclusive masculine.  

 

This phrase was found on the tombs of both men and women in Asia and surrounding areas by a Frenchman, Lucien Deiss, his notes to the French Bible, TOB, edition Integrale.  It is noted in a book, “Familiar leadership Heresies Uncovered” by Bruce C. E. Fleming.  He also wrote a series of books called “Think Again”, which are excellent.

 

Verse 7 is often thought to be only pertaining to men.  However, the word is tis, which mean anyone, just like verse one says  “anyone who desires”.  One of the qualifications is that anyone who desires to be an overseer must manage his or her own home, household, business, etc.  The rest of the qualifications of being a deacon or an overseer/elder are undisputedly good advice for both men and women.

 

This is a short version of how I see Paul progressing his instructions on the subject of handling disorderly people with compassion and firmness.  He points out their errors, dispenses with those who he sees as unteachable, encourages Timothy in how and what to teach the rest.  And Paul does it all while reminding Timothy that he, Paul, was like them at one time, and look at where he is now.  There is indeed redemption and new life in Christ.  

 

Christian Pentecost : living by the Spirit vs. by the Law

Pentecost (Ancient Greek: Πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], Pentēkostē [hēmera], "the Fiftieth day)

In the Old Testament this was the celebration day of the giving of the Law.  Interestingly this was the day the promised Holy Spirit descended upon the remaining apostles and disciples in the upper room (Acts 2), 50 days after Christ’s resurrection, which is the giving of our freedom from living by The Law.  Now we live by grace and the Holy Spirit with circumcised hearts.  Our righteousness is not through perfect observation of the Torah, but by trusting in Christ and living by the Holy Spirit.

2 Cor. 3:7-12 calls the Old Covenant the ‘ministry of death and condemnation’. Now we live in the ministry of the Spirit and the ministry of righteousness. We are righteous IN Christ as we walk by the Spirit.  There is no condemnation for those who trust in Christ and walk not according to the human sensuous nature (Greek ‘sarx’ – flesh), but rather follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (Ro. 8:1). 

Colossians 2:14-15 tells us that Christ wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us and then nailed it (The Law of the Old Covenant) to the cross, in that way triumphing over them.  Thus, no one is to condemn a believer for not observing the Old Testament Laws of Sabbaths, festivals, regulations, etc., which are all a shadow of Christ’s final sacrifice and fulfilling of the legal requirements of payment and compensation for sins.

Our circumcision is now no longer in the male flesh, but in the circumcision of men and women’s souls and hearts.  All believers are able to carry that seal of membership in their being.  All believers can be healed, delivered, empowered and directed of the Holy Spirit.  We can all be used and moved of the Holy Spirit to do the special Will of God.  We have one High Priest who gave the last sacrifice and we are now all priests to the world.  AS SUCH, we walk in a new way, the way of holiness; a narrower road which requires deeper commitment to God and has more abundant rewards. 

Having died with Christ (baptism represents this) we no longer need to arrange our lives in the old ways of self imposed religious doctrines which have an appearance of wisdom, but which promote a false humility and do little to nothing for the spirit and soul.  We see these falsely spiritual doctrines of human reasoning rise up when women are told they cannot serve communion, cannot teach or preach, cannot be used of the Spirit in some way, none of which is a proper reading of Holy Scripture.  All of these human and legal regulations were nailed to the cross when Christ said “it is fulfilled”.  Christ fulfilled all the prophesies and all the requirements of payment for our sins.  In Christ all believers are made righteous and able to be used by God.  Christ told the believers to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit’s coming upon them.  In a dramatic 50 days after Christ nailed the legal requirements of the Torah to the cross with Him, on the day of celebrating the original giving of the Torah through Moses, Christ gave something better.  He baptized, immersed the believers in the Holy Spirit.  Read the amazing story of this in Acts 2.  It was phenomenal.  In the spirit it was even more extraordinary.  All the believers were praising God in unknown languages and speaking prophetically.  From that day on we were reborn as spiritual people of God.  All believers, young and old, men and women alike.

 

How Does the New Testament As A Whole View Women?

An Excerpt of an article by John Zens found at:

http://searchingtogether.org/free-to-function.htm

I'm giving this its own post since it is a sizable excerpt with plenty of "meat" to discuss on its own merit.

How Does the New Testament As A Whole View Women?

 

Before coming to 1 Tim.2:12, which is often seen as a restrictive text regarding females, it is imperative for us to review the overwhelmingly positive picture of Abraham’s daughters painted in the New Testament (Luke 13:16). This information cannot be dismissed or forgotten when reflecting on two passages, 1 Cor.14:34-35 and 1 Tim.2:12, that mention concerns about some sisters. 

 

**Neither the Gospel narratives nor the recorded words of Jesus ever put restrictions on the ministry of women.

 

**Jesus fully accepted women as his disciples and they accompanied him in his travels with the male disciples (Luke 8:1-3).  These women also supported the mission of Jesus with their own resources.  These facts may be much more significant that it initially appears.  In the first century it was unheard of for a Jewish rabbi to have female followers. Luke reports this rather matter-of-factly, yet this band of women, men and Jesus was hardly kosher to the curious onlookers as they went from city to village.

 

**After Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and saw God’s salvation, Anna the prophetess “gave thanks to God and spoke of him [Jesus] to all the ones expecting redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:25-38).  Anna did not just proclaim Christ to women, but to “all.”

 

**Jesus applauded the evangelistic efforts of the Samaritan woman (John 4:35-38).  After experiencing a revelation of Jesus, she left her jar at the well and went to her city telling men, women and children about the Messiah (John 4:28-29).  Everyone in Sychar knew about her history of broken relationships, yet she boldly proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah – a Redeemer even for those outside of Judaism!

 

**In the context of Jesus’ crucifixion the male disciples fled, yet the women were present and they helped in his burial (Matt.27:55-56,61; Mark 15:40-41; Luke 23:55-56; John 19:25-27).

 

**A woman’s testimony was disallowed as evidence in first century courts.  Yet the Lord chose females to be the first witnesses and proclaimers of his resurrection (John 20:1-2, 11-18; Luke 24:1-11, 22-24; Mark 16:1-8; Matt.28:1-11).

 

**After Christ’s ascension, 120 men and women prayed together and chose a replacement for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:14-15).

 

**The Spirit came upon the 120 disciples and they spoke the wonderful works of God in many foreign languages (Acts 2:1-4).

 

**Some thought that what was occurring on the Day of Pentecost was evidence of too much wine, but Peter insisted that it was a fulfillment of what Joel prophesied would come to pass – “your sons and daughters will prophesy….I will pour out my Spirit on my male and female slaves and they will prophesy” (Acts 2:17-18).  There is no suggestion that males may prophesy freely, but that females are restricted in some ways.

 

**Philip the evangelist had four virgin daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9).  We would not be wrong in assuming that there were many other sisters who had this gift, not just Philip’s offspring.

 

**Paul entrusted his letter to the Romans to Phoebe, and she delivered it.  She was a deacon in the assembly at Cenchrea and Paul has the highest regard for her (Rom.16:1-2).  Paul recognized her as a prostatis, which carried with it the idea of leadership (cf. 1 Thess.5:12).

 

**Paul designates Priscilla and Aquila as his “co-workers” (Rom.16:3).  The same word is used with reference to people like Timothy and Titus.

 

**Junia and Andronicus (wife/husband or sister/brother) were greeted by Paul as “outstanding among the apostles” (Rom.16:7).  They were his relatives and had been in prison with him.  There were people called “apostles” who were not among the Twelve, like Barnabas.  Junia was also among such apostolic workers.  There is no reason to think that she was the only such female apostle.

 

**Among all the people Paul greeted in Romans 16, ten were sisters among whom were “Tryphena and Tryphosa [who may have been twins], women who work hard for the Lord” (Rom.16:12).

 

**In line with Acts 2:17-18, Paul encouraged brothers and sisters to prophesy in the gatherings (1 Cor.11:4-5; 14:23-24).

 

**The open meeting Paul describes in 1 Cor.14 envisions all the men and women – “the whole assembly” – “each one of you” – “you may all prophesy one by one” – functioning together in an encouraging manner.

 

**Gal.3:28 indicates that “in Christ” human distinctions, like male and female, are no longer norms of judgment in the congregation.  In the first century, prejudices abounded in folks’ minds when certain people like “Gentile,” “Jew,” “slave,” and “woman” were mentioned.  Paul is saying that in the body of Christ this should not be the case.

 

**Women were prominent in the assembly at Philippi, beginning with Lydia’s home.  In Phil.4:3 Paul asks for two sisters – who must have had no small spiritual influence in the body – to be at peace with one another.  He calls Euodia and Syntyche “co-workers” and “co-strugglers” in the gospel.

 

**2 John is addressed to “the elect lady and her children.”  This probably refers to a respected sister in whose home the saints gathered.  She had apparently exerted significant spiritual influence upon a number of people.  Women’s homes are mentioned as meeting places for the brethren in Rom.16:5, 1 Cor.1:11, 16:9 and Col.4:15.

 

**In Rev.2:20-24 Christ rebuked the Thyatiran congregation for allowing a false prophetess, nicknamed “Jezebel,” to “teach” some of the Lord’s servants to sin grievously.  If it was such a crime for a woman to teach the brethren, why didn’t the Lord just condemn the assembly for even allowing a woman to instruct others?  This incident in Thyatira implies that the assembly permitted other male and female prophets to teach the truth.  Christ’s bone to pick with them wasn’t that a woman taught, but that what this woman set forth was false teaching.  We will come back to this passage in the course of our investigation of 1 Tim.2:12.

 

This survey of New Testament highlights concerning women is important because it reveals the freedom of the sisters to function in the kingdom.  In the general flow of the New Testament there are no jitters about “restrictions” upon Christ’s daughters.  Such a survey also should also serve as a corrective to those who squelch and intimidate the sisters by using their interpretation of two passages – 1 Cor.14:34-35 and 1 Tim.2:12 – to  cancel out the ministry of sisters unfolded in other Scriptures."