The leaders of the Church of God are his precious gifts to his people throughout the ages. The evidence that Jesus loves his people dearly is that he has granted unto them apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip his people to represent the Kingdom of God in this fallen and soon-to-end world (Eph. 4.9-16). This module highlights the various roles and offices associated with this high and important task in the Kingdom of God.
This course explores the roles and offices of four of the critical positions of the leadership in the Church. The Christian Leader as Deacon probes the foundations of Christian leadership as it relates to the offices and functions of the diaconate, or ministry of deacons, as a servant, a steward, and an assistant. The Christian Leader as Elder traces the notion from its OT root in the tribal system synagogue, the Sanhedrin, to the NT Church. The Christian Leader as Pastor outlines the biblical context of the idea of the pastorate, tracing historically the development of the idea of undershepherd of the flock. Finally, The Christian Leader as Bishop defines the dynamic concept of bishop as overseer, tracing its probable context from the council of elders in Jewish rulership to its development in the history of the Church.