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Leadership in the Church During Its First Century

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Leadership in the Church During Its First Century Perspective Digest Volume 14 Issue 4 Fall Article 1 2009 Leadership in the Church During its First Century Robert M. Johnston Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd Part of the History of Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Johnston, Robert M. (2009) "Leadership in the Church During its First Century," Perspective Digest: Vol. 14 : Iss. 4 , Article 1. Available at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol14/iss4/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Adventist Theological Society at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Perspective Digest by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Johnston: Leadership in the Church During its First Century unchristian in modern secular cul- portant aspect, in my opinion, B Y ROBERT M. JOHNSTON* tures, despite the Moslem predilec- which is age. tion for honor killing. On the other There is a great age disconnect in hand, God deplored the polygamy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. David and Solomon, who capitu- The church leaders and intellectuals lated to the prevailing cultural prac- would serve the church much better tices of surrounding nations. if they would address the question LEADERSHIP IN Adventists around the world, at of the youths’ biblical hermeneutics. least officially, respect the absolute The church, especially in the devel- principles enunciated in Scripture, oped world, is losing its youth, and despite the fact that dramatic cul- one of the ways that might help is THE CHURCH DURING tural differences in dress, diet, mar- to relate this transcultural truth of riage practices, ordination issues, the Scripture to the youth in a cul- music tastes, and modes of worship ture of the youth, using the language sometimes result in disagreement. the youth understand. But when there is mutual respect Gureny Lukwaro ITS FIRST CENTURY and consistent commitment to the Sharjah, United Arab Emirates absolute teachings of Scripture, those differences cease to be divisive. The same gospel message is success- Just as important as it is today, fully propagated. Erwin R. Gane church leadership was a vital issue in the Angwin, California early Christian Church. As I was reading “Hermeneutics ormal leadership roles in the sharp, that the same person could and Culture,” I was disappointed early church can be broadly represent more than one type of that when it came to the most im- categorized into three types, ministry and thus come under more portant question of the article, Ftwo of which disappeared in than one category. It should also be “Whose Biblical Hermeneutics?” the the subapostolic period. Be- noted that development was not response focused mainly on theol- cause the dynamics that influenced uniform and proceeded at different ogy, nationality, ethnicity, and gen- this development are still in effect, der—and overlooked the most im- what happened in the first century *Robert M. Johnston, Ph.D., is Emeri- of the history of Christianity can be tus Professor of New Testament and instructive for the church in our Christian Origins at the Seventh-day own time. Adventist Theological Seminary, Though the threefold categoriza- Berrien Springs, Michigan. This arti- tion of ministry types is useful, it cle is abridged from an article that was must be conceded at the outset that originally a paper presented at a Bible the distinctions are not always conference in Izmir, Turkey, in 2006. 6 Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews7 University, 2009 1 Perspective Digest, Vol. 14 [2009], Iss. 4, Art. 1 Apostles represent the one who sends them and come uses the title apostle in verse 30. which of these two You have chosen’” Apostles represent the one who (vs. 24). But Peter, who chaired the with the authority of the sender to the extent that they faith- sends them and come with the au- meeting at which this occurred, did fully fulfill the mission that is committed to them. thority of the sender to the extent lay down special qualifications that In John 13:16 Jesus says: “‘Most assuredly, I say to you, a that they faithfully fulfill the mission must be met even to be considered as that is committed to them. In John a candidate: an apostle must have servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent 13:16 Jesus says: “‘Most assuredly, I been an eyewitness to the resurrec- greater than he who sent him.’” say to you, a servant is not greater tion of Jesus (vss. 21, 22; cf. 2:32). than his master; nor is he who is sent This meant only being an eyewitness greater than he who sent him.’” The to the risen Lord, able to give personal Twelve were sent out by Jesus as His testimony to seeing Jesus alive after rates in different localities. not an office to which one was elected representatives with the assurance, He died, since none of the Twelve had The three types, listed in order of or humanly appointed. It was a func- “‘He who receives you receives Me, actually seen the resurrection event appearance, can be characterized as tion to which a person was divinely and he who receives Me receives itself occur. (1) charismatic, (2) familial, and (3) called. The church could extend its Him who sent Me’” (Matt. 10:40). The lot fell on Matthias, about appointive. The term charismatic recognition of that calling, but the re- The 12 chosen by Jesus were the whom we read nothing more in the does not represent the modern con- ception of the calling did not depend apostles par excellence. The number New Testament. But that is true of notation, but in the original sense upon such recognition and normally 12 was significant, corresponding to most of the Twelve. based on Romans 12 and 1 Corinthi- preceded it. the 12 patriarchs and 12 tribes of Is- It is understandable, then, that ans 12. The main distinction among In the beginning, Jesus chose, rael (Matt. 19:28; Rev. 21:12-14). the earliest Christians in Palestine, the three types focuses on the mode called, and appointed 12 men to be They were clearly not Jesus’ only dis- all Jews for whom the Twelve were of reception and basis of authority. with Him, and to be sent out to ciples, but they occupied a special especially significant, were unwilling Charismatic leaders received a direct preach and have authority to cast place in the scheme of things. to concede that anyone other than divine call. Familial leaders were out demons (Mark 3:14, 15). The So important was the number 12 the Twelve could be a legitimate blood relatives of Jesus. Appointive parallel in Matthew 10:1 calls the in the thinking of the infant church apostle. But this limitation was shat- leaders were elected in some fashion Twelve “disciples.”1 Luke 6:13 adds that they felt it necessary to fill the va- tered by the divine calling of Paul to by the church. that Jesus named them apostles. The cancy left among the 12 apostles by the apostolate in a development that term disciples reflects Mark’s remark the defection of Judas Iscariot (Acts was vehemently resisted by many. Charismatic Ministry that they were to be with Him, while 1:15-26). “The Twelve” was so firmly Paul needed constantly to defend his The first type of ministry can be apostles was an appropriate title for established as a synonym for the orig- apostleship. In 1 Corinthians 9:1, 2 called charismatic because it was those who were to be sent out. Luke inal group of apostles that Paul re- he did so by insisting on his qualifi- marked by the bestowal of a spiritual is apparently using the term techni- ferred to them thus even when they cations: he was an eyewitness to the gift and is listed among the charis- cally as a title, for Jesus is said to have had become only 11 (1 Cor. 15:5)! risen Lord (a claim supported in mata (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, named them thus. Both Matthew Fur thermore, it was important that 15:8 and by Acts 9:3-5; 22:6-11) and 28; Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11). For and Luke, immediately after their re- the office not be seen as bestowed by had done the work of an apostle. In the purposes of this article, the most port of the calling of the Twelve, de- human choice or appointment, so the Galatians 1:11-19 he argued that by important feature of this type of min- scribe their being sent out on a mis- vacancy was filled by casting lots after revelation he received his commis- istry is that a person was called to it sionary journey. Mark reports this prayer (Acts 1:23-26). The words of sion directly from the Lord, not directly by Christ or His Spirit. It was mission in his sixth chapter and there the prayer are significant: “‘Show from any human authority or body, https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol14/iss4/18 2 9 Johnston: Leadership in the Church During its First Century Apostles represent the one who sends them and come uses the title apostle in verse 30. which of these two You have chosen’” Apostles represent the one who (vs. 24). But Peter, who chaired the with the authority of the sender to the extent that they faith- sends them and come with the au- meeting at which this occurred, did fully fulfill the mission that is committed to them.
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