LeadershipShepherd Elders (Pastoral) Leadership The biblical image of a shepherd caring for his flock-- standing long hours ensuring its safety, leading it to fresh pasture and clear water, carrying the weak, seeking the lost, healing the wounded and sick-- is precious. The whole image of the Palestinian shepherd is characterized by intimacy, tenderness, concern, skill, hard work, suffering and love. It is, as former London Bible College professor Derek J. Tidball remarks in his book, Skillful Shepherds, "a subtle blend of authority and care," and "as much toughness as tenderness, as much courage as comfort." Male Leadership The Leadership of Pacific Hope Church consists of Biblically qualified men (Elders) to shepherd the local church. The Elders are responsible for the total operation of the church, including various organizations, physical properties, finances, and other temporal matters. The Board of Elders functions only under the headship of Christ and the authority of the Word of God. The Elders at Pacific Hope are responsible to:
There is much about biblical eldership that offends church attendee's today. Much a due to the fact that many have fallen prey to the influence of the culture, and have thereby become biblically illiterate. Nothing seems to be more objectionable in the minds of contemporary people than the biblical concept of an all-male eldership. A biblical eldership, however, must be an all-male eldership. For the Bible-believing Christian, the primary example of male leadership is found in the person of Jesus Christ. The most obvious point is that Christ came into the world as the Son of God, not the daughter of God. His maleness was not an arbitrary matter. It was a theological necessity, absolutely essential to His person and work. Jesus was and had to be a first-born male, "holy to the Lord" (Luke 2:23). As the "last Adam" and the "second Adam," He was the antitype of Adam, not Eve. Therefore, he had to be male (1 Cor. 15:45, 47; Rom. 5:14). He had to be the first born son of David and Abraham, the true son of promise--the King, not queen, of Israel and the Lord, not the lady, of the universe. According to the creation order, Jesus could not be a woman because in the male-female relationship the male partner alone is invested with the headship-authority role (Gen. 2:20, 22:22,23; 1 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2;12), and Jesus Christ alone is Head of the Church and King of kings. He is the model for every male leader. During His earthly ministry, Jesus personally trained and appointed twelve men whom he called "apostles" (Luke 6:13). Jesus' choice of male leadership was an affirmation of the creation order as presented in Genesis 2:18-25. We Do Not Conform to Cultural Egalitarianism Critics contend that Jesus' work of redemption abolished all male-female role distinctions. Yet, if Jesus intended to abolish all male-female role differences through His work of redemption, the choosing of the twelve was the crucial moment in history to act and appoint women to the apostolate. As the hailed liberator of women, should Jesus not have chosen six women and six men apostles? At the very least, should He not have chosen one woman apostle? If Jesus is the supreme egalitarian that some would like Him to be, He surely failed women at a crucial moment. (I speak foolishly to make an obvious point. Of course Jesus never fails!).Instead, by appointing twelve male apostles, Jesus ratified the Old Testament creation order of male headship, a practice that both paul and Peter subsequently maintained. A biblical church that refuses to cave in to the pressure of an egalitarian society, will see in due time that a strong male leadership team attracts both spiritually strong men and women. God blesses and honors His Church when it unwaveringly upholds His word. Elder Qualifications As a church that seeks to rightly reflect our Lord, we will always have a plurality of leadership to know the state of the flock and minister to the body. Elders at Pacific Hope are made up of men, who are able to teach, whose office of overseer (1 Tim. 3:1,2), is also evidenced by the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1. Elders are leaders, teachers and shepherds with the character described in 1 Timothy and Titus, who assist the Pastor with pastoral care, strategic direction, financial planning, and spiritual leadership. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 ...If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Titus 1:5-9 ...appoint elders in every city as I commanded you 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. Elder Candidacy Questioning and Instructing the Elder Candidate and His Wife: The Congregation will be Actively Involved: Elders will publicly Approve and Install the elder candidate before the Members of Pacific Hope Church: Elders: If you have any questions or concerns regarding the leadership of Pacific Hope Church, we would encourage you to contact us, or you can click here to email the elders. Ryan Ackerland
Staff: Pastor: John Leeder
Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership (Lewis and Roth, 1995), 16. Egalitarianism is a view in which biblical male/female roles are not accepted for the sake of equality. Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership (Lewis and Roth, 1995), 53. Deacons: (diakonos) servant The deacon is a ministering agent of support to the elders, allowing them to be given to prayer and the study of the word. The Deacon's role is a people-minded position, one of administration and mercy in serving the flock. The Deacons have responsibilities as delegated by the Elders in order to share with the Elders in their ministries. The deacons are faithful men who have been recognized as servant leaders to our body of believers. They were brought before the church, allowing the members to provide the elders with any information that could affect their ability to faithfully serve this local assembly. Once installed, the deacons stood before the body and made their commitment to this leadership role at Pacific Hope Church. Click here to read more about the roles and responsibilities of our deacons. Ryan Boudreau |
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Pacific Hope Church
San Diego, CA 92123
p 858.279.HOPE (4673)
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