My Dear Friend,

In the beginning, church leaders ordained those they felt Jesus had called and gifted to lead and feed His people. To them, His was the only "vote" that counted. His say left nothing further to say.

Therefore, early church leaders did not call themselves. Jesus sovereignly called them. They did not choose offices for themselves. He chose how they would serve. They did not select the spiritual gifts they wanted. He placed within them the Spirit's supernatural abilities He wanted them to exercise. They did not choose where they wanted to serve. He chose where they would serve.

They did not campaign to win their elders' approval. He caused their elders to notice His call and hand upon their life. They did not seek authority over other believers. He gave them spiritual authority to influence their brethren, and they saw themselves as first among equals. They neither chose nor sought titles for themselves - Pastor, Evangelist, Prophet, Teacher, Exhorter, and so forth. He assigned their ecclesiastical titles.

They did not prepare themselves only through brief courses of learning. Besides their religious instruction, Christ also gave them an extended experiential education in the school of life, their tuition being fully paid by their steady obedience to His Word. He thoroughly humbled and trained them in the wilderness of adversity, so that, sufficiently mature, they would lead His people in His will, not theirs, and with humility and love, not pride and selfishness.

Therefore, just as a head makes not some but every decision for its body, Christ, the heavenly Head of the church, made all the decisions for His earthly body's leadership. Christ's call, Christ's gifting, Christ's preparation, Christ's authorization, Christ's ordination, and Christ’s placement - in all these matters He ruled. And, His elders, who were wise, humble, spiritually minded, and Spirit-guided, never tried to overrule Him. The result?

With the Head selecting all its leaders, the church grew and thrived. Christ's Gospel was endorsed by His Spirit's power. His teachings spread rapidly. His compassionate healing works were seen openly by believers and unbelievers. Vast numbers of Jews and pagans were added to the church. Families, villages, cities, provinces, nations, and the Roman Empire itself were impacted and permanently altered. The church reached all around the Mediterranean in its first 100 years.

This was Christ's plan. It was a simple plan. Very simple. And a spiritual plan. Very spiritual. It was Holy Spirit-inspired and Holy Spirit-led. It was a perfect model. Very perfect. It was the divine "pattern" given in the "mount" (Hebrews 8:5), an inspired example seen first in Acts for the whole church age to follow. What do these facts say to us today?

Simply, that any other basis upon which individuals are placed in one of the five designated ministry offices - Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers (Ephesians 4:11-15), or other key leadership positions (elders, deacons) is wrong. Tragically wrong.

We depart from the New Testament pattern when we ordain individuals due to their:

• Mere academic training (in even the best schools)

• Ahimaaz-like excessive eagerness to "run" in ministry (2 Samuel 18:19-30)

• Proud religious ambition, like that of domineering Diotrephes (3 John 9-11)

• Envious imitation of famously gifted leaders

• The subtle influence of wealth (positions given for donations, or simony)

• Congeniality, popularity, or fame

• Exceptional human intelligence

• Nepotism, or favoring relatives over more qualified individuals

• Pastoral dynasties, sons automatically succeeding their fathers, as if the pastorate is a family inheritance

• Race or gender, to satisfy politically correct demographic quotas

In such cases, however correct we feel, we are incorrect. The church of Jesus Christ is in a biblically substandard condition - and in flat defiance of its Head!

Consequently, we suffer spiritual dryness, barrenness, and confusion. Sin reenters and reestablishes itself in our spiritually stagnant, humanly appointed shepherds and their misled sheep, because we are walking and serving in the flesh, not the Spirit; out of God's will, not in it; separated from the Vine, not in vital union with Him; in our own human wisdom, not that of the all-wise Spirit. As long as we remain in this substandard spiritual condition, Christ cannot bestow His blessing upon us. He cannot release His marvelous river of life through us or reveal His dynamic ministry among us. The solution?

Elders, board members, deacons - you choose your leaders, be they ministers, elders, deacons, counselors, worship leaders, youth leaders, children's teachers, or those leading other branches of your local church, the New Testament way. The Book of Acts way. Jesus' way. And no other way!

So, prayerfully examine your candidates looking for God's anointing and His Spirit's gifts resting on humble hearts and upright lives. These must be sufficiently given to devotion, biblical studies, worship and, not be novices, but have sufficient experience in the Christian walk and work. They must be very serious, not selfish, individuals, truly committed to the ministry and ready to lovingly lead others in Jesus' ways. They must hold correct doctrines, without any heretical leanings. They must be willing to suffer for Christ's sake since, being in ministry, they will be targets for Satan's verbal, and perhaps physical, assaults.

They must honor biblical morality, as they will be specially tempted. They must be lifelong learners, never satisfied to stop reading, searching, studying. They must be given to prayer, not only for themselves but for those they lead and others they encounter. They must be willing to be satisfied with little or no wealth, men and women who covet, not more gain, but more of God. They must also have shepherds' hearts, ready to selflessly train their congregants to fulfill their predestined individual ministries . . . until the whole Body of Christ, sufficiently nourished in faith and truth, rises to walk and minister across this earth in this twenty-first century just as Jesus ministered throughout Israel in the first.

How arduously? With every ounce of energy God gives them. How excellently? With Spirit-given skill and patient attention to detail. How knowledgeably? With minds full of biblical and human knowledge? How mercifully? With a redemptive mindset that searches for how to save, heal, and lift every soul, no matter how lost, sick, and low. How purposely? With this vision ever before their eyes: Christ's bride, sanctified, unified, holy, taught, tested, and translated to the Bridegroom's presence and Marriage Supper above.

How passionately? With a burning fire in their bellies to hear their Lord one day say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21, 23). How powerfully? As fully authorized members of Christ's body releasing the very "power of the Spirit" to work His compassionate signs and wonders (Luke 4:14). How long? Until He comes.

Maranatha - come Lord Jesus!

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES