03.14. XIV. The Pastor And Church Organizations

XIV THE PASTOR AND CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS A CHRISTIAN church is an organization. On that account the State requires of it Incorporation, for the purpose of holding property, transacting business of legal sort and after a lawful manner. In America, at least, the Church is subject to the State like any other Corporation; and while it is not a State Church it does enjoy certain specific privileges on account of its religious, and, particularly its educational character. Chief among these is its exemption from taxation. In this respect it rests upon the same basis as schools and other educational and eleemosynary institutions that exist for the purpose of serving the people, and not for the private gain of its officers or members. THE CHURCH ORGANIZATION The New Testament organization was simple.—Its first feature is recorded in connection with the birth of the church itself. “The same day there were added together about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41) Doubtless the reason for the words in italics which, as you understand, were inserted by the English translators, “unto them”—was the practical certainty that the 2,500 new converts of that day were added to the 500 previously existing, creating a membership of 3,000 all told. That the church existed as an organization is further proven in a later passage: “There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” (Acts 6:1-3) That day the Diaconate was born. The fact that the organization was further developed is evident in the report in Acts 14:23 where Paul and Barnabas are reported to have “ordained elders in every church.” This was not the creation of this office, for it had been previously recorded in Acts 11:30, but it was the further extension of the same. The differences in the various forms of church organization found as between the Episcopal, the Presbyterian and the Congregational forms is largely the product of interpretation. The Episcopal people interpret the word “Episcopos”—which means “overseer”—as making possible even a bishop; and with Rome still higher orders; while the Congregational polity interprets that same word as belonging to the office of the pastor or overseer of the flock. Hence variety of organization.

Organization, therefore, in the church has become complex.—We have ramified it not only by different interpretations of Biblical words, but also by adding offices and names unknown to Old or New Testament teaching. The average church has its wheels within wheels; but oftentimes its complexity is without power. The wheels exist but they are not in action.

However, that the New Testament intended a further ramification of labors, if not of offices, is made plain when the apostle Paul writes about the operations of the Holy Spirit. In his first epistle to the Corinthians he says: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of heeding by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-12)

Over-organization, however, is easily possible.—A great many churches are over-organized. Beyond all question our denominational Conventions are cursed by over-organization. We have done in religion almost exactly that which we have done in matters of State,—we have created offices for the sake of the office, particularly for the sake of the office-holder.

There was a time years ago when a Justice of the Peace was necessary in every little town. Travel was slow, tedious, expensive, and to go to court twenty or twenty-five miles away and bring the disputants and witnesses to the same was impractical; but, with the introduction of the modern motor all of that is changed. Twenty-five miles is no distance now; not more than two miles was forty years ago. The result is that the States are cluttered with legal machinery for which there is little or no occasion, and loaded with endless expense and consequent taxation. To abolish these offices is difficult because the officers who hold them and draw salaries from them are influential; and abolition commonly comes by popular vote. Changes of any sort that are radical are accomplished after the same manner, and that is why the most needful ones are at all times most difficult and sometimes almost impossible. The same thing obtains with reference to the church. There are always men and women in every church, who want new organizations and new committees created, and sometimes these individuals are ambitious for the creation in order to make office for themselves. It is well to remember that the New Testament church organization was comparatively simple, and yet within that organization there was a marvelous opportunity for the exercise of every gift.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, is not writing so much of organizations as of the exercise of gifts under the direction of the Holy Ghost, and that indeed is not only the object of church life but the opportunity of Christian service.

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, arc one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Romans 12:4-16) THE COMMITTEES CREATED

Committees in church work are often a convenience. —Doubtless certain of them are a necessity. The pastor is the overseer of church work, but that does not mean that he is to undertake all that is to be accomplished. In fact, the overseer commonly does less real labor than those who serve under him; but he is compelled to do more thinking and planning if affairs move well whether it be on a southern plantation, western ranch, or in the Church of God.

It is a very great convenience when financial questions arise to have a Finance Committee for consultation; it is a very great convenience when there is a leak in the roof to have a House Committee who can be set to the task of correcting the same. It is a very great convenience when the subject of missions needs emphasis and an educational campaign to be carried on, to have a committee on Missions who will at least function with the pastor, in undertaking the same. It is a very great convenience when the church is large and there may be a dozen sick at one time, to have a Committee on the Sick, to have a Committee on Benevolence to provide for the poor, etc.

Henry Ward Beecher said that when he was in his first pastorate in Indiana, he constituted all the committees, and he was also the janitor; but in the larger church with more complex conditions the same man shifted to a higher and better ground.

However, it is very easy to create needless committees; and still easier to create useless ones. A committee that is too large commonly belongs to the latter class. Charles Spurgeon said the most effective committee possible was a committee of three, one out of town and another sick abed. By which he meant to say “What is everybody’s business is nobody’s business”; but when you can saddle on a single individual a definite responsibility you are liable to get results. This fact, however, should influence the size of the committee. It is a rare thing, and a rarer occasion, that requires large ones. Their creation, therefore, should be with care.—There are certain people who are unfit for committee work. This is due to one of several possibilities—they may be over-bearing, and will demand the adoption of their thought in every matter, and so be an unwelcome member of any committee; they may be extremely sensitive and the slightest discussion may hurt their feelings; or they may be simply adverse, ready to oppose everything presented by another. Such people are better left off committees. Any man who talks much about the authority of office is a dangerous man on a committee. People who serve best in such capacity are those who are not looking for personal prestige, or demanding the acceptance of personal opinion, but are anxious to serve the Lord and advance the church.

You may remember that in The Little Minister the leading elder was never unconscious of his eldership; and on every occasion he reminded his pastor that the eldership was as important as the office of pastor at any time. Such men make poor elders. And it is not the business of the pastor to go into politics to secure the election of such officers as he wants and the appointment of just such men as he wants for committees; it is the pastor’s privilege in influence to have it so, for in the majority of cases both the church and the nominating committees desire the same objective and will, therefore, consult him on these subjects and a few words will determine their course. The Pastor should be an ex-officio member of all committees.—This fact is not always recognized by churches. On the contrary in one of the leading churches sometime since, a Scotch leader reminded . the pastor that he “Had no business attending the Board meetings at all.” But, it is as absurd for the officials and committees of a church to insist upon running the same without the presence and advice of the pastor, as it is for the directors of a bank to imagine that it is their official right to run the same without the presence or advice of its president.

However, since it is perfectly clear that the pastor should be ex-officio member of every committee, it is equally certain that on that very account he should not be too self-assertive. It is as true of the pastor as it is of the elder or the chairman of any committee that when he begins to talk about his authority he begins at the same time to lose his influence. It is not because he is the head of the institution that he rules the same; the fact of the matter is the minister is the servant of all, and if he rule at all, it will be by poise and judgment, by the exercise of his spiritual influence and never by the assertion of his authoritative position. Possibly more men fail in the pastorate at this point than at almost any other. They hold too high an estimate of the dignity of their office and make too great demands upon their fellow Christians to recognize their official station. Officialdom is only powerful in proportion to its righteous and divinely approved influence. For the first year, and possibly for the second, or even the third, there are likely to be many times when the pastor will need to mollify his own feelings and repress resentment; but if he impart good sense, indulge only good counsel, in the course of time officers, committees, and the church itself will look to him for leadership and will follow, not only with willingness, but with zeal. THE INCIDENTAL ORGANIZATIONS The church, while it is an organization, is, just on account of its constitution, an organization of certain complexities, and these must be recognized and their interests conserved. The Young People’s organization is important. Father Clark hit upon a great thought when he conceived the Christian Endeavor Society. He saw that the young people of the average church were not developing. Their youth and natural timidity kept them from taking the time supposedly belonging to seniors for testimony, for instance; the same thing affected them in the matter of public prayer. It was left to the elders, and so on. The result was arrested growth. Father Clark, seeing that fact, set himself to the task of solving that particular problem for youth, namely its spiritual development. Who will say that in this matter he was impractical ?

It is an interesting thing to study the apostle Paul and his relationship to such juniors as Timothy and Titus. He sought these young men as his co-laborers, pushed them to the fore, and rejoiced to see them develop into strong men. Even in the Old Testament they had the School of the Prophets, evidently a company of young men who were being equipped for the ministry of the Word. The young people’s organizations, then, that have come to the Church of God in the last century have come to it as a blessing, and the wise pastor will seek the development of the young of his flock. The women’s organizations also are both potent and problematical. There is a sense in which the critics of the same are just. This century especially has copied the world to a certain degree and created multitudinous organizations where the sexes are separate, but for this practice we have no New Testament precedent. Circumstances, however, alter cases. We live under conditions where women will often take time for meetings concerning their own sex and particularly such themes as missions, and ministries that require a woman’s touch. So profit may be had, and often has come from such organizations. That they may create problems is. beyond question. Chief among these is the social problem. So often women want church fairs, church suppers, dramatic performances, etc. History is replete with illustrations of the fact that these things are not helpful to the average church. However, there are ways of meeting this matter that a sane pastor should consider. One Southern preacher boasted that his way was to abolish them all. But it takes more than one swallow to make a spring and there are other ways. Commonly the president of such organization is both capable and sensible. Counsel with her on the subject of methods that make for progress, and what will meet the same, and at times with the program committee, and this may result in changes being slowly, but certainly made that will solve all of these difficulties and bring the organization to spiritual ground, rendering it willing to do such work as visiting the sick, providing clothing, and other essentials, to the poor, lending assistance to ministers and missionaries in remote and difficult parts, and even undertaking church visitation on a large scale, and so on; in fact, the opportunities of service are never scant. What is required is to think them through and then get your women busy with you to serve.

According to the New Testament teaching, women played no inconspicuous part. The daughters of Philip were prophetesses; the woman at the well bore testimony of the sort that brought many to believe; Dorcas was a woman full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. When Christ was risen from the grave, it was women who bore the first testimony of the resurrection; and among the early martyrs for the Faith they took their place with their brethren and paid the price of life itself in proof of loyalty and love. It is inconceivable, therefore, that women’s work should be either disregarded or minimized in the church of God. The organization of men may prove a power.—To be sure, in the average church, most of the organizations are headed by men; the Boards of Control are commonly either men, or overwhelmingly masculine. Experience has demonstrated the fact that men’s organizations can be made effective for the cause of Christ. For thirty-five years in my Minneapolis pastorate we had no such organization. For four years we have had the Men’s Forum. Facts compel me to pay it high compliment. The best organization for visitation that the church has ever seen was worked out by one of the men of this Forum. This districting plan was well-nigh perfect. It required weeks of solid work to perfect it, for so large a membership, but it was accomplished. The same Men’s Forum conceived the idea of multiplied neighborhood prayer meetings, associated with Bible study and a social hour, and it has been largely successful and has proven itself capable of far greater and more profitable extension. This Forum also has on several occasions brought to its banquets speakers who both instructed and inspired the men assembled; and its Father and Son Banquets have been not only eminently successful but, in our judgment, intellectually and spiritually profitable. The whole question of any organization is that of its spirit and objectives. So long as these can be kept under the direction of the Holy Ghost, helpfulness is the sure result.

Organization for Bible study is clearly essential.—Here we touch upon one of the most important functions of the church,—that of Scripture and spiritual instruction; The Sunday School is to date the finest organization known to that endeavor. It is not necessary here to emphasize the importance of this work. It must be conceded by all if youth is not reached with the Word of God, the future of the church is bleak indeed. But if it is reached with that Word, and that Word is believed by the teachers and taught effectively, the future of the church is secure.

Simply this remark in closing: When a Sunday School is in the church and of the church it is in no sense independent; it is, in fact, the church engaged in Bible study, dependent upon the church and under the absolute control of the church. It therefore has the right to appoint its officers and teachers, or elect them as the church may determine. The church becomes responsible for the Sunday School support, and is under obligation to guard its welfare at every point, and to see that its work is performed in both a satisfactory and Scriptural manner. In this relation, of course, the pastor is ex-officio a member of the Sunday School Board, the Officers and Teachers Association, and other such organizations as have the same in charge. To win the child for Christ is not difficult; to fail to win him is ruinous! Of all the organizations known to the church to the present moment, in importance, not one surpasses the Sunday School.

OUTLINE OF CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE PASTOR AND CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS I. THE CHURCH ORGANIZATION a.The New Testament organization was simple. b.Organization, therefore, in the church has become complex. c.Over-organization, however, is easily possible.

II. THE COMMITTEES CREATED a.Committees in church work are often a convenience. b.The pastor should be an ex-officio member of all committees.

III. THE INCIDENTAL ORGANIZATIONS a.The organization of men may prove a power. b.Organization for Bible study is clearly essential.