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Scripture Reading: 3:2, 1 Tim. 3:5; 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:1-2; Acts 14:23a; Titus 1:5; Acts 13:1-3
The primary responsibility of the elders is to take care of the church and bear responsibility for the administration of the church (1 Tim. 3:5; 5:17). The administration of the church is the elders’ responsibility, whereas the co-workers in the church simply work in coordination with the elders to build up the church in a locality. The co-workers should not touch anything related to administration. If they do, they go beyond their duties and infringe on others’ authority. This can be likened to the priests and prophets in the Old Testament who helped the elders but did not replace them. Later, they also helped the kings but did not replace them. We need to know that the elders are the administrators among God’s people and that the co-workers should not interfere with the administrative matters of the church.
The elders should not only bear responsibility for the administration of the church, but they also need to teach and shepherd God’s people (3:2; 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:1-2). In the matter of teaching and shepherding, although the elders may not be weak, sometimes they are not able to meet all the needs related to shepherding and teaching; hence, there is a need for the co-workers to release the word and help with teaching and shepherding. The co-workers should be given the opportunity to do as much as they are able in spiritual matters, such as teaching and shepherding, and the elders should give them the opportunity to fully develop their function so that the serving ones can learn to function as well.
The elders of a local church should bear the responsibility for and serve in only one locality (Acts 14:23a; Titus 1:5). They should never interfere with nearby churches that are smaller; it is dangerous to do so. For example, because the church in Taipei is a large church, the nearby churches can be easily influenced by it. According to worldly experience, cities with fewer people usually follow and learn from cities with more people. It is rarely the other way around. This should not be the case in the church. If the basis of the church in Taipei is wrong, the leading of the church will also be wrong. In this case the churches that follow the church in Taipei will also be wrong. Due to this danger, the elders of the church in Taipei should stay within the boundaries of Taipei. Taipei is their sphere, their realm; they should never extend beyond their boundary.
The co-workers labor in spiritual matters in coordination with the elders in order to build up the church; this is a clear principle. On the one hand, the elders should never be self-content, thinking that because they are elders, they have no need of the co-workers. This attitude is wrong. On the other hand, while co-workers are laboring in various places, they may see that an elder is not so capable or may be lacking in experience and insight. Even if this is the case, it is wrong for co-workers to go beyond their duties and labor in place of the elders. At times the co-workers may feel that they cannot do much spiritually because the elders do not fellowship with them; this concept is also incorrect. Although the elders are responsible for the administration of the church, they do not necessarily need to fellowship with the co-workers. Even if this is the case, the co-workers still need to bear spiritual responsibility.
Ephesians 4:11 speaks of a number of gifted ones, such as apostles, prophets, and evangelists. The elders in some localities may not be good at preaching the gospel. They may be able to take the brothers and sisters to knock on doors, but they may not be able to perfect them in the preaching of the gospel. However, there are some co-workers among us who are good at the gospel work. Especially in a big church such as Taipei, there is a need for some to work specifically in the gospel to lead and perfect the brothers and sisters in the preaching of the gospel. When these ones lead the brothers and sisters to preach the gospel, they do not need to fellowship with the elders. However, if they need to use the meeting hall for a gathering, they must fellowship with the elders. If the co-workers decide to use the meeting hall at the same time that the elders have planned to have a meeting, this will cause conflict, and the administration of the church will not be carried out smoothly.
College students like to listen to seminars, and as a result, many seminars are conducted on college campuses. In order to attract young people, some may suggest that the ones serving on the college campus should host a seminar on human life and the Christian faith. Surely such a seminar would help some understand the human life. However, if the serving ones take this suggestion, decide to have the seminar at the meeting hall without fellowship, and announce it excitedly, this is not appropriate. In serving the Lord in the church we must maintain the principle that although it is all right for the serving ones to host a meeting or gospel seminar at the meeting hall, they should not touch the administration of the church. Since the meeting hall is under the administration of the elders, they should first fellowship with the elders before using the meeting hall. Otherwise, the serving ones at a college campus may decide to use the hall for a gospel seminar at a time that conflicts with an event previously decided upon by the elders. This lack of coordination causes conflicts and problems. It is not likely that such a thing will happen in small churches, but it often happens in larger churches. This example demonstrates the principle of how the elders and co-workers should coordinate in the church.
While laboring in various localities, the co-workers need to be like the five prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch. Even though they served in Antioch, they never touched the administration of the church (Acts 13:1). They were not involved in the administration of the church in Antioch. As gifted ones, they labored in that locality, serving the church and the saints, yet they did not touch the administration of the church. It was the elders in Antioch who bore the responsibility for the administration of the church.
The co-workers may be sent by the Lord to do a spiritual work in other places, just like the prophets and teachers in Antioch. Acts 13 says that some of the prophets and teachers in Antioch were led by the Lord to preach the gospel and establish churches in various localities (vv. 2-3). The church in Antioch did not hire these five and send them out to establish branches of the church in Antioch, as is the practice of Christianity today. If this were the case, the co-workers would have been under the control of the church in Antioch. A church should not control those sent out. There should be only spiritual fellowship and no relationships of employment between the co-workers and the local churches. When the co-workers go to other places to do a spiritual work, the church may send them off with prayer and later, when the co-workers return, gather the saints for fellowship and a report.
Unlike the elders who bear responsibility for and serve the church in only one locality, the co-workers take care of the needs of all the churches. In other words, although the co-workers may live and serve in one locality, they also take care of other churches according to the need. For example, if the co-workers who labor in Taipei see that one of the nearby churches is weak in the matter of teaching, they should send one or two co-workers to release the word in the meetings and lead the saints with the word. In other words, they need to build up a meeting in which everyone speaks and everyone listens according to the practice in 1 Corinthians 14, that is, a meeting in which everyone either prophesies, has a teaching, or has a revelation. In such meetings everyone can participate and rise up to speak for the Lord and speak forth the Lord.
We all need to understand that in the church meetings there are many kinds of gifted ones, but there are no “elders.” Once the elders come to the church meetings, they should leave their status of being an elder outside the door. If there are matters that need to be announced after the meeting, the elders should make these announcements because they are related to the administration of the church. However, in the meetings the elders do not bear the status of elders but of brothers; they should function in the meetings by either speaking as prophets or teaching as teachers. The serving of the co-workers in the church is a very practical matter. The church in Taipei is a big church with many co-workers; thus, it needs to have a proper understanding regarding this matter.
Question: In regard to the principle by which the elders meet and discuss matters, why do we call James’s decision in Acts 15, a decision based on his own opinion, “the decision of the Holy Spirit and the apostles with the elders”?
Answer: First, we need to see that in Acts 15 the conference was in the Holy Spirit and presided over by the Holy Spirit; this is certain. Moreover, the decision obtained from the conference passed through the apostles and elders; hence, it is not wrong to say that it was the decision of the Holy Spirit and the apostles with the elders. However, because one of the apostles was not clear due to his background, he was not resolute in the truth. This demonstrates the New Testament principle in which God cooperates with man and needs man’s cooperation. If God Himself does not do a certain thing, He desires that man not do it either. When God wants to do something, the outcome of the work depends entirely upon the one who cooperates with Him. If the work falls short, it is because the cooperating one falls short. Hence, the determining factor is man, not the Holy Spirit.
Second, church history has exalted James too highly. In fact, he was not that positive. As a result of the prevailing Jewish influence that he brought into the church, the Lord allowed the Roman prince Titus to destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70, without leaving a stone upon a stone. From the human perspective James and the Jewish brothers may have thought that the church in Jerusalem should be a certain way; however, because God did not want those things, He dismantled the mixture. James bears a great responsibility for bringing the influence of Judaism into the church, as seen in Acts 21.
The decisions related to matters of the church are determined by the Holy Spirit and the apostles with the elders. However, the apostles, elders, and serving ones are not perfect; hence, there are often shortages. When a serving one releases the word for the Lord, the Holy Spirit is with him and works with him; nevertheless, he still needs to speak for the Lord through prayer and by relying on the Lord. For example, when we speak for the Lord, our personal background may unconsciously be added to certain points. Although the Holy Spirit is still with us, the feeling that we give people is not pure. For this reason we need to learn the lesson of not giving ground to any mixture from our background; we need to be pure.
Question: In actual situations where the elders and co-workers handle matters, how can they draw a clear boundary concerning responsibility and authority? Moreover, in Taiwan, in the localities south of Panch’iao, there are many churches but few co-workers; how can we take care of the needs in those places?
Answer: There are at least three aspects to this question. First, we need to consider whether churches in every locality need co-workers. Second, perhaps there is a need, but because the churches prefer co-workers who are like the apostle Paul, there is no way to meet their need. Third, part of the responsibility lies with me. Many people have said that I am the “pope,” but they do not realize that I am very reserved in everything related to directing the move of the co-workers. Hence, among the co-workers in Taiwan, there is not a strong leading.
If the churches south of Panch’iao need co-workers, they can fellowship with the brothers and see if someone receives a burden. If we have learned the lesson well, we will not act independently but will fellowship with the leading ones in the work; this is to maintain a proper situation. At the same time, because of the different backgrounds and environments of all the churches, we simply do not have an absolute leading.
Question: The elders bear responsibility for the administration of the church and also spiritual responsibility, but what are the areas of responsibility related to administration?
Answer: The responsibility of the elders in regard to church administration is mainly related to business affairs, whereas the service of the co-workers is mainly related to spiritual matters. This subject involves many fine points. For example, in the United States after Congress passes a bill, they send it to the president, who has authority to veto it. Although Congress may insistently try to pass a law two or three times, according to law, the final decision is made by the president. This is similar to the coordination between the elders and the co-workers. In Taipei there are currently a number of districts in every hall; hence, we can say that the halls form a kind of boundary. On the one hand, the co-workers should not interfere with the administration of the halls, yet because of the propagation of districts, the elders and co-workers should learn to coordinate. A certain hall may start a new district, which requires buying or renting a meeting place; this matter is the responsibility of the elders. Although this matter occurs in the district, it is related to the business affairs of the church; hence, it is under the administration of the elders. However, if there is a co-worker who has the burden to minister to the saints a message of eight to ten minutes, he does not need the elders’ permission, because this is something spiritual.
The co-workers do not need permission to do spiritual things within the districts. If a certain co-worker decides to speak a message of several minutes at the end of the district meeting every week, he does not need the permission of the elders but only needs to act according to his burden. However, after this co-worker releases a word for three consecutive Lord’s Day meetings, the elders and other saints who attend may feel that it would be better for him not to speak. At this time the elders have the position to tell the co-worker that he needs to speak more concisely. The relationship between the co-workers and the elders is not simple.
Question: Many young full-time brothers and sisters do not yet seem to have the weight of co-workers. How should they fulfill their function in the church?
Answer: The young full-time serving ones are in the learning process; they can be likened to apprentices who learn by doing. They cannot be considered co-workers. For example, there is a barbershop that I used to go to more than thirty years ago. At that time the present shop owner was still an apprentice. I did not like him cutting my hair because he was only beginning to learn the skill; however, I sympathized with him. If I did not give him a chance, how could he learn? In other words, I needed to be sacrificed in order to perfect him. Eventually, the apprentice became the owner and is very kind and grateful toward me because I gave him the opportunity to be perfected. Hence, there are two sides to all these matters, and there is not a definite answer.
Although we say that these young full-time brothers and sisters are apprentices, we still need to respect them. When they go to the various districts to help with the work, many saints feel that they are merely apprentices and do not know much; as a result, they disregard them. They may be likened to an intern in the hospital who has just completed his study of textbooks and laboratory curriculum. Due to his lack of experience, he may feel miserable within and may even need to listen to the nurses. Hence, it is not easy for these young full-time serving ones to coordinate and serve in the various halls and districts. The situation in the church in Taipei is intricate and complex; it is not easy to be a co-worker here, and it is probably even more difficult to be a full-timer. This complicated situation produces good apprentices. If the situation is easy, no apprentice would be perfected, and there would be no future success.
Question: The elders need to bear the responsibility for the business affairs in the administration, but the elders often decide upon spiritual matters. How should these two aspects be coordinated properly? That is, do elders decide the entire spiritual direction of the church?
Answer: The elders not only coordinate among themselves in regard to the service but also with every member. We all are members of the Body. For example, when my feet move, my entire body moves; when my mouth moves, my entire body cooperates. Hence, we cannot strictly say that the co-workers bear all spiritual responsibility and that the elders do not have any spiritual responsibility, nor can we say that the co-workers should labor on the spiritual matters and that the elders should labor only on business affairs. If this is the case, it will be difficult for the church to advance; rather, we must all coordinate together to serve in the church.
If what we do in the church life is related to the business affairs, we need to fellowship with the elders, that is, to fellowship regarding the practical matters. For example, if we desire to use the meeting hall to host a gospel seminar, even if we are sure that the meeting hall will not be used at that time, we still need to fellowship with the elders. If the elders know that there will be a gospel seminar in the meeting hall, they will not schedule another activity during the same period of time, but even more, they will receive a burden to pray for the gospel seminar. A Christian’s living cannot be detached from fellowship. We are not trying to make fellowship a law but to emphasize the need for fellowship. Moreover, when we fellowship, we should not leave people with a confused understanding; rather, we need to pay attention to the outcome of the fellowship.
Question: There is a situation in which two halls occupy one another’s space. Since this is something pertaining to the aspect of administration, how should we solve this problem? For example, one day saints from one hall found that the meeting hall was packed with things and that there was not enough space to even walk up the stairs. Even the saints who serve in the deacons’ office had to stand outside. Since the administration of the church is the responsibility of the elders, should we simply let the elders know about the situation and let them handle it in a good way according to the actual situation?
Answer: There should have been fellowship when things were brought into the meeting hall and were left there to occupy the space; it is wrong to have no fellowship. In regard to procedure, there should first be contact, and in regard to principle, there should also be fellowship. Furthermore, since this incident was so sudden, and it involved the occupation of so much space, it should have been fellowshipped not only with one elder but also with the brothers who handle the business affairs and those who are on duty in the deacons’ office. Regarding this point of fellowship, we should never forget to fellowship in the service of the church; once there is fellowship, everything is enlivened, and there is a way. A lack of circulation in the body is due to a lack of fellowship; a lack of circulation will cause the entire body to become sick. Once the circulation is healthy and there is fellowship, all sicknesses will be gone. I hope that we will all remember this word. Our present condition is fundamentally due to the lack of fellowship.
Question: Since the church in Taipei was divided into districts for the practice of the new way, the administration of the meeting halls has been borne by the elders, whereas the spiritual progress of the districts is occurring within the districts. As a result, most of the districts have experienced much advancement. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, there has been an inadequate amount of fellowship between districts. For example, one district is not doing so well, and there is a shortage of burdened ones and serving ones. Since it is not convenient to combine districts together, it is difficult for the elders to handle the situation. The brothers and sisters in the district find it stressful to continue in this way and do not want to meet as a district. They would like to combine with another district. This situation is difficult for the elders. If they combine the district with another by force, it may interfere with the spiritual progress of the stronger district, but if they let this situation continue, it will be a loss to the brothers and sisters. How should this situation be solved?
Answer: This kind of situation can be solved through fellowship. The elders and those who attend to the spiritual matters within the two districts should have much fellowship and look to the Lord to lead them. At the same time, they need to bring this matter before the brothers and sisters in the districts and ask them if they desire to remain as two districts or if they would like to be combined with another district. As long as everyone is willing to fellowship, whatever comes out of the fellowship will be proper.
Question: If the responsible ones from the two districts continue to hold different opinions after their fellowship, what should we do?
Answer: We need to realize that the elders and co-workers should not have different opinions. We need to fellowship, but fellowship should not produce different opinions. If you insist that your view is the most accurate, it will become your opinion. In Acts 15 James made a decision in a conference. I believe that Paul must have had some feeling within, but he did not force others or insist on his own feeling. We all need to learn this lesson, that is, not to force people. In principle, it is not important whether we combine our meetings or divide our meetings. As long as we are not worshipping idols, we are free to arrange the meetings according to how we feel best. It is permissible for one district to divide into two districts, or even three districts. As long as there is not the worship of idols, it is all right. If the co-workers and elders have this kind of attitude, there will spontaneously be no opinion among us.
Question: Some brothers and sisters from a certain district have expressed their desire to remain combined with another district; they feel that it would be difficult for them to continue if they were separated. Hence, through the help of the elders and co-workers, a decision was made to keep the districts combined. However, one responsible brother in the district does not come anymore, and another one, who did not want the meeting to be combined, continues to insist on his own view. Consequently, we do not know what to do.
Answer: Please remember that your districts are not the whole church in Taipei. If this problem cannot be resolved between your two districts, you should ask all the elders to come together for an urgent meeting to fellowship about this matter. It is not necessary for the two districts to settle the problem alone. Moreover, in the church life we should never say, “Unless this or that condition is met, I will not come to the meeting.” We should never speak like this. This can be likened to a couple who seeks a divorce when they are not in agreement with one another; such an attitude makes it difficult to live the marriage life and gives people a negative feeling. A co-worker once made a request, saying, “It must be done this way; otherwise, I will not agree.” I would like to ask who this “I” is. Please bear in mind that no one has the position to speak like this. Even if Paul were here, he would not speak in this way.
Philippians 2:14 says, “Do all things without murmurings and reasonings.” To murmur and to reason is to have opinions; murmurings and reasonings are opinions. Hence, from now on, we all need to be on the alert. In the church life we should never say, “If this is the way things are done, I will not come anymore.” We need to ask who the “I” is and how much value it has. If the one speaking this way does not come, will it matter? If he does not come, will the church close down? If he does not come, will the work stop? All such words are ignorant and should not be uttered; they are our shame, and they are the flesh, which we should abandon. We all need to learn the lesson that the church is the church and that there has to be a proper way to handle this kind of matter.
Concerning the service of the elders in the districts, first, they need to set aside their time; second, they need to exert their effort and pay the price to learn to prophesy. In this way they will be able to meet the great need while avoiding many troubles. As for the co-workers, they should go to the different districts without having any view or opinion; neither should they insist on anything. It is not important whether the two districts remain as two districts or are combined as one. The administration is not in the co-workers’ hands; whether they speak to one district or two districts, it is not an issue. Whichever district they go to, it is not a problem; even if they go to one district this week and another the next Lord’s Day, it is still not a problem. As co-workers, we are there to serve people and minister food to them. As for the arrangement of the dining table, it is none of our business. Others are responsible for the arrangement, while we are responsible only for the ministering of the food. We should never tell people, “If you arrange the dining table and chairs this way, I quit!” or “If you meet in this way, I will not come.” This kind of speaking is not proper; we should never say such words.
In addition to the elders and co-workers, even the working saints should not say this kind of thing. We should have a family tradition of not reasoning or murmuring. We should be firm only about major issues, such as idolatry, fornication, sectarianism, and division; we should not care too much about other matters. For example, we may have a usual way of arranging chairs in the group meetings, but if someone feels that he should help the brothers and sisters learn the lesson of not being late and thus intentionally takes away the last three rows of chairs so that the latecomers must find chairs to seat themselves, I will not oppose. This is not something sinful; he merely wants others to learn a lesson. However, inwardly I will ask, “How many lessons have you learned? You may want others to learn a lesson, but how many lessons have you learned?” I believe that we understand the true significance of this kind of fellowship. There should not be reasonings or murmurings among us; rather, we simply need to follow the Lord. As far as the way is concerned, any way is acceptable.
Question: The elders were originally elders of the whole church, but after dividing into districts, the elders have gone to the districts to promote the work, to serve, and to take care of the saints. As a result, over a long period of time, the elders’ view toward the church as a whole diminishes, whereas their view toward their district enlarges. Thus, in the elders’ meeting matters pertaining to one district are decided by the elders in that district, and matters pertaining to another district are determined by the elders in that district. In the end there are fewer and fewer matters that are common to the church as a whole. This seemingly produces a peaceful situation, because everyone is unrelated to one another: the elders in one district are responsible for matters in that district, and the elders in another district take care of matters in their district. However, we are not sure that this way is scriptural. In the end the elders are also somewhat at a loss.
Answer: Even if we abolish all the districts, there are still twenty-three halls, functioning as twenty-three units within the church in Taipei. Hence, we all need to learn the lesson and receive the grace to bear the responsibility in the districts, while continuing to care for the whole church. In short, we all need to learn to fellowship. We must fellowship. As long as we fellowship, there will be no problems. We all need to learn not to place demands on others but to bear the demands ourselves. As for secondary matters, we can put them aside temporarily.
Question: If there is a brother who always speaks improperly in the meetings, should we forbid him to speak during the meeting?
Answer: We do not need to forbid him to speak during the meeting; perhaps one or two elders can fellowship with him and exhort him to not speak loosely in the meetings.
Question: We have already done this, but his situation has not improved.
Answer: If the situation has not improved, you need to warn him that if he does not improve, the brothers and sisters will not be able to accept him.
Question: How do we help brothers and sisters who do not have a clear mind, yet they attend the meetings and always desire to speak, often digressing from the subject of the fellowship?
Answer: We need to thank the Lord that at least ninety-five percent of the saints have a clear mind. Hence, you need to pray to the Lord and ask Him to give a clear mind to those who do not have one; otherwise, you need to ask the Lord to open a way to deal with this kind of situation.
Question: Concerning discussing matters in the elders’ meeting, we have learned from the Bible that the matters to be discussed must be confirmed by everyone in spirit as to whether they are what the Lord desires; how can this be carried out in a smooth way in the course of a discussion?
Answer: The elders must learn some basic lessons; if they have not learned what they should have learned, it will be difficult for them to be elders. Elders must learn how to discuss matters. For example, matters such as using various halls for gospel seminars for college students should not take much time to discuss, because they are not worth much discussion. However, during fellowship there will be points that not every elder agrees upon; at such times, we should learn not to think that only matters that we agree upon should be carried out and that those that we do not agree upon should not be done. Who are we? We should give the Lord the authority; this was Paul’s attitude.
There are serious matters that the elders need to consider and pray over again and again. If there are several matters that need an urgent decision, then we should put aside the controversial matters, or if the brothers sense the need, they can move these matters to the next meeting for fellowship. Such decisions can be made according to the actual situation. This is how to discuss matters. The elders must learn how to be elders and how to discuss matters. In the discussion of matters, there is a difference between the length, the weight, and the urgency of different matters. Based on this principle, certain matters may not need to be discussed in detail; if they are not urgent, they do not need to be discussed immediately. All these points should be taken into consideration.
Question: In the elders’ meeting every attendant has an equal right to speak; however, due to different views and observations, different opinions arise, and no one is able to come to a conclusion. What should we do? If we continue to speak but cannot express opinions, what should we do?
Answer: As long as we are willing to bear the cross, there should not be a problem. For several decades we have learned the lesson that as long as we endeavor to learn and labor and are strict with ourselves while placing no demand on others, we will avoid many problems. As for who should bring up matters or who should speak, these are trivial things; we should never try to compete for a position. If everyone learns this lesson, even great matters can be solved.
