Commentary: Do We Read in the New Testament the Structures We in “Church”?

As you read the epistles, do you see any gathering of Christians ( i.e. church) that has: 1) A pulpit preacher/senior minister 2) Song Leader 3) Dedicated Youth and Children’s Ministers, etc.  4) Administrative Elders or Administrative Preacher 5) Meeting in Buildings the “church” owns 6) The Lord’s  Supper described in any setting other than a Meal? We take all of these for granted today.  I am not saying any particular one of these is wrong in the sense it is “sinful.” I am saying you don’t find them detailed in the bible.  As I have previously written we must distinguish between function/principal and methods used to implement that function.  Certainly methods can be wrong, but not necessarily. 

So what about “pulpit preachers”?  We have previously demonstrated that the description preach and its form was always a word to describe proclaiming the gospel. In addition there was no sustained located preacher described in the New Testament.  The word was used interchangeably with the word for evangelist.  

So, then, is the “pulpit” ministers  job to primarily  proclaim the gospel. In the New Testament Paul, Stephen, and Timothy are all  called evangelists who went from place to place proclaiming the gospel. The is similar to the evangelist who in long days past held “gospel meetings” to proclaim the good news.  I would submit the primary task of “pulpit  preachers” today is not to “preach to the lost on Sunday morning” but to edify and encourage Christian in the  Christian life.

The question is not whether this “wrong”.  The question is have we lost something in the process with our building/staff oriented focus.  I think we have lost a lot.  Note that having the spiritual gift of proclaiming the gospel is not confined to those who have gone to “preaching school” who wish to be “missionaries” a term that really comports with the biblical term evangelist in the New Testament.  Where is this emphasis today?   The emphasis is not on proclaiming the gospel.  Here is the data that shows this is true:

“The allocation of church budgets toward evangelism and outreach to non-Christians varies widely among congregations, influenced by factors such as denomination, size, and specific mission priorities. While precise percentages can differ, general trends indicate:​

• Missions and Evangelism: Many churches allocate approximately 10% of their budget to missions and charitable activities, which encompass both local and international evangelism efforts. ​get.tithe.ly

• Staff Compensation: On average, churches spend about 50% of their budget on staff salaries and benefits. ​breezechms.com+5get.tithe.ly+5smartchurchsolutions.com+5

• Facilities and Operations: Expenses related to building maintenance, utilities, and other operational costs typically account for 20-30% of the budget.”

If you want to find out what is important to a person or organization, just “follow the money.”.  Clearly, proclaiming the gospel is not the important mission of most congregations.

So, what have we lost with our “pulpit preachers” and associate buildings staff and structures? We have lost the focus that Christ had.  He had two primary objectives: 1) Seek and Save the Lost and 2) To serve others I submit we have lost both with the “emphasis on the wrong syllable.”

Also how one proclaims “The Way” and thus the gospel can take many forms of ministries.  More on this next time.