November is the month when annual con· gregational meetings are held, cIders and deacons are chosen, and other business of the local church is conducted. Hence the timeliness of this article on Guidelines for Church Government. Rev. Dennis J. Prutow, the writer, is pastor of Westminster Chapel-Orthodox Presbyterian in Bartlesville, Oklahama. His article is based on, and is an exposition of Acts 6:1–7, about the “Choosing of the Seven.”

In speaking of government in the church, some would say, “Why bother, it is a nonessential. We should speak of matters that bear directly upon our salvation.” We could then suppose that the only truths essential to salvation are: One, there is a God; two, all men are sinners; three, Christ died on the cross to make atonement for the sins of many; four, whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. Other truths of Scripture being nonessential would then be seen as unimportant.

Nonessential? – We might draw the line between the essential and nonessential things of Scripture at any point. The result would be the same. Large portions of the Word of God, the Bible, would be and are viewed as unimportant. This is so because large portions of Scripture, in fact the greater part, deal with the so called nonessentials.

The danger should he self-evident. “Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable” (II Tim. 3:16). So Paul instructs Timothy. And David says in Psalm 19:7, “The law of the Lord is perfect.” “Strike out of the Bible the truth that seems most insignificant of all, and the law of the Lord would not be perfect any more” (The Apostolic Church, Thomas Witherow, p. 12).

Every divine truth is important because it is from God. The stamp of God‘s approval is on every verse of the Bible. So it is that when we come to Acts 6:1–7 and to the subject of government in the church that we are not to throw it aside as a nonessential. Rather we are to take heed to the very Word of God written for our comfort and instruction.

Grumbling within the church – The text takes us first to the matter of grumbling within the church. “Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” What is spoken of here is not an open falling out between the Greeks and the Hebrews but rather a burning heart among the Greeks. It was a complaining, a murmuring, confined within the one group about the actions of the other group.

The Israelites of old grumbled among themselves against Moses; and against God. Here the Grecians complained among themselves against the Hebrews. The Greek-speaking Christians, no doubt a minority, were grumbling among themselves against the native Hebrew Christians in Jerusalem.

And as was the case, murmuring always roots in some concrete point of discontent. The Israelites in the wilderness grumbled against Moses and God when it looked as if their stomachs might not be filled nor their thirst assuaged. The Scribes and the Pharisees complained against Jesus and His disciples because thcy ate with tax collectors and sinners. Here the Grecians are seen to have murmured against the Hebrews because they felt their widows were being neglected in the daily distributions. It should be noted that the murmuring did not arise among the women but because of them. And so money and women were the occasion for the first serious disturbance in the life of the early church.

But such grumbling and the resultant disturbances arise from self–imposed standards. When the children of Israel grumbled against God and Moses while in the wilderness, they did so because they felt that God was slack concerning His promises to them. His behavior did not meet their standards. When the Scribes and the Pharisees complained against Jesus, they did so because His conduct was not in accord with their traditions. His behavior did not meet their standards. And here, when the Grecians complained against the Hebrews, it was because they felt that the Apostles were not functioning as they should have been in the care of the poor. The Apostles behavior did not meet the Grecian’s standards.

The Apostles’ response – The direct effect of this grumbling and complaining is related in the response of the Apostles. “It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.” This highlights the real problem, the ongoing ministry of the church.

On one side in the providence of God, the Apostles became responsible for the welfare of the poor within the church. In Acts 4:34 we read, “For as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as anyone had need.” So the work of receiving money and paying it out to those in need fell to the Apostles. They served tables, much as those tables served by the money changers in the temple.

This turned out to he no small task as is seen by the size of the Jerusalem church. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand souls were added to the church. And the number of the church was in fact increasing daily. The scene before us was in this time “when the number of the disciples was multiplying” (6:1). The church included thousands. And the task of daily distributions was for the Apostles a difficult one.

The Apostles were not able to cope with two heavy burdens and so they say, “It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.” Serving at money tables was foreign to the business to which the Apostles had been called. And since it was such a monumental task, if they did serve tables on a continuing basis, the time for the proclamation of the Gospel would be greatly reduced.

In the serving of tables, the Apostles were therefore forced to neglect the preaching of the Word. Unable to cope with both burdens, they put priority on the Word of God. Preaching the Gospel is thus seen to be the better work and the more needful. Ministers are not to be in the business of serving tables, social work, but they are to be in the work of Gospel proclamation.

Of course, grumbling and complaining within the church is the work of Satan. In Revelation 12:10 that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, is also called “the accuser of our brethren.” Grumbling, murmuring, discontent, and discord are born of him. And the result of such murmuring and complaining is to hamper the ministry of the Word of God. There could then be a drastic reduction in the effectiveness of the church. It is against this threat to the ministry of the church that the Apostles move in rectifying the situation.

Corrective action taken – The corrective action taken by the Apostles is given in verses 3 and 4 of the text. “Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.”

The Apostles gave very explicit directions to the church at large. The institution of the office of deacon was set forth along with the Apostolic directions for their selection and ordination. The Apostles first directed, “Look ye out therefore. brethren.” The choice of the deacons by election was permitted to the church as a whole. So it is that the church today may choose by public election those who may serve in this office. The people must elect, “Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you . . .” (RSV).

In addition, however, the Apostles laid down the qualifications for the officers. It is not just anyone who was to be chosen or who should he chosen today. Only those fitted for the office are to be selected. The Apostles laid down what sort of men ought to be chosen, “Men of good report,” that is of good reputation, “full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” By way of making these qualifications more explicit, Paul adds to them in his instructions to Timothy (I Tim. 3:8–13).

As Calvin puts it, “This is the way between tyranny and disorderly licence, for it means that nothing indeed may be done except by consent and approval of the people; but on the other hand that the pastors may rule with their authority like a bridle to hold in check the impulses of the people, to prevent their enthusiasm running away with them” (Calvin‘s New Testament Commentaries, The Acts of the Apostles, Vol. I, p. 161, Torrance Edition).

Those chosen by the congregation, who met the apostolic standards, were to be ordained, “whom we may appoint over this business.” The power of ordaining was not left to the people but was retained by the Apostles.

The Apostles would thus give their approval to the selection of the congregation. They would give the deacons their charge. This was so they might rightly understand their specific duties in serving tables. And the Apostles would also give the deacons their authority. This was so the people of the church might know to whom they were to come when they were in physical need.

Readiness to follow Apostolic guidelines – To what do all of these directions speak but to government in the church? The Apostles used their authority to direct the governing of certain areas within the church, the care of the poor and the widows. They set down certain guidelines for government in the church. And the Apostles had certain very definite objectives in instituting this form of government. First, the murmuring among the Grecians had to be answered. Were these rivalries and dissensions to gain strength, wounds in the church, difficult to heal, could develop. Second, and most importantly, freedom was needed for greater proclamation of the Gospel. The latter concern was indeed the greater one. If the church would follow the directions set down by the Apostles, then they in turn could “continue steadfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.”

The glory of the New Testament church was found in its readiness to follow the directions outlined by the Apostles. “And the saying pleased the whole multitude” (verse 5). The disciples went ahead immediately with the suggestion of the Apostles. They did not hesitate to implement their part in further organizing the overall government of the church.

The disciples chose seven men fitting the criterion outlined by the Apostles. The seven men chosen were all Grecians; they all bore Greek names. The murmurings of the Grecians were silenced in the best possibly way. And the trouble was settled once and for all. It does not recur.

It should be seen that there was no fear of church government within the early church. To the contrary, there was a great eagerness displayed to follow the policies of the Apostles. There was a readiness to organize under Apostolic guidelines. And there was a readiness to use the organization for the benefit of all. The results of this institution and utilization of church government were startling. Verse 7 tells us, “And the word of God increased; and the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

Blessed results – Three great results were seen.

First, the Word of God kept spreading. The Word of God kept spreading because the Apostles were now relieved from the daily serving of tables. They resolved to stick more closely than ever to their preaching. They disentangled themselves from secular affairs and addicted themselves entirely to the work of spreading the Gospel.

Second, the number of disciples in Jerusalem continued to increase. When things were put in good order, grievances redressed, and discontents silenced, then the church advanced. And it was not a small gain that was made. The number of disciples multiplied “exceedingly.” The grumbling and murmuring had not interfered with the growth of the church. And why was this? The church did not hesitate in the implementation and utilization of church government.

Third, the church’s strongest opposition was penetrated. “And a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” One after the other, until there was a great company, the priests believed. The priests were for the most part Sadducees, bitter opponents of Jesus and His disciples. It was indeed a sad day for Annas and Caiaphas and all the sect of the Saducees. “A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

Church government you see is not an evil that lurks in the shadows or a dark cloud that hangs over the church. Rather it is a divine institution. Difficulties, problems, and even murmurings are bound to arise in the church. Even so, the ministry of the church must continue. The Word of the Gospel must continue to spread. The number of disciples must continue to increase. And even the church‘s most bitter opposition must be overcome.

When difficulties arise in the church and there is murmuring io the church, we must remember that “our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). We must also remember that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds” (II Cor. 10:4). And we must finally remember that one of the divinely inspired weapons we have to pull down the strongholds of the‘ enemy is church government. Government inspired by God, set forth by the apostles, and recorded in Scripture.

Church government is not a nonessential. If it were a nonessential, it would not be found in Scripture. In proper church government we have the vehicle to answer the problems in the church, redress grievances, and silence the murmurings. At the same time, the primary taks of gospel proclamation may go on without great hindrances. And there may be growth in the church. Without government in the church, there is chaos; and there can be no real growth. We should thank God that He has given us guidelines in church government in His Word, the Bible. And where church government is properly implemented and utilized, we should also give thanks to God. It is an aid to the Gospel.