October is the time when consistories are again looking forward to the nomination, election, and installation of new elders and deacons. The responsibilities associated with these offices in the church are far greater than many may think. This article is the second in a series, For Elders and Deacons, by Rev. Harry C. Arnold, pastor of the First Christian Reformed Church of Lansing, Ill.
In Isaiah 6 we have a record of the prophet’s call to his holy office and of the commission that accompanied it. He writes: “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me.” Thereafter the Lord commissioned him to preach to his people.
Holy Callings – That which was true for Isaiah should be true for every elder and deacon in Christ’s church. He should feel called by God to his office and should believe himself to be commissioned by God to function in the particular office to which he has been called.
The way in which God calls today may differ radically from the manner in which Isaiah received his call. Nevertheless, the fact that Cod still calls to office is just as real today as it was then. Moreover, one who assumes an office in the church must ultimately feel in his heart that he is called “of God Himself” to his holy office (cf. Form for Ordination of Elders and Deacons, First question placed before office-bearers at their installation).
Consider for a moment what is meant by “office” in the church. It may be said that quite generally we use the term office somewhat ambiguously. We sometimes mean “appointment to a position.” At other times we mean “task, service, or function.”
Without going into any technical details of what office is, let us simply say that it is both a “position” to which one is elected by the church and it is also a “function, task, ministry, or service” which one docs within the church. Both Church Order and the Form for the Ordination of Elders and Deacons take the viewpoint that holding office in the church is the result of a “call” both of God and the church (cf. Form for Ordination Of Elders and Deacons and Church Order, Article 4).
The Form explains the task of the offices before it places the questions to the candidates for office. The Church Order deals mostly with the tasks of the respective offices in the various articles that follow. One thing projects itself clearly in the ordination forms of the Christian Reformed Church, as well as in its Belgic Confession (Articles XXX, XXXI) and the Church Order (Article 4), namely that the offices are of God; and that to be called to office by the church in a proper manner is to be called of God to serve in that respective office.
To be elected to the office of elder or deacon is just as much a holy call of God as to be elected to the office of the minister of the Word. For as our Church Order states: “These offices differ from each other in mandate and task, not in dignity and honor” (Article 2).
Biblical Requirements – Since it is God who ultimately calls one to office, it is only natural that we should expect God to set forth certain requirements for office. Thus, we speak of biblical requirements for office.
The Church Order puts it this way: “Confessing male members of the church who meet the biblical requirements for office–bearers are eligible for office” (Article 3). Except for that part of the article which requires to be a confessing nude member of the church, the Church Order does not detail the biblical requirements. It is assumed that the church will search the Scriptures for these requirements. Hence, we must take note again of the importance of that principle mentioned in our last article that the church must bind itself to the sole authority of God‘s Word.
The church which will search the Scriptures will find much material regarding the offices. According to Acts 6, only those were chosen to the office of deacon who were “men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” The classic passage of Scripture which sets forth the qualifications for both elders and deacons is, of course, 1 Timothy 3:1–13. In addition, there are many other passages which deal with the office of elder.
Let the above suffice to show that to be an officebearer in the church of Christ onc ought to possess certain biblical qualifications which are not necessarily required of those who scck membership in the church. In elucidating this difference between office-bearers and church members, the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church has declared:
Church membership does not carry with it the implication that all male members in full communion are thereby deemed eligible for office in the church. Office in the church presupposes spiritual gifts for the office and doctrinal understanding and competence which may not be imposed as a condition of church membership (Acts of Synod. 1959, Art. 76, p. 22).
Solemn Obligations – Paramount among the solemn obligations of all office-bearers is that of professed agreement with the doctrinal standards of the church. Therefore all office-bearers in the Christian Reformed Church are required to conform to Article 5 of the Church Order which reads:
All office-bearers, on occasions stipulated by consistorial, classical, and synodical regulations, shall signify their agreement with the doctrine of the church by signing the Form of Subscription.
By signing the Farm of Subscription, office–bearers solemnly declare their agreement with the teachings of the Christian Reformed Church as contained in her doctrinal standards as conforming to the Word of God. Moreover, those who sign the Form also promise to teach and defend the doctrine of the church and to reject and refute that which disagrees with it.
Finally, those who sign the Form solemnly obligate themselves to follow a specified course of action should any doubts arise in their minds regarding the church‘s doctrine (cf. Form of Subscription and also comments on Article 5 of the Church Order in Martin Monsma‘s The Revised Church Order Commentary, pp. 38–41).
There are other practical obligations that one assumes upon becoming an elder or a deacon. First of all, one is solemnly obligated to serve in the office to which he has been “lawfully called of God‘s church, and consequently of God Himself.” No one ought to refuse to serve when properly elected, unless certain unforeseen circumstances prevent it. One must be made to realize his accountability to God if he refuses to serve in an office to which God has called him.
Moreover, elders and deacons must count it a privilege to be chosen to serve in the Lord‘s vineyard. Let those elected to office especially remember the words of our Lord Jesus: “he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve” (Luke 22:26).
Another practical obligation which flows from the preceding one is that an elder or a deacon should serve with devotion. That means that he ought to give priority to the things pertaining to his office. For example, he ought always to be present at consistory meetings, as well as at the separate elders’ and/or deacons’ meetings. He ought to arrange his schedule, if at all possible, so that absences from any meetings will be at a minimum. Moreover, he ought to be prompt in arriving at the meetings on time. How often precious minutes are lost because the meeting starts late and other members continue to straggle in during the course of the business!
Again, upon becoming an elder or a deacon, one assumes the solemn and practical obligation to function within a body. One speaks his piece as an individual office-bearer within the meeting. But once a vote is taken, the decision is that of the body; and the individual must acquiesce in it, unless it is contrary to Scripture or the Church Order. The Lord rules His church through the wisdom of the officebearers in corporate assembly. Let every elder and deacon do his best to function harmoniously within the body of the consistory. Further, elders and deacons assume the solemn obligations to perform the functions of their offices.
Elders must be willing to admonish the erring, visit the wayward, watch over the families of the church, and in general, “Tend the flock of God … exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God” (I Peter 5:2).
Deacons must be willing to visit the needy, serve them with counsel and assistance, collect monies for the distressed and distribute the same with counsel and encouragement from Scripture. In general, deacons must remember that in exercising their office they represent “the interest and love of Christ in behalf of His own.” The service deacons render to the needy is counted as done unto the Lord Himself.
Finally, need any be reminded that the service rendered by both elders and deacons should be with guarded confidentiality? People‘s lives and reputations are at stake. Let office–bearers perform their duties without peddling what they know about others. Let us learn to pray with new meaning the words of David: “Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).