Calvin Institute of Theology

Yacharam

Assignment on

Topic: Towards alternative Paradigms of Pastoral leadership and Church polity:

Critically Evaluating the Existing Models of Church Organization and Pastoral

Administration Based on the Vision of Ekklesia

Subject: Church Organization and Pastoral Administration

Course Teacher: Ms. Raja Christi Bai

Submitted by: Van Len Tial Class: BD IV Date: /9/ 2018

Introduction

As we have seen in the scripture Christ is the head of the Church (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:15-
16; Col.1:18), Church is the family of God (1Tim.3:15), Church is the body of Christ (Acts
20:26) and Jesus say it was my Church (Matt: 16:18). So it is clear that the Church belongs to
Christ, He has brought it so the Church must go and act according to God’s wills. The Church
must not be control by any particular person and also must not have any other things as it
head but only Jesus Christ. To restored the Church in its original condition the present
Paradigms the present structure seems not fit, so an alternative Paradigms is needed in
Pastoral administration and Church Polity.

1) Today’s Church/ Church in Modern World

The life work of the church in the modern world is characterized by hierarchy,
episcopacy and patriarchy. This means there is elitism (Superiority) of the few in the church
and consequence submission and subjugation (defeat) of many. The organized,
institutionalized church is preoccupied with organization and administration. And it seems
that today’s Church administration is busy with money, property and power struggles and
political lobbying. So the Pastor must not forget that in this existential context focus on the
people become necessary and important.

Today, churches are patterned more after modern corporations than simple gatherings
of the faithful. We have a professional class of pastors and missionaries. We have a clergy-
laity distinction no matter how much some churches try to deny it. We have church leaders
with authority over others. We have a system of “tithing” to meet its financial obligations
(mostly for salaries and facilities), even though it wasn’t practiced in the earliest gatherings.
We have countless denominations claiming to have the correct doctrine. Fundamentalists
have a gender divide denying women their right to take leadership roles. “Church planting,”
with the definition of “church” being a modern, professionals-driven, tithing-dependent,
hierarchical institution has become the method for extending the kingdom of God. The
trouble is, as much as people are free to establish modern churches (but not free to impose

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them on others as the only way to have Christian community), so all this none of it were
practice by the earliest faith gathering.

2) Paradigms of the Church

Mead discovers two paradigms that have worked in church history, both having
served their purpose and both now obsolete. The church, he explains, is hurting today
because it needs to develop a third paradigm. He does not tell us what that paradigm is, but
figures that defining the problem goes a long way toward solving it. The first paradigm is the
first century church, which he calls the "apostolic paradigm." The church is an isolated unit
within the larger culture, and works against the culture in order to share the gospel and
promote God's work. The second paradigm is Christendom, in which the church and state are
a single unit, sharing the magisterial responsibility of governing. In this case the church is
identical with the culture, and stands against those who are outside the borders of the state
and accomplishes God's work through national policy. And also we have an Ecclesial Church
Paradigm, Here something totally different happen at this time there are Bishop and Pope and
Rome was the capital of Christian. At this time when Constantine become king he wanted to
make the Christian capital Constantinople as the capital city of Christian. As his wish he later
on he made Constantinople the Capital of Christian so he began to put Bishop in
Constantinople. So from that time the people began to go to Constantinople rather than Rome
so the Constantinople Bishop become more famous than Rome bishop later on their was a
misunderstand between Constantinople and Rome bishop so because of this their council of
Nicea was summon.

2.1) Alternative paradigms

Here for the alternative paradigm for the church today we will talks about letting go
of the modern notion of “church.” Church or “ekklesia” in Greek, were simply gatherings of
believers or what they called “followers of the Way.” Convergence Christianity needs a new
paradigm for faith communities that are informed by history and unbound by church walls
and institutions. One where gatherings of followers of the Path can be truly inclusive. Where
doctrines or even Christian conversion, as important as those might be, is not the foundation
or the driving force of the community, but rather simply love for God and neighbor. Where
the Golden Rule rules and is the only nonnegotiable. Where, as all kinds of people are truly
welcome. Where customs are derived from original traditions, like sharing a meal together
and remembering Jesus’ sacrificial life.

3) Church Polity

Mostly there are three types of polity Episcopal, Presbyterian or congregational.

3.1) Episcopal: Episcopal it does not mean that Episcopal Church, although the Episcopal
Church is, logically enough, Episcopal in government. Simply put, Episcopal polity is the
polity in which bishops (Greek: episkopos) rule. Other denominations with bishops include,
obviously, the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches, are among others.

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3.2) Presbyterian polity, like Episcopal polity, shares its name with its most enthusiastic
American adopter, the Presbyterian Church (be it PC (USA) or PC (INDIA) or something
else). By Presbyterian, I mean a church governed by a “session” (council) made up of the
minister(s) and lay elders. The session is under the presbytery, which is a body made up of
representatives from member churches. Likewise the synod is over the presbytery and the
General Assembly is over the synods. This is a very representative form of government, but
also proportions a nice amount of control over the churches to the ministers and other
congregations, keeping some accountability between denominations. This was the polity of
the ruling English Puritans when Cromwell came to power.

3.3) Congregational polity technically is a polity in which the individual congregation is

completely autonomous in rule. For example, in the Evangelical Free Church, they have
districts and so forth that fit fairly analogous to the Presbyterian hierarchy. The key thing
with Congregationalists, however, is that they can cede at any time from the denomination,
have complete control of our property and the selection of pastors. The denomination cannot
seize a church for bad doctrine, although it can disfellowship with it.

4) Pastoral Administration based on the Vision of Ekklesia

A church is made up of believers who are a part of the body of Christ. (Rom. 12:4-5,
1 Cor. 12:12, 27) First the Pastor must understand that a church is an organization instituted
by God as Acts 2 records on the Day of Pentecost. Any organization must have leadership
and in a local churchthat calling and position God has given to the pastor. The New
Testament Greek word that is translated "church" in our English Bibles is the word "ekklesia"
and refers a local assembly or congregation of people meeting together in a particular
geographical location, for a specific purpose. It cannot by definition refer to a universal
church or catholic organization. To proper use the word "ekklesia" it must be applied to a
group of people meeting together.

In the New Testament "ekklesia" referred to the assemblies which met in a city. Acts
11:22..."The church which is in Jerusalem", 1 Thess. 1:1..."The church of the Thessalonians",
Plural use of the word "ekklesia" also referred to multiple churches in an area. 1 Cor.
16:19..."The churches of Asia salute you", Gal 1:2..."unto the churches of Galatia", Gal
1:22...."Unto the churches of Judaea" However, in each case the word "ekklesia" referred to
an assembly of believers meeting together in a specific geological location. The use of the
word in the New Testament requires that those involved in the "ekklesia" must physically
meet together.

Believers who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior need to be joined and meet
together to serve the Lord.

The "ekklesia" refers to the members of the family of God on Earth meeting in a
specific location. It is His household and the picture is of a home and family that are together.
(Gal. 6:10 and Eph. 2:19). Denominations holding different doctrines and having hierarchies
ruling over them is not known to the New Testament. Denominations are the invention of
man. They present a negative picture of Christians in the sense that they represent groups

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with have differing doctrines and practices. A true church bases it faith and practice on the
teaching of the New Testament and all such churches should be in harmony. Sadly, many
church organizations hold to false teachings and practices. In this sense being separated into
denominations is proper because the beliefs of a group are noted by their denominational
affiliation. It is the responsibility of the saint of God to support and be a part in the local
church. Attending and being a part of the local church is not optional for the believer who
loves the Lord and wants to please Him. Hebrews 10:22-25 clearly states believers are not to
forsake the assembling of themselves together. Ephesians 5:25 states the importance of the
local church in a believer's life because it says the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for the
local church.

The makeup of the New Testament churches was: Saints, bishops, appointed servants
which English Bibles call "deacons." "Paul and Timothy’s, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all
the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Philippians
1:1) So the Pastor must know all this and try to lead the people all together irrespective of
caste, sex, etc the Church is for all kinds of people and all kinds of people must be involves in
the Church activities and also Church leadership and the Pastor must not forget ther Ekklesia
model which we hane mention above

Conclusion

In today Church we do not need to create a new anything/ a new paradigm. All that is
needed is to recover the old paradigm the apostolic paradigm the biblical paradigm and if that
is in our Church today we will once again have a vibrant, growing, and living church. Then
we will rediscover the church of the New Testament.