Just Semantics? (Pastor)
In this series, I’m going to discuss various biblical terms that are often misused or misunderstood because of the way we use the English terms today. In other words, we often read our modern day definitions into scriptural words. This is not a valid way to understand Scripture.
For example, consider the English word “pastor”. As a noun, the Greek term that is translated “pastor” (ποιμήν – poimÄ“n) usually refers to Jesus. Only once in the New Testament does it refer to someone other than Jesus (Ephesians 4:11). This noun refers to someone who takes care of sheep. The Greek verb (ποιμαίνω – poimainÅ) usually refers to the work of an actually shepherd. At least twice it refers metaphorically to the work of church leaders (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:2).
In the metaphorical uses, this word group always refers to caring for people. It is not used as a title, but as a function. However, today, the church often uses the term “Pastor” to refer to an official position in the church – much like we use the word “Minister” from yesterday’s post. Likewise, when we read the word “pastor” or “shepherd” in Scripture, we often read this modern definition into the meaning of the Scripture.
For example, wiktionary gives the following definitions for “pastor”:
Pastor: The minister or priest of a Christian church.
Recently, I heard from a man who referred to himself as a “Pastor”. The church referred to him as “Pastor” as well. The man said that he loves to study Scripture and teach, but he doesn’t like caring for people. However, when he read Acts 20:28 or 1 Peter 5:2, he thought that it referred to him because he was a “Pastor”.
If someone refers to himself as “Pastor”, but does not care for people, then that person is not a “pastor” and is not “shepherding” in the scriptural sense. Even if the church gives someone the title of “Pastor”, if that person is not caring for people, then the person is not a “pastor” in the meaning of Scripture.
The person may be a great person. He or she may be a terrific teacher. But, that does not make the person a “pastor”. But, of course, if someone is giving the title “Pastor”, they naturally read Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2 as referring to them. Again, this is an example of reading a modern meaning of the word “Pastor” back into Scripture illegitimately. This means that we are not understanding Scripture the way the original authors (and God!) intended for us to understand it.
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Just Semantics? (Servant)
In this series, I’m going to discuss various biblical terms that are often misused or misunderstood because of the way we use the English terms today. In other words, we often read our modern day definitions into scriptural words. This is not a valid way to understand Scripture.
For example, consider the Greek word διάκονος (diakonos) which is variously translated “minister”, “deacon”, or “servant”. Here are a few passages from the ESV (other translations are similar):
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. (Ephesians 3:7 ESV)
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. (1 Timothy 3:8 ESV)
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. (1 Timothy 4:6 ESV)
If you look up these three words (“minister”, “deacon”, “servant”) in an English dictionary, you’ll find that the three words have different meanings, and especially different connotations. For example, here are the definitions from wiktionary:
Minister: A person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies.
Deacon: A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
Servant: One who serves another, providing help in some manner.
Notice that in English, the three terms “minister”, “deacon”, and “servant” have varying degrees of “official” status. Thus, a “minister” in Protestant traditions is typically the most “official”, probably referring to someone who is a vocational pastor, evangelist, missionary, etc. A “deacon” would refer to someone who maintains an “official” status – though slightly less than the “minister” – while probably not being paid for his duties. Finally, a “servant” does not have any official status and certainly doesn’t get paid for serving in the church.
But, there’s a problem. All of these terms are translations from the same Greek term: διάκονος (diakonos). Now, granted, Greek words like English words can have different meanings and different references. But, this would have to be specified in the context of the passage. The context in which a word is used helps us to understand how it is being used. But, what if there is nothing in the context? Why is Paul called a “minister”? Why are some “servants” called “deacons”? What if they were all called “servants”?
Notice for instance that two of the passages above (1 Timothy 3:8 and 1 Timothy 4:6) are within the same context – only a few sentences from one another! But, the term διάκονος (diakonos) is translated two different ways: deacon and servant, respectively.
Of course, now we reach the crux of the issue. If we called “ministers” and “deacons” by the term “servant”, then they would lose their “official” status in the eyes of the people. And, of course, there are many, many “ministers” and “deacons” who do not act like “servants” – which means they should not be called “minsters” or “deacons” either.
When we read the words “minister” or “deacon” in Scripture, we should remember that those terms simply mean “servant”. If we impute any other significance onto those terms, then we are reading modern definitions back into Scripture. This means that we are not understanding Scripture the way the original authors (and God!) intended for us to understand it.
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Christmas Giving
Alot of people complain about Christmas. They complain that Christmas has become more about getting than about Christ. If you are one of those who complain, then do something about it. Make this Christmas about Christ by GIVING. Why? Because Christ gave.
Last week, Margaret and I gave blood. She’s given blood as long as I can remember, and she persuaded me to start giving blood last year. I now give “double reds” if they need it. If you don’t want to give blood, then donate or volunteer to support the American Red Cross.
Also last week, we made another loan through Kiva, this time to a young lady in Nicaragua who wants to expand the retail space in her home. (She reminded me of the family that we stayed with when we visited Nicaragua a few years ago.) If you are not familiar with Kiva, this organization allows you to make micro-loans ($25) to people around the world. When the people pay the loans back (usually in about a year), you can loan that money to other people.
Additionally, last week, we went Christmas shopping for some of the children who live in the government assisted housing development that we spend time in each week. We have participated in “angel tree” type of projects before. (If you are not familiar with “angel tree”, it is where you choose the name of a random child off of a tree and buy a present for that child.) We’re excited about this year because we actually know the children that we’re buying gifts for.
Finally, last week, Margaret took an elderly lady to her doctor’s appointment. The lady lives in the government assisted housing development where we spend time each week. She called Margaret one morning and said that there was no one to take her to the doctor. So, Margaret took her.
So, we’ve started our Christmas giving already. Our children (Jeremy and Miranda) are excited about giving; they helped us choose and pay for (yes! with their money!) some of the toys for the children.
Will you start giving too? I don’t mean giving to people who will give back to you. I mean, will you give to someone who cannot give a gift to you in return? You know, the way that God gives…
Make a Difference
Jamey at “A Life Transformed” is one of those voices that every believer should listen closely to. Here is one of her recent posts called “What Would Have Made A Difference“:
If you would have reached out to me as a friend, that would have made a difference.
I needed the support and encouragement of someone who cared.If you would have taken the time to listen, that would have made a difference.
I needed someone who could understand.If you would have accepted me, that would have made a difference.
I wanted to feel like I belonged.If you would have loved me, that would have made a difference.
It would have gave me hope.All these things would have made a difference,
I would have seen Jesus in you.The hurting need to know that someone cares and loves them. Sometimes the thing they may need most is someone to just be there. If we want to see lives transformed with the message of Jesus, we need to show them Jesus. We do that through our actions by loving them, genuinely caring for them, having compassion for them, and seeing them as Jesus does. That exemplifies the love of Christ.
Jamey is not speaking from theory. She’s been homeless before. She knows how the poor are treated, even by Christians.
I’m ready to make a difference. How about you?
Newbigin on Church and Mission
A few weeks ago, I quoted Lesslie Newbigin from his book The Household of God (Friendship Press, 1954) in a post called “More ready to submit than to impose“. As I said in that post, I thought Newbigin description of the work of the Spirit in the meeting of the church is one of the best that I’ve read.
However, Newbigin’s book does not focus on the community aspect of the church alone. In fact, his ecclesiology is often called a “Missionary Ecclesiology”. Newbigin does not believe that the community aspect of the church can be separated from the missional aspect of the church. He says, however, that the church often treats this as dichotomies:
The most obvious evidence is the fact that, in the thinking of the vast majority of Christians, the words “Church” and “Mission” connote two different kinds of society. The one is conceived to be a society devoted to worship, and the spiritual care and nurture of its members. It is typically represented by a large and ancient building. The other is conceived to be a society devoted to the propagation of the Gospel, passing on its converts to the safe keeping of “the Church”… The two cannot become one until a very deep and widespread change has taken place in the thinking of the Churches about their own nature, until they have come to see, and to express in the ordinary life of the Church, the truth that the Church has all its treasure entrusted to it for the sake of the world, and that therefore mission belongs to the very substance of the Church’s life.
Although Newbigin wrote this over fifty years ago, I think it still describes the predominant thought among Christians: church and mission are separate. However, as Newbigin explains, this false dichotomy demonstrate that most Christians do not understand the nature or purpose of the church.
I’ve written about this before is a post called “The Gathered and the Sent“. We must recognize that we are gathered by God out of the world. This “gathering together” must include more than meeting for the sake of meeting. Instead, as the gathered people of God, we must seek unity and community and fellowship that is deep and life-altering because it is created and nurtured by the Spirit of God.
However, our community life has a purpose – to express the Gospel, the love, the mercy, and hope of Jesus Christ to the world. The community cannot exist for its own benefit alone. Instead, the community (the church) exists to demonstrate God (to exegete Him, if you will) to the world that is not part of the community.
Thus, community and mission go hand-in-hand. If we attempt to separate them, then we will not have community or mission, regardless of what we call them. We must recognized that we (all of us!) are both a gathered people and a sent people.
Self-Serving or Other-Serving
I love it when my friends – that is, people that I know “in real life” – write blog posts that express something that I’ve heard them talk about personally. Matthew at “The Journey” recently did this in a post called “The Art of Seeking One’s Self“.
Matthew begins by sharing a story that happened at his work. He shared this story with the church, and how God used this circumstance to convict him of his own self-centeredness. In his blog post, Matthew writes:
Of course, this is no isolated incident. I usually hide it a little better though. That’s why I titled this the art of self-seeking. Because that’s what I’ve honed it to, an art form. I can be selfish while making it seem like I’m not. I can serve my own needs while seeming to serve others. Now this isn’t always the case, many times I have genuinely served others with no gain to myself. But have I gone out of my way to do this? Have I searched for opportunities? Have I genuinely loved my neighbor more than myself?
What great questions to ask of ourselves! Are we actually serving others, or are we simply serving ourselves? Are we seeking the best for others, or are we seeking the best for ourselves?
I’m so excited that God has placed me among people like Matthew – people who are willing to share their lives with their friends and with the world.
What Church Structures Hide
Our church has structure, but it is a very flexible – almost invisible – structure. In fact, some suggest that we have no structure and no organization. In fact, this is impossible for a group of people. However, we try to make sure that our structure does not dominate or dictate how we meet or how we interact with one another. We try to have a structure and an organization that encourages relationships – almost forces relationships.
Because of this, we’ve noticed a problem. People do not know how to live and serve in relationships with one another. While almost everyone agrees that believers are to live in community – relationship – with one another, it is becoming obvious that very few actually do this.
In fact, it is becoming clear that many church structures allow people to think that they are living and serving in community, while in reality there is no relationship, or at best very shallow relationships.
Let me give you an example. A few years ago, Margaret and I were part of a children’s ministry. I was director of this ministry, while Margaret was one of the teachers. We had several other teachers and leaders and helpers that served within this ministry. In the eyes of the church leadership, this ministry was “successful” because we involved large numbers of adults and served large numbers of children.
But, in reality, looking back, we did not have strong relationships with either the adults involved in the ministry or with the children that we served. (We did have a strong relationship with one family, but that relationship existed before we served together in this ministry.) Why were we able to serve “successfully” without relationships? Because the structures propped it up. We each had a position and a job description. We did what we were supposed to do. It was fun and rewarding for the kids, so they came.
A few years later we are not involved with that ministry and we are not involved in the lives of any of the people involved. We did our thing, now its over. So what? Was the body of Christ built up? I’m sure God did many good things through this ministry, just as he often does. But, honestly, we did not experience the fellowship of the Spirit with one another. We did serve because we knew one another and knew how to encourage one another toward maturity in Christ. We served because that was our ministry responsibility.
Church structures hide the fact that believers – for the most part – do not know how to live and serve in relationship with one another. We know how to do our duty, but we don’t know how to accept, listen, love, and serve one another. We know how to run our programs, but we don’t know how to get to know one another so that we can meet one another’s needs. We know how to hold Bible studies, but we don’t know one another well enough to know what we need to teach or to learn.
So, what happens when those church structures are removed? What happens when there are no programs or ministries or Bible studies? For the most part, people do not know what to do, because the do not know how to have relationships with one another, and serve through those relationships. We know how to live with our structures, but not with one another.
Our church structures are hiding our lack of fellowship with one another, which is indeed a lack of fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)
Advent 1 – Waiting WITH Jesus
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent (from adventus, Latin for “coming”) marks the time when the church thinks about the first coming of Jesus Christ as a baby in Bethlehem, and also thinks about the second coming of Jesus Christ in the end times. The focus today is “waiting expectantly”.
The Jews waited expectantly for their Messiah. This expectation is exemplified in Anna and Simeon who rejoiced when they met Jesus as a baby in Jerusalem. Similarly, Christians are told to wait expectantly for the second coming of Christ. We are to live as if that coming could be any moment.
But, apart from the past coming and the future coming – both of which are very important – how should followers of Jesus Christ live in light of the present coming of Jesus? Present coming, you may ask? Yes. While Jesus left this earth physically, he sent his Spirit. In fact, he said that it was better for us to have his Spirit than to have him physically present.
Thus, Jesus is physically present in the Spirit of God who indwells every believer. Jesus came in the past, and he is coming in the future. But, he also comes today. How do we wait expectantly in light of his present coming and future coming?
This is what Paul wrote to Titus:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14 ESV)
As we wait for the future, physical coming of Jesus Christ, we wait in the reality of his present, spiritual coming – that is, his presence with us – as Immanuel. But, we do not wait idly. In fact, in light of both his presence and his future coming, we wait with a purpose and a mission.
First, we are to mature in holiness – renouncing ungodliness and worldly passions, and living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. Second we are to be enthusiastic in our service of other people (zealous for good works). Each of these (holiness and good works) are impossible apart from the real presence of Jesus Christ.
As we wait for Jesus’ future coming, we do not waith alone. No, instead we wait with Jesus. And, we do not wait idly, as if there is nothing more for us here. No, instead we wait with purpose and mission, seeking to submit to the Spirit and to one another in order to mature in both holiness and service.
How are you waiting WITH Jesus?
Pastor of a Restaurant?
A friend called Friday morning and asked if I would be willing to pick him up at the airport. Of course, I was willing, and I enjoyed the time we had together as I drove him from the airport to the restaurant where he works.
As we drove, we talked about several things – Thanksgiving, family, school, etc. At one point I asked him what God was doing in his life. He said he didn’t understand why it was taking him so long to get through school, but that lately he was thinking that when he graduated he would try to attend a culinary school with plans to open a restaurant.
How exciting! He doesn’t just want to open a restaurant so that he can make money, even though he is excited about food and creating new restaurants. He’s interested in giving people an atmosphere where they can meet together and try new food.
You see, my friend is a student at a seminary. But, he’s not planning to be employed by a church organization. He’s willing to learn a skill so that he can support himself and his family, and that gives him a chance to serve others. I can’t wait to see how God uses this young man!
Listening, Learning, Serving
About a year and a half ago, I wrote a post called “Listening, learning, serving“. The purpose of this post was to encourage believers to listen and learn from people before they jump in and try to serve them. As I’ve learned to do this, I’ve heard time and time again from people, “Usually when people come to our neighborhood to help, they do things that don’t really help us.” Are you willing to spend the time to get to know people and then serve them in ways that actually help?
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I’ve had an ongoing conversation over the last few days with my wife, Margaret, and a good friend of ours (Theron from “Sharing in the Life“). Actually, for me, the conversation started a couple of days before that when another friend of ours made a comment about some ladies that we have not seen lately, whom we have tried to serve, but for some reason, we have failed to serve them. This comment led to our continuing conversation about service – particularly about serving people who are different from us: people from different cultures, different ages (generations), different beliefs, etc.
Theron and I began talking about serving people from foreign cultures: specifically, how would we serve people if we lived in a foreign culture? I realize that many people who read this blog deal with this question (and similar questions) every day of their life. Theron suggested that before we could serve someone, we would have to know how to serve them. In other words, in different cultures service may be different (and probably is) than service in our own culture. Thus, it would be necessary to listen to people and to know them before we could truly serve them in ways that matter to them – in ways that impact their lives. Certainly, this does not mean that we should sit around doing nothing, but there is a learning process before serving becomes as effective as it could be. Also, I would never remove the important role of the Holy Spirit in this. The Spirit certainly leads us to serve people in ways that we may not understand, but in ways that may be extremely important to the ones being served.
The necessity of the process of learning to serve others is fairly obvious when serving people in foreign cultures. But, what about people in our own culture that may be from a different generation or have a different set of beliefs or even from a different background. Could it be that we miss opportunities to serve – and at others times offend people when we attempt to serve them – because we do not listen and learn about them before we begin to serve? We have attempted to serve some people who are older than us recently, without much success. Why? Because I don’t think we knew them enough to know how to serve them. Why didn’t we know them? We didn’t begin by listening to them.
Margaret reminded me that a few years ago, when we lived in another state, we were able to successfully serve some older ladies. We would spend time with them in their homes, listening to their stories, sharing tea and snacks. When she reminded me of this, I immediately thought, “That’s not serving! That’s just hanging out!” Of course, this is exactly the point of my post. To me, spending time talking with these ladies was just hanging out, but to them, it was serving them. We demonstrated our love for them by spending time with them. I viewed service differently than they did. They viewed service differently than me.
If I spent all of my time, energy, and resources serving them in the way that I wanted to be served, then I would have wasted much of that time, energy, and resources. Why? Because they were served by us being with them, not by us doing things for them.
I began to think about my son and daughter. In a few years, they will be living on their own. I wonder, what will they consider service? How will they serve others and how will others their age want to be served? What about the men and women who are several years younger than me today? What do they consider service?
Similarly, many times we try to serve people the way other Christians want to be served. But, what if our neighbors are not followers of Christ? What if our coworkers are not Christians? Do we serve them in the same way that we would serve Christians that we know? Or, should we actually spend time listening to them and getting to know them, so that we will know how to serve them?
I realize that this is obvious to many people. However, for those of us who are learning what it means to serve people who are different than us, then this may be something that we need to consider and contemplate. I know that my family is learning to serve others – especially those outside the body of Christ. We are thinking about what it means to serve and love those who are of a different ethnicity or cultural background, those from a different economic class, or even those with different beliefs. We want to provide a cup of cold water in a way that benefits them the most – not in ways that benefit us the most.
So, as we serve others, we must begin by listening to them and learning from them. We must get to know them. Then, we can serve them as God leads us and strengthens us – we can serve them in a way that brings God glory.