SPECIAL TOPIC: BISHOPS/OVERSEERS

SPECIAL TOPIC: BISHOPS/OVERSEERS (from Phil. 1:1)

The titles: "pastor," "elder," "bishop," "overseer" all refer to the same function/office in the early local church (cf. Acts 20:17,28 and Titus 1:5,7).

The term "overseers" (episkopoi) had a Greek city-state background.
The term "elders" (presbuteroi) had an OT Jewish background.
It is possible that "overseer" also had a Jewish background from the Dead Sea Scroll's use of mebaqqerim (1QS 6:11,20). Early Christian writings of 1 Clement 42:4,5 and The Didache 15:1 both list the two officies as "bishops and deacons."

Also notice the PLURAL (cf. Acts 20:17; Eph. 4:21). Philippi had multiple house churches. No one home was large enough for all believers to gather in. Church buildings did not appear until the fourth century, and mostly monastaries, not local buildings for worship.

Philippians 1:1 declares there are two offices/leadership functions in the early church: pastor and deacon. The early Christian writings of 1 Clement 42:4,5 and Didache 15:1, both list the two offices as "bishop and deacon." Bishop and elder are different terms for this same person/office/function as pastor.

The book of 1 Timothy adds to the confusion about the title for local church leadership.

1 Tim. 3:1 mentions "bishop/overseer"
1 Tim. 4:14 mentions a group of ruling elders (cf. 1 Tim. 5:17,19)

These terms do not have the connotation of regional leadership (i.e., developed Roman Catholic tradition). These are local church ministry positions (volumtary, bi-vocational) that later became paid offices. For a good brief discussion see Dale Moody, The Word of Truth, pp. 452-458.

SPECIAL TOPIC: LEADERSHIP AND CHURCH POLITY OF THE EARLY CHURCH