Delivered in 1968, this was an important series in the early life of Trinity Church, designed to prepare the way for voting additional men into office. It also served a polemical purpose: to refute the "three-office" structure so common in evangelical assemblies today ("Pastor," "Elder," "Deacon"). That is, by comparing Acts 20:17 and Acts 20:28, along with Titus 1:5 and Titus 1:7, pastor Martin shows that "pres-boo'-ter-os" and "episkopos" are interchangeable Biblical terms referring to one and the same office — not to two offices. Thus all pastors/elders/overseers rule and have equal authority (although some may "rule [particularly] well" ); all must be "apt to teach" (although some may do it [particularly] well, more publicly, and for a living ("laboring in the Word and in doctrine"). All must meet all of the qualifications specified in Titus 1 and 1 Tim. 3. These things being so, much less is there any Biblical warrant for having other numberless official offices in the Church ("Senior Pastor," "Associate Pastor," "Associate-Assistant Pastor," "Youth Pastor," "Apprentice-Associate-Youth Pastor," "Music Pastor," "Assistant-Associate-Intern-Padawan-Music Pastor," "Coffee House Pastor," "Associate-Parking Lot Pastor," etc.) May the Chief Shepherd deliver His Church from the traditions of men!
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