Body Ministry – BT1:  Ministry positions, offices, and titles are NOT taught in the New Testament

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We know from Matthew 23:7-10 that Jesus absolutely prohibits the use of positions, offices, and titles, which only elevate some brethren above others. That’s because there is only One Head over all men (a) and certainly over all brethren of the Church (b) and thus only One kathegetes ‘down-from [above] Leader who leads other down the path of learning’ (c) who has ALL rule, authority and preeminence (d), and this is Jesus Christ!  There is One kurios Master-owner [of servants] that is Jesus (e).  That means absolutely nobody else should be a “head over, preeminent, leader, or a Lord who rules or exercises authority” over anybody else! <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 11:3, b) Ephesians 1:22, 4:15, 5:23; Colossians 1:18, 2:19, c) Matthew 23:10, d) Matthew 28:18; Colossians 1:18, 2:10, e) 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:5.

In fact, Jesus strongly corrected His disciples more than once who were jockeying for “leadership positions,” saying: “You all know that the rulers (a) of the world’s peoples (b) exercise dominion down-upon (c) them and their [delegated underling] bosses/governors (d) exercise authority over (e) others, BUT THIS ABSOLUTELY IN FACT SHALL NOT be so among you, for whoever would [desire] to be great (d) (f) among you must become a [lowly, no-orders-giving] diakonos servant . . to be protos first/foremost [then] become a doulos slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to diakoneo serve” (g).  This is a radical diversion from the OT structure of ministry and leadership (h), which was clearly “from the greatest to the least.” That’s exactly why the completely different-in-kind New (k) Covenant Way  of the “knowledge of God” is “absolutely not in possibility or in fact [such] that each one be teaching his neighbor or his brethren,” but NOW by “mentally ‘seeing’ to perceive/know (i) Yahweh from the least of them to the greatest” (j)!  Jesus turns the Old Testament leadership upside down.

<Notes> a) archon: firsts, b) ethnos, c) katakurieuo: ‘lord/master down upon,’ thus subjugate or control others, d) megas: greats, e) katexousiazo: act as masters: having or wielding privilege, might and power, will, authority, or control over or down upon, f) Luke 22:24-27 says hegeomai: leader/chief, g) Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45, h) see Coaches and Facilitators, i) eido, j) Hebrews 8:11 citing Jeremiah 31:34, k) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior.

Titles go hand in hand with offices and positions for today’s religious ministries:  I counted 51 for Jews, 51 for Islam, 8 for Mormons, 61 for Buddhism, 33 for Hinduism, 25 for Roman Catholicism, and 29 for Eastern Orthodox, including “president, high priest, arch-priests, arch-bishops, lord-bishops, arch-deacons, fathers, and mother superiors,” even though Jesus uses some of these very words in strong prohibition, but this doesn’t stop religion!  What’s worse is the air of “authority” these titles convey, which Jesus gave even stronger lectures against!

What do you think about that position, office, and title, called the “worship leader”? – see Coaches and Facilitators.

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Spiritual Education, Church positions office titles NOT taught in bible, Religions have lots of positions offices titles, One Head Jesus, One Father God, One Leader Jesus, One Teacher Christ’s Spirit, One Lord Master-Owner Jesus, No authority over others, We are all just brethren, No hierarchy allowed, The greatest is the servant, Least among us will know God before others, No need for worship leader title