Body Ministry – BT6:  New Covenant kingdom “leadership” structure is upside down from world’s

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This is certainly true of the business/government model of the world, which too much of the Church has borrowed – see The Great Wall.  However, in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 Paul says: “We ask you, brethren, to mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know/be-aware (a) those who labor among you and/coupled keep standing before [you] to proistemi maintain [your] care in the Lord and/coupled admonish (b) you.”  Remember that this “admonishing” is something ALL of us should be doing to “one another” (c) as we would “a brother” (d).  It’s also quite misleading for bibles to translate proistemi as “rule over,” because the prevalent meaning of the word is to “keep standing before or maintaining the care of” through devotion (e).  <Notes> a) eido, b) noutheteo: ‘placing in the mind of’ – urgent reasoning by instruction and warning, c) Colossians 3:16, d) 2 Thessalonians 3:15, e) Titus 3:8, 14.

However, the idea of “being set or placed before” others by appointment also comes into place from the histemi and similar tithemi root words, but these also often emphasize the “maintaining or caring-for” aspect. The prefix pros doesn’t have to mean “before others,” but just as easily can mean “before in time” as with prosbuteros elders who are simply are “earlier in The Trusting-Relying-Faith who keep standing before [you] to proistemi maintain-care-of [you] well, let [them] be counted worthy of double honor” (a). Again, the proistemi emphasis is on the “managed care-giving” function just as parents do (b), thus the qualification of God’s household episcopos bishop–overseers and deacons/physical-servants (c). <Notes> a) 1 Timothy 5:17, b) 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12, d) 1 Timothy 3:2, 8.

This “managed care-giving” praxis function (a) is only one of many grace-gifts, not positions offices or titles, in Paul’s Romans 12:4-8 list: “Not all have the same praxis function (a), so we, though many, are one Body in Christ, and/thus individually members of/belonging to one another.  Having grace-gifts that differ kata down-from/according-to the unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace given to us [by Christ by His Spirit, so they have nothing to do with your natural merit or talents], [THUS let us use them implied by verbal participles used in the list]:  if [the Spirit’s functioning grace-gift of] prophecy [then use it] down-from/according by-the-means-of [your] proportion (b) [of the Spirit’s grace-gifts] of/belonging-to The-Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith that belongs to the Church) OR if service [then use it also . . . of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith] by-the-means-of the service, [OR if] to teach [then use . . . of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith] by-the-means-of the teaching, OR if the parakaleo ‘alongside counseling or exhortation’ [then use . . . of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith] by-the-means-of the parakaleo alongside-counseling/exhortation, [OR if] giving/sharing/imparting [then use . . . of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith] by-the-means-of singleness/simplicity/honesty; [OR if] the proistemi managed caregiving [then use . . . of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith] by-the-means-of spoude ‘speedy earnestness, diligence’ (c), [OR if] the showing of mercy/compassion/pity [then use . . . of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith] by-the-means-of ready cheerfulness.”  <Notes> a) praxis: functions, sustained activities, deeds, and/or responsibilities, b) analogia: analogous comparison, proportion c) this is the noun form so spoudazo, which is why 2 Timothy 2:15 has nothing to do with studying your bible to be an approved workman as the KJV has erroneously translated – see Logos Word of God – BT19!

Paul loves to leave words out to save space, but I’ve had to put them back in above with [brackets] so that you can understand what he is really saying!  It’s amazing that churches still insist that these grace-gifts are NOT simply praxis functions, but somehow individual people, offices, positions, or titles!  But Paul practically yells with the imperative that “EVERYONE AMONG YOU absolutely-in-fact-NOT think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (a)!  That’s how Paul starts the paragraph about body-ministry above!  Paul is certainly targeting those who would desire to be “leaders, rulers, greater ones, arche firsts, and megas greats,” but explaining that it’s really “not about you” but about Body-of-Christ Ministry! <Notes> a) Romans 12:3.

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Spiritual Education, Body Ministry, Church leadership equippers, Kingdom hierarchy is opposite of worlds, biblical leadership is a Spirit grace-gift not a natural talent, biblical leaders are managing-care-givers NOT bossy, Bossy leaders hogging the ball are mal-functioning