“Never allow anyone’s ideas to unsettle your faith in regard to order and harmony which should exist in the church.” T., v. 5, p. 274.
· Deut. 1:15. Ancient organization same as the present.
God is the center of all organization; next to God stands His prophet, or mouthpiece; then follows: –
1. Leader “over thousands,”-General Conference.
2. Leader “over hundreds,”-union conferences.
3. Leader “over fifties,”-local conferences.
4. Leader “over tens,:” -churches.
Besides, officers or secretaries to attend to the different branches of the work. E. 37; A.A.93, 94.
· 1 Cor. 14:33, 40. Order in the Christian church. A.A. 163, 164, 185, 186.
· 1 Tim. 4:14. Ministers ordained by the presbytery. A.A. 18, 161, 162, 503, 504.
· 1 Cor. 16:1, 2. Uniform system throughout the churches. A.A. 91, 270, 317, 318.
· Acts 15:1-4. Perplexing questions referred from local churches to the conference. A.A. 195-197.
· Acts 15:1-4. Council held at the head of the work.
· Acts 15:23-25. Report of decision sent to all the churches.
· Acts 15:30, 31. Document first read in the church where the trouble arose.
· Acts 16:1, 4, 5. Afterwards read in other churches.
· Acts 8:26, 29; 19:21, 22. While there was perfect organization, yet each worker was free to work as God directed. A.A. 164, 200, 405.
· Titus 1:5. Churches could not ordain their own local elders.
Organization of Local Churches Officers
Officers
· Titus 1:5. Elders or bishops. A.A. 95, 96.
· 1 Tim. 3:13. Deacons. A.A. 88, 89.
· Rom. 16:1, 2. Deaconess (Alford’s Translation).
· Phil. 1:1. Sometimes more than one elder, also more than one deacon.
Duty of Elders, Or Bishops
· 1 Tim. 3:1-3. Blameless character, apt to teach.
· 1 Tim. 3:4, 5. Good control over his own household and children.
· 1 Tim. 3:7. Must be respected by people outside the church.
· Titus 1:9. Sound in faith, and able to exhort and convince the gainsayers.
· Titus 1:10-13. Rebuke the unruly members who cause trouble in the church.
· 1 Tim. 3:6, margin. Should be one of experience.
Duty of Deacons
· Acts 6:1-5. To look after the temporal business of the church.
· 1 Tim. 3:8, 9. Blameless character, those who never violate their conscience.
· 1 Tim. 3:12. Must control their own children and households.
· 1 Tim. 3:10. Proved before they are ordained.
· 1 Tim. 3:13; Acts 6:8. Faithful deacons are valuable workers. T., v. 5, p. 304.
Duty of Deaconesses
· Rom. 16:1, 2. Attend to business connected with the church, especially to succor those in need.