True Church Government - UBM [David Eells]

The common church government today breeds false prophets. Jesus raised up the apostolic fathers to found the Dhurch on a five-fold ministry of men who are spiritual specialists in their field. (Pro.11:14) Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Jesus Christ is the spirit (1 Cor.15:45) and head of his body the church (Epe.5:23). His headship is manifested physically through the five fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Epe.4:11). The members of the head represent these different five fold ministers. Apostle is Greek for "one sent forth", and they are sent to raise up churches and set them in order. The apostles are a jack of all trades with a little of the gift of the rest of the five fold ministry so they can discern the elders that they are called to ordain (Acts 14:23). Elders are ordained five fold ministers, not assistants to the pastor (Acts 20:17, 11:30). Even apostles are elders (1 Pet.5:1; 2 Jn.1; 3 Jn.1). When the legalists were trying to bring the Gentiles under the law the apostles and the other elders were gathered to consider this problem (Acts 15:6). Together the elders made a decision (22) and sent their findings to the rest of the church (23; 16:4).

Let's consider the other elders who are members of the head. The prophets are the spiritual eyes of the head and see what others do not. (Isa.29:10) For Jehovah...hath closed your eyes, the prophets... (11) And all vision is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed.. The pastors or shepherds are the nose of the head because they lead the local body of sheep to pastures with a discernment that is neither from eyes or ears. There is no such thing as an assistant pastor in Scriptures. You either are a pastor or you are not. Teachers are the ears of the head. Solomon asked for "an understanding heart" in 1 Ki.3:9 and in verse 12 God granted him "an understanding heart". The Hebrew word for "understanding" in both verses is "hearing". I was first ordained through an apostle to be a teacher. Later a prophet who knew nothing of this saw a vision of me with ears as big as elephants. Later the Lord appeared to me twice and re-ordained me to another office, which was confirmed by other ministers. I am certainly not comparing myself to Paul but he was re-ordained as an example that the Lord does do this (Acts 13:1-4; 14:14). The evangelist is the mouth of the head because he ministers to those outside the body. It takes all of these to perfect the saints and raise up others into the head (Epe.4:12,15) so that individuals in the body have a portion of these gifts so they may be guided and used personally by their Lord. Now you know why Satan wanted to replace the five fold ministry with a man made one fold ministry. This false government is easier to corrupt and the saints are not perfected by it. Through men with a lust for power Satan has been able to destroy the Scriptural government of the church.

God never wanted a king over Israel; men did. They said, "make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (1Sa.8:5). Does pastor, assistant pastor, and elders sound a lot like President, Vice-President, and cabinet? The church has copied "all the nations" as Israel did. God gave Israel the king they wanted saying, "they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them (7). God has given the church her kings too. God also warned Israel that their king would take their children to serve him and would charge them a tithe of everything for his service (10-18). Sound familiar? Pastors, without any Scriptural foundation, tell us that the Lord did away with the five fold ministry after the apostles died. Actually it was false prophets who did away with the five fold ministry. In our worldly system the pastor usurps the authority of the rest of the five fold ministry. I have heard pastors who are not even filled with the Spirit claim that today they are the prophets when they expound the word under the anointing. If this does not make them false prophets, then I do not know what does.

As far as the five fold ministry is concerned, nowhere in Scripture does the pastor take authority over a prophet or teacher or vice versa? In the world do doctors take authority in a lawyer's field or vice versa? Does it make sense to be given authority over another's gift that you have no expertise in? If a prophet, speaking in the Spirit, is told to shut up by a pastor, then God is told to shut up. (Many can exercise the gift to prophesy but the office of prophet is that of an overseer that has authority in the body.) Remember that each of the five fold ministers are overseers (bishops) who are specialists in their field with authority only in their gift. Each is a portion of the head of the body of Christ and necessary for the guidance of the body. However, when one of the five fold ministers falls into sin or gets deceived, the rest have authority to correct, discipline, or throw them out (1 Cor.5:9-13). This insures the safety of the sheep.

The false system of shepherd-ship is the Nicolaitan error, which Jesus said He hates (Rev.2:6,15). Nicolaitan comes from two words, "Nikao", meaning "to conquer", and "laity", meaning "the people". This was and is a privileged order who consider themselves above the common people as mediators between them and God. Ministers are to make disciples of Jesus and His Word, not themselves and their traditions. The Protestants falsely copied the Nicolaitan error from the Catholic Church, which partially took it from the Old Testament priesthood. Jesus constantly denounced this worldly relationship between the ministry and the people. (Mat.20:25) But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. (26) Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister (Greek: "servant"); (27) and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant (Greek: "bondservant"): (28) even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (Greek: "served"), but to minister (Greek: "serve"), and to give his life a ransom for many. (23:10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, [even] the Christ. (11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

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