Missional Ecclesiology series: Click | View Series

Dr. Gregg Allison is teaching a course on Missional Ecclesiology at the Resurgence Training Center this fall. Find out more at ReTrain.org.

Church Structure

As structured by its divine head, Jesus Christ, the church is directed by specific human leaders in two offices—the eldership and the deaconate. Elders (or pastors), qualified men who meet the requirements for their office (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), have the responsibility to do the following things:

• Teach (1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; Titus 1:7)
• Lead (1 Tim. 3:5; 5:17; 1 Thess. 5:12)
• Pray (James 5:13-15)
• Shepherd the church (1 Pet. 5:2-3; Eph. 4:11; Heb. 13:13, 17; Acts 20:28-31)

Deacons, qualified men and women who meet the requirements for their office (1 Tim. 3:8-13), serve Jesus Christ through involvement in all the ministries of the church other than those for which the elders are responsible. Church governments are structured according to various historic (episcopalian, presbyterian, congregational) and contemporary (e.g., multi-site) models.

Baptism

Jesus Christ gave two ordinances to his church, seals of the new covenant relationship he enjoys with his people and tangible, powerful symbols of spiritual realities. Baptism, or the immersion in water of new believers following their credible profession of faith in the gospel, is the sign of entrance into the new covenant relationship with God and into the covenant community, the church (Acts 2:38-47). It vividly portrays:

• association with the triune God (Matt. 28:19)
• identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:26-28)
• forgiveness and cleansing from sin (Acts 2:38; 26:16)
• escape from divine judgment (1 Pet. 3:20-21)

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper, instituted by Jesus Christ at his last supper with his disciples (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23), is the sign of the ongoing new covenant relationship with God and the covenant community, the church. It is celebrated by the church when it gathers together through the breaking of bread and the drinking of a cup of wine (or grape juice) as the elements are distributed to its members. It vividly portrays the broken body and shed blood of Christ and thus:

• proclaims the Lord’s death (1 Cor. 11:26)
• effects participation with his body and blood (1 Cor. 10:16)
• fosters the unity of the church (1 Cor. 10:17)
• expresses the church’s hope that one day it will celebrate the Supper in the presence of the Lord (Matt. 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:16, 18; 1 Cor. 11:26)

The Expansion of the Missional Church

As the church described above is faithful and obedient to its missional identity, it is expansive, contextually sensitive, and (potentially) catholic or universal. The expansion of the missional church extends from its beginning in Jerusalem to church planting endeavors around the globe today.

As this centrifugal movement propels the church into different cultures, a contextually sensitive adaptation of the gospel and the church is demanded. The church indiscriminately preaches the gospel and, when people respond to its message, it expands into all lands. Certainly, the divine goal for the church in terms of extension is that one day it will exist among all people groups throughout the entire world (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Rev. 5:9). The missional church yearns for complete universality, so it presses on to enter into every corner of the humanly populated world.

Check out some of Dr. Allison’s books:

• Getting Deep: Understand What You Believe About God and Why
• Jesusology: Understand What You Believe About Jesus and Why
• A Theology for Christian Education

He also has two new books coming out in 2010: one on the doctrine of the church and the other a historical theology which will be the companion to Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology.

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