Sunday Morning sermon slides October 4, 2015 at the Heritage Addition church of Christ located in Booneville, AR

1. Why I Love the church of Christ, Part
6 Lesson Text:
Titus 1:5-9
Heritage Addition church of Christ
By Jim Bradshaw
Sunday Morning, October 4, 2015
Because of its Leaders

2. It is Not about the
buildingIt is the Body of Christ

3. Golden
Opportunities
Mat 7:12 ESV "So whatever you wish that others would do to
you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Gal 6:9-10 ESV And let us not grow weary of doing good, for
in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (10) So
then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and
especially to those who are of the household of faith.

4. Walmart is not
the only Saving
Place
The Mission of the church must be
the same as its head:
Luke 19:10 ESV For the Son of Man
came to seek and to save the lost."

5. The Lord’s Supper
1Co 11:24-39 ESV and when he had given thanks, he broke it,
and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in
remembrance of me." (25) In the same way also he took the
cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my
blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
(26) For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you
proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (27) Whoever,
therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an
unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood
of the Lord. (28) Let a person examine himself, then, and so
eat of the bread and drink of the cup. (29) For anyone who
eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks
judgment on himself.

6. Jesus Christ is the Head of the church
of Christ
Eph 1:20-23 ESV that he worked in Christ when he raised
him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly places, (21) far above all rule and authority and
power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not
only in this age but also in the one to come. (22) And he put
all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things
to the church, (23) which is his body, the fullness of him
who fills all in all.

7. Our Leaders
Tit 1:5-9 ESV This is why I left you in Crete, so that you
might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in
every town as I directed you-- (6) if anyone is above
reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are
believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or
insubordination. (7) For an overseer, as God's steward, must
be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered
or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, (8) but
hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and
disciplined. (9) He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as
taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound
doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

8. Our Leaders
Tit 1:5-9 ESV This is why I left you in Crete, so that you
might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in
every town as I directed you-- (6) if anyone is above
reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are
believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or
insubordination. (7) For an overseer, as God's steward, must
be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered
or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, (8) but
hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and
disciplined. (9) He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as
taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound
doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
A House of God is NOT in
ORDER without Elders!!!
In the churches of Christ today we desire to restore the New
Testament church: (We baptize for the remission of sins, Acts
2:38; We partake of the Lord’s Super each Sunday, Acts 20:7;
We sing with our hearts, Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16; We are pre-
denominational (one body, church Eph. 4:4); We believe the
Bible is our only rule, 2 Tim. 3:16. So indeed a congregation
without elders is simply out of order.

9. Our Leaders
Tit 1:5-9 ESV This is why I left you in Crete, so that you
might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in
every town as I directed you-- (6) if anyone is above
reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are
believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or
insubordination. (7) For an overseer, as God's steward, must
be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered
or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, (8) but
hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and
disciplined. (9) He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as
taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound
doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Elders, overseers, and shepherds are all words used for the
leaders of a local congregation
Elders – presbuteros 1.)advanced in life, an elder, a senior; 2.)
among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies
(or churches) The NT uses the term bishop, elders, and
presbyters interchangeably. (Thayer)

10. Our Leaders
Tit 1:5-9 ESV This is why I left you in Crete, so that you
might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in
every town as I directed you-- (6) if anyone is above
reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are
believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or
insubordination. (7) For an overseer, as God's steward, must
be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered
or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, (8) but
hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and
disciplined. (9) He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as
taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound
doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Elders, overseers, and shepherds are all words used for the
leaders of a local congregation
Overseers – episkopos an overseer; the superintendent, elder,
or overseer of a Christian church (Thayer). A Latinized form
of the word in the Old English became Bishop.

11. Our Leaders
Eph 4:11-12 ESV And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, (12) to equip the
saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of
Christ,
Shepherds -- poimēn 1) a herdsman, especially a shepherd 2)
of the overseers of the Christian assemblies (Thayer). Only
the KJV uses the Pastor, which is transliterated from the Latin.
Therefore the term Bishop or Pastor are NOT
included in any modern English translation

12. In the Christian churches those who, being raised up and
qualified by the work of the Holy Spirit, were appointed to
have the spiritual care of, and to exercise oversight over, the
churches. To these the term "bishops," episkopoi, or
"overseers," is applied (see Acts 20:17 with Acts 20:28, and
Tit. 1:5 and Tit. 1:7), the latter term indicating the nature of
their work presbuteroi their maturity of spiritual experience.
The divine arrangement seen throughout the NT was for a
plurality of these to be appointed in each church, Acts 14:23;
Acts 20:17; Phi. 1:1; 1Ti. 5:17; Tit. 1:5. The duty of "elders" is
described by the verb episkopeo. They were appointed
according as they had given evidence of fulfilling the divine
qualifications, Tit. 1:6-9; cf. 1Tim. 3:1-7 and 1Pet. 5:2.
(Vine’s)

13. poimen (G4166), "a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks"
(not merely one who feeds them), is used metaphorically of
Christian "pastors," Eph. 4:11. "Pastors" guide as well as feed
the flock, cf. Acts 20:28, which with Acts 20:17, indicates that
this was the service committed to elders (overseers or
bishops); so also in 1Pet. 5:1, 1Pet. 5:2, "tend the
flock...exercising the oversight," RV; this involves tender care
and vigilant superintendence. See SHEPHERD. (Vine’s)

14. Act 20:17 ESV Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and
called the elders of the church to come to him.
Act 20:28 ESV Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all
the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to
care [NKJV to shepherd; lit. to tend as a shepherd] for the
church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
1Pe 5:1-2 ESV So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow
elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a
partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: (2)
shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising
oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would
have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

15. Heb 13:6-9 ESV So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my
helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (7)
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of
God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate
their faith. (8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today
and forever. (9) Do not be led away by diverse and strange
teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by
grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to
them.
Heb 13:17 ESV Obey your leaders and submit to them, for
they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will
have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not
with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Obey -- peithō an obedience resulting from persuasion;
Different from Eph. 6:1 hupakouō