Quote 809

Elder Led: a strong emphasis on the responsibilities and duties of the congregation is maintained. While the team of elders has its specific responsibilities, the members of the church have their specific responsibilities as well, and these are fairly substantial; indeed, all major decisions (e.g., electing church officers, hiring pastoral staff, budget, property purchases and sales, church disciplinary matters) are brought by the elders to the members of the church for approval, modification, or dissaproval. The leadership of the elders in their sphere of authority interfaces with congregational responsibilities; accordingly, this model could best be termed 'elder-led congregationalism.'

Sojourners and Strangers, 294

Gregg Allison

In the New Testament the words "elder," "shepherd" or "pastor," and "bishop" or "overseer" are used interchangeably in the context of the local church office.

The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Kindle Locations 1386-1387). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

We, then, must also view apostolic, Christianized elders to be primarily pastors of a flock, not corporate executives, CEOs, or advisers to the pastor.

Biblical Eldership (17)

Alexander Strauch

According to the Bible, converting people is not in our power. And evangelism may not be defined in terms of results but only in terms of faithfulness to the message preached.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (79)

The church is distinguished and contained by the right administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper. It should also be noted that this latter mark presumes and implies the practice of church discipline.

The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Kindle Locations 745-746). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Ordinances Church Discipline

While every true local church is part of this universal church and is an entire church itself, no local church can be said to constitute the entire universal church. Therefore, Christians must exercise care in their assumptions about the correctness of doctrines or practices that may, in fact, be peculiar to their own time or place.

The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Kindle Locations 682-684). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Universal Church

you are not loving your neighbor as yourself if you're not trying to persuade him toward the greatest and best aspect of your own life - your reconciled relationship with God.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (48)

The fall did not leave people neutral toward God but at enmity with him. Therefore we must not pretend that non-Christians are seekers by the simple virtue of their having been made in the image of God.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (56)

Sin

Who can deny that much modern evangelism has become emotionally manipulative, seeking simply to cause a momentary decision of the sinner's will, yet neglecting the biblical idea that conversion is the result of the supernatural, gracious act of God toward the sinner?

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (80)

Have you heard it said that the doctrine of God's choosing some for salvation (the doctrine of election) undercuts evangelism? It didn't in Paul's life. As he later wrote to Timothy, "I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (2 Tim.2:10).

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (104)

We need to know what "sales" we can "close" and what "sales" we can't-not so that we won't preach the gospel, but so that we won't allow the gospel that is preached to be molded by what finally gets a response.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (109)

If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that conversion is simply something that anyone can choose at any time, then I'm concerned that you'll think of evangelism as nothing more than a sales job where the prospect is to be won over to sign on the dotted line by praying a prayer, followed by an assurance that he is the proud owner of salvation.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (110)

The Christian call to evangelism is not simply a call to persuade people to make decisions, but rather to proclaim to them the good news of salvation in Christ, to call them to repentance, and to give God the glory for regeneration and conversion.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (112)