Introduction: Getting Back to the Bible
Many churches today have drifted far from the simple structure that God designed. Titles like “apostle,” “evangelist,” “reverend,” “prophet,” and “prophetess” are being tossed around—but are these biblical offices?
The Bible clearly identifies only two ordained offices in the New Testament local church: bishop (pastor) and deacon. Everything else is either a gift, a function, or a manmade invention.
And I want to be clear here so I will say it again:
The only two ordained offices in a church are pastor and deacon. Anyone that creates another ordained office called anything other than 1) bishop/elder/pastor and 2) deacon are creating an abomination that isn’t within the Bible. Anyone who wants to argue that has no argument at all.
The Bible gives us the truth, and it’s crystal clear. If you want to argue about it, you can take it up with God because he wrote the Bible. And we aren’t to add to his words.
Philippians 1:1
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.
Paul addressed the entire church at Philippi and mentioned the only two offices—bishops and deacons.
Let’s begin with the first of the two ordained offices: the bishop—also called pastor or elder. Before we talk about what doesn’t belong in the church, we must understand clearly what God has already established.
I. The Office of a Bishop (Pastor/Elder)
1 Timothy 3:1
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
There are men out there who want to degrade people and act like it’s a horrible thing if a man desires the office of a bishop. The same people will falsely accuse a man of wanting to be a pastor for the wrong reasons. They, instead, should examine themselves and see why they desired the office of pastor.
Many times, when someone makes an accusation against you, they are speaking of themselves. If you desire to be a pastor, you desire a good work. That’s what the Bible says.
This first office is also called pastor (Ephesians 4:11) or elder (Titus 1:5). These are not three offices—they are three titles describing the same role.
- Bishop – Overseer
- Pastor – Shepherd
- Elder – Spiritually mature leader
Again, bishop, pastor, and elder are the same office. We call the office pastor here in this church. But you’ll see bishop, elder, and pastor mentioned in the Bible. Kow that they are the same office.
The qualifications are found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9. This man is ordained to:
- Lead and oversee the church
- Preach and teach sound doctrine
- Rule well (1 Timothy 5:17)
- Care for the flock (Acts 20:28)
Only men who meet all the biblical qualifications may hold this office. It’s not some of the qualifications. A man must meet all of the qualifications.
Now that we’ve seen the role of a bishop, let’s move to the second—and only other—ordained office in the New Testament church: the deacon. This office complements the role of the pastor by handling the practical, physical needs of the body.
II. The Office of a Deacon
1 Timothy 3:8
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
This office was first instituted in Acts 6:1–6 to serve the physical needs of the church, allowing pastors to focus on prayer and preaching.
Deacons are ordained to:
- Serve tables
- Handle physical duties in the church
- Support and assist the pastor
They are not spiritual rulers, teachers, or overseers. They are servant-leaders, chosen for their testimony and proven character.
Acts 6:3
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
After establishing the only two ordained offices, we must now address a common area of confusion in many churches: the title of ‘evangelist.’ Is it an office, or is it something else entirely?
III. What About Evangelists?
Ephesians 4:11
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Evangelist is a gifted role, not an ordained office. We can have many other roles within a church, but they aren’t ordained offices within the church.
If you attempt to use that Scripture right there to say that there is an office of evangelist, then you must also say that there are two other ordained offices called prophets and teachers. We need the role of teachers in a church, but we don’t ordain men into the office of teachers.
We need the role of evangelists in this church, but we don’t ordain everyone an evangelist. For example, my wife is an evangelist because she preaches the Gospel out there, and she’s very good at it. She’s a very good evangelist. I would put her up against anyone out there because she cares for people. She wants them to be saved. She gets excited when preaching the Gospel.
Let’s see an example of an evangelist in the Bible because there’s only one example where evangelist is specifically mentioned and named as a man in the Bible.
Example:
Acts 21:8
And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
We only see the word evangelist twice in the entire KJV Bible and the word evangelists (plural) only once. Acts 21:8 is the first time we see evangelist in the Bible. We just saw evangelists mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. So there’s only one more occurrence in the Bible.
But right there in Acts 21:8, the Bible says “Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven.” What does that mean? “ONE OF THE SEVEN?” He was one of the first seven deacons ORDAINED as a deacon – into the office of a deacon. He was already in an ordained office. His ordained office didn’t change. He was a deacon. PHILIP WAS AN ORDAINED DEACON.
He wasn’t ordained into the office of evangelist. You don’t see that anywhere in the Bible. But I’ve even heard men make up stories about this. Fairy tales. They say things like: “Philip was a deacon in the past but here he is ordained into the office of evangelist.” Liars. The Bible doesn’t say these things and NEVER trust a man who adds stories to the Bible.
Again, because this needs to be repeated for specific people out there: Philip was one of the first seven deacons (Acts 6:5). “Philip was one of the first seven deacons.” Should I say it again or is that enough? That should be enough, but will it be? I doubt it. In one ear and out the other. Why? Because the Bible doesn’t want to be heard – then people would have to change things.
Certain men mock the Bible and do whatever they want. They double down, triple down, and keep going even though the Bible is crystal clear. It doesn’t matter how many other people drink the kool aid and agree with you. The Bible doesn’t.
Philip is an ordained deacon, and later he is called an “evangelist” in how he served—but he was never ordained into a new office. Pastors and deacons. That’s it for the ordained offices. If you see men ordaining people into other offices besides pastor or deacon, you’ve got a problem.
Here’s the last occurrence of the word evangelist in the Bible. Remember, there are only three instances of the word in the entire Bible. The man who is called an evangelist is clearly already ordained as a deacon. Evangelist means he preaches the Gospel. He evangelizes.
2 Timothy 4:5
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Paul tells Timothy to do the work of an evangelist—not become one by office. Is Paul now ordaining Timothy to be an evangelist? No, that’s ridiculous. “Well, Timothy was a pastor in the past but now Paul is ordaining him to be an evangelist.”
That’s ridiculous. Timothy is a pastor and a pastor is required to do the work of an evangelist. A pastor must be a Gospel preacher. He must be spreading the Gospel. If he isn’t, he isn’t doing what God commanded him to do. “DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST.”
There is no biblical ordination for an evangelist. Men may preach the Gospel—but that doesn’t make it a church office.
All of us are to do the work of an evangelist. We are all to be going out there and preaching the Gospel. Out there. In here. Everywhere.
IV. Dangers of Adding Ordained Offices
Many churches create manmade offices:
- Executive pastors
- Campus pastors
- Evangelist elders
- Reverends
- Local leaders
- Prophetesses
Revelation 2:20
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
This is similar to what people are doing out there. As they ordain people to positions, such as evangelist, they seduce God’s servants to support something that isn’t in the Scriptures. They act as Jezebels. And once you hear this and see it with your own eyes in the Scriptures, you should STOP supporting abominable things that aren’t in the Bible.
None of these are found in Scripture for the New Testament church. For example, a campus pastor who is running a church that is under another church indefinitely is not a Biblical church. Many times, the campus pastor isn’t qualified to run a church. It’s similar to ordaining men as evangelist that aren’t qualified to lead a church.
Some of them even admit they aren’t qualified to be a pastor but they will be an evangelist and run the church. It doesn’t work that way according to the Bible. Is there an example of an ordained evangelist leading a church in the Bible? No, it’s not there. It never will be. You can keep searching and twisting all you want. It’s not there.
The pastor says he is a pastor over many different church plants that are church plants for years without a Biblical leader – without a pastor. The fake pastor ordains other men into the office of evangelist so he can remain the pastor even though he’s hardly ever there in person.
And when he does go on his traveling spree that he loves with his steak and lobster, he forsakes his own church over and over again. As he complains about the free hotel room in Phoenix, Arizona that just isn’t good enough for him – all his churches that he supposedly pastors suffer. Get it fixed. Pastor your own church.
A pastor is supposed to be with his church locally and in person. He is the “PASTOR” of a church. He is there to “PASTOR” the people. That’s the meaning of the word.
1 Peter 5:2-3
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
To the fake pastor out there, take a close look there: “Feed the flock of God AMONG YOU, among you, among you, and one more time AMONG YOU. Not for filthy lucre.” We need to put that one in there. “But being ensamples to the flock.” Imagine setting the example of always being gone.
“Hey flock, be like me and be scattered. Travel everywhere.” What a great example. Scatter the flock all over the place. “But I have to go visit because I am the pastor. Oh, but I am the pastor of this other church too. Oh, and that one too. And that one. And that one. And that one.”
How is that possible? Not Biblical AT ALL. Not even close.
Imagine being “THE” sheperd of a flock, but you aren’t there for 15 weeks out of the year or more. What happens to that flock? You lose them. It’s pretty bad I have to tell that to “THE LORD’S ANOINTED ONE.” And then the example you set flows over to the others. And they aren’t there either.
This is what happens when you break the Bible, and you start ordaining men to offices that aren’t in the Bible.
“Well, I’ll make up the office of evangelist so I can stay pastor over multiple churches. There are qualified men to lead them as pastor, but I don’t want to give up the money. I might have to get a job because my own church can’t support me because I buy expensive things all the time. If I knew how to manage money, my church could support me. But I don’t.”
This is why a pastor shoudn’t be a novice. A pastor should know how to manage money because the church takes in money, and it should be used for the church – not for outrageous expenses, remodeling the pastor’s home, a truck that isn’t needed just because the pastor thinks it’s awesome – it’s junk if it can’t go anywhere, steak and lobster, first class plane tickets to places that aren’t that far away, suburban car rentals, expensive hotels, and more.
When you love money more than the Bible, you’re going to have big problems. When you love steak more than the Bible, you’re going to have big problems. When you love a red truck more than the Bible, you’re going to have big problems. When you love thinking you’re something bigger than you are, you’re going to have big problems.
And when churches add to God’s Word, they:
- Confuse roles.
- Water down accountability.
- Violate the pattern of sound doctrine.
Again, ordaining people to offices that are clearly not in the Bible is a VIOLATION of sound doctrine.
For example, a fake pastor might ordain a weird man as evangelist and send him out to lead a church. That weird man has trouble leading a church because people confuse him with Nikola Tesla, Howard Hughes, Isaac Newton, or Edgar Allen Poe. Weird, thin, paranoid, socially awkward, hates being interrupted, blunt, rude, and very strange.
Great choice to lead a church! A real people person. Absolutely great! Great work! Things just don’t work out when you break God’s words. Now, can God take a man like that and use him for good? Yes, and I actually hope he does. But, do things the right way according to God’s words.
That includes not telling lies about people – where’s that document about the blood of Jesus you mentioned? Share it with people. Let’s see it. You can’t because it doesn’t exist.
There is no ordained office of evangelist. So you aren’t Biblically ordained no matter what some man tells you. So give it up, and do things according to God’s word OR they won’t work out for you.
Proverbs 30:6
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
You will be found a liar no matter how many of your own people agree with you because they are afraid you might MARK THEM and use Romans 16 against them even though you know it’s talking about you and NOT THEM. They are afraid of your lies. Just see how you do things. Take a close look at yourself and see if it God would be happy with you.
The same man who gets excited when someone dies because he thinks God killed someone for him. Literal psycopath. He thinks God kills people for him – while he breaks the words of the Bible. What a joke of a man – someone who goes in the way of king Saul. Puffs himself up and does whatever he wants but claims to follow the Bible.
1 Corinthians 4:6
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
When we break the Bible, we are puffed up. It’s DANGEROUS to add offices in the church that aren’t there in the Bible. The only two ordained offices are pastor and deacon.
V. Why It Matters
- Structure affects function – When you violate God’s order, the church becomes confused and carnal. And this is truth. I can show you some real life examples if you want to see them.
- Men are lifted up instead of Christ – We start building religious corporations, not churches. The one pastor of all these churches puffs himself and thinks he is more important than he is. It’s the same thing as all these different campus pastors.
- False doctrine creeps in – When man’s positions replace God’s, so do man’s teachings. And they start teaching flat out ignorant false doctrine such as Jesus can be corrupted by a woman after he’s risen from the dead. And things continue to get worse.
We must return to God’s pattern. The New Testament local church has:
- Bishops and Elders – it’s not always one, plural in the Bible
- Qualified deacons – it’s not always one, plural in the Bible
- Faithful members – who get here regularly and do God’s work
1 Timothy 3:15
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH. When you go against the clear instructions in the Bible, you are not the pillar and ground of the truth. When you make decisions based on your own well-being, you are not following the example of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: Stick to God’s Design
If God only ordained two offices, who are we to add more? Tell me. Who do you think you are? Do you really think you’re THAT important? I got over that when I was a teenager. I realized I wasn’t so important. Some people never realize that. The world doesn’t revolve around you.
The world revolves around God, and you aren’t God – not even close. Remember that.
Churches that follow God’s Word will have strong pastors, faithful deacons, and serving members. That’s the model. Anything more is tradition, not truth.
Let us be a Biblical church—not a business, not a brand, not a man-made ministry.
Matthew 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus is the Rock. We will do things his way according to his words. Not according to our words so we can profit in our lives.
Let’s pray.
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