Foundations of Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG07

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F O U N D A T I O N S O F C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

The Christian Leader as Bishop Episkopoi

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Welcome in the strong name of Jesus Christ! After your reading, study, discussion, and application of the materials in this lesson, you will be able to: • Recite the meanings of the term episkopos (i.e., bishop) with the Septuagint, its usages in the classic Greek, and within the New Testament itself. • Articulate how and in what ways the terms for “pastor,” “elder,” and “bishop” all refer to the same office, with emphases on different roles and responsibilities of Christian leadership in the Church. • Outline possible origins and the development of the office of the bishop through the council of elders in Jewish rulership where an elder could be recognized as one to speak on behalf of and represent the entire council of elders. • Elaborate how in the history of the Church the office of the bishop expanded to mean an appointed or elected individual given charge over a number of pastors or groups of congregations in a given context. • Define both the calling and criteria of the bishop, from the biblical qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, as well as the example of Jesus. • Detail how bishops were selected, and then provide the nature of the bishop’s authority and function to give oversight, including the bishop’s expanded authority as “pastor of pastors,” as well as one given the responsibility to oversee all the churches within his area of responsibility. • Lay out how all traditions have some version of the function of a bishop even though they may not have any nomenclature (language, categories) of the bishop. All churches require ongoing oversight and supervision. • Reproduce the three biblical images of the role of the bishop: as supervisor, as apostle, and as spiritual director. • Show how the bishop as supervisor functions as a superintendent, coordinating and organizing the outreach, personnel, and resources of churches under his/her care to make maximum impact for the Church’s edification and the Kingdom’s advancement.

Lesson Objectives

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