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

b. Acts 18.23

5. Paul as apostle showed great concern, even for those congregations which had never seen him face to face, Col. 2.1.

E. The concept of bishop embraced this apostolic responsibility for leadership in the Church and expanded the meaning of the original context (the idea corresponding to exercising authority and oversight) to all churches in a given context .

1. The meaning was applied not merely to ruling and leading an individual congregation, but a group of them , Rom. 12.8.

2. Expanded to mean not merely overseeing affairs in a congregation, but in many of them

(1) Acts 20.28

(2) 1 Pet. 5.2

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3. Broadened to not only exercising authority in the context of a group of elders in a church, but among a group of churches , cf. Phil. 1.1, see 1 Tim. 4.14

F. This idea of bishop oversight touches all traditions, even those who would reject this as an explicit form of church government.

1. This sense of oversight is oftentimes associated with the founder of the movement.