24 Frank,

Sorry that I am so slow at getting to some of these comments.

Years ago, when I studied both prophecy and prophetic ministry in the NT, it became apparent to me, as I made a comparative study of their functions and gifts, that while “elders” was a designation of the leaders’ maturity and seniority, “overseer” and “minister” described their primary functions as those who discipled and trained the rest of the congregation. And the various spiritual gifts, as they pertained to those who were leaders, indicated how they fulfilled their leadership functions as “overseer” and “ministers”.

This seems to be a very good way to put it although the term overseer must have enough maturity to protect the flock since there is an additional focus on protecting. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, “Overseer” in non-biblical Greek means “onlooker”, “watcher”, “protector”, “patron”.

Furthermore, in Philippians 1:1, where the NIV and other English translations have “together with the overseers and deacons [ministers],” according to Greek grammar and syntax, this phrase would better be translated something like “together with the elders who minister [there among you].”

I am not sure where you are getting this from. Perhaps you are seeing something that I am not. “Minister” used in this way would have to be a verb would it not? Yet all the terms for deacon that I could find in the New Testament are nouns. I checked the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament, 27th Edition and found deacon listed 29 times and each of these occurrences as a noun. Phil. 1:1 is listed as a noun, dative. The dative refers to the person or thing to which something is given or for whom something is done, thus Paul opening remarks that he is writing to the saints at Philippi including the overseers and deacons.

It was because of clues like these in the NT that I came to see that leadership in the Earliest Church was less hierarchical and rigid as it was by the third and fourth centuries, when the Church was no longer a body of believers but a highly organized institution.

Amen! I completely agree with you here!

And along the same lines, Kenneth E. Bailey’s article in Theology Matters, “Women in the New Testament: A Middle Eastern Cultural View,” by the consistent use of what is called rhetorical criticism, demonstrates that 1 Timothy 4:6-5:22 and Titus 1:5-2:5 apply to the requirements and responsibilities of both men and women who served as elders and ministers. I strongly recommend you read Bailey’s article, if you have not done so.

I do not think I have read that article. Thanks for the suggestion. I do have a DVD by Kenneth Bailey that I haven’t watched in a long time. I thought it very good in giving historical background to this issue. I will have to pull it out again when I have more time.