This document discusses the biblical organization of the church. It seeks to prove that God, not man, determines how the church should be organized. It examines the biblical terms for elder (presbyter), overseer (episkopos), and shepherd (poimen) and argues they all refer to the same ministry role within the local church. The document uses Acts 20:17-35 to show that elders, overseers, and shepherds are interchangeable terms used to describe the same group of men who provide spiritual oversight and care for the members of their local congregation.

1. The organization of the
Church
By
Brian Birdow
Sermon text: Acts 20:17-31
www.cmcoc.org

2. Objective of lesson
1. To prove that God has not left man to
determine how the church should be
organized.
2. To understand the functions within the
organization

3. Presbyter or Elder
• Presbuteros-Presbyter or Elder---
• This word refers to an older man, one
advanced in life, a senior.
• The word itself carries no official meaning,
however it exhibits the dignity of the
ministry of elders

4. Episkopos or Overseer
• Episkopos, translated “Overseer”, later in
the second century to be bishop, is
defined as
• “a man charged with the duty of seeing
that things to be done by others are done
rightly, any curator, guardian, or
superintendent”

5. Episkopos or Overseer
• The word “overseer” (bishop kjv) conveys neither
the idea of an office nor of a title, but the jobbut the job
description of the elderdescription of the elder, the ministry of spiritual
oversight of the LOCAL congregation.
• 1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man
desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good
work.
• In the NT the term is used of elder, denoting the
watchful care they are to exercise (Acts 20:17-31)

6. Poimein--Shepherd
• Translated once as Pastor in NT
• Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
• The verb form poimaino is analogously used
of elders who “shepherd the church” as a
flock (or assembly b.b.)

7. Presbuteros, Episkopos, Poimein
• Elder or presbyter
• Overseer or bishop
• Shepherd or pastor
• All refer to the same ministry and group of
men.

8. Acts 20:17-35
• Vs. 17—calls for the elders (presbuteroi)
of the church at Ephesus.
• Notice church—called out ones—at
Ephesus
• The elders work is at one local assembly

9. Acts 20:18-35
• Charges them to take heed to yourselves and
to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers.
• Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers
(episkopousepiskopous), to feed the church of God,
which he has purchased with his own blood.

10. Elders aka what????
• Note that the elders are addressed as
overseersoverseers!
• Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to
(SHEPHERD emp. b.b.) feed the church of
God, which he has purchased with his own
blood.
• Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to
Ephesus, and called the elderselders of the church.

11. Elders—do what???
• Shepherd----poimainein
• Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to
(SHEPHERD emp. b.b.) feed the church
of God, which he has purchased with his
own blood.

12. Presbuteros, Episkopos, PoimeinPresbuteros, Episkopos, Poimein
• Elder or presbyter
• Overseer or bishop
• Shepherd or pastor
• They are all the same ministry group!
• All three words are used to refer to “elders” at
Ephesus or Ephesian “elders”
• Again these are NOT TITLES!! They are job
descriptions!

13. Preachers are not pastors
• The NT does NOTNOT refer to its evangelists as
pastors.
• Watch the distinction between the two
• Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some,
apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers;

14. A preacher cancan be both elder and
preacher!
• 1 Peter 5:1 The elders who are among you I
exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
• 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well
be counted worthy of double honor,
especially they who labor in the word and
doctrine.