The Selecting of the Seven

[Donnie Gillum]

Here is a topic for discussion that may be of interest of all members of the Network: The Selecting of the Seven (in Acts 6). This topic has piqued my curiosity for several years, and has offered plenty of food for thought…and raised many questions concerning leadership of the early church. While I do have some ideas of my own, I would love to see how my Network Brethren think, feel and analyze this subject…as each of us bring to attention particular points for consideration.

Here’s a background summary of Acts 6:1-8:
The early church’s efforts to meet the needs of the widows among them were leaving particular ones overlooked somehow. The apostles called the large congregation of disciples together and instructed them to look out seven men from among them to take care of this task. The apostles gave the disciples specific qualifications to look for. The disciples presented the required seven men…the apostles gave their approval by the laying on of hands and prayer…and the church grew.

Beginning questions:
Why choose men?
Why didn’t the apostles just handpick the seven men themselves?

[David Huston]

As you suggested, Bro. Donnie, casting lots is a random selection process, like drawing straws. Yet, is it actually random? Proverbs 16:33 says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." I believe this is the biblical method of choosing between several qualified candidates. As you said, it avoids the possibility of hurt feelings.

[Donnie Gillum]

Brother, you don't know how relieved I am that you have told me this. I feel elated! I didn't know if I was treading into something that would get me kicked out of the Network or what. LOL! ...but you gave me more scriptural support instead! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

Why I never managed to connect Prov. 16:33, I don’t know. I feel as if the Lord has given confirmation on this. This has been an issue with me for a long time, but I've never felt comfortable bringing it up with anyone where it could make a difference…and was trying to be very careful on the Network. Somehow, I can easier see the eleven apostles sitting around and doing scissors, paper, and rock than I can collecting votes on paper LOL!

I think, reading between the lines, I can discern that you are a man that has consideration of others, along your way on discovery of biblical principles. I am so glad to have you in my circle of Network friends.

May God bless you...and again, thank you,

-Donnie

[Donnie Gillum]

Qualifying the seven:
The 12 apostles gave specifications to the multitude for the seven men to meet. Here are the four Qualifications (Act 6:3) . The seven were to be:
-from among the multitude of disciples
-of honest report
-full of the Holy Ghost
-and wisdom

The early church must’ve had plenty of widows for this situation to arise. Though highly qualified and powerful leaders, the apostles didn’t dismiss this condition as something not worthy of their esteemed and elevated attention…and then look down condescending noses and accuse widows of being trouble makers for pointing out flaws in the system. It was important to them, and they saw it as a need (business) that must be met…by the church itself. However, they could not oversee this and effectively give themselves to prayer and ministry of the Word. Here we have the apostles, of all people, needing help!

The apostles didn’t take the attitude of: “God has called us into a real ministry. This is just waiting on tables. We’ll just give this job to poor ol’ George and a few other lower class guys. That’ll give them something to do anyway. (You know, the busier you keep the people, the less time they have to sin.)” They not only needed help, they wanted help…not just any help, but qualified help – someone they, AND the congregation, could trust.

I can understand that a person must have certain skills and be trustworthy, but isn’t this a little overboard on the qualifying mandate? I mean, how much wisdom does one need to wait on tables? And besides, how many men with this kind of qualifications are gonna run to stand in line for this “position” anyway? Men of this caliber are worthy of a few more rungs on the ladder than this. After all, it’s kinda hard to look and feel important handing in your reports in the next business meeting, when others are out evangelizing and working miracles!

Is it possible that poor ol’ George & Co. could possibly mess things up any worse than they already were? Wouldn’t just about anything be an improvement? How about it, do you think just maybe the 12 apostles were going a little over-board in the qualifying department?

[Brandon Steinke]

As with many of these situations, the Bible doesn't necessarily give us a lot of details, but here are a few things that stand out to me:

The Apostles said unto them, "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." The Amplified reads, "Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty." I don't see that it says, "Put on your aprons and get to them dishes." This is to not to imply that they didn't get their hands dirty, but that what it says is that they appointed them 'over this business' to 'look after it'. What I see here is possibly an opportunity to test the waters of shepherding. I'm guessing that they worked with others (delegating?), but that it was their job to oversee these daily ministrations. This would obviously then be a position of responsibility and authority to where a level of trust (honest report), the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and wisdom would be a must as they worked directly amongst and with the people (sheep) day by day.

Another scripture that stands out to me is verse 8. Just three verses after Stephen was appointed as one of the seven (bus boys?), it says he was doing 'great wonders and miracles' amongst the people. This doesn't sound like the actions of a man who was tied up with waiting on tables, but I think, again, it may allude to a position that placed him working in and amongst the people, overseeing to an extent, and through the opportunities afforded this position, ministering to the people. Not just a 'lowly ol' deacon', but perhaps, an 'elder-in-training'.

[Donnie Gillum]

Brandon, you have made some very good deductions here...and I love some of your descriptive phrases…good way of getting your points across. LOL! I agree that they were most likely overseeing (and probably involved in the grunt work at times as well) the business or duty at hand. Great bunch of guys...those seven!

-Donnie

[Donnie Gillum]

While we do not know how the multitude went about the selection process, it seems the “latitude” factor Bro. Dave Huston mentioned could be applied here. If given the task today, how would we go about determining each qualification? It seems simple enough to find a man of honest report, or wisdom, for that matter, but how about one full of the Holy Ghost? Today, it seems to be one thing to have been filled with the Holy Ghost, but quite another to be full. What would be the indicators to determine that one is full of the Holy Ghost?

[Nathan Miller]

This is an interesting discussion. I'd like to add a few of my thoughts to it. I think that the comments about being an elder or a deacon before being (appointed) as one are one of the most simple, yet very profound truths in God's word, and I'm glad it has been brought up. In fact, I think it actually comes up in many more places in scripture than we might think. I'll call it the God-source principle. If God is the source of something, it will work, and it will grow. God's ways are not our ways, and if we want to build God's church it will have to be with His ways, not ours. Think of Isaac, Jacob, Ephraim, and even David, for a moment: God deliberately did not choose the first-born or the obvious choice by man's tradition. I think that part of what He wanted to show Israel was His sovereign design. It was absolutely HIS design, not man's. Same with Peter and the other disciples to a large extent--even Paul. It always has been the Spirit that has done the work in the kingdom of God, not man by his own strength and human qualities. All that man can build is rigid, dead structure. We cannot create or bring forth life, nor anything natural. Any attempt to build without God's Spirit will ultimately result in this rigidness and not in life and growth. I think that God's Spirit is calling His church to a recognition of true spiritual leadership, and thus, to His headship, and away from what Satan has offered the church and the world as a substitute, namely that which hinders this spiritual leadership, but provides a rigid structure to perpetuate an essentially lifeless shell. That is why Eldership is firstly about character and not simply about a role to fill. Anyone can fill a position, but only God can work from the inside of a person to produce the character true leadership requires. Praise God.

[Donnie Gillum]

Quote- Nathan: I think that the comments about being an elder or a deacon before being (appointed) as one are one of the most simple, yet very profound truths in God's word,
…Eldership is firstly about character and not simply about a role to fill.

Welcome to the discussion,Nathan. I think you are absolutely correct in your assessment of character before position. And it is being demonstrated in our discussion of the Selecting of the Seven. It’s amazing at the quality of men that were chosen. While the total group qualified, at least two were “overqualified” so to speak – Steven and Phillip. These men were powerful in the Spirit (the other five possibly were too), yet they did not think this task they were selected for was beneath them. I personally think there were a lot more than these seven, but seven was all that was needed. It is also noteworthy of the caliber of men already working in the Spirit among the multitude of the disciples. Great guys, these men!

Quote- Nathan: I think that God's Spirit is calling His church to a recognition of true spiritual leadership, and thus, to His headship…

Yes, Nathan, Yes!!!

[David Huston]

If these seven are in fact intended to serve as the prototype for the New Testament deacon, it is quite amazing how far nearly all churches has strayed from these standards. These seven were mighty men of God, not just someone who was willing to call the repair man when the furnace breaks down.

[Donnie Gillum]

Very well said, Brother Dave! I, too, think their roll and ability has been terribly underestimated. In fact, the more the members of the Network discuss the seven, the more I love these “mighty men of God”, as you so rightly called them. And as for a demonstration of their wisdom, Stephen was too much a “penta-state” crowd of top phylactery wearing, anti-Christ, theological intellectuals…neither could they stand against his spirit. This guy was great! And to think, he would barely qualify to call the furnace repairman today. It is indeed a sad state of affairs, as you have so vividly pointed out.

[Brandon Steinke]

Bro Nathan, Welcome. You have added some great descriptions to the conversation.

Quote: All that man can build is rigid, dead structure. We cannot create or bring forth life, nor anything natural. Any attempt to build without God's Spirit will ultimately result in this rigidness and not in life and growth.

Last fall, Bro Dave Capatosto spoke to us, at the Glorious Church conference, on the concept of the 'Organic Church'. The message was much along these lines, that the (true) church is a living, breathing organism, not a man made/manipulated organization. Perhaps someone, with a little more time and technological savvy than myself, could send you a copy of this message. I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, but one of my biggest fears is unqualified men being appointed or men being appointed before their time, in a rush to establish an eldership or relieve the strains of leadership. That old thinking, "Well, I'd better marry him, 'cause I don't know if a better one will come along, and I'm gettin' up there in years." Or, "Well, he's been coming a long time and he's probably the most qualified, and if it's not him, then who? If I have to wait for a more qualified man to come along, it could take years yet!" Just because they show up and tithe faithfully, doesn't make them qualified. I know this may seem a bit extreme, but people will be people, and although I can't say I've seen this yet, I could see these situations arise as more bodies/congregations seek/rush to embrace and get on board with biblical eldership. Abraham and Hagar.

Quote: Eldership is firstly about character and not simply about a role to fill.

It is so important to seek the will and wisdom of God and seek out godly counsel before making appointments. The scriptures say, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." and "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." and "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;"

We are so used to cartoon portrayals of a bumbling wolf with a fleece draped over his head, but that is not the way it will be. It says that they will be dressed in 'sheep's clothing'. They will look like sheep! They will act like sheep! They will appear to be sheep!

Keeping them out is a lot easier and simpler than trying to get them out once they're in.

[Donnie Gillum]

Quote-Brandon: Keeping them out is a lot easier and simpler than trying to get them out once they're in.

Brandon, no need to comment, The above quote, and the whole article, "Well said!"