Against Self-Sufficiency

I have finally laid my mitts on a veritable gold mine – A. C. Thiselton’s Systematic Theology.  There will likely be many snippets from this surprisingly little book in the future, so here’s the first one, concerning ‘Theological Principles Relating to Ministry’:

“The most profound of a number of principles concerns the mutuality or reciprocity of the church and the ministry, as against self-sufficient individualism and autonomy.  We have already identified this as a key principle in relation to the church.  Whatever the seductions of post-Enlightenment secularism about a self-contained, self-sufficient individual, no Christian individual possesses all the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  For a healthy Christian life we depend on others, especially the teaching and guidance of Christian ministers, as Paul stressed in 1 Corinthians, and Calvin in his Institutes….

…The qualities expected . . . . are enumerated in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 . . . . These include at least the following seven:

1. being skilled in teaching (Gk. didaktikos);
2. being level-headed or avoiding extremes (nephalios);
3. disliking conflict (and so constituting a focus on unity, amachos), or, in other words, managing conflict resolution;
4. being self-disciplined, or prudent (sophron);
5. being gracious, tolerant, and courteous (epieikes);
6. being able to win people’s approval or being dignified, in the sense of having gravitas or weight (kosmios);
7. having ability to manage (proistanai), whether a household or a church.

Other passages also suggest:

8. being a leader in mission (Matt. 28:19), and;

9. having a pastoral heart (John 21:15-17).

To be a “shepherd” implies not only “feeding” but also protecting the flock against enemies and marauders. . . . .

. . . . .Everything rests on mutual dependency and lack of self-sufficiency.  In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul explains to the church in Corinth that either by rejecting specific ministers or by limiting themselves to the ministry of choice favourites, they are depriving themselves of what God wills to give them.  Paul writes, “Do not deceive yourselves. . . .All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas. . . . all belong to you” (1 Cor. 3:18, 21-22)”

p. 321-325

I think this photo – © me – would also make a better cover than the one on the book!