Soma Spokane Sermons

In chapter 3, Paul describes the kind of leadership structure that contributes to a local church flourishing in mission and ministry. Last week we learned that mission and ministry is what the whole church does, men and women, in our various contexts. Everyone is called to pray, live, and proclaim for gospel advancement. At the same time, a local church needs called and qualified leadership, and Paul says there ought to be two offices. Elders are the spiritual fathers of the community: men of character and integrity who hold the doctrinal DNA and oversee the mission and ministry of the church. Alongside them are the deacons: servant leaders among the church family — women and men tasked with helping the church accomplish the disciple-making ministry in all varieties of roles. Paul roots the call for men to be elders in the narrative of creation and fall, showing how Jesus restores us to a flourishing complementarity between men and women. To read Soma Spokane’s position paper on Men, Women, and Ministry, cli