Your will be done

Shortly (today is Saturday) we will be having our year-end congregational meeting. As we are, as a congregation, seen as an organization, we have to hold regular member meetings. Here, we discuss everything which concerns the congregation. It relates to financial as well as personnel issues. And in keeping in line with the German Association Law, everything is conducted in a democratic manner.

Clearly, democracy has already established itself as the format of government in many countries. But, what is the format of government in the Kingdom of God? As a local congregation, we are part of God's worldwide community, and as such we are building a part of God's Kingdom on earth.

The question may arise as to whether democracy is appropriate here. It was not yet established during Biblical times. When one reads the Book of Acts, one finds the church leadership and the deacons. The leadership was responsible for the spiritual well-being of the congregation. In these matters they had the say. Additionally, we find the deacons, who were responsible for the physical well-being of the congregation.

The Church leadership consisted of the apostles, through whom a successor for Judas was chosen by way of a godly lottery. The deacons were not elected in a democratic manner either. They were chosen from within the circle of apostles.

Divine rules are different to our human ones. Here, God Himself decides and we disciples, members, believers, must be subservient to God's will. Each of us have a special function where he has been placed.

There will most definitely be numerous heated debates at the congregational meeting again – however, in my opinion, this is totally unbiblical. With God there is no democracy, whether we like it or not.

I will allow myself to be surprised at how today's meeting turns out – because it still applies: YOUR WILL BE DONE!

I wish you a blessed day

Rainer Gigerich