Ed Stetzer
believes many churches “have neglected some of the ecclesiology described in
Scripture by de-emphasizing New Testament patterns of leadership,
misunderstanding the role of covenant and related church discipline, and
failure to practice the biblically prescribed ordinances.”[1] John Hammett
identifies the positions of elders/pastors/overseers and deacons as two offices
in Baptist ecclesiology. He lists the qualifications for elders as those coming
from 1 Timothy 3:2–7 and Titus 1:6–9. The list includes morality, marital status,
giftedness, maturity, gender, and a divine calling. Of those qualifications,
the overwhelming majority of the Evangelical Christian Missionary Union (ECMU) concurs.[2]
Hammett also encourages a plurality of elders in his Baptist ecclesiology,[3]
the very thing that ECMU also encourages.[4]
After one hundred years of deacon rule, Hammett has issued a call back to
congregational rule wherein a plurality of elders “would force churches to
think through the relationship of the two offices and would result in a renewal
of the servant aspect of diaconal ministry, with leadership left to the
elders.”[5]
The way that Frolov has established the ministries of elder and deacon in his
church is reflective of that renewal.
The ECMU church in
St. Petersburg
recognizes pastoral ordination, but it does not practice deacon ordination.
According to Hammett, the issue of ordination is a historical one.
Over the course of church history,
ordination grew in importance. It eventually became viewed as a sacrament,
conferring grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit on the recipient…This
understanding of ordination came under sharp attack in the Reformation, because
it contradicted the idea of the priesthood of all believers, it created a false
dichotomy between clergy and laity, and it lacked biblical warrant.[6]
Frolov does not see a need to
unnecessarily “burden” lay servants with cultural and historical baggage.[7]
Hammett outlines
five ecclesial functions in Baptist ecclesiology, the very same functions or
ministries that Frolov and ECMU outlines as their own. Hammett argues that “in
Baptist life, the ministry of the Word has been central.”[8]
ECMU calls the ministry of the Word “the only true source of knowing God (John
5:39).”[9]
Hammett said the ministry of fellowship “explains how otherwise diverse
believers can experience oneness in Christ; what they have in common outweighs
their differences.”[10]
ECMU says that “fellowship with other Christians (Hebrews 10:25) is what leads
a Christian to readiness to serve God with power and with the gifts of the Holy
Spirit (Ephesians 4:11–13).”[11]
Hammett says that in the Baptist ministry of worship “evangelism was a
byproduct of worship, not the design of worship.”[12]
ECMU reflects this as well in its identification with the evangelical movement
even in its worship practices.[13]
Hammett identifies service as a Baptist ideal, even though “this is an area in
which Baptists… need to improve.”[14]
Frolov says that “ECMU is including an aspect of service to the community and
to each other as an integral part of its church life.”[15]
Hammett also includes evangelism that extends “to the ends of the earth, or
what is usually called international missions.”[16]
EMCU is also careful to include an evangelism aspect that extends “to all
generations and to all people groups.”[17]
Interestingly, the
substance of Baptist ecclesiology as presented by Hammett is reflective of the
very practice of ECMU in Russia .
Almost item by item, each element of historical Baptist theology as it relates
to the doctrine of the church is present in ECMU’s praxis. Perhaps it is for
this reason that Frolov makes the claim that “we are really Baptists; we just
don’t have the title Russian Baptists. We are a different denomination, but we
are just like Baptists.”[18]
[1]Ed Stetzer, Planting
Missional Churches: Planting a Church That’s Biblically Sound and Reaching
People in Culture (Nashville ,
Tenn.
[2]
The only sticking point would be Hammett’s insistence on the elder role as
limited to males. ECMU has one female serving as pastor in the Buddhist region
of Russia .
See Evangelical Christian Missionary Union , “Церкви Калмыцкой Епархии,” (2009). http://www.exmc.ru/churches/kalmykyia
(accessed August 18, 2009). However, even though the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines male leadership of churches,
the Southern Baptist Convention still has about 30 women pastors. See Executive
Committee of the SBC, “Southern Baptists and Women Pastors,” The Truth about the SBC & Texas
(2009). http://www.baptist2baptist.net/printfriendly.asp?ID=58 (accessed August
18, 2009).
[3]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations,
166-177.
[4]
Frolov, interview by author.
[5]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations, 197.
[6]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations,
205–206.
[7]
Frolov, interview by author.
[8]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations, 228.
[9]
Evangelical Christian Missionary Union, “Символ Веры.”
[10]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations, 233.
[11]
Evangelical Christian Missionary Union, “Символ Веры.”
[12]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations, 248.
[13] See
Evangelical Christian Missionary Union , “Символ Веры.”
[14]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations, 252.
[15] Frolov,
interview by author.
[16]
Hammett, Biblical Foundations, 255.
[17] See
Evangelical Christian Missionary Union , “Символ Веры.”
[18]
Dmitry A. Frolov, interview by author, written notes, St. Petersburg , Russia
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