Utawala, Ibada na Sakramenti za Kimethodisti na za Kinazarayo — Sehemu ya 2: Mikutano, Wasimamizi na MaaskofuMethodist and Nazarene Polity, Worship, and Sacraments — Unit 2: Conferences, Superintendents and Bishops

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Kwa sababu hiyo nalikuacha Krete, upate kuyatengeneza mambo yaliyopungua, na kuweka wazee kila mji, kama mimi nilivyokuagiza." (Tito 1:5, SUV)"For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you." (Titus 1:5, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, utaweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza jinsi mikutano (conferences) inavyoongoza maisha ya kanisa la Kiwesley, tangu mikusanyiko ya kwanza ya Wesley hadi mikutano ya kila mwaka na mikutano mikuu ya leo.1. Explain how conferences guide the life of a Wesleyan church, from Wesley's first gatherings to the annual and general conferences of today.

2. Kueleza jinsi Thomas Coke na Francis Asbury walivyokuwa wasimamizi (superintendents) mwaka 1784 na jinsi cheo "askofu" kilivyoanza kutumika.2. Tell how Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury became superintendents in 1784 and how the title "bishop" came into use.

3. Kufupisha kile Agano Jipya linachosema kuhusu wazee na waangalizi.3. Summarize what the New Testament says about elders and overseers.

4. Kueleza mtazamo wa Kiwesley kuhusu ofisi ya uaskofu kama kazi ya usimamizi na si daraja la juu zaidi la huduma.4. Describe the Wesleyan view of the episcopal office as a work of oversight and not a higher order of ministry.

5. Kueleza pingamizi la urithi wa kimitume na pingamizi la makanisa yasiyo na maaskofu, na kuyajibu yote mawili.5. State the objection from apostolic succession and the objection from churches without bishops, and answer both.

Sauti ya Kipindi HikiThe Voice of This Unit

Kipindi hiki kimeandikwa kutoka ndani ya mapokeo ya kihafidhina ya Kiwesley. Mada yake, ni nani anayeyasimamia makanisa na kwa njia gani, ni mada ambayo Wakristo waaminifu hawakubaliani juu yake. Wakatoliki wa Roma, Waorthodoksi na baadhi ya Waanglikana hufundisha kwamba upadri wa kweli hupitishwa kupitia maaskofu tu katika mnyororo usiokatika tangu mitume. Wabaptisti na Wapresbiteri wengi hushikilia kwamba Biblia haijui ofisi iliyo juu ya mchungaji wa mahali au mzee. Wawesley wanasimama kati ya mitazamo hii. Tunaeleza pingamizi zote mbili kwa haki na kujibu kutoka Maandiko na kutoka katika hoja za Wesley mwenyewe. Kama Paulo asemavyo, "Jaribuni mambo yote; mkashike lililo jema" (1 Wathesalonike 5:21).This unit is written from inside the conservative Wesleyan tradition. The subject, who oversees the churches and how, is one on which faithful Christians disagree. Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians and some Anglicans teach that true ordination passes only through bishops in an unbroken line from the apostles. Many Baptists and Presbyterians hold that the Bible knows no office above the local pastor or elder. Wesleyans stand between these views. We state both objections fairly and answer from Scripture and from Wesley's own reasoning. As Paul says, "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Kipindi cha 1 kilieleza kwa nini Wawesley wameunganishwa. Kipindi hiki kinauliza ni nani anayeongoza muunganiko na maamuzi yake hufanywaje.Unit 1 explained why Wesleyans are connected. This unit asks who guides the connection and how its decisions are made.

Mkutano: Jinsi Muunganiko UnavyoamuaThe Conference: How a Connection Decides

Wesley hakutawala peke yake, ingawa wengi walidhani hivyo. Aliwaita wahubiri wake pamoja katika mkutano (conference). Wa kwanza ulifanyika London mwaka 1744, na desturi hiyo iliendelea kama mkusanyiko wa kila mwaka. Kozi ya 1 ilisimulia jinsi mikutano ilivyokua. Kwa somo letu, tazama walichofanya: waliomba, walichunguza mafundisho na mwenendo wa wahubiri, waliuliza kazi inavyoendelea, na kuwapangia wahubiri mizunguko yao ya huduma. Minutes zilizochapishwa zikawa sheria ya pamoja.Wesley did not govern alone, though many thought he did. He called his preachers together in conference. The first met in London in 1744, and the practice continued as a yearly gathering. Course 1 told how the conferences developed. For our study, note what they did: they prayed, examined the preachers' teaching and conduct, asked how the work was prospering, and assigned the preachers to their circuits. The printed Minutes became the shared law.

Mkutano ulibaki kuwa moyo wa maisha ya Kimethodisti. Katika makanisa mengi ya Kiwesley kuna ngazi kuu mbili.The conference remained the heart of Methodist life. In most Wesleyan churches there are two main levels.

Mkutano wa kila mwaka au wa wilaya. Wachungaji, na katika madhehebu mengi wawakilishi walei pia, hukutana kila mwaka juu ya eneo fulani. Makanisa tofauti hutumia majina tofauti. Mkutano huu huwachunguza wagombea wa huduma, hupokea ripoti, hupanga au kuthibitisha uteuzi wa wachungaji katika madhehebu yanayotumia uteuzi, na huendesha shughuli za eneo hilo. Katika makanisa ya Nazarene na Wesleyan chombo cha eneo ni baraza la wilaya (district assembly) au mkutano wa wilaya (district conference), ambacho Kipindi cha 3 kinakieleza.The annual or district conference. Pastors, and in most bodies lay representatives as well, meet each year over a region. Different churches use different names. It examines candidates for ministry, receives reports, assigns or confirms pastoral appointments in the bodies that use appointment, and conducts business for that region. In the Nazarene and Wesleyan churches the regional body is the district assembly or district conference, which Unit 3 describes.

Mkutano mkuu. Wajumbe kutoka kila eneo hukutana kwa ajili ya dhehebu zima, kwa kawaida kila baada ya miaka minne. Katika madhehebu mengi ya Kiwesley ndicho chombo cha juu zaidi cha kutunga sheria. Kinaweza kubadilisha kitabu cha nidhamu (book of discipline) au mwongozo (manual), kuchagua viongozi wakuu katika baadhi ya makanisa, na kuamua mambo ya mafundisho na muundo kwa kanisa duniani kote. Katika Kanisa la Wesleyan na Kanisa la Free Methodist chombo hiki huitwa Mkutano Mkuu (General Conference). Kanisa la Nazarene huita chombo chake Baraza Kuu (General Assembly).The general conference. Delegates from every region meet for the whole denomination, usually every four years. In many Wesleyan bodies it is the highest legislative body. It can change the book of discipline or manual, elect general leaders in some churches, and decide matters of doctrine and structure for the church worldwide. In The Wesleyan Church and the Free Methodist Church this body is called the General Conference. The Church of the Nazarene calls its body the General Assembly.

Kwa nini kukusanyika ni muhimuWhy gathering matters

Wawesley wanauthamini mkutano kwa sababu tatu. Unafuata mfano wa Matendo 15, ambapo maamuzi yalifikiwa pamoja. Unamzuia mtu mmoja asitawale peke yake. Na unalipa kanisa njia ya kujirekebisha.Wesleyans value the conference for three reasons. It follows the pattern of Acts 15, where decisions were reached together. It prevents any one person from ruling alone. And it gives the church a way to correct itself.

Nafasi ya washiriki walei ilikua kadiri muda ulivyopita. Katika Kanisa la Methodist Episcopal la mwanzo mikutano ilikuwa na wahubiri. Baadhi ya Wamethodisti walisema kwamba walei wanapaswa kuwa na kura, na hii ilikuwa sababu moja iliyofanya kikundi kiondoke mwaka 1830 na kuunda Kanisa la Methodist Protestant. Baadaye walei walikubaliwa katika mikutano mikuu ya kanisa kubwa. Leo madhehebu ya Kiwesley ya Utakatifu huwapa walei nafasi katika mabaraza na mikutano yao. Tunaamini hili ni sawa, kwa sababu kanisa zima, na si wahudumu wake tu, ni watu wa Mungu (1 Petro 2:9).The role of lay members grew over time. In the early Methodist Episcopal Church the conferences were made up of preachers. Some Methodists argued that laymen ought to have a vote, and this was one reason a group left in 1830 to form the Methodist Protestant Church. Laity were later admitted to the general conferences of the larger church. Today the Wesleyan-Holiness bodies give laity a place in their assemblies and conferences. We believe this is right, because the whole church, and not only its ministers, is the people of God (1 Peter 2:9).

Coke, Asbury na WasimamiziCoke, Asbury and the Superintendents

TatizoThe problem

Kufikia mwaka 1784 Wamethodisti wa Amerika walikuwa wengi, lakini walikuwa na uhaba wa wahudumu waliowekwa wakfu. Makasisi wengi wa Kianglikana walikuwa wameondoka Amerika wakati wa Mapinduzi. Wamethodisti wengi hawakuweza kupokea Meza ya Bwana wala ubatizo kutoka kwa mhubiri wa Kimethodisti, kwa sababu wahubiri hawakuwa wamewekwa wakfu. Wesley alimwomba Askofu wa London amweke wakfu mtu mmoja kwa ajili ya Amerika, naye alikataa. Ndipo Wesley akachukua hatua.By 1784 the Methodists in America were numerous, but they had a shortage of ordained ministers. Many Anglican clergy had left America during the Revolution. Many Methodists could not receive the Lord's Supper or baptism from a Methodist preacher, because the preachers were not ordained. Wesley asked the Bishop of London to ordain a man for America, and he declined. Wesley then acted.

Uamuzi wa WesleyWesley's decision

Wesley alikuwa amesoma swali la utaratibu wa kanisa kwa miaka mingi. Alikuwa ameamini kwamba katika Agano Jipya maaskofu na wazee (presbyters) ni daraja moja. Kwa mtazamo wake mzee alikuwa na haki ya kuweka wakfu. Pia alikuwa Mwanglikana ambaye hakutaka kuliacha kanisa lake. Lakini alihukumu kwamba mahitaji ya roho za watu wa Amerika yalikuwa ya dharura zaidi kuliko kanuni za desturi za kanisa.Wesley had studied the question of church order for many years. He had come to believe that in the New Testament, bishops and presbyters, or elders, are the same order. In his view an elder had the right to ordain. He was also an Anglican who did not wish to leave his church. But he judged that the needs of souls in America were more pressing than the rules of church custom.

Mwezi Septemba 1784 Wesley aliwaweka wakfu Richard Whatcoat na Thomas Vasey kuwa wazee kwa ajili ya kazi ya Amerika. Pia alimtenga Thomas Coke, kasisi wa Kanisa la Uingereza ambaye tayari alikuwa kiongozi miongoni mwa Wamethodisti, kuwa msimamizi mkuu (general superintendent). Aliwatuma Amerika wakiwa na barua na kitabu cha sala kilichorekebishwa kwa matumizi ya ibada, kiitwacho The Sunday Service of the Methodists (Ibada ya Jumapili ya Wamethodisti), pamoja na Makala ya Dini.In September 1784 Wesley ordained Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey as elders for the work in America. He also set apart Thomas Coke, a clergyman of the Church of England who was already a leader among the Methodists, as a general superintendent. He sent them to America with a letter and with a revised prayer book for use in worship, called The Sunday Service of the Methodists, along with the Articles of Religion.

Mkutano wa KrismasiThe Christmas Conference

Wahubiri wa Kimethodisti walikutana Baltimore mwezi Desemba 1784. Francis Asbury, ambaye alikuwa amefanya kazi Amerika kwa miaka mingi, alikubali kutumikia kama msimamizi kwa sharti tu kwamba mkutano umchague, na si kwa uteuzi wa Wesley peke yake. Mkutano ulifanya hivyo. Kwa mujibu wa kumbukumbu, Asbury aliwekwa wakfu kuwa shemasi, kisha mzee, kisha akatengwa kuwa msimamizi na Coke, huku wahudumu wengine wakisaidia. Kanisa la Methodist Episcopal liliundwa, na hawa wawili wakiwa wasimamizi wake wa kwanza.The Methodist preachers met in Baltimore in December 1784. Francis Asbury, who had labored in America for years, agreed to serve as superintendent only if the conference elected him, and not simply on Wesley's appointment. The conference did so. According to the record, Asbury was ordained deacon, then elder, then set apart as superintendent by Coke, with other ministers assisting. The Methodist Episcopal Church was formed, with these two as its first superintendents.

Jinsi "msimamizi" alivyokuwa "askofu"How "superintendent" became "bishop"

Wesley alikuwa ametumia neno rahisi "msimamizi" (superintendent). Ndani ya miaka michache mkutano wa Amerika ulianza kutumia neno "askofu," ambalo pia linapatikana katika Agano Jipya. Wesley hakupenda mabadiliko ya cheo hicho, naye alilidhihirisha hilo. Wanahistoria wamejadili kwa nini ilitokea. Wengine wanadhani tamaa ya makuu ilihusika, na Asbury ameshutumiwa kutafuta mamlaka. Wengine wanaonyesha kwamba "askofu" lilikuwa cheo kinachojulikana na kuheshimiwa ambacho watu walikielewa, na kwamba Asbury aliishi maisha ya shida na safari za kudumu, ambayo hayakuwa maisha ya mtu anayetafuta starehe. Hatuhitaji kuhukumu mioyo. Cha muhimu ni kwamba ofisi hiyo ilikuwa na uwajibikaji na ilikuwa na mizizi katika Maandiko.Wesley had used the plain word "superintendent." Within a few years the American conference began to use the word "bishop," which also appears in the New Testament. Wesley disliked the change of title, and he made this known. Historians have debated why it happened. Some think ambition played a part, and Asbury has been accused of seeking power. Others point out that "bishop" was a familiar and respected title that people understood, and that Asbury lived a life of hardship and constant travel, hardly the life of a man seeking comfort. We need not judge hearts. What matters is that the office was accountable and was rooted in Scripture.

Maisha ya Asbury yanaonyesha ofisi hiyo ilipaswa kuwa nini. Alivuka mpaka wa Amerika kwa farasi mwaka baada ya mwaka, akitembelea mizunguko ya huduma, akikutana na wahubiri, akihubiri katika vibanda na nyumba za mikutano, na kufanya uteuzi. Journal yake (Shajara) inaandika kazi yake. Kwake msimamizi alikuwa mtumishi msafiri wa makanisa.Asbury's life shows what the office was meant to be. He crossed the American frontier on horseback year after year, visiting the circuits, meeting preachers, preaching in cabins and meeting houses, and making appointments. His Journal records his work. For him the superintendent was a traveling servant of the churches.

Agano Jipya Linasema NiniWhat the New Testament Says

Ofisi za kanisa si jambo la historia kwanza bali la Maandiko. Wawesley wanatambua mambo kadhaa.The offices of the church are not first a matter of history but of Scripture. Wesleyans notice several things.

Wazee na waangalizi ni watu walewale. Katika Matendo 20:17 Paulo aliwaita wazee wa kanisa la Efeso. Alipozungumza nao, alisema kwamba Roho Mtakatifu amewaweka kuwa "waangalizi" (Matendo 20:28). Neno lililotafsiriwa "mwangalizi" ni neno linalotafsiriwa mahali pengine "askofu." Viongozi walewale wa Efeso wanaitwa wazee na waangalizi wote wawili. Katika Tito 1:5-7 Paulo anamwambia Tito aweke wazee, kisha anawaita watu walewale "askofu" anapoorodhesha sifa zao. Katika Wafilipi 1:1 Paulo anawaandikia watakatifu wa Filipi, "pamoja na waangalizi na mashemasi." Katika 1 Petro 5:1-3 Petro anawahimiza wazee "lichungeni kundi la Mungu" na kutumikia kama waangalizi, "wala si kama mkitawala wale mlio kabidhiwa, bali mkiwa vielelezo kwa kundi."Elders and overseers are the same people. In Acts 20:17 Paul called for the elders of the church at Ephesus. When he spoke to them, he said that the Holy Spirit had made them "overseers" (Acts 20:28). The word translated "overseer" is the word elsewhere rendered "bishop." The same Ephesian leaders are called both elders and overseers. In Titus 1:5-7 Paul tells Titus to appoint elders, and then calls the same men "bishop" when listing their qualifications. In Philippians 1:1 Paul writes to the saints at Philippi, "with the bishops and deacons." In 1 Peter 5:1-3 Peter urges the elders to "shepherd the flock of God" and to serve as overseers, "not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."

Baadhi ya viongozi walisimamia makanisa mengi. Timotheo na Tito hawakuwa wachungaji wa usharika mmoja. Paulo alimwacha Tito Krete "upate kuyatengeneza mambo yaliyopungua" na kuweka wazee kila mji (Tito 1:5). Alimtuma Timotheo Efeso kuwaagiza watu fulani wasifundishe mafundisho mengine (1 Timotheo 1:3). Mitume wenyewe walisafiri kati ya makanisa. Kwa hiyo Agano Jipya linajua huduma ya usimamizi iliyovuka usharika mmoja.Some leaders oversaw many churches. Timothy and Titus were not pastors of a single congregation. Paul left Titus in Crete "to set in order the things that are lacking" and to appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5). He sent Timothy to Ephesus to charge certain men not to teach other doctrines (1 Timothy 1:3). The apostles themselves traveled among churches. So the New Testament knows a ministry of oversight that reached beyond one congregation.

Wazee waliweka mikono juu ya wengine. Paulo alimkumbusha Timotheo kuhusu karama aliyopewa "kwa unabii, na kwa kuwekewa mikono na wazee" (1 Timotheo 4:14). Hapa baraza la wazee (presbytery) lilishiriki katika kumtenga mhudumu.Elders laid hands on others. Paul reminded Timothy of the gift given "by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership" (1 Timothy 4:14). Here the presbytery, the body of elders, took part in setting a minister apart.

Kutokana na ushahidi huu, Wawesley wanatoa hitimisho lifuatalo. Agano Jipya linatupa ofisi ya mzee au mwangalizi, na linaonyesha viongozi waliosimamia maeneo mapana zaidi. Halitupi ngazi ya kudumu ya aina tatu ya askofu, padri na shemasi kama daraja pekee halali. Msimamizi au askofu wa Kiwesley ni mzee aliyepewa kazi ya usimamizi juu ya eneo kubwa zaidi kwa muda na kwa kuchaguliwa. Tofauti ni ya kazi na wajibu. Si tofauti ya daraja la huduma.From this evidence, Wesleyans draw the following conclusion. The New Testament gives us the office of elder or overseer, and it shows leaders who supervised wider fields. It does not give us a fixed three-fold ladder of bishop, priest and deacon as the only valid order. The Wesleyan superintendent or bishop is an elder who has been given the work of oversight over a larger field for a time and by election. The difference is one of function and responsibility. It is not a difference in the order of ministry.

Msimamizi au Askofu Hufanya NiniWhat a Superintendent or Bishop Does

Maelezo hutofautiana kati ya makanisa ya Kiwesley, lakini kazi kuu zinafanana.The details differ among the Wesleyan churches, but the main duties are similar.

• Usimamizi wa makanisa. Anatembelea, anatia moyo na kusahihisha wachungaji na makutano katika eneo lake.• Oversight of the churches. He visits, encourages and corrects the pastors and congregations in his area.

• Kuongoza vikao. Anaongoza mikutano na mabaraza na kuhakikisha shughuli zinafanywa kwa haki.• Presiding. He presides at conferences and assemblies and sees that business is done fairly.

• Kuteua au kuidhinisha. Katika madhehebu yenye mfumo wa safari ya huduma (itinerant system), anawateua wachungaji kwa makanisa. Katika mengine anashauri, na kanisa la mahali humwita mchungaji wake.• Appointing or approving. In bodies with an itinerant system, he appoints pastors to churches. In others he advises, and the local church calls its pastor.

• Kuweka wakfu. Anaongoza katika kuweka wakfu wazee na mashemasi, kwa kawaida wahudumu wengine wakiweka mikono pia.• Ordaining. He leads in the ordination of elders and deacons, usually with other ministers laying on hands.

• Kulinda mafundisho na nidhamu. Anahakikisha mafundisho na kanuni za kanisa zinashikwa, na husaidia kushughulikia mashtaka dhidi ya wahudumu.• Guarding doctrine and discipline. He sees that the church's teaching and rules are kept, and he helps to deal with charges against ministers.

• Kupanua kazi. Anakuza utume na kupanda makanisa mapya. Hii ilikuwa kazi kuu ya Asbury.• Extending the work. He promotes missions and the planting of new churches. This was Asbury's main work.

Kwa kuwa kazi hii ni ya usimamizi, viongozi hawa wanawajibika kwa mkutano au baraza lililowachagua. Mamlaka yao yanatoka kwa kanisa na kwa huduma ya uaminifu. Si yao binafsi.Because the work is oversight, these leaders answer to the conference or assembly that elected them. Their authority comes from the church and from faithful service. It does not belong to them personally.

Madhehebu Mengine ya KiwesleyOther Wesleyan Bodies

Si kila dhehebu linafuata mfano wa Methodist Episcopal. Kanisa la Free Methodist lina maaskofu. Kanisa la African Methodist Episcopal, lililoanzishwa na Richard Allen na wengine, lina maaskofu. Kanisa la Nazarene na Kanisa la Wesleyan hutumia cheo "msimamizi mkuu" (general superintendent), ambacho kinarudi kwenye neno la Wesley mwenyewe. Wamethodisti wa Wesleyan walioundwa mwaka 1843 waliondoka katika Kanisa la Methodist Episcopal kwa sehemu kwa sababu ya maaskofu na utumwa, wakajipanga bila maaskofu. Cheo ni cha umuhimu mdogo kuliko kazi. Kipindi cha 3 kinashughulikia mfano wa Nazarene na Wesleyan.Not every body follows the Methodist Episcopal pattern. The Free Methodist Church has bishops. The African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded by Richard Allen and others, has bishops. The Church of the Nazarene and The Wesleyan Church use the title "general superintendent," which returns to Wesley's own word. The Wesleyan Methodists who formed in 1843 left the Methodist Episcopal Church partly over bishops and slavery, and organized without bishops. The title is less important than the work. Unit 3 takes up the Nazarene and Wesleyan pattern.

Pingamizi na Majibu YetuObjections and Our Answers

Pingamizi la 1: Maaskofu walio katika urithi wa kimitume pekee ndio wanaweza kuweka wakfu.Objection 1: Only bishops in apostolic succession can ordain.

Wakatoliki wa Roma, Waorthodoksi na Waanglo-Katoliki wengi hufundisha kwamba Kristo aliwapa mitume mamlaka, wao wakawapitishia maaskofu, na maaskofu wameyapitisha katika mnyororo usiokatika kwa kuwekewa mikono. Kwa mtazamo huu, mhudumu aliyewekwa wakfu nje ya mnyororo huo hana daraja halali, na hawezi kuadhimisha sakramenti kwa halali.Roman Catholics, the Orthodox and many Anglo-Catholics teach that Christ gave authority to the apostles, who passed it to bishops, and bishops have passed it on in an unbroken chain by the laying on of hands. On this view a minister ordained outside the chain does not have valid orders, and cannot validly celebrate the sacraments.

Jibu letu. Tunalitukuza kanisa la mwanzo na maaskofu wake, na hatuwadharau wanaoshikilia mtazamo huu. Lakini hatuwezi kuukubali, kwa sababu tatu. Kwanza, Maandiko yanaonyesha wazee wakishiriki katika kuweka wakfu (1 Timotheo 4:14), na yanaonyesha wazee na waangalizi kuwa watu walewale, kwa hiyo hakuna msingi wa kibiblia wa kusema kwamba ni daraja la juu zaidi la maaskofu pekee linaloweza kuweka wakfu. Wesley alishawishika kuhusu hili kwa kusoma kwake Maandiko na kanisa la kwanza. Pili, urithi wa kweli anaousisitiza Paulo ni urithi wa mafundisho ya mitume: "yale uliyoyasikia kwangu mbele ya mashahidi wengi, haya uwakabidhi watu waaminifu watakaoweza kuwafundisha na wengine" (2 Timotheo 2:2). Mfululizo wa mikono ambao umepoteza injili ya mitume si kanisa la mitume. Tatu, Bwana ameibariki wazi huduma ya wahubiri wa Kimethodisti na wa Utakatifu kwa watu kuokoka na maisha matakatifu. Tunasema hili bila majivuno, na kwa heshima kwa wale wasiokubaliana.Our answer. We honor the early church and its bishops, and we do not despise those who hold this view. But we cannot accept it, for three reasons. First, Scripture shows elders taking part in ordination (1 Timothy 4:14), and shows elders and overseers as the same persons, so there is no biblical ground for saying that only a higher order of bishops can ordain. Wesley was persuaded of this by his study of the Scriptures and the early church. Second, the true succession that Paul stresses is the succession of the apostles' teaching: "the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). A line of hands that has lost the apostles' gospel is not the apostles' church. Third, the Lord has plainly blessed the ministry of Methodist and Holiness preachers with conversions and holy lives. We say this without boasting, and with respect for those who disagree.

Pingamizi la 2: Hakuna ofisi inayopaswa kusimama juu ya mchungaji wa mahali au mzee.Objection 2: No office should stand above the local pastor or elder.

Wabaptisti na Wapresbiteri wengi, na baadhi ya Wawesley pia, wanaogopa kwamba maaskofu watakuwa watawala. Wanaelekeza kwenye maneno ya Yesu kwamba watawala wa Mataifa "huwatawala," lakini "kwenu si hivyo" (Marko 10:42-43). Wanamkumbuka Diotrefe, aliyependa kuwa wa kwanza na akakataa kuwapokea ndugu (3 Yohana 9-10).Many Baptists and Presbyterians, and some Wesleyans too, fear that bishops will become rulers. They point to Jesus' words that the rulers of the Gentiles "lord it over them," but "it shall not be so among you" (Mark 10:42-43). They recall Diotrephes, who loved to have the first place and refused to receive the brethren (3 John 9-10).

Jibu letu. Onyo hilo ni jema, na Wawesley wenyewe wamelihisi. Huenda ni sababu moja ya madhehebu mengine ya Utakatifu kuchagua cheo "msimamizi" na si "askofu." Lakini Biblia inaonyesha kwamba usimamizi wa zaidi ya kanisa moja ulikuwepo, katika Timotheo, Tito na mitume. Maneno ya Yesu hayakatazi uongozi. Alisema kwamba atakayetaka kuwa mkuu lazima awe mtumishi. Msimamizi anayetumikia, anayechaguliwa, na anayewajibika kwa mkutano si Diotrefe. Viongozi wanapogeuka kuwa watawala, dawa ni nidhamu na mchakato wa uchaguzi, si kuondoa ofisi.Our answer. The warning is a good one, and Wesleyans have felt it themselves. It may be one reason some Holiness bodies chose the title "superintendent" and not "bishop." But the Bible shows that oversight of more than one church existed, in Timothy, Titus and the apostles. Jesus' words do not forbid leadership. He said that the one who wishes to be great must be a servant. A superintendent who serves, who is elected, and who answers to a conference is not Diotrephes. Where leaders do become rulers, the remedy is discipline and the election process, not removal of the office.

Pingamizi la 3: Ofisi hiyo ilitokana na tamaa ya makuu na si Maandiko.Objection 3: The office came from ambition and not from Scripture.

Wanahistoria wengine wanasema uaskofu wa Amerika ulikua kutokana na hamu ya Asbury ya mamlaka na urahisi wa kanisa, na kwamba nia halisi ya Wesley haikuheshimiwa.Some historians say the American episcopacy developed from Asbury's wish for power and from the convenience of the church, and that Wesley's real intention was not honored.

Jibu letu. Historia ni mchanganyiko, na hatupaswi kudai zaidi ya tunavyojua. Wesley aliteua wasimamizi, na hakupenda cheo cha askofu, kwa hiyo mjadala ni wa kweli. Lakini aina ya utaratibu wa kanisa haihitaji kuanzishwa kikamilifu ili iwe ya manufaa, na cha muhimu ni kama inalitumikia Neno na kundi. Ofisi hiyo imejaribiwa kwa zaidi ya karne mbili na imelisaidia kanisa kufikia maeneo mapya, kuweka wachungaji katika makanisa na kulinda imani, wenye kuishikilia walipokuwa waaminifu. Wasipokuwa waaminifu, makanisa yamekuwa na haki ya kuwasahihisha.Our answer. The history is mixed, and we should not claim more than we know. Wesley appointed superintendents, and he disliked the title bishop, so the debate is real. But a form of church order does not need to be perfectly begun in order to be useful, and what matters is whether it serves the Word and the flock. The office has been tested for more than two centuries and has helped the church to reach new regions, set pastors in churches and guard the faith, when its holders have been faithful. When they have not, the churches have had the right to correct them.

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Mchungaji wa kanisa la Kimethodisti katika mji ambao wengi wake ni Wakatoliki wa Roma anatembelewa na kijana mwanamke aliyekulia Ukatoliki na ambaye hivi karibuni ameokoka. Mama yake amemwambia, "Mchungaji wako hakuwekwa wakfu kamwe na askofu aliye katika mfululizo wa mitume, kwa hiyo hawezi kukuhudumia Meza ya Bwana." Anauliza, "Je, mchungaji wangu ni mhudumu kweli?"A pastor in a Methodist church in a mostly Roman Catholic town is visited by a young woman who grew up Catholic and has recently been converted. Her mother has told her, "Your pastor was never ordained by a bishop in the line of the apostles, so he cannot serve you the Supper." She asks, "Is my pastor really a minister?"

Mchungaji hajitetei kwa hasira. Kwanza, anamshukuru kwa kuuliza, na anazungumza kwa heshima juu ya mama yake na imani aliyolelewa nayo. Pili, anafungua Matendo 20 na Tito 1 pamoja naye na kumwonyesha jinsi Paulo alivyotumia "mzee" na "mwangalizi" kwa watu walewale. Tatu, anasoma 1 Timotheo 4:14 na 2 Timotheo 2:2, na kueleza kwamba Biblia inasisitiza kupitisha mafundisho ya mitume. Nne, anamwambia kwa uaminifu kwamba Wakatoliki na Wamethodisti hawakubaliani juu ya hili, na kwamba hapaswi kuhitaji kuficha tofauti hii nyumbani. Mwishowe, anamwalika mama yake kutembelea na kujionea mwenyewe kama Kristo anahubiriwa.The pastor does not become defensive. First, he thanks her for asking, and he speaks respectfully of her mother and of the faith she was raised in. Second, he opens Acts 20 and Titus 1 with her and shows her how Paul used "elder" and "overseer" for the same men. Third, he reads 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 2:2, and explains that the Bible stresses the passing on of the apostles' teaching. Fourth, he tells her honestly that Catholics and Methodists disagree on this, and that she should not need to hide this difference at home. Finally, he invites her mother to visit and to see for herself whether Christ is preached.

MuhtasariSummary

Makanisa ya Kiwesley hufanya maamuzi kwa mkutano. Mikusanyiko ya kila mwaka ya wahubiri ya Wesley ilikua mikutano ya kila mwaka au ya wilaya na mikutano mikuu au mabaraza makuu, ambapo wahudumu na walei huamua pamoja. Mwaka 1784 Wesley, aliyeamini kwamba wazee na maaskofu ni wa daraja moja, alimtuma Thomas Coke Amerika kama msimamizi mkuu. Katika Mkutano wa Krismasi Francis Asbury alichaguliwa na kutengwa, na cheo cha askofu kilianza kutumika karibuni, ingawa Wesley hakukipenda. Maandiko yanaonyesha kwamba wazee pia ni waangalizi, kwamba viongozi kama Timotheo na Tito walisimamia makanisa mengi, na kwamba wazee walishiriki katika kuweka wakfu. Kwa hiyo msimamizi au askofu wa Kiwesley ni mzee aliyepewa usimamizi kwa muda, anayewajibika kwa mkutano. Tunajibu dai la Wakatoliki na Waorthodoksi la urithi wa kimitume kwa kuelekeza kwenye urithi wa mafundisho ya kimitume, na tunawajibu wanaoogopa maaskofu kwa kuelekeza kwenye uongozi wa utumishi na uwajibikaji.Wesleyan churches make decisions by conference. Wesley's yearly gatherings of preachers grew into annual or district conferences and general conferences or assemblies, where ministers and laity decide together. In 1784 Wesley, who believed that elders and bishops belong to the same order, sent Thomas Coke to America as a general superintendent. At the Christmas Conference Francis Asbury was elected and set apart, and the title bishop soon came into use, though Wesley disliked it. Scripture shows that elders are also overseers, that leaders like Timothy and Titus oversaw many churches, and that elders took part in ordination. The Wesleyan superintendent or bishop is therefore an elder given oversight for a time, answerable to the conference. We answer the Catholic and Orthodox claim of apostolic succession by pointing to the succession of apostolic teaching, and we answer those who fear bishops by pointing to servant leadership and accountability.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• John Wesley, mahubiri "The Ministerial Office" (Ofisi ya Huduma).• John Wesley, sermon "The Ministerial Office."

• John Wesley, Journal (Shajara) na Letters (Barua), hasa barua yake ya mwaka 1784 kwa ndugu wa Amerika.• John Wesley, Journal and Letters, especially his letter of 1784 to the American brethren.

• The Sunday Service of the Methodists (1784) (Ibada ya Jumapili ya Wamethodisti) na Makala ya Dini.• The Sunday Service of the Methodists (1784) and the Articles of Religion.

• Francis Asbury, Journal (Shajara).• Francis Asbury, Journal.

• John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament (Maelezo juu ya Agano Jipya), juu ya Matendo 20 na Tito 1.• John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament, on Acts 20 and Titus 1.

• Mwongozo au kitabu cha nidhamu cha sasa cha dhehebu lako mwenyewe, kwa kanuni zake za sasa.• Your own denomination's current manual or book of discipline, for its present rules.

Wasilisha mtihani na uone kama umefauluSubmit Exam & Check Pass Anza upyaReset