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The Article Archives
Topic: Urban Nations
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Doorkeeper Blues, Part I
November 1, 1997
Steve M. Schlissel
  
First, let's clear up a misconception. When the Psalmist says, I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (84:10), he was not making reference to an official position. The word there is saw-faf and it refers to someone at the threshold of the tabernacle, somebody just peeking in on the fly or perhaps begging for alms. The Psalmist's sentiment, then, is that the most marginal position in relation to the house of God is more to be desired than the most central position in the dwellings of the wicked.
The Levites, however, under David's leadership, did appoint doorkeepers (sho-air) for the ark of God (1 Chronicles 15:23,24). We know virtually nothing about their duties. It is conjectured that they guarded the door of the tabernacle so as to prevent anyone from coming carelessly to the ark (Unger). Yet despite the scantiness of knowledge concerning this position, it has become a favorite metaphor of some churchmen who use it to describe the position of Elders, most often in reference to their guarding the Table.
While the analogy, in my view, results from and often leads to defective ecclesiastical practice, it is not completely without merit to regard Elders as doorkeepers. If the church is to be, in fact, a distinct organization (or organism, if you prefer), it must have some way to reckon membership. No one believes everyone is a member of Christ's church (universal or particular), just as no one asserts that no one is a member. Between these two positions must be found a standard, a standard for membership which can be defined, expressed and enforced. This standard, all would agree, ought to be found in the Bible. It must then be codified in either a creed or a church order or both.
After the standard is made explicit, we can begin to see the place of the doorkeeper. Someone, after all, must speak officially for the church, someone must be regarded as entrusted with the power to declare, minimally, who is or is not a member of a particular church. Without such a function, we'd soon find ourselves again in that unacceptable circumstance wherein everyone or no one can claim membership. Reformed people believe that Christ has entrusted this doorkeeper power to Elders (collectively) in local churches, subject to review (in disputed cases) by Elders of nearby churches.
Now one might think that this doorkeeping function is a rather easy job. Someone comes up, utters the password (Jesus) and he's allowed in. But it isn't so simple. Elders who take their doorkeeping responsibility seriously find themselves constantly challenged to administer it in a way that does not go beyond Scripture, on the one hand, or that fails to live up to Scriptural requirements, on the other.
In fact, complicating matters is a third hand which must be considered: history. In the next issue of the Chalcedon Report I'll address in this column how these considerations impact those of us on the mission field or in active, evangelistic churches. My hope is that, in considering this aspect of obedience to Christ, you will see that much wisdom is needed to serve our Lord faithfully. Further, I hope you will be encouraged to pray fervently to our God, that He would grant your favorite missionaries the wisdom they need to serve Him faithfully in this generation.
Until next month, I'll be working on a tune for The Doorkeeper Blues. Remind me to play it for you when you're in New York City.
URBAN NATIONS
2662 East 24th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11235-2610
1-800-288-6202
UrbaNation@aol.com
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