Leadership in Local Churches for Nurture and Growth

Kim Papaioannou, PhD

Abstract

1. Introduction 

Numbers in the Bible are often symbols of aspects of the N divine or human domains. Seven, for example, symbolizes divine perfection and rest,¹ while six, human imperfection and restlessness.² Twelve stands for divine government,³ and three for completeness.4 Likewise, the number ten stands for divine order. We have the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:1-17), ten plagues on Egypt (Exod 7:14-12:30), ten virgins in Jesus' parable (Matt 25:1-13), ten "I am" sayings in the Gospel of John, ten clauses in the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:9-13), ten parables of the kingdom, the ten righteous men that had they existed God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:32), ten curtains (Exod 26:1) and ten pillars and bases (Exod 27:12) in the tabernacle, ten names repeated twice. Tithe was one tenth of the income (Lev 27:30-32). Noah was the tenth from Adam (Gen 5:1-32) and Abraham the tenth from Shem (Gen 11:20-26). Fascinating though numbers might be in themselves, this study is not primarily about numbers. It is rather on how number ten can be used as a basis of organization for nurture and growth in the local church.