Elders are men appointed in the local church as overseers to shepherd or pastor a local assembly of God’s people. Understanding that all christians are called to minister both to the saints in the Church as well as in outreach to the world, we can better appreciate the goal to which elders shepherd.
Elders carry the health and safety of the Church as their appointed responsibility; their vision, Jesus Himself, leading through the many saints and they embrace as their marching orders the equipping of the saints for the work of service which has been described in this study as the Ministry of the Many.
Acts 20:28-31 (Paul’s message to the elders of Ephesus): 28Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
Shepherding or “keeping watch” involves faithfully living out a mature Christian life, leading others to follow Christ more fully, and helping to ensure the safety of the Church from false brethren.
1 Peter 5:1-3: 1Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
As fellow believers, all elders participate in the Ministry of the Many, each adding his voice of encouragement or teaching or tongue or prophesy or interpretation of tongues or song. The Holy Spirit leads elders to serve by exercising spiritual gifts in the assembly and in outreach of Christian witness to the world.
God’s Word provides the objective truth, the standard for faith and practice.
Titus 1:7-11: 7For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
10For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.
Elders are not the only ones led to teach the gathered saints or refute the teaching of false doctrines; however the “buck stops” with these appointed individuals.
Acts 20:28: 28Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Titus 1:9: ...9holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
Acts 20:29-31: 29I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
Ephesians 4:11-16: 11And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
In this regard the elders carry with them the united faith, love, and prayers of the entire congregation.
James 5:14,15: 14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
1 Peter 5:1-3: 1Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
The duties listed above are not exclusive to elders, but include responsibilities common to all believers. (See: Chapter 8, “The Ministry of the Many”) Elders, not placed over God’s people in the manner of secular, hierarchical authority roles, are set among the saints as shining examples of the manner of life God desires for all His children; men who walk so closely with Jesus that their lives produce a longing for Him in the hearts of others. Elders, characterized by their age, Christian maturity, and sanctified life, prove helpful in dangerous situations with false brethren and those who take advantage of the freedom to minister in the assembly. Age and personal knowledge of God’s triumph in the storms of life enable elders to provide counsel for trying times. Their living knowledge of the Word of God enriches the Church.
A plurality of elders provides provision and protection for both elders and the Church as a whole; provision in supplying a pool of wisdom and support; protection in holding all elders accountable to each other and the Church.
The group of elders model the love and oneness found in God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If God is One in love and the elders of the Church display oneness in love, the path of oneness in love for the Church is laid.
Acts 14:23: 23When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Titus 1:5: 5For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you...
The only distinction between one elder and another is the differentiation in his work, the measure in which he rules well and works hard in the Word and in teaching.
F.G. Smith in his book, The Last Reformation, explains this eloquently: “...the difference existing between elders in the primitive (New Testament) church was not a difference in kind but in degree only, varying in accordance with their ability to put forth some portion of that moral and spiritual power by which alone Christ governs his church.”
1 Timothy 5:17,18: 17The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
Galatians 2:11-14: 11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Acts 21:15-18: 15After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge. 17After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
No other role in the Church demands qualifications so strict and broad. Although plurality is the general principle, no man can be appointed as an elder who is not already an elder in character, conduct, and knowledge of the Scriptures.
Prior to appointment as an elder, men who desire the responsibility of overseer must first prove themselves to be:
1 Timothy 3:1-7: 1It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 4He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), 6and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Titus 1:6-9: ...6namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. 10For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.
Only men who owned the personal qualities of overseer in character, conduct and grounding in the Word of God, were appointed as elders. God chooses men who exemplify His effective, redeeming grace as models for His Church and to the world. Effectively shepherding the Church of God requires proven godly character.
Some may question the reference to “men” as a qualifying characteristic of an elder. There is a very simple and biblical way to understand women’s role in the Church. The Scriptures clearly provide for all saints, men and women alike, to participate in ministry, the Ministry of the Many. Elders engage in the same ministry, and, in fact, more than that, they support and encourage it. It is not necessary to be an elder to minister in the assembly or outreach of the Church, dissipating the “pressure” of forcing the issue of women as elders. In most churches only the titled pastors or “ministers” can minister in the church, causing much unnecessary disappointment and spiritual emptiness.
The problem resembles the fallacy of the Sadducees who used the argument of the “seven brothers all husbands of the same wife” to prove the impossibility of the resurrection of the dead, although this runs logically in reverse. In the case of woman as elders, folks begin with the “Biblical” untruth that only elders/pastors can minister. Recognizing that women are gifted to minister (Phillip, the evangelist, had four daughters who prophesied - Acts 21:9,10) it follows that women should also be appointed as elders. Once appointed as elder, a woman acquires the position that permits her to exercise her spiritual gifts. Following the New Testament teaching regard the Church makes this issue moot.
Elders receive the reward of the approval given by God and His people among whom they serve. Held in high esteem by the brethren, God’s people honor the good and God Himself promises an unfading crown of glory for elders who serve well. These servants lay up for themselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19,20).
1 Peter 5:4 (addressing elders): 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Yielding to lust for power and love of position essentially defines Church as we know it. God’s plan is so much better.
3 John 1:9-11: 9I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. 11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
1 Timothy 5:19-20: 19Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 20Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.