Eldership 101

The title “elder” comes from the Greek term episkopos, and can refer to an older man, but when Paul writes about the elder for the church (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) he is referring to more than physical age. Paul is referring to a certain live of maturity or spiritual age.

There were men mentioned as elders in the O.T., who were recognized for the spiritual maturity:

• Elders of Israel who served with Moses (Exodus 3:1)

• Elders or judges who presided over legal matters (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)

• Elders who served with Joshua during the context (Joshua 7:6)

• Elders who presided over Boaz’s redemption of Ruth (Ruth 4)

• Elders who helped oversee Israel’s calling of their 1^st king (I Samuel 8:4)

• Elders who served with King David (I Chronicles 21:16)

The word “elder” is used 20x in the NT to refer to these older, more mature leaders of a local church (Acts 11; 14-16; 20-21; 1 Timothy 4-5; Titus 1; James 5; 1 Peter 5).

By God’s design, the church should be led by more than one elder (if that is possible). Some Scriptures that demonstrate a plurality of elders in leadership in the church are Acts 11; 14-16; 20; Ephesians 4; Philippians 1; I Timothy 5; Titus 1; James 5; I Peter 1; 5).

The best ministries are ministries with a plurality of “elders.” You may ask, “Why?” What makes a team of shepherds better than a single shepherd? Here are some reasons a plurality of “elders” is always preferred to one man steering the ship.

• A plurality of elders helps balance pastoral weaknesses. No one person has all spiritual gifts necessary to lead and rule a church. And the more men you have, the greater variety of giftedness you have. You have more strengths than weaknesses.

• A plurality of elders diffuses congregational criticism. When a congregation doesn’t like the direction of the church, a plurality of elders help protect one man from being the object of that criticism. Instead, it is shared and, as a result, probably not as frequent.

• A plurality of elders indigenizes leadership. It assists in the development and bringing up of more elders.

We need elders in churches because there are wolves everywhere looking to destroy sheep and God sees His sheep as precious. Churches can exist without “elders”, but that should be the exception and not the rule.

Listen to Paul in Acts 20:28-30 – “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

You could summarize the responsibilities of every elder into these four words:

• ruling the church (l Timothy 3:4-5; 5:17)

• teaching the church (1 Timothy 5:17; II Timothy 3:16-4:2; Titus 1:9)

• guarding the church and truth (Titus 1:9)

• overseeing the church (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 13:17)

Elders have a high responsibility – “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. …” (Hebrew 13:17)