CHURCH LEADERSHIP The Role Of Elders Everyone agrees that there were elders in the New Testament church (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:6; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5; 1 Peter 5:1 5). However, not everyone agrees about their work. If we follow the New Testament, what is the function or role of the elders in the local church? The Holy Spirit makes elders. Acts 20:28 says, Be 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. What job does He give them, and how does He expect them to do that job? WHAT DO ELDERS DO? In this modern age we often think of elders as operating in much the same way as the board of directors of a large company. Is this what the Lord intended? What Tasks Are Given to Elders In the New Testament? First, elders must remain faithful. Paul told the Ephesian elders, Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock (Acts 20:28; NRSV). Their first responsibility is to keep themselves out of sin and in the faith. This becomes especially important when they understand that, according to 1 Peter 5:3, elders primarily lead by example. Notice two verses in Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13:17 says, Obey your leaders, and submit to them, whereas verse 7 says, Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. One difference between the two verses seems to be that the leaders of verse 7 have already died, whereas those of verse 17 are still present. If so, this is saying, at least in part, that an elder, as a leader, should leave the legacy of a good example so that others can say, Remember him... imitate his faith. Second, elders are given the responsibility to lead. All of the words used for the elder elder, bishop, pastor, and shepherd suggest leadership. Kings in Old Testament times were thought of as shepherds. The Lord is spoken of as a shepherd in both the Old and New Testaments. Elders were recognized as leaders in Old Testament times, and in the New Testament era elders were leaders in both Greek and Jewish societies. Some passages teach that elders rule the church. First Timothy 5:17 says, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor. In the KJV, Hebrews 13:7 speaks of those who have the rule over you (NRSV: your leaders ). Members of the church are to submit to the leaders (presumably, the elders): Obey your leaders, and submit to them (Hebrews 13:17; cf. 1 Peter 5:5). What is the significance of these passages? Basically, these Scriptures mean that elders are given the responsibility to lead the church. Elders cannot and must not abdicate the leadership role to allow others who are less qualified and less spiritual to lead; nor must they let the church 1
drift, leaderless. The fact that elders are to lead does not necessarily mean that they are to rule as a boss might rule, as an army sergeant might rule, or as a board of directors might rule. Even the Greek word which might be thought to imply dictatorial leadership bishop, or overseer (episkopos) does not necessarily have that meaning. The verb form of the word means to care for. Third, elders are to protect the flock from false teachers. After telling the Ephesian elders to be watchful concerning themselves and the flock, Paul warned them, Savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them (Acts 20:29, 30). It was obviously the elders responsibility to save the flock from such wolves. In Titus 1:9 11, Paul said that the elder must hold fast the faithful word... that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict, because there were many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision who, he said, must be silenced. It may be that protecting the church from false teachers is the most important role that elders have. In most cases elders lead by example, persuasion, and motivation. With regard to false teachers, however, elders have an absolute responsibility. If false teachers are likely to lead the flock away with the result that the sheep are lost eternally, the elders must stand for the truth and take every legal, moral, and ethical measure possible to protect the flock from those teachers. Fourth, elders are to act as shepherds to the flock. In Ephesians 4:11 they are spoken of as pastors or shepherds. They are told to shepherd the church of God in Acts 20:28 (NRSV) and shepherd [or pastor] the flock of God in 1 Peter 5:2. What does shepherding involve? It includes protecting the flock from false teachers, but it also includes feeding them (teaching them) or seeing that they are fed (or taught) and more. To understand what shepherding the flock means, we need to picture ancient shepherds. Today, sheep are likely to be herded by men on motorcycles or by dogs. This was not so in the Near East in New Testament times! For a picture of a good shepherd and his relationship to his sheep, consider Luke 15:3 7: That shepherd went out, no doubt at some considerable cost to himself, to find a lost sheep. Consider John 10:1 17: The good shepherd calls his sheep by name... he leads them... he lays down his life for them... he knows them. Think about Psalm 23: Because of the shepherd, the sheep can say, I shall not want. The sheep need not want because the shepherd provides for them. Contrast that with the evil shepherds of Israel (leaders such as kings, princes, and false prophets) described in Ezekiel 34:2 6:... prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, Thus says the Lord God, Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill, and My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth; and there was no one to search or seek for them. Fifth, elders are to watch for the souls of the flock. Hebrews 13:17 says, Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. None of the usual Greek words for elder are used here; but in view of the fact that no one else is singled out as the leader of a local church, it seems evident that elders are indicated by the word leaders. The job of the leaders or elders in this passage is to watch over souls, a responsibility for which they will one day give an account. This command implies a great deal of responsibility. One preacher said that when the elder passes by the casket of a former member, he must ask himself, Did I do everything I could to assure that this brother (or sister) will go to heaven? Further, this command implies a sphere of special responsibility. Although elders can and should be involved in bringing others to Christ, their primary responsibility is to those 2
who are already in the fellowship. That seems to be where they should concentrate their efforts. Sixth, elders, along with evangelists and teachers, are to enable each member to serve so that the church might be built up. This is the message of Ephesians 4:11, 12: He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. Therefore, the measure of an elder (or of an evangelist or a teacher) is not so much what he does to serve, but whether the members he leads serve, and, especially, whether he has helped equip them to serve. How Should the Congregation Respond to The Elders Leadership? Church members should willingly follow sound leadership. After giving instructions to elders, Peter wrote, You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders (1 Peter 5:5). Since he had been addressing elders as officials in the church, it is likely that when he spoke to those men who were younger, he was addressing everyone else in the congregation. In Hebrews 13:17 Christians are told, Obey your leaders, and submit to them. Why should the members gladly follow the elders? First, these men are especially qualified for the role (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). Men who meet those qualifications deserve to be followed. Second, the congregation had a voice in putting the elders into office. When elders are appointed, the congregation usually has a voice in accepting them as their leaders (if only a kind of veto power the right to say why some men are not qualified). Third, the Holy Spirit made them overseers (Acts 20:28). When men are chosen to be elders according to the instructions given in the Word inspired by the Holy Spirit, they are divinely appointed to the work. The congregation should honor the leaders. Paul wrote, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 5:17). The context makes it clear that double honor involves receiving pay for their work. If pay is the second honor, the first must be respect given freely, because of the character of the men and the importance of their work. Christians should avoid being poor followers. We usually blame the church s ills on bad leadership. It is likely that what we identify as poor leadership in some cases is actually poor followership : The elders are fulfilling their role, but the members unreasonably refuse to follow! HOW ARE ELDERS TO LEAD? Saying that elders should lead the church and that the church should follow their leadership does not solve what troubles the church today. How are elders to lead? Are they to lead as kings or dictators lead? Are they to lead as generals or sergeants lead? Are they perhaps to lead more in the way that coaches or teachers lead? Are they to lead as parents lead? Is there no other form of leadership to which their leadership can be likened? If elders derived their idea of leadership solely from the Bible, probably there would be little disagreement concerning the how of leadership. The problem is that men who are appointed elders enter into that job with a view of leadership influenced by their own experiences. They have been leaders or followers in business, in the armed forces, in sports, or in their families. They tend to assume that the methods of leadership which are thought to be appropriate in one or more of these experiences are the methods that should be used in the church. It is often characteristic of the church in the Western world to choose a business model for its leadership methods. The elders meet as a Board of Directors, hire a preacher to be the chief executive officer, and are concerned about the bottom line, which invariably has to do with numbers, money, and buildings. They see their primary role as making decisions for the company. They make and publish policies. Furthermore, if their employees fail to produce, they fire them. Is this biblical? Does the New Testament have anything to say about the how of leadership? Before we look at one passage which answers that question, we need to clear out one set of false ideas and reinforce what has already been said in this series on this question. Let us avoid false assumptions and faulty conclusions. Some believe in dictatorial authority for the elders on the basis of the pictures we 3
have of the universal church. When the church is likened to a family, then the elders are given a position in the local church similar to the position of the father in the family; therefore, they have authority to enforce their will on the local church. Alternatively, we can say that since the church is a kingdom, Christ has set elders over local churches and made them His representatives with His authority to enforce His will. The problem with this reasoning is that we must not take the teachings about the universal church and make them mean something with regard to the local church which they are not intended to teach. To accept the line of reasoning made above is to side with the Roman Catholic Church and its view of the organization of the worldwide church. Much of what has been said in this lesson includes implications regarding the how of leadership. First, the fact that leadership is a gift suggests that the elders are not to be elevated above others. Second, that the leaders of the church are called elders suggests that they are to lead wisely, by example and teaching. Third, that the elders are called bishops, or overseers, suggests a benevolent attitude toward those overseen. Fourth, the fact that the elders are called pastors, or shepherds, suggests that they are to lead, not drive, the flock. They are to know the sheep and be known by them; they are to be close to the sheep, living among them. Their work exists for the benefit of the sheep, and they should do what is best for the sheep (not just for themselves) and love the sheep enough to die for them! Fifth, their task of watching for the souls of the church, as those who will have to give account, suggests that their leadership is not primarily about buildings and programs and statistics, but about individuals! The how of leadership by elders is revealed in 1 Peter 5:1 6: Therefore, 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, shepherd 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; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time. Dealing specifically with the question of how elders lead, Peter revealed, first, that an apostle (hence, a preacher) could be an elder (v. 1). Second, he revealed that elders were given a specific task: to shepherd the flock in their charge (v. 2). It should be noted that, although this flock is their charge, it is not their flock. Christ is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4); it is His flock. Elders are merely stewards of that with which God has entrusted them. Third, Peter said that elders are told how to accomplish their task (vv. 2, 3). Three paired phrases in this passage, each containing a negative and a positive, describe how elders are to lead: They are to lead not under compulsion, but voluntarily; not for sordid gain, but eagerly; and not as lords over those in their charge, but as examples to the flock. Fourth, elders will be rewarded if they perform their task well (v. 4). Fifth, the younger Christians should submit to the elders (v. 5). Sixth, everyone should be humble toward everyone else! (v. 5). Seventh, everyone should be humble before God (v. 6). What does it mean for the elders not to lord it over those in their charge? It means that they do not lead as dictators, bosses, or sergeants. Nor do they lead in the same way as coaches or parents, who, within certain boundaries, have absolute authority over those in their charge. Elders are not dictators! Even though 1 Peter 5:5 says that the younger should submit to their elders, verse 6 goes on to say that everyone should be humble toward every other disciple! In other words, in some sense, elders are to be humble toward those who are younger. What is the elders means of leadership? They lead, first, by being examples (1 Peter 5:3). They try to be and do what they want others to be and do. They lead, second, by teaching and by seeing that the right doctrine is taught (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:2; 5:17; Titus 1:9 16). Teaching has power to change people. Elders seek to effect desirable changes by means of teaching. They lead, third, by persuading and motivating. If anyone had authority in the New Testament church, the apostles did. Paul had as 4
much authority as any of the other apostles, yet notice the way that Paul led, as it became evident in his epistles. Paul sought to teach and persuade the congregations that were under his influence to do right. Likewise, elders lead by teaching and attempting to persuade the people in their care to do what is right. The elders main responsibility is not decision-making. Nevertheless, they are called upon to make decisions for the church. Basically, they make decisions in two realms. Some decisions are in the area of the faith. For example, elders must decide if truth is being taught, whether to invite a guest preacher who may not preach the truth, or whether to un-hire (fire) a preacher who is not preaching the truth. In a sense, they make no decisions concerning what the truth is; that is decided for them in the Bible. Their job is to make sure that, in matters of faith, or necessity, only the truth is taught. Other decisions are made in the realm of opinion. For example, elders may need to decide where the parking lot should be. By far, the majority of their decisions concern matters in the realm of opinion. After the elders make a decision in the realm of opinion, their next job is to teach and persuade the members to accept and act upon that decision. If the elders cannot persuade the majority of the members to accept a decision they have made in the realm of opinion, then they should drop the project for the time or rethink the decision. If the shepherds cannot get the sheep to follow in matters of opinion, then it is fruitless, as well as discouraging, for them to continue along that path. CONCLUSION If the elders wisely perform the functions God has given them in the way God has directed, and if the members act towards the elders as they are taught in the New Testament, serious problems will seldom, if ever, arise. Copyright, 1994, 1998 by Truth for Today ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 5