What does the Bible say about elders?

Part One – Guiding the Flock

Allow me to share a little bit of my background and experience.
I was brought up in the Methodist church until age 10 when my father died of cancer.
About a year later my mother began dating a man who was a member of the church of Christ, and we began attending a church of Christ with him – he would later become my step-father.
I obeyed the gospel at our Christian camp, Camp Hunt in the summer of 1974.
Feeling led to prepare for ministry, I went to Northeastern Christian Junior College, and then Harding University, and then Harding School of Theology.
I began full-time ministry with the College Avenue Church of Christ in El Dorado, Arkansas, and was blessed with 3 years to work beside and learn under Dan Williams, former vice-president here at Harding University.
In 1987, at age 26, the Lord moved us back to our home state of New York to work with the Wetzel Road Church of Christ, and 34 years later, we are still serving there.
After serving the Wetzel Road congregation as an evangelist/minister for almost 20 years, the congregation appointed me as one of their elders (16 years ago in 2005).
Later in my presentation, I want to share a few of my perspectives on serving in both roles – evangelist and elder.

As we turn our attention to the ministry of shepherds, let me start with a story.
The story is told of two police officers who responded to a call concerning a bad traffic accident.
When they arrived on the scene, they found a father, mother and two children who were all unconscious inside the wrecked car.
After the ambulances arrived and began loading the family, the officers discovered that there was a monkey inside the car and the monkey was conscious.
Since the monkey was the only conscious witness to the accident, they decided to ask him some questions.
They asked the monkey, “Do you know what the father was doing before the accident?”
The monkey mimicked drinking from a bottle. One of the officers said, “Makes sense.”
They asked the monkey, “What was the mother doing?
The monkey mimicked shaking his finger and frowning.
The officer said, “Now we are getting somewhere. The father was drinking and the mother was getting on him about it.”
Then they asked the monkey, “What were the children doing?”
The monkey mimicked the children fighting with each other.
The officers look at each other and agree, “Well, with all that going on, it was inevitable that they were going to have an accident.”
The two officers turned to walk away, when one of them turned and asked the monkey, “And by the way, what were you doing the whole time?”
The monkey mimicked driving the car.

I want to ask an obvious question: Who is supposed to be steering the church?
The right answer is not: the monkey! Although sometimes I act like one!
The right answer is the elders, who are being led by the Holy Spirit, are supposed to be steering the church.
God has commanded and ordained elders to lead the family of God.
It is so important that our churches stick with the biblical model of church leadership!
God’s plan and blueprint for church leadership cannot be improved upon and it does not need to be updated.
Tragically, so many churches and denominations have abandoned God’s plan for church leadership, and have opted for leadership designs of their own making.
When we study our Bibles, we notice that both the book of Acts and the letters of the New Testament reveal that God’s plan for the church is that it be led by elders.
In Acts 14, toward the end of Paul’s first missionary journey, he and Barnabas made a return trip to all the churches they had planted on the journey and appointed elders for them in each church with prayer and fasting. (Acts 14:23)
In Acts 20 Paul gave the Ephesian elders some critical and heartfelt instructions about their task as elders.
When Paul wrote to both Timothy and Titus he gave them instructions about appointing elders.
Titus 1:5, “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.”

But what is an elder, according to the Bible?
In the New Testament, we discover that there are three basic terms that refer to the leadership position of an elder.
These three terms are used interchangeably, but each help to shed some light on the role.
The first term is the Greek word, presbuteros, which we translate as “ELDER.”
It simply and literally means an older man, mature and wise. This is the most frequent NT term for the leaders of the church.
The second term is the Greek word, episkopos, which we translate as “BISHOP” or “OVERSEER.”
The literal meaning has to do with “to look” or “to watch over.”
One who manages, supervises, a steward. (This term is only found 5 times in the NT)
The third term is the Greek word, poimen, which is translated “SHEPHERD.”
It is the second most used term for spiritual leaders and offers a wonderful and vivid illustration of the role of elders.
We hear people use the term “Pastor” a lot – the word “pastor” is the Latin word for “shepherd” and is a suitable term to be used in reference to elders.

Now that we have discussed the terms that apply to elders, let’s spend a few minutes discussing their role in God’s family. Let’s look at four aspects of their leadership.
The first aspect of the elders’ leadership is SUITABLE LEADERSHIP
First and foremost, a man who would serve as an elder must be qualified for the role.
In Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus he gives extensive lists of qualities that must characterize the man who would be considered an elder of the Lord’s church.
The 21 specific qualities that Paul mentioned can be organized nicely into four categories.
Category One: The Personal Life of the Elder
The qualities in this category include being above reproach, temperate, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness or violence, not quarrelsome or overbearing, holy and not a lover of money.
To summarize the kind of man an elder should be: he is someone who knows God’s Word, is of sound moral character, has a well-balanced personality, and is a people person.
Category Two: The Home Life of the Elder
An elder must have a wife to whom he is faithful and have a Christian home.
It is significant to me that Paul’s only reference to management as a qualification concerns the home and not the business world.
Being an elder certainly involves management, but not the kind of management that works in the business world, rather it is the kind that works in the home.
The difference has to do with the kind of relationships we have in the home, which are far different than the relationships one has in the office.
Realizing that nobody’s home is going to be perfect, we need to be looking at the general tenor of the home.
Are the kids respectful? Is the home well-ordered? Are the parents attentive, involved and supportive or each other and the children?
Paul includes another thing about the family when he wrote to Titus – he included that the elder must be a man whose children are believers.
An elder is the kind of man whose children have followed him in adopting his faith in Christ.
A man who is leading his family in these ways will make a good shepherd.
Category Three: The Spiritual Life of the Elder
We have already covered a number of personal items that might also fall into this category; like some character qualities, and certainly being able to teach.
Paul adds that the man must not be a recent convert. The Greek word literally means “not newly planted.”
The role of an elder calls for roots. It calls for spiritual perception, experience and wisdom that only come with some time.
Category Four: The Public Life of the Elder
The last qualification is that he must have a good reputation with outsiders.
The devil would love for us to appoint men who have a poor reputation in the community, so that when people in the community discover a certain man is a leader in a church they stay away from that church.
When someone in the community hears that a man is an elder, we don’t want them to have raised eyebrows, or looks of astonishment, asking, “He’s an elder?”
Rather, when they hear a man is an elder, we want them to say, “That makes sense!” or “I can see that!”
Why must an elder have these qualifications?
First, because an elder is entrusted with Christ’s most precious possession – His Bride – the Church.
Second, because they are to be living examples for people to follow – good examples!
And third, because any deficiency of these qualities will inevitably hinder his ministry.

The second aspect of elders’ leadership is SHARED LEADERSHIP
One thing evident in Scripture is that the eldership is a shared responsibility and is not the domain of one person.
Whenever the eldership is under consideration in Scripture, it is always spoken of as a plurality.
Paul appointed elders at each congregation and told Titus to do the same.
James instructed the sick to call on the elders to pray, not call for “the” elder.
Acts 20, Paul met with the elders of the church in Ephesus, not “the” elder.
What are the benefits of God’s wisdom in a shared leadership?
First, a group of elders can balance each other’s personalities and can compliment each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and convictions.
Second, a group of elders helps lighten the workload. You might remember from the OT, how Moses almost killed himself trying to lead God’s people all by himself.
Third, a group of elders also provides accountability. No one person should have absolute power.
So, Shared leadership means shared responsibility and shared accountability.
Isn’t God’s plan a wonderful one!

The third aspect of elders’ leadership is SHEPHERD LEADERSHIP
As I said earlier, the image of the shepherd helps us to conceptualize the role of the elders.
First, elders acting as shepherds are to protect the flock.
In Acts 20:28-29 Paul warned the Ephesian elders, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come among you and will not spare the flock.”
Elders must protect the flock from people who would destroy the church by their teaching or by their destructive activity.
We will focus on this in the second presentation I will make later today.
Second, elders acting as shepherds are to seek out the lost and straying sheep.
I can tell you from working with my co-shepherds for 16 years, that this is a very difficult and time-consuming job.
Sadly, it is a job that is always needed and is often disappointing as many sheep refuse to be lead back to the fold.
Third, elders acting as shepherds are to feed the flock.
This, of course, is why one of the qualifications for elders is “able to teach.”
This teaching takes on many forms and can include – one on one instruction, classroom teaching and also preaching.
In addition to the elders being teachers themselves, feeding the flock includes watching over the teaching of the flock by others.
This aspect of feeding the flock overlaps with protecting the flock.
Fourth, elders acting as shepherd are to lead the flock.
This is where the concept of the “overseer” comes in.
Shepherds must know where water, pasture and safety are, and they need to know how to lead the sheep to these things.
Elders have the responsibility to guide the direction of the church, helping the church set goals, make decisions, correct failures and affect change.
Fifth, elders acting as shepherds are to care for the flock.
Elders ultimately must love the sheep like the Good Shepherd loved the sheep and gave up his life for them.
This care for the sheep is seen in all kinds of activities of elders – visitation, counseling, praying, and helping the sheep in other practical ways.
And so elders are like shepherds protecting, feeding, seeking, leading and caring for the sheep.

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The fourth and final aspect of elders’ leadership is SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Let me finish up this brief survey by summarizing the role of elders as servant leaders.
Jesus taught that leadership in his kingdom was not about power and control, rather it is about service.
Jesus taught that the greatest are those who serve (Lk. 22:24-27).
Peter said it so well in 1 Peter 5: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Pt. 5:1-3)
There is so much said here in such a powerful way.
Notice that the sheep are entrusted to elders and are under their care – that is so different from the idea of power and control.
Notice also that the elder should serve willingly not begrudgingly; they must not be self-serving but must be serving others.
And the power that is exerted is not in titles and position, but comes from the force of a godly example.
Listen to this quote from a book by Chuck Colson where he describes the difference between worldly view of power and the Christian view: “Nothing distinguishes the kingdoms of man from the kingdom of God more than their diametrically opposed views of the exercise of power. One seeks to control people, the other to serve people; one promotes self, the other prostrates self; one seeks prestige and position, the other lifts up the lowly and despised.”
And so, churches are truly blessed when they are shepherded by suitable elders with a shepherd and servant heart.
And why do sheep need shepherds? Because they are dumb and helpless. (show the video)

I would like to spend a few minutes talking about a biblical vision for guiding the flock.
A biblical vision incorporates a number of important New Testament passages.

Let’s begin with Paul’s words from his letter to the Colossians: We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me. (Col. 1:28-29)
This passage has helped me envision what should be the goal of spiritual leadership and the method for reaching it.
The goal is to present everyone mature in Christ – to help everyone grow up in Christ.
The method to accomplish that goal includes helping people focus on Jesus through teaching and warning.
And all that is accomplished by working hard in the strength that God provides.

Next, let’s turn to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians where he also discussed this goal of bringing people to maturity: And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part. (Eph. 4:11-16)
What do we learn from these verses?
We learn that God has given the church different kinds of leaders who aren’t supposed to do all the work of the church, but are to help equip all the members of the church to do their part.
The members of the body must grow in their faith and knowledge of God’s Son, and that happens when we speak the truth in love to each other in teaching and correcting.
The church will be healthy and will grow when each part grows and does its part.
Our physical bodies and how they work are an excellent illustration of how the body of Christ should work – 1 Corinthians 12.
The elders of each flock must ensure that their congregation has an effective strategy/ method/ mechanism for taking a person from being an unbeliever, to new born Christian, to childhood, to young adult, to a mature Christian who can act like an adult/parent for younger Christians.
That strategy may include one-on-one or small group experiences, but the strategy must ensure that there is:
Proper teaching ahead of baptism
Proper teaching after baptism
Equipping and encouraging long-term members

Another important passage for a biblical vision for guiding the flock is found in 2 Timothy 2:1-2: You, therefore, my son (Timothy), be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
As shepherds attempt to minister to every member under their care, they also must invest in future leaders who will carry on the work after them.
Elders need to be pouring their lives into men who can grow into the roles of deacon and elder.
These men must be taught how to carry on the faith, minister to the flock, and how to multiply their efforts through others.
In Paul’s instructions to Timothy, we see the kind of multiplying effect leaders must have through future leaders.
In that one verse, Paul mentions 4 generations – Paul to Timothy, Timothy to reliable men – then reliable men to others who will be able to teach others.
The mission of Christ and the blessings of the Gospel must never stop with us, it must be passed on to those who will pass it on to others, who will pass it on to others, until the end of time.
If you are presently serving as an elder, then let me ask you this question: who are you presently mentoring? Who are you preparing to be disciple-makers and shepherds?

Let’s look at 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15, and although it is addressed to the ministry of all Christians, it therefore also applies to elders: And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
An important thing that I find helpful from this passage is Paul’s emphasis on ministering to the individual based on what their situation and need is.
We might be tempted to approach everyone in the same way and apply the same fix for every situation, but we must not do that.
Paul helps us to see that a brother or sister may not be living out their calling and that something needs to be done about it, but what should be done?
If their lack of follow through as a Christian is because of laziness or apathy, then warning them is warranted.
But if their lack of follow through is because of discouragement, then warning is not what is needed, rather they need comfort or encouragement.
Or if their lack of follow through is because of weakness, then what they need is help, not warning.
If our only tool in the tool box is a hammer, then we will try to address every problem with a hammer, but a hammer is not the right tool for every job.
That’s why we need a tool box full of different tools and we need to know how to use them.
So we need to approach each sheep as an individual with unique problems and needs, and we need to equip ourselves with the tools and know how to address those problems and needs.

Let’s go to one more passage that applies to the ministry of shepherds – James 5:13-16 – Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
Too often, we men, are not as compassionate as we should be toward those who suffer or are sick.
Sometimes we are like Job’s friends – insensitive doctors of the soul.
Jesus should be our model and mentor as we minister to sheep who are suffering or sick – you will recall how full of compassion Jesus was toward the sick and weak.
Like our chief-shepherd, we must be men of love and compassion.
In this passage from James, we see that the elders who come and minister to the sick must be men of prayer, men of faith, and men of discernment and wisdom so as to deal properly with sin.
As men of prayer and faith, elders should be anointing with oil and praying over people who are sick.
It is true that oil was used in biblical times for medicinal purposes, but that doesn’t seem to be the purpose that James has in mind.
In the Jewish culture, oil had a symbolic and spiritual significance and it was used to set apart the sick person in the same way that leaders and priests were dedicated for service.
What model or approach should elders use as they anoint the sick with oil?
What kind of oil should we use? Penzoil, oil of course! Pure olive oil is a good oil to use.
When the elders gather with the sick person a song or two might be sung to establish a spiritual atmosphere (it might be helpful to bring song books along).
Some or all of the elders might share a Scripture passage for encouragement (perhaps including James 5:13-16).
One of the elders should lovingly ask about the person’s relationship with the Lord, asking if there is something hindering that relationship like a lack of commitment, or a need for obedience, or a sin they have not repented of.
Although that question may be an uncomfortable one, most sick people who have called for the elders are willing to honestly face their relationship with the Lord.
Then one of the elders can briefly explain the spiritual significance of anointing with oil in obedience to God’s command and to set apart the person for God’s healing.
Then one of the elders can put a little bit of oil on their finger and touch their finger to the person’s forehead (you could just move your finger across their forehead or make the symbol of the cross with the oil).
Then it is time to pray for their physical healing (and spiritual healing if necessary), and the elders can stand around or kneel around the person, laying their hands on the person.
Each of the elders can add to the prayer for the person and their family.
This entire experience communicates loving concern and spiritual power.
The expenditure of effort and time in gathering with the sick person communicates the elders concern and love, and since the elders represent the congregation, it also conveys the concern of the entire congregation.
Although we can pray for people from a distance, personal, face-to-face contact fosters more fervent and effective prayer.
Also, being present brings comfort to the sick person and their family, and affords the opportunity for counsel and correction.
None of what I have said, or what James has written is to imply that all sickness is the result of a person’s sin.
We may be sick because of many different causes or for different reasons.
But, on occasion, God allows sickness to discipline us or to get our spiritual attention (in 1 Cor. 11:27-30, Paul communicates that idea).
Let me touch on one more matter: what about the sick person who doesn’t get well after the elders have prayed for them and anointed them with oil?
God can and sometimes does heal, but other times God does not.
Paul prayed for God to remove his affliction, but God said no (2 Cor. 12:7).
Keep in mind that God’s healing comes in many forms – both visible and invisible, and God does give the sick person the grace to endure the sickness and can use it to sanctify the person.
In the end, we must acknowledge that God is God, that we are His servants, rather than the other way around, and that God’s ways are infinitely beyond our ways of thinking or dealing – we must trust God and God’s sovereign wisdom and plan.

Allow me to end with a few comments about my experience as an evangelist and an elder.
When I joined the ministry team as an evangelist at Wetzel Road, I was 26 years old.
I was a co-minister who shared the pulpit, and had primary responsibilities with youth.
Most of our leadership meetings included the elders and the evangelists.
I was never treated as a hireling who was kept out of the inner decision making circle
The elders would meet without me mostly when they needed to talk about me – whether to correct me, keep me on, or give me a raise.
The elders wanted my participation and input on all things pertaining to our congregation.
But I must admit, when I was an evangelist and not an elder, I didn’t feel the weight that the elders felt.
When we were wrestling with a difficult decision or situation, I would feel the gravity and give my spiritual insight, but then I would leave it with the elders, because it was their responsibility.
Working under their oversight and submitting to their leadership was very helpful to my ministry and spiritual growth.
But fast forward 20 years, and I was 46 with grown children who had obeyed the Gospel, and the question of being added to the eldership came into play.
At the time, we were being led by three elders (2 in their 70s and one in his 60s).
There were three of us in our 40s who were being considered to come along side them.
The congregation embraced us and we were blessed to get to work with these seasoned elders for many years.
Those three older elders are no longer serving with us – one has gone on to his reward, one has moved to the retirement promise land (Florida), and the other has left our fellowship.
Working in the mission point of the Northeast, it can be harder to have qualified men for an eldership (that may not be the case in other parts of the country).
So, if an evangelist can also qualify to be an elder, then in the Northeast it isn’t just helpful, it is necessary.
Biblically speaking, there is certainly a precedent for full-time elders who are financially supported by the congregation who are elders who preach and teach and evangelize.
This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote Timothy these words: The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.” (1 Tim. 5:17-18)
Here’s an important thing to consider before becoming both an evangelist and an elder: are the man and the congregation committed to each other for the long term?
It’s hard for a congregation to lose both a full-time evangelist and elder at the same time.
So if the congregation isn’t thinking they want the man to be their preacher or minister for the long haul, then they shouldn’t consider ordaining him as an elder.
Or if the man who is working full-time for the congregation is thinking about answering the call to another church or another part of the country in the near future, then he should not accept the invitation to serve as an elder.
But if both want to commit to each other, then in many cases it makes sense to wear both hats.

David Owens