3b. Calling Certain Leaders: Elders

THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF THE PASTOR
3b. Calling Certain Leaders: Elders
1 Timothy 3:1-8

“I am confident” writes John Macarthur, “that a return to the biblical pattern of leadership would do much to revitalize the contemporary church. The strength, health, productivity, and fruitfulness of any church directly reflect the quality of its leadership” (Master’s Plan p.180).

Last week I presented the topic of Elders and Deacons stressing that they are two distinct but mutually dependent offices of the church. Historically the two offices of Deacons and Elders has been the biblical conviction of many of the founding Baptists and it continues to be so today.

What is more significant though, as we saw in Acts 1:6 and 1 Timothy 3, is that the practice of congregational church government with the two offices of Elder and Deacon was the norm in the Apostolic church. No other patterns of church leadership exists in the New Testament.

If it is true that everything rises or falls on leadership, then what an advantage it is for us to have a God ordained pattern for leadership.
Let’s Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7

I. Elders in the Bible
1. The Old Testament: First, we need to acquaint ourselves with a biblical understanding of the use of the term Elder in the Bible. Elders were present in the OT. The Hebrew word for these men was zaqen, (bearded men).

For instance, look at Nu. 11. The people of Israel were growing weary of wandering the desert and began to complain about the food. Israel’s constant murmuring drove Moses to utter despair (read Nu. 11:10-15).

But God had a plan to relive Moses from his distress by ordaining a plurality of Elders (Read vv. 16-17, 24-30).

2) The New Testament: The New Testament Greek word for Elder is Presbuteros. These Elders were present early on in the apostolic church. They likely followed the pattern of Eldership set by Jewish Synagogues of the time. Look at Acts 14:21-23…. And Acts 20:17, 27-28.

Another NT Greek Word used for Elder is Episkopos. Paul uses it in 1 Timothy 3. The NIV translates it as overseers while the KJV uses Bishop.

Paul gives a similar instruction to Titus about Elders (read Titus 1:5-8). The Greek words Episkopos and Presuteros are used interchangeably here.

Peter also does the same thing in 1 Peter 5:1-2
1 The elders (Presbuteros) who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd (Poimeno) the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers (Episcopeo), not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

It seems clear that scriptures plainly teach that there was a plurality of elders in the apostolic church and that they performed the function of shepherding (pasturing) and overseeing the flock of God.

3) Paid Pastors: That begs the question, “If we have lay Elders in the church performing the duty of pastoring, why do we pay for the services of a separate pastor? After all, he’s just another Elder!”

Turn to 1Timothy 5:17-18 (read). In other words, the only distinction between the Elder who is supported by secular work and one who is supported by the church is that the one who is employed by the church gives himself solely to labouring in the Word- and his labour is worthy of a wage.

Lay Elders on the other hand, are worthy of a double honor: 1) the honor of being Spiritual leaders who have positions of influence for the sake of good in the secular world as well as 2) the honor of shepherding the flock of God.

II. The Qualifications for Elder:

The Bible gives us some clear guidelines in 1 Timothy 3 as well as in Titus 1 for the qualifications of Elders. Let’s look at them.

i. Must be men: First the passage makes it clear that, whereas a Deacon can be either a male or a female, the Elder must be a man. Let’s put this passage into its context (Read (1 Timothy 2:8-3:1)

You know if this was simply an historical account of some cultural left over from a male domineering patriarchal society that valued women as much as cattle, I would be the first to say that it should be re-contextualized to the 21st century culture.

I grew up in a single parent family, the head of my home was my mother and I respected her leadership. She did the best she could under the circumstances. And in some cases children are better off in a single parent family, rather than to be in a situation that could harm them.

Timothy must also have grown up in a home where his Father was either absent or neglected his Spiritual duty in the home. Paul applauded Timothy because he had known the scriptures from his childhood (2 Tim 3:15). Paul recalled that the reason for the genuine faith that was in Timothy was that it dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Tim 1:5)

How amazing- these women, Timothy’s mother and grandmother (Lois and Eunice) whose names are forever etched in Holy Scriptures, not because they sought glory for themselves, but because they humbly devoted themselves to training Timothy up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

And scripture is full of examples of such godly women. Throughout the gospel women are commended for their faithfulness and spiritual insight over against the thick headedness of the Apostles whom Jesus had to constantly rebuke for their dullness.

But do not think that 1 Timothy 2 is an obscure text of scripture. Even Liberals admit that it is the pattern of the entire revelation of God from Genesis to Revelation. It is not because men are any better, or more spiritual, or godly then women; or so that men can lord it over women- “Whoever would be greatest among you, must become the servant of all.”

The main reason for Male leadership in the church is not because of practicability; the main reason is primarily because of theology.

Who would complain that Jesus was a male? Do not think that God capriciously chose for his Son to be man. Jesus had to be a male, because “For as by one man's [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's [Jesus’] obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Notice that, even though Eve was deceived, Adam’s willful sin was what resulted in the fall of humanity. 1 Timothy follows the creation pattern modeled by the family in which the Father is the head of the house (turn to Ephesians 5:22-33).

Paul says he writes to Timothy so that he will know how to exercise himself in the household of God. The Puritans taught and practiced that the home was a prototype of the church. The Bible constantly uses familial language to describe the relationship of believers.

How could we expect the men to be heads of their homes and not be heads of their churches? How we lead the church has implications for how we lead our homes and vice-versa. The home and the church are inseparable and indivisible. This even has implications for society.

Listen to what sociologist Midge Dector, a women, says lamenting the loss of masculinity in our society:
It is nowadays very difficult for a boy to grow up with masculine honor in this society. For one thing, he is standing at the tail-end of a veritable whirlwind of anti-male sentiment that has been sweeping through the country for decades; although the force of this sentiment has somewhat let up, it has left in its wake a vast collection of moral and spiritual debris for any boy to pick his way through (catholiceducation.org).

What if the church could be the place that revived values such as courage, and gallantry and chivalry and nobility and honor as well as other dead traits of masculinity in a world where men are more often described as pigs (even by Christians). Imagine what could be the impact of a church that upholds the virtues of masculinity in a society that more often disdains men?

Southern Seminary professor, Dr Albert Mohler wrote, “The easiest course would be capitulation to the spirit of the age.” He went on to say, “The real issue in this debate—and the only issue worth debating —is the authority and interpretation of the Bible. …This is not an issue of serious debate within the SBC. It is, however, a matter of serious accountability.”

“Women are given a different role” says Dorothy Patterson, “…that role has nothing to do with our gifts or intelligence.” It does not mean that women are inferior to men, if they let the men lead. If competent, educated, sophisticated Christian women trust their husbands in the home, they can trust them in the churches too.

I offer one practical rationale for this pattern. That is that it protects the pastor and other elders, who must work closely and intimately with one another, from the temptation to devastate families and churches by committing adultery.

Nothing brings more reproach upon the church then fallen leaders. Churches must therefore provide adequate checks and balances to minimize the risk of sin. Scripture has provided the best hedge to guard the church by obliging Elders to be men only.

This does not in any way limit women from ministering in the church. Darla Richardson is an example of a woman who has made her life work to serve the Lord. She did not do that because she coveted a title or power and look at how God has blessed her ministry to Gateway this past year.

ii. Just because an Elder must be a man, it does not mean that an Elder can be any man, nor can he be any man who calls himself a Christian. The Eldership is not composed of the oldest men or the richest men, or the most successful business men. Eldership is not an old boys group nor is it composed of golf buddies or the best friends of the pastor. (read Tit 1:5 ff).

They are men of the highest caliber in the church- first among equals. They are men of love who are always patient and kind, never jealous, not braggarts or arrogant, not acting in an unbecoming manner, not easily provoked, not taking into account wrongs suffered, rejoicing in the truth rather than in unrighteousness, bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things (1 Cor 13).

The church members can sleep at night because sometimes the Elders do not. When all their secular duties are performed, they continue in labour for the souls of their church, the flock of God.

In short, a biblical Elder is a man who seeks first God’s Kingdom and all other things- his career, his family- will all be added to him. Because of the Holiness of this calling, we must be very careful how we select Elders. In fact we should be just as rigorous selecting Elders as we at selecting Pastors.

III. What the Elders Do: They Give Spiritual Direction to the Church
According to the examples in Scripture, Elders perform many tasks:
1) They resolve conflicts (i.e. Acts 6; 15; Matt 18:15 cf. Titus 3:10)
2) They decide on theological issues (Acts 6; 15; 2 Tim 2:2)
3) They preach and teach (Act 20:28; 1 Tim 5:7)
4) They Shepherd (1 Peter 5:2)
5) They visit the sick (James 5:14)
6) They carry out church discipline (Matt 18:15; 1 Tim 5:20, Titus 3:10 Acts 20:28-31).
7) In fact, the job description of the Elder is identical to that of the pastor and that the only difference is that the Elder has to support himself.

Will you join with me in praying and fasting that God would raise up these kinds of men in our church?