How tight of a reign should elders have over a preacher?
Question:
I am a minister in the Lord's church and want to get your understanding of what authority elders have over the minister. I guess I am interested in how detailed can they be in managing the preacher? I am told I must do a weekly report and email it to the elders and I have done this for almost 3 years now. I have been told to give the elders the sermon titles and scripture readings that go with them 3 months in advance and I have done this as well. Now I am told that they are wanting me to give a short blurb with each sermon. I have a good relationship with my elders and in the over 4 years I have been here there have been only 1 or 2 issues on minor things we disagree with. We have had 70 immersion into Christ in 3 years and things are really going well. My question is do the elders have this right or is this more lording? How tight of a reign do the elders have over the minister?
Answer:
It appears to me that you are working for the elders and not for the Lord.
"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock" (I Peter 5:2-3).
The Greek word katakurieuo, translated "being lords over" means "to become master, gain power over (someone or something), to subdue." ... "This mastery pertains most frequently to dominion over other people in the sense of 'lording it over' them (Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42)." It appears the elders in your location are doing precisely this.
Let me recommend to sermon outlines, "The Rule of Elders" and "Elders Who Rule Well" for your study.
