Posts Tagged ‘elders’
One Reason Congregations Fail
by Perry Hall Why are congregations failing? If one answer can be given, groups rely on man’s wisdom rather than God’s. An example of this faulty thinking is found in the eldership. A common model for choosing elders and how these elders “rule” is the business model. The misaligned thinking is if they are successful…
Read MoreFour Ways to Desire Being an Overseer
by Perry Hall So much, and I’d say too much, weight is placed on whether a man desires to serve as an elder. I’d say “too much” because it is too often used for a man to disqualify himself – “I don’t desire it.” Could it be that we need to better – and by…
Read MoreShould this elder step down?
Question: We have a very difficult situation on our hands. I was hoping to get some advice on this. My husband and I attend the church of Christ and we have two elders at our church. One of them has an adult daughter who left the church. She was married and got divorced (not because…
Read MoreThe Wrong Definition of Growth
by Paul K. Williams (deceased) John Cripps asked an elder in the United States why the church where he was a member was growing. He replied, “When we stopped pounding the pulpit on the issues we started to grow.” The elder also said that the elders were divided on the subject of divorce and remarriage,…
Read MoreWhy Are Elders Missing in So Many Churches?
by Roger D. Campbell We read about “the elders of the church” in the New Testament (James 5:14). In the Bible, “the elders of the church” refers to those brothers who serve as the overseers of a local flock of God (Acts 20:17, 28). They also are identified as shepherds or pastors (Ephesians 4:11) and…
Read MoreThe Elder’s Children
by Jerry C. Ray The Gospel Guardian, 26 November 1964 In the study of the qualifications for elders, one of the most frequently asked questions is regarding the “children” (I Timothy 3:4; Titus 1:6). Does the expression necessitate a plurality, or does it mean that a man is qualified with either (A) one child, or…
Read MoreWere the apostles also elders and can there be unmarried elders?
Question: My prayer is that all is well. I have questions regarding the eldership and its qualifications. Based on what the scripture teaches regarding the elders’ qualification (and work to a degree), we read about them in I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9 (along with Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11; and I Peter 5:1-4). Additionally, only the…
Read MoreShould we stay with this congregation?
Question: Having moved about, my wife and I have worshiped with many congregations that follow the New Testament pattern. Currently, we are visiting a congregation that has a part-time minister and one elder. How this came about is murky. As our options are very limited, we have visited for several months, even to the point…
Read MoreWhy does an accusation against an elder require two or more witnesses?
Question: Could you explain I Timothy 5:19? “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.” I was studying this chapter with another Christian and we both have been confused about what exactly is prohibited in verse 19. Must any and all concerns about an elder be…
Read MoreCan a man be an elder if his adopted son is unruly?
Question: Hello, I have a question about the children in the qualifications for elders. If a man has a natural-born child and adopts a child, would this be plural children? What if the adopted child is unruly and irreverent and eventually moves away from home? To me, this does not fit the bill for believing children.…
Read MoreSister Peter
by Sewell Hall From the Roswell Family Report, March 18, 2012 Fifty years ago, it was easier to remember the names of Christians than it is now. Every man’s first name was “Brother” and every woman’s name was “Sister.” Now, most people are known by their given names almost exclusively. We must return, however, to…
Read MoreService or Power
by Doy Moyer “I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive our authority” (III John 9). Refusing the authority of the apostles and seeking to take first place among others, like Diotrephes, is a fundamental betrayal of the fellowship among believers. It is a…
Read MoreWe need more teaching that elders must have more than one child
Question: Your article, “Must elders have more than one child?”, was very well written and researched. We need more of this to support the correct teaching. I was just recently visiting a congregation in which the preacher was also an elder but with only one child. I was very disappointed to find this out about…
Read MoreIf a preacher sins, is he permanently disqualified from preaching?
Question: Hi, What is the proper term to call the speaker on Sunday? Is it a pastor or a preacher? Also, to be a preacher you basically have to have all the qualifications of an elder correct? And if for some reason a preacher sins, such as adultery, they would be removed from that position,…
Read MoreUnless the Lord Builds the House
by Jefferson David Tant The 127th Psalm begins with some words that are certainly applicable to us today, as we have in the world some 42,000 different denominations, all claiming to be Christian. Note the first half of the Psalms first verse: “Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it.”…
Read MoreWhat should an elder do if no other elders left in the congregation?
Question: If you have three elders in the church and two elders resigned, what is the function of the elder who is left? He still has a continuing desire to shepherd the flock and the rest of the congregation has no grievance with him. Answer: A man can preach without holding the title and duties…
Read MorePlurality of Elders
by J. W. McGarvey Sentry Magazine, September 2002 There is no proposition in reference to the organization of the primitive churches upon which scholars and critics are more perfectly agreed than that every fully organized church had a plurality of Elders. So nearly universal is this agreement that a man betrays an ill-balanced judgment or…
Read MoreIs there a conflict of interest if a man is both a preacher and an elder or deacon?
Question: I have a question that I am struggling with. I can’t find any scriptural reasons against what has been done at our local church but still have an uneasiness about it. We have a smaller church whose membership has been trending down the past several years since our minister has taken the job. He…
Read MoreTo Equip the Saints for Service
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The Organization of the Church The Apostles Prophets What Are Elders Responsible For? Servants of the Church The Purpose of Preaching What Is Teaching?
Read MoreWho is in charge, the preacher or the elders?
Question: Hi Jeff, I’m forced to ask this question: between the ministers and the elders, who is in charge of a local congregation? Where that I am, there is a serious power tussle between the two. The ministers say, since they teach the men to become elders and also ordain them as elders, they are…
Read MoreWhat Are Shepherds For?
by Jefferson David Tant We might assume that a 1st grader could answer that question. “Well, Duh, shepherds are supposed to take care of the sheep.” And that’s the correct answer. And how can one be a shepherd if there are no sheep? But just how do shepherds take care of their sheep? The Bible…
Read MoreWho is supposed to guide local congregations?
Question: I am from a church of Christ that is normally referred to as one cup, no Sunday school, no divorce and remarriage, etc. My question is this: If there are no positions of pastors nowadays, who is supposed to guide the local congregation? Who can we go to in the time of struggle, problems,…
Read MoreCan elders be paid a salary?
Question: Do elders of the church take a salary? Is it biblical for an elder to take a salary if he chooses to? Thank you. Answer: Most elders today aren’t paid because they are often drawing retirement income. However, it is proper for elders to be paid. “The elders who rule well are to be…
Read MoreIf an elder commits adultery, does that disqualify him?
Question: Hi brother, Regarding the article Does divorce disqualify a man from being an elder? If an elder commits adultery, does this disqualify him? It appears, after considering the tenor of the whole of Scripture, that he needs to resign. His opinion is meaningless now. Based on the issue in total, he needs to be…
Read MoreShould there be only one eldership per country?
Question: Hi Mr. Hamilton, greetings. Please, I need your views on this idea that is being taught by a very influential brother in Ghana. According to the brother, all the churches in one country were under just one eldership. His argument is that the churches in the apostolic age were persecuted churches, which met in…
Read MoreWho selects elders?
Question: We are stuck in the selection of elders for our church, Only one brother qualifies to be an elder. In the absence of a church eldership, who does the selecting of a faithful brother to lead the church? Please help. We very urgently need the answer. Answer: The design of the local church is…
Read MoreWhy Congregations Dwindle
by Connie W. Adams “Empty Pews” by Carol Von Canon on Flickr It is not uncommon to see congregations that once were large and active in the Lord’s work gradually dwindling. The natural question is, “Why?” I believe the following reasons must be considered. People moving away Sometimes workers are transferred, or lose jobs and…
Read MoreWhat happens when one of a congregation’s two elders moves?
Question: When one elder relocates to another district and there is no one to replace him, who leads the church? Is it the remaining one elder? Please explain to me with clear scripture references because we have this problem at our congregation. Answer: A congregation with only one man qualified to be an elder does…
Read MoreCan the role of women change?
Question: I hear that women roles are changing within the group of churches as a whole. What are the roles women are permitted to do? In my congregation women now talk and teach, they read scripture, and pass communion trays. On the web, they are saying that women may do everything aside from preaching and…
Read MoreElders as Shepherds
by Charles Brackett A shepherd is literally one who feeds. He is a pastor. In Bible times, the typical shepherd tended his own flock or delegated the work to his children or close relatives. By virtue of ownership, he was highly motivated to the work. No sacrifice was too great for his sheep. He sheltered…
Read MoreIs it wrong to refer to an elder as “brother”?
Question: Good day, We have a duty roster which I draw up monthly. One month I listed one of the elders as “brother,” which he was not happy with. Is it really such a violation to call you a brother and not an elder? Answer: Actually, the violation is on the elder’s side. Consider that…
Read MoreI appreciate your consistent quality of answers to questions
Question: Brothers, I appreciate your consistent quality of answers to questions. Saturday, I searched Google for “Is Teknon in Titus 1:6 singular or plural?” The top result was La Vista Church of Christ. My brothers with simple, easy-to-understand answers at the top of Google’s list. It brings me joy (and a bit of envy –…
Read MoreIf I disagree with a brother or a leader, am I being rebellious?
Question: If a brother gives me a challenge do I have to take that challenge? If I choose not to, am I being rebellious? Or what if I disagree with a leader? Answer: It probably depends on what the brother is challenging you to do, but the general answer is “no.” We help each other…
Read MoreCould Titus 1:5-6 be a “plural of class” case?
Question: Hello, I have been diligently studying the qualifications for Elders. I recently stumbled upon a discussion regarding the use of tekna. In one of your articles, you stated the exception of “plural of class” using widows in I Timothy 5. You stated that I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 show no indication of the plural of class…
Read MoreDoes I Timothy 3:11 refer to both elders and deacons’ wives?
Question: In I Timothy 3:11, where it says “Likewise their wives,” do you think the word “their” means both elder and deacons wives? Or is this word a specific reference to deacons’ wives? I ask this because in context this verse falls under the qualification of a deacon. Answer: Actually, in Greek, it just says…
Read MoreMust an elder’s wife be a Christian?
Question: I need some advice, sir. Can a man, who meets all qualifications to be an elder, serve as an elder if his wife isn’t a Christian? If you don’t care, please explain your thoughts and the biblical standpoint. Any advice would be appreciated. Answer: In looking for qualified men to be elders, we put…
Read MoreWere elders only needed for a limited time and in limited places?
Question: First, greetings in Christ, and may His peace be with you. I’m a brother and find your site very useful! I do have an issue on this page: Can a church be scriptural without elders? At the beginning of the commentary, there’s a sentence that goes: “Obviously there can be congregations without elders, else Timothy…
Read MoreThose Who Will Give an Account
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton “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” (Hebrews 13:17). Most recognize the quote from Hebrews 13:17 as referring to the…
Read MoreWhat Are Elders Responsible For?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/WhatAreEldersResponsibleFor.mp3 Text: Ezekiel 34:1-10 I. Oversee the Church – I Peter 5:2 A. Shepherding the flock – This is where the term “pastor” comes from 1. They see to it that the church is taught, so all can grow – Ephesians 4:11-16 2. But sheep have a tendency to stray – I Peter 2:25 a. Because people forget to…
Read MoreWhat Difference Do Elders Make?
by Matthew Bassford via His Excellent Word Yesterday, a friend of mine Facebook-messaged me, asking precisely the question in the title. Apparently, they’d been having a conversation with a friend, and the subject arose. It has the sound of a rhetorical question, which says something interesting about the experiences of members of churches of Christ in…
Read More