Posts Tagged ‘elders’
Where Do Elders Come From?
by Paul Earnhart The scarcity of functioning elders (bishops, pastors) in local churches has led some Christians to conclude that they are a rare breed with rare qualities. Otherwise, they reason, why would they be so difficult to come by? Contrary to this rather discouraging view, elders do not have to be imported from outer…
Read MoreA Thought on Business Meetings and Elderships
by Bill Jackson In any situation involving men laboring together, some decisions are going to have to be made and some course of action must be decided upon by someone if any good product is obtained. In the congregations of God, the thousand-and-one details wherein the work of the congregations goes forward must be decided…
Read MoreWhat did Jesus expect of Peter when he said to feed his sheep?
Question: Our Lord Jesus in John 21 tells the apostle Peter to feed His sheep three times. What role was Peter being told to assume? Is it that of an elder? Which sheep was our Lord talking about? Is it the other apostles and disciples or the church that was going to be established at Jerusalem?…
Read MoreShould I let a congregation know that the preacher’s son is homosexual?
Question: I know of a preacher in a Church of Christ, whose son is living a homosexual lifestyle. No one in the church knows this. (By the way, I do not belong to this church, I live in a different state.) I am aware that the preacher and his family want to continue keeping this a…
Read MoreHow do you know when a passage is talking about older men in a congregation or the elders of a congregation?
Question: I was wondering with Elder being mentioned in 1 or 2 or 3rd John and refers to a woman. I just remember reading it (II John 1; III John 1). I remember someone mentioning it to me a long time ago and the question I have now is how do you tell two elders…
Read MoreCan a man still be an elder if his faithful children have died before him?
Question: I understand that to be qualified as an elder a man must be the husband of one wife. If the wife dies that man is no longer qualified. The elder must also have believing or faithful children. If the children should die having been faithful their entire lives would that elder then be disqualified?…
Read MoreMust elders have the consent of the congregation in order to serve?
Question: Curious what you would have to comment on related to this topic of elderships and having the consent of the Lord’s body to serve as elders. Flavil Yeakley in his book Church Leadership and Organization makes this assertion: “One thing that has confused some people about the authoritarian style of leadership is that Acts 20:28…
Read MoreCan a church be scriptural without elders?
Question: I’m having a problem reconciling attending a church without elders. The Bible doesn’t lay out an alternate plan for church leadership. What does a church do in lieu of leaders? Can a church be scriptural without them? Who is responsible for the growth and protection of new members if there are no elders? Answer:…
Read MoreDoes a preacher’s wife have to attend the same church as her husband?
Question: Is it wrong for a wife of a preacher (who is not a pastor and does not have his own church) to attend a different church, even though they both believe in the same faith (Jesus the Christ)? I don’t believe it’s dividing kingdoms because that means believing in two different faiths and that’s…
Read MoreShould a person leave a church that doesn’t have elders or deacons?
Question: How long should a person attend a church that does not have any elders or deacons? What are some of the problems associated with a church not having any elders or deacons? Answer: The follow-on question is: Are there no elders because none one currently attending is qualified, or are there no elders because the…
Read MoreMajority Versus Elder Rule
by James R. Cope in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 5, March 1952. To Bible students and faithful Christians majority vote and rule in the church of Christ are as foreign to the Bible’s teaching on church government as Russia is foreign to a democracy. The majority vote always means an open division in the body…
Read MoreMajorities and Manners
by James R. Cope via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 4, February 1952. All civilized countries recognize the necessity of government. Different forms of government hold sway in various lands but all admit the necessity of some final tribunal and ultimate authority. Chaos and confusion prevail where no rule obtains. Whether we study the civil,…
Read MoreAny advice for a new elder?
Question: I have a brother in Christ who’s been an elder for a short time. There are two older elders who have been in the church for many years and he feels like a junior elder and they are senior elders. The church recognizes it at times because it’s being mentioned. He is discouraged because,…
Read MorePastors and Preachers
by James R. Cope via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 3, Jan. 1952. The word “pastors” occurs only one time in our English version of the New Testament. More often the original is rendered “shepherd” or “shepherds.” By implication, the pastoral work is identified with the office of bishops or elders. Since this office is…
Read MoreBut You Don’t Have Elders
by Karl Diestelkamp via Think on These Things, January-February-March, 2011, Volume 42, Number 1 No telling how many times brethren, who are working hard to worship God in truth and purity and to preach the gospel and to work in every scriptural way, have heard these words from brethren who move into their area. Wouldn’t every…
Read MoreDo you have other material on an elder’s children being faithful?
Question: I just read your article on faithful children per Titus 1:6 and I must say I appreciate the way you handled it. I am in my first full-time work after graduating from preaching school and this question has come up. As if by providence we began our study of 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus…
Read MoreHow 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…
Read MoreHow do you deal with sin in the church when the elders disagree?
Question: I am writing this on behalf of several individuals involved in this particular situation. We are having a very difficult time deciding how to deal with these problems and would appreciate your thoughts on the matter. A member of our congregation is living in an adulterous marriage. He was approached by two elders and…
Read MoreDoes divorce disqualify a man from being an elder?
Question: Does divorce disqualify a man from being an elder? Is adultery covenant-breaking? Answer: Adultery does break the covenant or “law” between a man and a woman. “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?…
Read MoreIsn’t the reason denominations want married preachers is because they confuse the office of an elder with that of the preacher?
Question: I wanted to make a comment about requiring preachers to be married. I have taken note that the denominations do not generally adhere to scriptural church leadership, and instead of a plurality of elders, they have a board of deacons and one ‘elder’ or ‘pastor,’ who also serves as the preacher. In other words, they…
Read MoreWhat should be done when there are couples in the church living together without being married?
Question: I have to address a subject with the missionary society for whom I am working. There are three couples in the church where I am at living together and not married. One couple has been together for over 15 years. Both of their spouses cheated on them so they left their spouses, met each…
Read MoreDoes a Christian have the right to privately criticize an elder?
Question: Does a church member have the right to privately confront or send a message to an elder, for the purpose of disagreement or criticism? If this not acceptable, what consequences should follow a disagreement? Answer: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who…
Read MoreI’m not certain if we are ready to raise children
Question: I have just spent some time reviewing your site and it is incredible. I am having some issues right now and was hoping you could help me, not sure where to turn because I don’t want anyone in my church to think horribly of me. Anyway, here goes. My husband and I met six…
Read MoreThe Rule of Elders
On the Relation of Elders and Congregations Revised and Expanded by Dale Smelser Preface The following pages examine a subject of growing interest — the work of elders. I am confident the continuing discussion and study will help us focus ever more accurately upon the New Testament teaching about this important theme. This material, critical…
Read MoreHow do we decide what offices in Ephesians 4:11 remain?
Question: Ephesians 4:11 (King James Version): “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers” Question: Since all offices were given for the same reason according to verse 12, how do we decide which offices still remain? Answer: By the qualifications for the offices. Apostles were selected by…
Read MoreWhat is the function of a pastor?
Question: What is the function of a pastor? Answer: The denominational world uses the term “pastor” in a way that you do not find in the Bible. Among the denominations, a pastor is a person who preaches and runs a local congregation. It is a blend of the duties the Bible assigns to preachers and…
Read MoreShould the current eldership select additional elders?
Question: Is it scripturally correct for elders to choose another elder and have him installed by an outside evangelist? The process I’m speaking of was one where two elders announced to a group of the members that the elders would be “selecting” the new elder(s) and deacon(s). Shouldn’t the “selection process” be left up to…
Read MoreDoes an elder need to step down if one of his children falls away?
Question: My question pertains to elders and having believing children. If when they, believing children of an elder, leave home and happen to fall away from the church should the elder step down? Or does this fall under the example aspect and he should step down because of that? Another question is what if he…
Read MoreDo the elders and preachers constitute the church in decisions?
Question: I have been a member of the church of Christ for some time now. My family and I moved to another congregation to help out because they were very small. My wife and I began to have difficulties in our marriage. She decided to take our problems to the elders and the preacher of…
Read MoreWhat would you tell an eldership who rejects a preacher because his wife wears a head covering?
Question: What would you tell an eldership who thought that it would be divisive to have me as a minister? I mean I don’t want to make an issue of it. Shaina my future wife would wear a head covering, but I would not teach something the elders do not want me to. I just…
Read MoreCan a woman be a pastor?
Question: Can a woman be ordained as a Christian pastor? Answer: The word “pastor” is used very loosely in the denominations. Generally, in a denomination a pastor is a preacher. Women are not able to be preachers since God through Paul stated, “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority…
Read MoreFive Synonyms: One Office
by Jeff Smith In the New Testament, we find at least five words that describe both the office an elder holds and the work that he does. Elder is from the Greek word, presbuterous. Paul told Titus to “appoint elders in every city” in Titus 1:5. The lexicographer, Thayer, comments that this particular term denotes the dignity…
Read MoreOur Need for Guidance
Text: John 10:1-18 I. A disturbing trend has been commented upon time and again A. Children going astray, Christians leaving the church. B. It appears that the second law of thermodynamics applies to Christians as well. 1. Instead of a trend toward increasing entropy (randomness and disorder) 2. It is a trend toward increasing apathy C. While not the sole…
Read MoreWhat qualifications does an elder need that a deacon does not?
Question: What qualifications does an elder need that a deacon does not? Answer: In regards to the family, an elder must have “faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination” (Titus 1:6) and be “one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence” (I Timothy 3:4) while a deacon…
Read MoreCan a church organize tasks without elders?
Question: I would like your thoughts on organizing works in a church that does not have the luxury of elders, such as visitors, attendance, sick members, evangelism. Can men be appointed or volunteer to serve as leaders over these areas with an assistant? Wouldn’t this make these areas offices? Do we have authority for this?…
Read MoreHow old does a person need to be to become an elder?
Question: How old does a person need to be to become an elder? Answer: The word translated as “elders” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word presbuteros, which refers to an older person. No set age is implied by the word and it is sometimes used to denote relative age. For example, in the…
Read MoreMust elders have more than one child?
Question: Must elders have more than one child? Answer: “one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence” (I Timothy 3:4). “if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination” (Titus 1:6). The Greek word in both I Timothy 3:4 and…
Read MoreOverseers of the Flock?
by Marvin L. Weir Julien Dupre, A Shepherd and His Flock A faithful child of God realizes that he must battle with those within the kingdom as well as with those outside the kingdom. It is sad that one’s energies and efforts must be expended on exposing those who “will not endure the sound doctrine;…
Read MoreDoes “faithful children” mean faithful to God or faithful to the parent?
Question: When Paul speaks of “faithful children” in Titus 1:6, did he mean faithful to God or faithful to the parent? Answer: Terms in the Bible are sometimes difficult to translate because common words are borrowed and used in ways where the common word takes on a deeper meaning than it originally had. For example, one…
Read MoreWhat happens if an elder’s wife dies?
Question: If a man is qualified to serve as an elder but his wife dies before he is installed, can he still become an elder? If an elder’s wife dies may he continue to serve? Answer: In looking for qualified men to be elders, we put so much emphasis on the qualifications of the man…
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