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?<\/p>\n\t
“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you<\/em>” (Hebrews 13:17).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Elders are fellow members of the church. As men, they have a tendency to make mistakes like everyone else. They have been given the duties of an elder because they have managed to live an exemplary life and their advice and guidance are valuable to the congregation.<\/p>\n
Because of the nature of their work, they have a difficult time. People are watching, so you must be particularly watchful against sin in your own life. Sadly, the elder tends to also see the worse. He’s called in to handle the problems and one can become jaded when all you see are problems. And then there are the members who mistakenly think that elders have placed themselves on pedestals and it is their job to shoot them down. That is why the Hebrew writer warned the people benefiting from the oversight of elders not to make their lives miserable. It is a hard enough task as it is.<\/p>\n
If you see a problem, then, by all means, approach one of the elders and point out the difficulty. If the elder is caught up in sin, and you can’t get him to see the problem, then talk to one of the other elders or the preacher. They will rightly ask for evidence, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear<\/em>” (I Timothy 5:19-20).<\/p>\n
If it is a matter that you don’t agree with how an elder is handling a problem, then ask him why he is choosing this path. You never know, you might learn something. However, it would be foolish to tell an elder how to do his job when there is a reason he is in the position and you are not. It would be equal to telling your state senator how he ought to be conducting his campaign for re-election. Yes, you might see something that he has overlooked, but also realize that he has far more experience, is privy to far more information than you, and might have very good reasons for the choices he has had to make.<\/p>\n
“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”<\/em>” (I Peter 5:5).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[794,123,1598],"class_list":["post-14950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-criticism","tag-elders","tag-rebukes"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17635,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/any-advice-for-a-new-elder\/","url_meta":{"origin":14950,"position":0},"title":"Any advice for a new elder?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41588,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-an-elder-an-elder-for-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":14950,"position":1},"title":"Is an elder an elder for life?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A brother in our area is claiming to be \"an elder for life\" even though he has moved from one congregation to another and has not\u00a0been a serving elder in either. He was an elder for a congregation, but that eldership was dissolved because of his domineering attitude and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21069,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-an-elder-commits-adultery-does-that-disqualify-him\/","url_meta":{"origin":14950,"position":2},"title":"If an elder commits adultery, does that disqualify him?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":83173,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-the-letters-in-revelation-support-the-idea-of-a-leading-elder\/","url_meta":{"origin":14950,"position":3},"title":"Do the letters in Revelation support the idea of a leading elder?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We believe in the plurality of elders in the church and that elders are equal in the sense that there is no senior or chairman elder. In Revelation chapters 2 & 3, the seven letters are addressed to \"the angel of the church.\" The angel refers to the elder\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32774,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-should-be-done-about-a-preacher-whose-wife-no-longer-attends\/","url_meta":{"origin":14950,"position":4},"title":"What should be done about a preacher whose wife no longer attends?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We have a minister whose wife no longer attends church services. We have no elders. What should we do, or what should he do? (I Timothy 3:5). Answer: A preacher is not the same duty as an elder, nor does a preacher have the same requirements on him as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19244,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-happens-when-one-of-a-congregations-two-elders-moves\/","url_meta":{"origin":14950,"position":5},"title":"What happens when one of a congregation’s two elders moves?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"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. 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