The Work of Elders in Leading God's People: A Study on Biblical Leadership Principles

2. 1 Peter 5:1-2 • “1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind”

3. 1 Peter 5:3-4 • “3 neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

5. INTRODUCTION • GOOD MORNING. We thank God… • Please repeat after me: “If any man serve me – let him follow me – and where I am – there shall also my servant be – If any man serve me – him will my Father honour” (John 12:26).

6. INTRODUCTION • We are thankful for this congregation and the visitors we have each week.

7. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Loved ones, every organization needs good leaders. • According to our text (1 Peter 5:1-3) churches of Christ are technically “elder-led” (1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14). • Knowledge of God’s word is their critical tool.

8. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Elders are also called pastors, bishops, overseers and stewards (Titus 1:7). The “pastor” is NOT the evangelist. Timothy was an evangelist, NOT a pastor (2 Timothy 4:5). The evangelist is the preacher. The pastor is an elder or overseer.

9. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Our two elders, here at 160th Avenue, Bro. Patrick and Bro. Curtis, were selected to serve by those of you who feel they meet the various characteristics laid out in the Scriptures for a bishop.

10. THE WORK OF ELDERS • God commands them to be men of honest report, full of faith, the Holy Ghost and wisdom, sober, given to hospitality, not covetous, apt to teach, etc. (Acts 6; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1).

11. THE WORK OF ELDERS • We thank God daily for them, and we all should esteem them highly for their works sake (1 Thessalonians 5:13).

12. THE WORK OF ELDERS • What we are looking for in an elder, generally speaking, is a “mature” Christian man with experience in leading a smaller group (his family) to lead a larger group (the local congregation).

13. THE WORK OF ELDERS • You all are leaders because you are Christians. You are striving to live a life that is different from the world. God is using your life to lead your world to Him through Jesus (John 14:6).

14. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Their goal is to be obedient to the Father’s plan and lead God's people in the ways of truth and righteousness. They are to teach, counsel and rescue as they keep us on the narrow pathway to Heaven (Matthew 7:13-14).

15. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Loved ones, there are thousands (perhaps tens of thousands of books) on leadership on the shelves of bookstores.

16. THE WORK OF ELDERS • This morning we are going to look at some basic Bible principles of leadership that are simple and direct. Using these principles, we will strive to set forth a positive Scriptural picture of the work of the appointed bishops in the church.

17. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Our plea is that we will all be doers and NOT just hearers of this word (James 1:22). “Hearers only” will have their part with the goats on the left side of eternity (Matthew 25:31-33).

18. THE WORK OF ELDERS • “41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

19. THE WORK OF ELDERS • 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick and in prison, and YE VISITED ME NOT. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

20. THE WORK OF ELDERS • 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:41-46).

21. THE WORK OF ELDERS • “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17).

22. THE WORK OF ELDERS • If we take His words seriously (which we should) it is right to ask, “Am I prepared for such judgment? How can I better align myself with the will and purpose of God?”

23. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • The members all join in to plan and perform the work of reaching out to their community and the world (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15).

24. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • Three elders are appointed, and all of a sudden, things change. No more do the members have a part in planning. Plans are made for them by the eldership.

25. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • Everything is decided for them. • And the flock prays: "We thank God for our deacons and our elders and the work they do and the decisions they make."

26. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • But few of the men are actively involved in the work of the church. The elders exclusively teach the adult Bible studies.

27. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • The eldership keeps their own counsel, do all their planning alone, and implement decisions which the congregation is often unaware until the semi-annual congregational meeting.

28. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • Occasionally, in this imaginary congregation, a member might hesitantly venture a suggestion to the elders.

29. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • But the elders decided they should retain that responsibility. After all, one of those men might say something wrong and upset some of the flock.

30. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • “We thought about that, but decided that since we are supposed to run things, we will just run them.”

31. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • Even though there is no longer as much overall participation, at least the faithful members, relieved of so much responsibility, maintain their regular attendance and give their weekly offerings to be spent in whatever way the elders decide.

32. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • Lack of involvement cools the earlier sense of urgency and love for the lost. The members settle into a gentle complacency. Comfort replaces sacrifice and evangelism.

33. AN IMAGINARY CONGREGATION • QUESTION: In which state did this imaginary congregation sound more like the body of Christ – before elders or with the eldership? Is this condition what the Bible calls for in the work of the elders?

34. THE WORK OF ELDERS • Loved ones, Scriptural leadership by the eldership can maintain that former congregational interest and participation while the elders provide respected and mature counsel and direction.

35. THE WORK OF ELDERS • The work of the elders is simply to oversee (see-over) all that participation instead of preempting it. It is unfortunate that some members and elders think of the overseers as bosses.

36. THE WORK OF ELDERS • They would be more accurately appraised if we saw them as leaders seeing over (watching and caring for) a high degree of participation by all the saints in their shared affairs as a congregation.

37. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Last Sunday we studied one of the words translated “rule,” hegeomai, which gives the eldership the authority to lead and guide the flock (Hebrews 13:17).

38. THE RULE OF ELDERS • We will now look at another Greek word, “proistemi,” which also describe the kind of “rule” elders have. It is used when Paul speaks of elders who "rule well" (1 Timothy 5:17).

39. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Discussing its usage where it speaks of those who are "over you," or who "take the lead of you," they help others to live rightly and therefore deserve special esteem and love (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

40. THE RULE OF ELDERS • The idea of “rule” as being in front of, or in taking care of something, reminds us that we have a scriptural illustration of the rule of elders.

41. THE RULE OF ELDERS • “4 One that ruleth (proistemi) well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.” Paul declares, “5 for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:4-5).

42. THE RULE OF ELDERS • How does a husband, particularly, and a father exercise authority in the home? Is it merely because of his superior position? Can he justly rule by brute force?

43. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Many comparisons can be made between a father and an elder. • Leadership, you see, is NOT synonymous with mere “decision-making.”

44. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Proistemi is also used in the command, "Be careful (learn) to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8, 14). The idea of helping and maintaining explains why Paul compares this rule of the eldership to "taking care of."

45. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Standing before and leadings is the role of elders, rather than their being a dominating body to plan and dispose separately and independently from the flock.

46. THE RULE OF ELDERS • We observe that elders have a relation to the congregation similar to that of a man and his family, but NOT identical (Ephesians 5:23).

47. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Would it be the ideal home of the Bible where the husband made all the decisions by himself and just announced them at family gatherings, with no one else having any determination relative to family function?

48. THE RULE OF ELDERS • We hope this does not sound like your home, but it does sound very much like the concept some have about the work of the eldership.

49. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Consider God's characterization of a worthy woman in the house of her husband (Proverbs 31:10-31; vs. 15, 16, 27).

50. THE RULE OF ELDERS • Did her husband think she took too much to herself? Did he threaten her by telling her that she did not respect God's appointed authority? Was he threatened by her initiative and participation in running the affairs of the family?