Sermon Tone Analysis

Main Idea

Elders are the functional leaders of the church.

If you have visited churches other than your home church, odds are, you have encountered a variety of ways a church can be governed:

There is the CEO model, where the Senior Pastor is the top dog and holds all of the power.

There are congregational-led churches where the entire church body collectively decides what happens.

Churches can also govern themselves with only Deacons, who function as the servants and the decision-makers

And then there is the Elder model, where the division of duty is split between two leadership offices: The Deacons who serve and the Elders who govern.

I’m sure every version is represented in this room, so this is yet another reason why this is the perfect time to be in Acts 6.

This allows sharing how Ashe Alliance is governed and diving into the biblical reasons why we govern the way we do.

Outline

I - The Biblical Model of Elders

II - Elder as Shepherd

III - Elder as Overseer

IV - Elder as Elder

Recap

As we discussed last week, the apostles found themselves in over their heads in the management of the practical needs of the growing church.

When it came to their attention that the Hellenistic Jewish widows were being overlooked, they devised a plan to divide their duties.

The servant leadership would delegate to the Deacons, which would free them up to better focus on:

a. spiritual oversight - they asked for men of good repute to be brought to them.

They appointed the 7 to the task and commissioned them with prayer and the laying on of hands.

b.

Leadership through prayer to align with God’s will

c.

Leadership through preaching (or proclamation of the word)

This was the task Jesus gave them, and they wanted to devote their full attention to it.

This is the beginning of what we now call Elders.

This is the church's leadership office to lead and guide it.

Jerusalem had the twelve apostles to guide them, but we will soon see the need to establish other Elders in other towns.

I - The Biblical Model of Elders

Reviewing the early church is another excellent reason to begin a church plant.

As the narrative of the Book of Acts unfolds, we get to see how other churches are established.

The first twelve chapters follow Peter and the church's growth in and around Jerusalem, but in chapter thirteen, Luke details Paul's missionary journeys.

During his travels, we see a pattern emerge as churches are established.

Wherever churches were present, so were Elders.

Paul made a habit of building/encouraging the church and establishing Elders.

Here are a few examples:

In Acts 11, Paul and Barnabas were given relief aid by the churches in Jerusalem and Antioch to give to the Elders in Judea.

In Acts 15, after Paul’s first missionary journey, he returns to Jerusalem, where the apostles and Elders had to discuss requirements for Gentile believers.

In Acts 20, Paul meets with the Ephesian Elders, whom he spent time with on a previous trip.

In each instance, the Elders were the decision-makers and the ones to manage the news or aid.

That is because as the church grew beyond the spiritual care of the twelve apostles, they needed to establish the same leadership pattern of Acts 6 in all the churches.

The Deacons are the Servant Leaders, and the Elders are the Spiritual Leaders.

We saw that confirmed in the opening of the letter to the Philippians.

That is also why these two offices have qualifications because God wanted trustworthy and qualified people leading His church.

And 2,000 years later, that remains the same.

But, it isn't easy to see the biblical model of Elders in its fullness if you don’t also look at how they functioned.

Are they the Spiritual Leaders and Decision Makers?

Yes, but that is not all they do.

There is much more to being an Elder, and that is what we will spend the rest of our time reviewing.

II - Elder as Shepherd (Pastor)

poimainō, the verb form of the noun for “pastor”: poimēn

The first duty of an Elder is shepherding, which is also a function of the Pastor.

For instance, this Greek word is used in Eph.

4:11 for Pastor:

Ephesians 4:11 (CSB)

11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

Jesus uses this shepherding language and analogies as he commissions Peter, telling him to feed and tend to the sheep:

John 21:15–17 (ESV)

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

So, an Elder is a spiritual leader who has the congregation's spiritual growth close at heart, just like a shepherd cares for the sheep under his care.

Like Deacons tend to the practical and physical needs of the people, Elders tend to the spiritual needs of the people and ensure they get the necessary food, which is the Word of God.

III - Elder as Overseer (or Bishop)

episkopos

Secondly, an Elder is an Overseer.

Bishop is also used here, but don’t let that throw you.

The function is the same.

They are in charge of, oversee, and manage the flock.

They are stewards of God’s household and people.

In his letters to Timothy and Titus, Paul asks that they continue the pattern and establish Elders in each town where a church is birthed.

Titus 1:5–7 (ESV)

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.

7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach.

He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain...

And this office is modeled after our Great Shepherd - Jesus:

1 Peter 2:25 (ESV)

25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

If you noticed, the titles here are being used interchangeably.

In 1 Peter, we see Jesus being our shepherd and overseer, our poimēn and episkopos.

That is what he is for us, and as you will see throughout this sermon, that is what Elders are commanded to be.

Likewise, the language in Titus ties together two words that are used interchangeably.

As Paul directed, Titus was instructed to appoint Elders in each town and then explained some qualifiers because the Overseer has to be above reproach.

The established presbuteros (which we will get to in just a moment) is an episkopos who must be above reproach.

In these few verses, we can see the three key titles used interchangeably to describe the office of an Elder: poimēn, episkopos, and presbuteros.

Pastor (or Shepherd), Overseer, and Elder.

And, as you probably noticed, Paul gives a list of qualifications for the Elder, all of which line up with what we saw for Deacons.

• Above reproach

• Husband of one wife

• Children who are believers and in good standing

• Not arrogant

• Not quick-tempered

• Not a drunk

• Not violent

• Not greedy