Co-Laborers

Testimony

A Brief Case for Plurality

Acts 15:4 ESV

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.

Acts 14:23 ESV

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Philippians 1:1 ESV

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Titus 1:5 ESV

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—

James 5:14 ESV

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

You know you have embraced the plurality model if...

You consider yourself a fellow-elder (1 Peter 5:1)

You share the load (Exodus 18:17-22)

You appreciate that other elders are more gifted, and therefore better suited for particular areas of ministry than you.

You work in cooperation with the other elders to establish a leadership context where the shepherds are regularly shepherded. (Ezekiel 34:1-6)

You guard but do not bar the pulpit. (2 Timothy 2:1-2)