Pastoral Leadership, Part 1

We continue on our journey through 1st Timothy. We’ve come across some difficult passages already, and our trip through them isn’t over. Why we continue to cover these difficult passages is becasue God has given them to us in His word.

They are difficult passages, becasue they are antithetical to the culture that we find ourselves in. Which makes it all the more important to make sure we study them out.

The bible is our guide through this world. The bible will challenge us to break out of the mold of modernity, and be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

The question is, do you desire to have the Holy Spirit change you? Or will you break under the weight of the rock of Christ.

1 Timothy 3:1

Before we can get into the qualifications of overseer’s we must first determine what is an overseer?

Titus 1:5

Paul uses the term elder. He is stating that he has left Titus there with the direction to train up and appoint elders.

Titus 1:7, Overseer

Paul spoke about elders, then did not change topic but changed to calling them overseer’s.

Paul uses them interchangeably, showing that an elder is an overseer.

1 Peter 5:1-2

The word elder is also used synonymous with shepherd or pastor. Showing when we speak of elders, we are speaking of shepherds, which is to say pastor’s.

How Many Pastor’s/Elders?

Most of the time, we have it in our minds that their is 1 pastor, unless it’s a big church.

In a big church you get pastors with every job under the sun, including pastor or custodial works.

When we speak of Elders, I’m not referring to, on staff pastors, but I am speaking of a group of qualified men leading the church together.

The number of them can vary, the bible doesn’t give an exact number though you do see 12 apostles. 3 were the inner circle, in facts Paul says that Peter, James, and John were pillars in the church of Jerusalem.

Though their isn’t a set number in scripture, we see that there is a plurality of elders, there is more than just 1.

If you have a pastor who stands alone, he will be crushed under the burden and work load of the church.

He is missing the counsel of wisdom that multiple elders can bring to the table.

The way this would look in most churches.

1 of the elders will be what we consider a pastor, the one who preaches most of the time.

But the others work together to accomplish the pastoral care of the church.

What do the elders do?

Understand that when we are beginning to look at overseer’s, at eldership, we are looking at the form of government within the church.

Many times churches will look to business models to determine how to run a church. To determine how the structure should look.

When we do this, churches end up with a church board, and a CEO model for the church.

We do this because we think it’s a model that works.

An important question to ask is, who’s church is it?

If it’s God’s church, shouldn’t we examine how God says it should be run?

Amazingly, scripture does give us a framework for church government. With that framework, we see it is elders who are leading the church.

How do they run it?

Rule

1 Timothy 5:17

What is their job? To rule in the church.

pro-ee-s-ti-me

To preside over, to care for something diligently.

Their job is to see to the affairs of the church.

The teaching, the direction, and the fiscal responsibilities of the church.

1 Peter 5:1-2

Elders, though they rule. They are not CEO’s who are running a business.

They are called to be keepers of the sheep.

This is antithetical to the modern view of a church board.

We have a modern day business model for our church board.

Our bi-laws state, the purpose of the board is to:

1. plan out events

2. keep track of finances

3. make sure our records are up to date

4. Evaluate the pastor, make sure he’s doing his job.

While these things are important, and must be attended to. None of them strive towards our main purpose as a church. Which is stated in our church bi-laws as: “to carry out the commands of Christ as suggested in the Great Commission.”

Though the responsibilities that are laid out for the board are important in making sure that a church function and is part of ruling, they completely miss the mark for what God says is the most important work for church government.

When God said that elders are to rule, they are to accomplish those tasks + help shepherd the church.

The way God has set up his church, isn’t that of a business, but as a family. He himself being the Father, but he has installed elders in his church, to run the church as a family.

He calls these elders to shepherd the flock, or to pastor the flock if you will.

We are looking at what do the elders do?

The answer is rule

Now a look at how they rule.

I’m going to break it down into shepherding terms also.

Leading the Flock

1 Peter 5:3

Being examples to the flock.

Leading in the application of scripture in their own lives.

Differences between a shepherd and a sheep-herder.

Are elders called to tell you “this is right, this is wrong?” Yes.

But their walk must talk louder than their talk talks.

Their lives MUST be in line with scripture.

1 Timothy 3:4-5

This is why elders must be able to manage their own households well.

How someone lives, will be mirrored in the life of their kids.

If someone is going to be an elder in the church, they will be encouraging the sheep to follow their example as they follow Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” )

When we look at perspective elders, look at their lives, and a question should be “does their home represent Christ well?”

In our homes

This should cause each of us to examine our homes. Look at our homes as an outsider would and ask the question, “does my household bring glory to God?”

If it doesn’t, change it.

Church leadership must live exemplary lives to lead the people in the commands of God.

Feeding the Flock

John 21:17

feed my sheep.

John 21:17 ESV

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.

Jesus wasn’t speaking of giving literal hay to literal sheep.

He was telling Peter to go and teach His people!

Elders are called to feed the flock, that is, to be able to teach.

1 Timothy 3:2

An elder must be able to teach.

The community of saints matures, grows, and is protected by the word of God. Therefore it is a requirement that an elder be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. (Stauch p.23)

Failure of church elders to know the word, and be able to teach is one the the chief reasons today doctrinal error floods churches today and drowns the power and life of the church. (Strach p.24)

Without proper teaching, we will have error in the church.

The church leadership MUST be able to communicate the truth of scripture, and teach the rest of the people.

Through teaching, the pastor/elders can communicate the teaching of God’s word and the vision from that teaching to the rest of the church.

Men, though you might not be elders yet. This is what you should be working towards.

I’m not going to make you get up in the pulpit and preach…unless you want to.

But, all of you must be able to articulate what you believe, and why you believe it. Then be able to teach it to others.

All of you should be able to refute false teachers.

This is the standard we should all be striving for.

Church leadership must be able to teach and active in teaching the people. By church leadership, I don’t mean the pastor, I mean by everyone in church leadership.

Protect the Flock

Remember why Paul is writing this letter to Timothy. There are false teachers. An elder must be able to protect the flock from people who will seek to destroy them.

Acts 20:28-31

Some are going to arise, from within the church and try to steal the flock of God away.

Elders job is to be a biblical sheep dog.

Be on alert (v.31)

Elders must be aware of issues in the church, and in society.

If their are issues within the church that are troubling people, the elders must take care of it.

If there are situations within society that are threatening to lead people astray. The elders must be able to handle it.

This is also why multiple elders is good and not just one pastor.

They can have multiple people weighing in on the situation so they can proceed forward with wisdom.

They are like a wall, as a united front to protect the people.

Elders must be courageous

1 Sam 17:33-37?

To confront internal strife, stand up to powerful teachers and pastors who peddle heretical garbage takes courage.

An elder cannot let the concerns of people, trump the commandments of God.

There’s times when I hear people ask, “what will people think?”

That’s the wrong question, the right question is “what does God think?”

When you stand against the cultural norms of modernity, you will often find yourself in opposition with people who are being conformed to the image of the world.

If an elder is cowardly, and is more concerned about what people think, they will be steered by society, and not by God.

John 10:12

John 10:12 ESV

He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

The church leaders are to follow in the footsteps of the good shepherd, not to be a hireling that flees when trouble comes.

A good elders will die before he allows a world to devour the flock.

Church government, must defend the people, and be courageous.

Conclusion

It is good to strive to meet the standards that God has set forward for leadership.

We need to look at our church government. What needs to change to fit how God calls us to govern our church, and how should we be governed.

Whenever we look at potential leaders, are they the type of people who God would have to lead His church.

This is the first step to how elders are called to rule.