Leadership Matters
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23 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.
Deep down we all know that leadership matters.
Leadership matters in the home, in the community, the state, the nation and leadership matters in the church.
Those who are entrusted with a position of leadership have been entrusted with a great responsibility.
As a leader, your decisions do not just effect you, they effect everyone that you are leading.
We can all think back over our own lives and recognize both good leaders and bad leaders and how their decisions effected us.
Scripture too, is full of examples of both good and bad leaders and how those leaders influenced those whom they led.
Leadership matters because leadership is not just important, it’s essential.
Someone has to lead!
Because if someone doesn’t lead then no one leads, and when no one leads, the result is chaos and confusion.
Look no further than the book of Judges to see what happens when someone doesn’t lead. We find it in the concluding verse:
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
That is why at such an early moment in church history, at it’s infancy, we already see such a great priority placed on raising up and equipping leaders.
Because even though they are experiencing an amazing move of God, thousands of people are coming to faith in Christ, the gospel is going out, disciples are being made, they are fulfilling the great commission in real time, they recognized that it will all be in vain unless someone takes on the responsibility to steward and guard what God is doing among them.
The truth must always be guarded and protected, because we have a very real enemy, who is called the father of lies. He comes to kill, steal, and destroy, prowling around like a roaring lion. He is the accuser of the brethren, and he disguises himself as an angel of light.
So the early church recognized this as an urgent priority and they set themselves to appoint leaders over these newly established churches and they called those leaders elders.
Now I want us first to notice that it is clearly a plurality. We don’t have any example in Scripture of a singular elder, overseeing a church, elders are always referred to in the plural. There was always more than one.
14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.
What is an elder?
Two greek words: episkopos and presbyteros
They are used interchangeably throughout Scripture but here in Acts 14:23 is the first occurence where we see this word used to specifically refer to leaders of the church.
The greek word for Pastor poimaino, simply means shepherd.
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Shepherding is not distinct from elder, it is one of the functions of the elders.
What makes a person qualified to be an elder?
1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
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, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
An elder is a man.
An elder is a man of mature biblical character. (Spiritually Mature)
An elder is a faithful husband and father.
An elder loves those that he leads.
An elder loves the one who is lost.
If you can look out into this dark and broken world and your heart isn’t filled with compassion for those who are lost then your not an elder, and you might not even be a christian.
Let it be known that here at Crossroads, we want the lost, we want the broken and hurting, the despised and rejected, the sinners and tax collectors.
We want the ones who have tasted the bitterness of this world so that they can fully experience the sweetness that is found in Christ.
We want the ones who can truly understand that there is more grace in Christ then there is sin in you!
