Church Leadership - Elders

Sketch on Overseers/Elders

Read 1 Peter 5:2-5, Acts 20:28, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9

Intro:

In our study of deacons, I’ve spent a lot of time saying that deacons serve, and help, and support and yet are not the decision-making body of the church. I’ve said they are not an executive board, but men who meet the practical, material needs of the body such as distribution of goods, checking on sick, elderly, etc.

What I’ve failed to do is provide a comprehensive picture of leadership which God has provided in elders/overseers - those who are called to Shepherd the flock of God.

Jesus our Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 2:4)

The promised Shepherd - Ezekiel 34:22-24

Shepherd and Overseer of our souls - 1 Peter 2:25

overseer: (episkope) From root meaning inspection. Implies an office of overseeing or superintending.

visitation, or overseer

He is “Head of the church” - Colossians 1:18 (see also Ephesians 5:23, 1 Corinthians 11:3)

Jesus is the ruler, and authority over His church. He has redeemed her by His sacrifice. He has washed her with His Word. He is faithful and will never leave or forsake her. He protects, guards, and preserves His people through her. He advances His Kingdom through her. He keeps her, that she may be a light in the darkness, and a fortress for the hope and truth of the gospel. He has given His life for Her, and loves her as His own. He is her King. He is her Shepherd. He alone.

Under-Shepherds (Pastor, Elder, Overseer)

The Office:

The role we know as Pastor is known by several names in the scripture - Elder, Bishop, Overseer. It is one of two offices in the early church (along with Deacon), and is the model of leadership of the body of Christ.

Office of Overseer - Office of overseer: (episkope) From root meaning inspection. Implies an office of overseeing or superintending. (1 Timothy 3:1)

Overseer/Bishop: (episkopos) overseer, guardian, curator, superintendent. Particularly the overseer of a local congregation. (Acts 20:28, 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:7, 1 Peter 2:25)

Elders: (presbyteros) From elder as in older. Office among the Jews who managed public affairs, justice, etc. Denotes wisdom and describes those who made up ruling councils.

(1 Titus 1:5,7, Acts 20:17, 28)

Used interchangeably with overseers

Plurality - ruling body, not just a single person.

Appointed by other elders (and originally by Apostles - ex. Paul, Timothy), and by the Holy Spirit

What about the term Pastor/Reverend?

Reverend (worthy to be revered. held in high esteem, honored). Normally used to distinguish a trained, ordained member of the clergy. Some may use 1 Tim 5:17 to justify its use.

Pastor comes from Latin meaning to shepherd. Used as an emphasis on the shepherding care and feeding of the flock of God that overseers/bishops/elders are called to.

The Role:

Overseeing - Managing and inspecting

Shepherding

Guarding/Protecting - Titus and Timothy were fighting against false teaching (Titus 1:10-2:1a, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 6:3-10, 2 Timothy 3:1-9)

Feeding - Preaching, teaching, living as examples

Tending - Praying, Counseling, Warning, Encouraging

The Character:

Given the problems in the early church (i.e. Ephesus - 1 Timothy, Crete - Titus), the Apostle Paul gives a list of qualifications or virtues required of those who would hold the office of Elder/Overseer. This is again, a snapshot of a Godly man in general for the most part, but several important inferences can be drawn from it that shed further light on the role of the Elder/Overseer role.

Desire - To aspire to guide God’s people by His Word is to desire a noble and good thing. It requires a desire (some say calling) and devotion to Christ and His Word that will withstand the trials, hardships and frustrations of ministry and those who will oppose them.

Above reproach: Elders/Overseers are to be Godly.

faithful/pure

temperate/sober-minded

prudent/self-controlled

respectable

hospitable - this is an important quality of leadership as it shows courtesy, humility and a willing generosity towards others. Hospitality enabled the continued work of the Gospel (i.e. Matthew 10:11-15)

not an addict

not combative but gentle

not a lover of money

Ability to teach - a primary function of elders/overseers is to teach the Word of God. He must be able to understand and share with others what he discovers in the Bible. Not that every elder is necessarily a preacher but proclaimers and teachers all the same.

2 Timothy 2:24, Titus 1:9

Ability to manage their home - Must not be neglectful of the home. The Elder/Overseer is first a child of God, then husband (if he is married), then father, then Church leader. This is not an easy balance, but if he cannot oversee and lead in the home, he cannot oversee and lead in the church.

He gives the reason - if they cannot manage their home, they’ll not be able to manage the church.

There is a problem in our culture of men being driven to excel in their profession or their hobbies and yet be neglectful to the relationships that matter most.

Elders are to be family men, and church men - willing to give of themselves (i.e. time, money, energy) to guiding and providing for their wives and children at home, and the body of Christ in the local church.

Not a new convert - He gives the reason (v.6). Too many seek attention instead of service. Church leaders must be settled in their identity and life in Christ such that they will not easily fall into the idolatry of self love.

Good reputation with outsiders - The Elder/Overseer must not have a poor reputation with those outside of the local congregation.

Reason - he may be caught in Satan’s snare. Ruined witness. Degraded impact. Distraction or even repellent to the Gospel.

Far too often the church is a society where we all come in somewhat anonymously and put on our nice clothes, our smiles and spend 1.5 hours doing church. Then, we go home and do real life. Many people are totally different in church than they are elsewhere. This must not be the case in the church, and especially with church leaders who serve as examples to church members and to those outside the church. “You are the only Jesus some people will see” - true of Elders/Overseers.

Elders and Deacons in the church

While there are many ways the church can use and configure the offices described in the NT, I believe a fundamental misunderstanding of the roles of elder and deacon have hurt the ministry in many churches.

The Bible does not prohibit a primary preaching pastor, or lead pastor, but it also describes leadership as a ruling body who serve together to lead and shepherd the church (under the authority of the Word of God)

Trying to ask a single Pastor to do all that is required in leading the body of Christ is a problem for the Pastor and for the church. He needs help. He needs freed up to tend to and lead his family. The church needs more than he can give.

I think we’ve recognized that as a church. I also think that we’ve seen the answer (at least in part) to be the selection of deacons.

While deacons can be a help and a service to the body, the primary leadership of the church is given to elders. I propose to you this morning, that one of the great needs of this church - and of most churches - is to have qualified men who love the Word of God and who lead in oversight and care of the body of Christ.

May God raise up godly, Christian men who lead, and serve in His church. May we rightly represent Him as we proclaim the good news of the Savior to a lost and dying world.