Eldership

This week is a little different. This is an important week for our church because we will be presenting you with three men that we are recommending for eldership.

This week is different because we will take a look at how the leadership of our church is aligned.

We will look at the definition of elder from the Bible

We will look at the qualifications of the elder

We will look at the structure of the NT church

We will share with you how our church is structured

Last, we will put all of these principles into practice and share with you the men we are presenting today.

Why is this important?

This may seem like a bland topic, but it is very, very important for a number of reasons.

We will highlight this through these points.

I am not criticizing or knocking churches that do not follow our model.

We follow the model we follow because of our interpretation and conviction from the Bible.

There are certainly people who are saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus that are not a part of an elder-led church.

Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 Timothy 3:1–7 NIV

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

Topic

“Elder” defined

Episkopos- Overseer, bishop, elder, leader

This defines the function of the word “elder”

Presbyteros- Elder, position,

This is the formal position of leadership.

In the time of Jesus, the Jewish Sanhedrin were also called the elders of Israel.

There are those who would say that eldership is simply wise guidance from older people within the church.

You may be able to come to that conclusion looking purely at the Episkopos definition.

You could not come to that conclusion looking at the Presbyteros definition.

Presbyteros is the most common usage in the NT (66 to 4) over Episkopos.

The role of elder can be traced back to the OT times.

The elders of a town would sit at the city gates.

When people had conflict or needed wisdom, they went to the elders of the city and the elders would direct them.

This can be seen in the story of Ruth from the OT.

Boaz went to the elders to present the situation. The elders directed the right path. They oversaw the transfer of Ruth and the estate of Naomi.

This was done in a way that aligned with the customs of their people and resulted in peace and unity in their village.

It is a role that was present in the time of Jesus

Jewish religion had developed in a more national sense.

There were not individual and separated cities. They were a nation.

The synagogue system coupled with the Sanhedrin provided leadership in each town.

This role then took on new meaning within the new developing church of the NT.

Similar to the Synagogue set up of the Jewish people, each town had its “church” or its collection of followers of Jesus.

Some met in each others homes, others met more formally, some met publically, while others met privately.

But in any case, each geographic community had its collection of elders

Paul’s process in planting churches is seen in Titus 1:5

Titus 1:5 NIV

The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

When Paul was finishing one of his missionary journeys, he knew his time on earth was coming to an end.

Acts 20:17 NIV

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Elders (Presbyteros)

His message to those appointed as elders of Ephesus…Acts 20:28-31

Acts 20:28–31 NIV

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

overseers- Episkopos- The elders (formal) and their role (overseers) are seen together here.

Conclusion, the model of the early church was to establish elders in every town. There was to be unity and protection of the flock in every town. That unity and protection was overseen by the elders in every town.

In every case, elder is plural. There is a precedent for a plurality of elders, not just one.

There are elders and deacons and no other biblical roles

You might think roles like Head Pastor, or Pastor, or Associate Pastor are biblical positions.

They are not. Pastor is mentioned, but it is in a caring position of the flock. We want a lot of pastors in our church, but this is not mentioned as a formal role of leadership within the church.

Preaching was the role of some of the elders. The Word of God had to be communicated to the flock. This was done by the elders and church leaders like Paul and Timothy, and Titus.

Qualifications of an elder

An elders role is largely defined in terms of relationship. In 1 Timothy 3 we see a long list of requirements that an elder should exhibit.

I am going to break them down into a few relational components

Notes from 1 Timothy 3 sermon

An elders relationship with God

An elders relationship with his family

An elders relationship to himself

An elders relationship with others

Real Life Newport church structure

We are an elder led church

We do not have formal roles of “pastor” or “head pastor”

We have elders and only elders. We desire to have a plurality of elders as our leaders.

My role is unique here because most people see me as the preaching elder and equate it as “head pastor” in their comfort zone and place of familiarity.

But my role is simply one of a plurality of men who have different roles and different skills that all serve and oversee the Body of Christ.

Notes from 1 Peter sermon

1 Peter 2:9–10 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Real Life Newport Process

Call up Larry, Neal and Bill (and Brian)

Introduce each of them.

Talk about the path for Brian and I

Talk about the path we have taken Larry, Neal and Bill through

Training

Evaluation

Heart

Introduce them as prospective elders.

This will be your role once these men are appointed

Hebrews 13:17 NIV

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Are they Biblical leaders?

Do they meet the Biblical qualities of an elder?

We desire clarity on this from the body.

We have observed for a time, but we are not the only ones.

If you have any Biblical reason, or question why one of these men should not be an elder. If you have a hesitance, or a question about one of them. We need to know.

This is not a leadership acting independently of the Body. This is your time for your voice to be heard.

Name, contact info, and concern must be given to myself or Brian.

Process for questions and/or concerns

Resolution process

Wait and grow

Yes

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