Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“Leading The Flock”
Categories: CHRISTIANS, RELATIONSHIPS, THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHWhat is the purpose of elders in the church today?Sincerely,
Office Assessor
Dear Office Assessor,
Elders are the overseers of the church; they have the oversight of the local congregation (1 Tim 3:1 – ‘bishop’ means ‘one that oversees’). Elders also go by the name ‘pastor’ or ‘shepherd’ because they take care of the flock of God (1 Pet 5:2). Every church has its own elders (Acts 14:23), and every congregation must have more than one elder. Any church that only has one pastor isn’t following the pattern found in the New Testament. Pastors never govern alone.
Elders keep watch over the souls of those in the church, watching out for those who are wavering, strengthening the weak, etc. They will give account to God for how they watched over the local church (Heb 13:17). Not just anyone can be an elder. 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Tit 1:5-9 give the qualifications for elders. Elders are older men who have proven themselves qualified to guide the church in a faithful manner.
The eldership of a church protects it from division, false teachers, and other various trials. They are in charge of the church’s finances, class programs, preaching, and anything else that pertains to the local church. Their job is to make sure that the church is faithfully adhering to the Bible and nothing else.
