stephen R Harrison

Elders of the local church must be men of great Christlike character. They must be men who can easily be recognized as “those who have been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Elders must be men who walk in step (Galatians 5:25) and are being filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). When it boils down to the bare bones, elders must be men who are worth imitating (1 Corinthians 11:1). Let’s look at and discuss the Scriptures we mentioned above.

Men Who Have Been with Jesus

Acts 4:13 says, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” 

Peter and John were “unschooled” and “ordinary”. This doesn’t mean they didn’t need education or were not extraordinary in some aspects. Luke mentioned these to drive home the point of how obvious it was that Jesus was radiating from their lives. No one could mistake their ministry success or lifestyles for their achievements or social status. It was crystal clear that these men had spent time with Jesus, and He was shining brightly through their lives.  People saw Jesus in them!

Discussion Questions:

1. Can people observing your life and say that you have been with Jesus? Explain.
2. What does “being with Jesus” look like? How would you know if someone had “been with Jesus”?

Men Who Walk in Step with the Spirit

Galatians 5:25 says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”  In context, Paul is writing about living in the Spirit in Galatians 5:13-26. Read that passage of Scripture. If you are “out of step” with the Spirit, you are either disobedient or ignorant of the Spirit’s leading. Either way, you are walking in your path. This is dangerous for the elder as we are to build and lead Jesus’ church in the way He has prescribed and desired, rather than according to our preferences or perceptions. Elders must not step where the Spirit is not stepping. To do so is to lead the church away from Christ!

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the supporting evidence of walking in step with the Spirit in this passage?
2. What does this Scripture say is the opposite of walking in step with the Spirit?
3. How do you try to walk in step with the Spirit in your marriage, business, family, friendships, calling, and ministry?

Men Who Are Filled with the Spirit

When seven men were chosen to be what some refer to as the first deacons of the early church (or protodeacons), one of the primary qualifications was that they were “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3). If this was needed for deacons, it is undoubtedly needed for elders. To be full of the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean you have all you’ll ever have of Him. Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit”. Paul’s contrast of a man full of wine versus a man full of the Spirit is key. Have you ever seen how alcohol controls a drunk? In the same, yet opposite manner, the Holy Spirit should control an elder. To gain a clearer understanding of this, one may need to read Ephesians 5:18 in the context of verses 1-20 to see evidence of being filled with the Spirit. To be filled means “be being filled”. We receive the Spirit at salvation, but we are filled more and more with Him throughout our walk with the Lord as we die more and more to our flesh and welcome more and more of Him. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?
2. Why is this important for the elder?