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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
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Both Timothy and Titus are told that an elder must be faithful to his wife. Paul said they should be “one women men” who believe marriage is a covenant partnership with their wife for a lifetime. God created marriage (Genesis 2:24). If the church body views an elder’s marriage as unstable, it can cause them
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Paul told Timothy that an elder should not be greedy. Paul told Titus not to pursue dishonest gain. Peter said that an elder should serve eagerly, not for money. The message is clear that an elder does not lead the church for financial gain. Elders should be generous, a mark of those in the early
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Just as Paul mentioned the need for elders to be self-controlled, temperate, sober-minded, and disciplined, he also identified specific areas that are contrary to these qualities. Paul tells Timothy and Titus that elders should not be given to drunkenness. The Old and New Testaments are clear that drunkenness is a sin (Proverbs 20:1; Ephesians 5:18).
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The New Testament lists explicitly several key qualifications for eldership in the local church. The absence of these qualities in a man would disqualify or delay them from being considered or becoming an elder. Two Scriptures written by the Apostle Paul to pastors in the local church help us understand the primary qualifications or prerequisites
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1 Peter 5:1-4 “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest
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Before a man in the local church is approached about becoming a potential elder candidate, the elders in that local church should be sure that specific prerequisites have been met. By investigating Scripture and establishing agreed-upon prerequisites for elder candidates, local church elders can effectively identify men who may be called to serve as elders.
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The Bible has a lot to say about elders in the local church. The New Testament contains about a dozen Scriptures. For this elder training workbook, we will specifically review some of the major verses about elders in the New Testament. This section will provide a brief overview of the major biblical texts concerning elders
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These lessons are excerpts from my book The Biblical Elder: A 12-Week Journey in Biblical Eldership. Buy that book HERE Elders are vital to the local church. Through prayer and fasting, the Apostle Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church they started and encountered. Before giving several qualifications and responsibilities of an elder, the
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These lessons are excerpts from my book The Biblical Elder: A 12-Week Journey in Biblical Eldership. Buy that book HERE —————————– The office of the elder is vital to the local church. Choose the wrong men for the office, and it can have devastating effects on the church’s mission and ministry. Hopefully, the right men are selected
stephen R Harrison 