Why We Have Elders

Why is this issue important? 

Two reasons.  One, the church is not a man-made institution; it is created by God.  Therefore we can’t structure church any way we want.  We need to search the Scriptures to see what God says about how churches should be structured.  He doesn’t give us a detailed blueprint; but He does lay out a general framework. 

Second, lots of problems can be avoided by structuring a church in accord with God’s Word.  After all, God is flawless in His wisdom.  So it makes sense to think that His plan for church government would help us avoid problems. 

What does the New Testament teach? 

We focus on the New Testament, because in the Old Testament God’s people were organized as one nation.  But with the coming of Christ 2000 years ago that changed – and now God’s people are organized as many local churches spread throughout the nations.  That’s why we go to the New Testament to see how local churches should be structured. 

(I should mention that much of what I write below I learned from John Piper’s teaching series “Biblical Eldership,” which can be obtained from www.DesiringGod.org.) 

Each church is to be governed by a team of elders.

Why do we say this?

First, because Paul appointed multiple elders in every church he planted.  You can see this in Acts 14:23 –  

ESV Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 

Paul had just finished planting three churches – in Lystra and Iconium and Antioch (v.22).  So now he goes back to each of these churches and establishes a structure for church government.  To do this he appoints elders in each church.  Note that this word is plural, showing that every church was governed by a team of leaders. 

Second, Paul tells Titus to appoint elders in every town.  You can see this in Titus 1:5 – 

ESV Titus 1:5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you- 

Titus was a pastor working in the island of Crete, which is an island in the Mediterranean Sea about 100 miles long and maybe 10 miles wide. In this verse Paul tells Titus to establish order in the churches, and to appoint elders in every town (there was one church in each town).   

So all the churches in Crete would have been governed by teams of elders. 

Third, Peter assumes that all the readers of his letter have elders in their churches.  To see this start with I Peter 1:1 –  

ESV 1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 

Peter is writing this letter to “elect exiles” (that’s Christians) in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia – which are all Roman provinces located in what today is Turkey.  This area covers hundreds of square miles – which means Peter is writing to a large number of churches. 

Next look at what Peter says in I Peter 5:1 –

ESV 1 Peter 5:1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed … 

Notice -- Peter assumes that all of the churches reading his letter have elders.  Not one of these churches would have read this verse and said “what are elders?” 

Elders are the same as overseers.

Sometimes the New Testament talks about churches being led by overseers.  So are there both overseers and elders?  Or are overseers the same as elders?  I believe the New Testament shows that overseers are the same as elders. 

You can see this by comparing Acts 20:17 with Acts 20:28.  Look at Acts 20:17 – 

ESV Acts 20:17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 

Ephesus is not far from Miletus.  So when Paul was in Miletus he asked the elders over the church in Ephesus to come to Miletus to meet with him.  And in vv.18-38 you can read what Paul said when they met. 

Now look at what Paul says to these elders, in Acts 20:28 – 

ESV Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 

Here Paul says that the Holy Spirit has made them “overseers.”  In v.17 they were called “elders”, but here in v.28 they are called “overseers.”  Which shows that elders are the same as overseers. 

You can also see this in comparing Titus 1:5 with 1:7.  Here’s Titus 1:5 – 

ESV Titus 1:5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you- 

And then in vv.6-7 Paul proceeds to list the qualifications of elders.  Look at what he says – 

ESV Titus 1:6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain … 

Notice how Paul can switch from calling these leaders “elders” to calling them “overseers.”  The reason he can make this switch is because these are two different names for the same position. 

God has ordained that men, not women, have the office of elder 

This is not because women are inferior to men.  It is clear from many passages in Scripture that God has created women as equal to men and given them an essential role in the ministry (Genesis 1:27; I Corinthians 11:11-12; Galatians 3:28).   

But our conviction is that God has ordained that men and women have different roles in the home and the church.  God has ordained that men bear primary responsibility for leadership, provision, and protection in the home and the church.  And in the church this is expressed by the fact that God has ordained that elders be men. 

Picture this as a couple dancing in a ballroom.  The man has a different role from the woman -- he is taking the lead.  The woman has a different role from the man -- she is responding to his lead.  The man is not feeling arrogant or superior or condescending.  The woman is not feeling inferior or patronized or servile.   

They both are equally involved in the dance -- they both are equally vital to the dance -- they both have equal joy in the dance.  But they don't have the same roles in the dance.  Their roles are different.  Complementary.  And the result is harmony and joy and beauty and freedom. 

Here’s the evidence that has drawn us to this conclusion: 

First, elders are called to teach and govern the church.  But in I Timothy 2:12 Paul says that he does not permit women to teach and exercise authority over men.  This cannot just be a command for Timothy’s church in Ephesus, since Paul says that this is his own policy (v.12 – “I do not permit…”).  But if a woman is not supposed to teach and exercise authority over men, then a woman could not function as an elder, since in the church elders teach and exercise authority over everyone, including men. 

Second, in I Timothy 3:4-5 Paul says that elders must manage their homes well, because if they cannot manage their homes, they will not be able to manage the church.  We know from Ephesians 5 that God calls men to the role of managing the home (vv.22-33).  So since it is men who are called to manage their homes, and Paul says that elders must manage their homes well, it follows that elders are supposed to be men. 

Third, in Titus 1:6 Paul says that an elder must be “the husband of one wife,” which means that elders must be examples of faithfulness in marriage.  But since Paul assumes that an elder will be a husband, it follows that Paul assumes that an elder will be a man. 

Our elders affirm “The Danvers Statement,” which is a position paper on the roles of men and women. 

The Qualifications of Elders 

The New Testament teaches that elders must be above reproach (I Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6).  This does not mean that they are sinless, but it does mean that they need a track record of faithful obedience to Jesus. 

There are two detailed lists of qualifications given in the New Testament; in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. 

The Responsibilities of Elders 

Jesus has given elders the responsibility to care for, teach, and lead the church (Acts 20:28-30; I Timothy 3:5; Titus 1:9; Hebrews 13:17).  This means we must do all we can to see that everyone is loved and encouraged and experiencing Christ-centered community, that everyone is being taught the truths of God’s word in their proper proportions and connections, and that everyone is working together to pursue Jesus’ mission in the world.