What do elders do? What is their role in the local assembly of New Covenant believers?
There are two offices in the local church—elders and deacons. Peter calls himself an elder and then writes to the elders in 1 Peter 5:1-3. The Greek word for elder is presbyteros, an adjective describing an older man. Then, in v. 2, Peter tells the elders to poimainō (the verb form of the noun shepherd or pastor, Eph 4:11), the flock, and episkopeō (the verb form of the noun overseer, in the KJV bishop). Paul does nearly the same thing in Acts 20:17 and 28.
In Acts 20, Paul instructs the elders, as overseers, to care for the church of God like shepherds care for sheep. They must protect the flocks from wolves (28-31). In Ephesians 4, we learn that elders (pastors and teachers) are a gift from God to the church. They serve the church by equipping the saints for the work of the ministry to build up the body of Christ. Peter agrees with Paul completely. As an elder, he tells elders to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1Pe 5:2-3). Paul in Titus 1 adds to this. An elder must be able to “give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (9).
What does shepherding (1Pe 5:2) look like in the local congregation? Shepherding is a verb in the Greek. The KJV translates the word “feed.” The primary work of the biblically qualified elder/overseer (pastor-teacher) is to instruct people in the church on the Word of God. Following the example of Nehemiah, elders read the Word of God, work with the translation as needed, and give the meaning so that the people can understand what the Bible says (Neh 8:8). This is why the elders must be able to teach (1Ti 3:2). The church must ask two questions: 1) can this man teach truth from the Bible? and 2) do we believe the Holy Spirit has gifted this man to teach and exhort? (Rom 12:7-8). The Bible does not speak to the context with which a man must be able to teach—only that he can teach. Is one-on-one sufficient—a micro group, a small group, or perhaps Powerhour with children? Is he willing to teach disciples of all ages? Can this man take a passage from the Bible and teach it? The answer is a subjective judgment. This is why no single person makes the declarative judgment in Berean: yes, he can; no, he can’t. Must it be in the auditorium on Sunday? If he is the only elder—then yes. Are there other elders that can do that—then no, not as much.
However, how can the congregation vote to affirm if they have not heard the man teach? The entire membership is making a collective subjective judgment. This approval process is not—he is a good guy, we like him, I am sure he will _____________. You are answering this question: Do I believe God has spiritually gifted this man to teach the Bible to myself and my children? Your answer might be yes, no, unsure, or even perhaps. This is not the only question, but if the man cannot teach, he cannot serve as an elder. It is not enough to provide an example to the flock—he must shepherd. It is not enough for the candidate to be mature and of the highest moral character. He must be able to move biblical truth from his brain to your brain under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. There are times when we, as a church, could be giving someone a chance to demonstrate this gift in a larger, more official context, almost like a probationary period (1Ti 5:22). In other words, we vote to move forward with this opportunity, but our expectation is he will continue to grow as a shepherd. Failure to grow would call into question the gifting and calling. One doesn’t pursue this office for the title or to be involved in the church’s leadership. This is a calling. You believe God has gifted you to shepherd people through teaching them truth and its application.
Teaching is so important that after instructing the church to baptize followers of Christ, Jesus Himself tells us to teach disciples to observe everything He has commanded us to be, say, and do (Mat 28:20). Ultimately, the goal would be to have a church full of elders who can all rightly interpret the Bible in the context of a Sunday morning or evening (2Ti 2:15). But we must recognize everyone can’t do that equally. It could be that a church approves an elder to begin serving with the confidence that the man will improve with more time, experience, and mentorship. If that doesn’t happen, then the man would step down, and the congregation would thank him for his willingness to serve in such an important role, and he would have the respect of all for doing what only a few do in the church. If a candidate does not graciously step down, this behavior questions his character and motives.
Finally, 1 Timothy 3:1 says if a man aspires to the office of overseer. 1 Peter 5:2 states an elder serves willingly, not under compulsion. If a man needs a sabbath, it should be given to him. The church does not want anyone serving unwillingly or exhausted.
