Order in the Court of the King! (Elders and Order-3)

Grace Thoughts

Order in the Court of the King! (Elders and Order-3)

Jesus Christ chose Saul of Tarsus to take the Gospel of Grace to the Gentile nations –

… for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Acts 9:15

Jesus also showed Saul, also named Paul, many amazing things prior to his missionary journeys that would prepare him for the ministry God gave him (2 Corinthians 12). Barnabas went to Paul’s home town of Tarsus to bring him to Antioch, Syria, for the purpose of teaching the growing church there (Acts 11). After a year ministering in Syria, the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to a special ministry that would include traveling to different countries in the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel and establish churches (Acts 13). After establishing churches in several cities, Paul and Barnabas returned to appoint elders in every church (Acts 14).

Paul’s Pattern

As we read through the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters to the churches, we find a pattern of appointing elders in every church. It’s important to remember that ‘Paul’s pattern’ was the ‘Lord’s pattern.’ Jesus Christ, the Builder and Head of the Church, gave Paul the pattern to follow in all areas of Church doctrine and practice.

As Paul approached the time of his death he knew how important it was that the ‘Church pattern’ Jesus had given him would continue after he was no longer alive on earth. Paul shared much of the doctrinal and practical ‘pattern’ in his letters to churches, but he specifically addressed the ‘leadership pattern’ in his letters to Timothy and Titus. They both had worked with him in ministry for many years, and were well known among the churches. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write those letters for all church leaders and members to know the ‘pattern.’

Titles

Just a reminder from the last part of our study that the title Paul used for leaders in churches are elder (presbuteros) and bishop/overseer (episkopos). The names are basically interchangeable in the way Paul used them in his letters. Paul did not use the words ‘pastor’ or ‘priest’ for church leaders, though those titles developed through the centuries. Paul did use the word poimén (shepherd) once in Ephesians 4 in reference to one of the gifts (dórea) Jesus gave (didómi) to His Church so that Christians would be equipped for their ministries. Peter and the writer of Hebrews both used the word poimén in reference to Jesus Christ being the ‘Shepherd and Overseer’ of His Church, and the ‘great Shepherd of the sheep.’

Whatever you think of any leader in your church or denomination, or anyone who would speak at a conference, or teach in a Bible college or seminary, please don’t ever think of them higher than or even on the same level as Jesus Christ. No human being, no matter how well they lead, no matter how well they can preach and teach, can ever come close to the ‘greatness’ of our ‘great Shepherd.’ His Name is above “every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” God “put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:21-23). Any Christian leader who understands who they are in Christ will say the same. All Christian leaders should be deeply humbled that the King of Heaven would use them in a leadership capacity in the Church He is building.

Qualifications

How did Paul decide who to ‘appoint’ as elders in churches? Was it based on personality? Celebrity? Wealth? Influence? The ‘pattern’ that God gave Paul for selecting ‘elders/overseers’ is unlike the way humans often choose their leaders. Why? Because of who gets the ‘glory.’

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Let’s begin looking at the qualifications for being an elder/overseer from Paul’s letter to Timothy –

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Paul then presented the qualification for ‘deacons.’ If you are interested in knowing more about that, I invite you to read our series on deacons. After presenting the qualifications for both elders and deacons, Paul wrote this to Timothy –

These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:14-15

Notice the importance of having ‘order’ in the church – “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God.” God wants ‘order’ in His Church and in individual churches. Thus, the ‘pattern’ He gave to the Apostle Paul.

Next we see the qualifications for elder/bishop (overseer) in Paul’s letter to Titus –

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. Titus 1:5-9

Now, let’s see the qualifications from both letters in list form –

he desires a good work
must be blameless, as a steward of God
the husband of one wife
just
holy
not self-willed
self-controlled
holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict
able to teach
not quick-tempered
temperate
sober-minded
of good behavior
a lover of what is good
hospitable
not given to wine
not violent
not greedy for money
gentle
not quarrelsome
not covetous
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination
not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil
he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil

What do you think of the ‘pattern’ Christ wants from church leaders? Imagine going for a job interview and having your potential boss give you a list of qualifications similar to that. What would you think?

Being a leader in God’s Church is not supposed to be easy. Being an elder/overseer is not for everyone. It’s for a small number of God’s people who ‘desire’ to do it. If church leaders follow the ‘pattern’ Paul lived up to himself and gave to Timothy and Titus to use in appointing elders in every church, what kind of churches should we be seeing and experiencing today?

I think Paul’s list of qualifications for elder/overseers speaks for itself, so I’ll give you time to digest it and consider how Christ’s ‘pattern’ for leaders is being followed in your church.

Next Time

There’s a reason why Christ’s ‘pattern’ for Church leadership is so difficult. It’s because of the kinds of challenges elder/overseers would face in their ministry. They would need every attribute and character trait in order to handle what would come at the Church. We’ll take a look at some of those challenges in the next part of our series, Order in the Court of the King!

Apostle PaulBible StudyChristianityChurch DoctrineEldersGod's WordJesus ChristOverseers Order in the Court of the King! (Elders and Order-3)

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Order in the Court of the King! (Elders and Order-3)