What are elders?
Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 9:12PM Richview is currently in the process of selecting Elders. In October, we will be holding a business meeting to elect our first Board of Elders.
Two Offices: Elder and Deacon
In the New Testament, there are two basic types of church offices (Philippians 1:1). The first goes by many different names: elder, pastor, overseer, bishop. These terms are used interchangeably for the same office (Acts 20:17-28, Titus 1:5,7).
The other office is deacon.
Meaning of Elder
The different names for elder give an idea of what elders are:
- “overseee” literally means “one who supervises”
- “elder” could refer to chronological age or special status within the community
- “pastor” means shepherd
Elders fulfill a spiritual task. They anoint the sick (James 5:14), preach, teach, admonish, and guard against heresy (Titus 1:9), and govern the church (1 Timothy 5:17). Some have a special role in teaching (1 Timothy 5:17).
The New Testament consistently uses a plural form for elders, which means that the responsibilities were shared by a group of elders.
In summary: elders provide supervision and spiritual guidance for the congregation.
Coming in the next few weeks:
- What is the difference between elders and deacons?
- What will elders do?
- What are the qualifications for elders?
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