authority of elders in the church

The US ambassador to Germany has a lot of authority because he represents the president of the USA who has delegated his authority to him. 3:2; 1 Pet. And when they do exercise authority, it is to be within the God-ordained limits that weve seen above. Love for Jesus, because we take his honor and reputation seriously. As church officers undertake our work today, we must beware of the forces arrayed against our faithful accomplishment of the duties God has delegated to us. Do not allow the church to treat elders disrespectfully. But how much authority should a pastor have in the church? 6. Here Stott gives us the first principle of the nature of elder authority:it is limited. In every act of discipline, the goal is repentance, so a church should never excommunicate a professing Christian who professes repentance for a particular sin. In grade school, most of us (hopefully) learned one of the most basic principles of government that government authority islimited. This is true of the authority elders hold in a church. Finally, the authority of the elders did not extend beyond the local church. Article 02.26.2010 As in every age since the first century, there is today a variety of opinions regarding the proper organizational structure of the church. What then are we to make of Jesus prefacing the Great Commission by declaring all authority had been given to Him in Heaven and on earth? July 10th 2023 Mike Blanton Who is this? On the other hand, the congregation needs to know enough to make an informed decision and exercise their responsibility with integrity. Though I have Roman Catholic friends and affirm the good that so many institutions founded by Roman Catholics are doing in the cause of social good, one of the chief reasons I am not a Roman Catholic is because the official teaching of the Roman Catholic church is that the Pope has universal authority over all Christians. I mean, think about the wording: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. And those elders have a specific roleto lead the church in its exercise of the authority Jesus has given. They do not see themselves as necessarily smarter than the people they are leading, or lead from a posture of command and control. Theyve been taught by false teachers, but Paul doesnt hold those teachers ultimately accountable; he holds the churches accountable for accepting the teaching! For then, instead of only one entity lording it over people, there caneffectively become millions of miniature kings claiming authority over peoples lives. . One reason we know this is because, for example, the apostle Paul addressed his letters to the congregation, not the elders. Practically speaking, this means its actually good when a church has a run of unanimous votes. Each of these attitudes is doubly wrong. There is a real authority in speaking the truth. That doesnt mean hell never under any circumstances dissent or voice disagreement; for example, there may be times when a church member knows something crucial that the elders have somehow missed. Practically, this works out in the mechanism of elders recommending and the church voting. According to the New Testament, elders are responsible for the primary leadership and oversight of a church. While the church does not have the right to infringe on this persons conscience and force them to believe in the Trinity (which would be impossible anyway), the act of affirming that membership is reserved only for those who uphold the orthodox teaching of Christianity keeps the church pure and, along with that, can in itself be a persuasive act that may lead to the person reconsidering their view and freely changing it to accord with what the Scriptures teach and the historic church has affirmed through the ages. Imagine youre at a congregational meeting and the elders recommend that the congregation discipline a man for habitual, unrepentant drunkenness. The elders use those exact words and explain that theyve been working with this individual for some time, and he has stubbornly persisted in his sin. Note that in both places the special honor the elders deserve is intimately and explicitly tied to their work as officers. His position as a church officer doesnt give him any authority. But that is a completely unbiblical view. She is to tell the world what it means: to write creeds and confessions that accurately reflect the teaching of Scripture. Historically, that action has been called church discipline. They have no authority to make law nor change even one. Put simply, King Jesus has given all local churches two thingsthe keys of the kingdom, and elders to lead and teach how to use them. How do you respond? . If you elect to vote no, do so with integritybecause you really think this is a bad use of the keys, one worth acting against recommendation of elders and one youre willing to give account to Jesus for one day. So, in reality, it is not the case that this is just a silly American idea. For His Own glory and for the preservation of His precious sheep, He has delegated His authority to us. 05.22.2015. Trueservant leadership, on the other hand, is not simply a matter of seeking the good of those that you lead. More information is available on our Privacy Policy. PDF, ePub, and Kindle files will be sent to this email address. But the church is fundamentally different, and we must start with assumption that yes were fallen, but were also regenerate. Our work is possible by the generosity of our readers. The Gospel preacher commands men and women to repent and believe so that, through his preaching, God Himself commands men and women to repent and believe. As the leaders of congregations, elders have many duties. In fact, the US government was designed to operate on mutual skepticismbranches of government looking out for their own power and being in tension. Theres some real authority in that leadership. At the end I will also tip my hand and say what I think the root issue atMars Hill was. Good intentions do not justify over-stepping God-ordained limits on authority.). Acts 20:28 Shepherd the flock. In Matthew 18, Jesus talks about winning your brother. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul encourages the church to discipline so he might repent and be saved, which he perhaps does (2 Cor. Quite simply to listen when they talk, to do what they say, to treat them with distinction. He has given authority to elders or pastors to lead local congregations under His authority ( 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1 ). In light of Mark Driscolls recent resignation, therefore, I think it is important for the church (in theuniversal sense) to take this as an opportunity to reflect more deeply on the nature of true biblical leadership. For example, if a member starts sleeping with his mother-in-law (as happened in 1 Corinthians 5), the church has the right to exercise church discipline if that person does not repent. Thats what Jesus meant when he said, Im giving you the keys of the kingdom. So, youthat is, believers who have mutually affirmed the soundness and genuineness of each others allegiance to the King, and have recognized one another as members of one bodyyou together, as a church, now have authority to speak for me regarding the what and the who of the gospel, both what the gospel is, and who is rightly confessing it. 3. On the one hand, it would not edify the congregation to air out all the details, and doing so may unnecessarily aggravate the erring member. He will continually get caught up on the fact that he had good intent, not realizing that good intent that doesnt also see oneself asunderneath, rather than over,those that they lead is not enough. Sometimes people have the view that this individual, or those in other situations like his, are selfish for wanting to direct their own decisions. This is a pretty simple point, but crucial one, and if you get it, itll answer a thousand questions all at once regarding how the church is supposed to be organized and operate. Its designed for checks and balances precisely because the Founders knew the nation was made up of selfish people. Nothing can exist without having two sides. 18:17; 1 Cor. By continuing to use the 9M website, you consent to the use of cookies. Also subscribe to: The Motherload The Sound of Sanity Out of Our Minds. Every military man understands the answer. This is not at all the Roman Catholic idea of excommunication, where its argued that through excommunication the church is actually consigning someone to hell. Elders. Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom to the gathered congregation, not to anyone else. First off, they are responsible for the teaching of the flock. In fact, I would say that the reality is that, due to our history of being a nation birthed in overcoming tyranny,Americans have the greatestresponsibility of all to recognize, grasp and defend this truth. When a pastor preaches the Gospel, he preaches from the authority the Lord Jesus has delegated to Him for the salvation of mankind, and if he models himself after our Lord and His Apostles, he will do so with command authority. In fact, if church elders do not recognize thattheir authority over an individual also has God-given limitations,we are in a much worse position than if we were the victims of political tyranny. The power of the keys is the authority to protect the church and its witness, and to extend the reach of Jesuss kingdom. Look at Matthew 18:1517. Stott continues: Jesus exposed the tyranny of the Pharisees by drawing attention to the revealing titles which they loved. This isnt terribly controversial, but notice I called evangelism an authority, not just a responsibility. 2:67). Hell insist on having all the facts, so that he can make an independent judgment. (Hebrews 13:17 ) Thats why Peter contrasts domineering eldership with leadership by example: not domineering over those in your charge,but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom to actual assemblies of believersgroups of them who regularly gather together. My experience doesnt give meanyauthority. 6:11). But it is possible. The elders have written out our rules for church discipline. I am deeply concerned about the way so many people were mistreated by the leadership at Mars Hill. Juan Sanchez serves as senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in . With the authority of our Lord, the Head of the Church, we come alongside and admonish them. Next to the apostles in authority were the elders, or pastors, of the churches. Whenever someone leads in a way that doesnt harness and call upon the persons own self-direction and right to governthemselves under God, they are leading in anauthoritarian way. Not all elders are trustworthy! Our culture's assault on gender differences and authority is generationally urgent because it's unique to this Western moment, this time and place. Editors note: This article has been compiled from sermonnotes and a transcript. Which is then echoed later in the letter, in 1 Timothy 5:17: "Let the elders who rule well ("exercise . It is one thing to expel a man from the church. A full answer might differ from case to case, but heres a crucial part of it: trust. And it is to point people to righteousness chiefly through influence (not authority) by means of teaching the word of God clearly, accurately, and with passion. Of course, repentance doesnt mean just saying sorry. Sometimes people think the best posture for a church is to act as a check to the elders, to hold their feet to the fire. A congregation honors the elders by submitting to them in such a way that their hard work among us becomes a joy to them, their wives, and their children. 1. The function and role of an elder is well summarized by Alexander Strauch in his book Biblical Eldership: "Elders lead the church [1 Tim 5:17; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 5:1-2], teach and preach the Word [1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9], protect the church from false teachers [Acts . Third, elders shepherd ( Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-5 ). 1) All human authority is derived. Love for the watching world, because it lets the church speak clearly about what Christianity looks like. If a church were to seek to excommunicate someone for what they believe about the age of theearth, for example, that would be to exceed their authority and go beyond what the Scriptures allow. More information is available on our Privacy Policy. The same avoidance of authority is evident today in our failure to exercise the second power of the keys, Christian discipline.. It was not recognizedthat wantingthe good of the church is not by itself enough to clear someone of the charge of authoritarian leadership. Copyright 2023 - What's Best Next. What then,isthe role of elders? But its also a certain kind of authority elders holdnot so much an authority of command, but an authority of counsel. It stems from the fact that we are all in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6; James 3:9), and allequallyin the image of God (Job 31:13-15; 34:19; Proverbs 22:2; Ephesians 6:9; James 2:1-13). Tim spent ten years as a pastor in the PC(USA), twenty in the PCA, and now is a member of Evangel Presbytery. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, andYOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 2. Perhaps you should be at a different church. Further, things like recognizing that elders are actuallyaccountable to the congregationare also very solid common sense principles, as this principle is the best reflection of the truth that elders are not philosopher-kings set over the people. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. We have argued that church officers command authority because Jesus has delegated His authority to them. All elders who lead well deserve double honor. A church may have admirable evangelism and may serve well, but disunity, bitterness, and animosity will eventually emerge . Our Lord didnt give the keys to a city to Peter and the disciples, but the keys to His Church, the Kingdom of God on earth. Because its a work backed by the authority of the King of the universe. Dangers It is a serious mistake for elders to think lightly of spiritual authority in the day to day workings of the church, as if they were powerless to act because they have no civil authority, and therefore their influence is limited merely to being good examples for the flock. Hell be inclined to trust their assessment of someones sin. which ends up puttingthe leader in a special elite class, and therebydiminishing the followers. Greg Gilbert is the Senior Pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Elders bear authority over Jesus's church only to the extent that they teach, obey, and enforce Jesus's word." 4 Elders lead by standing before their congregation on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming his rule, his truth, and his commands. Only the Word of God hasauthority. One of those duties is the exercise of His authority. 9 Bible Verses about Church Authority, Of Eldars Acts 20:28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Yes, today and always, there has been much abuse of this authority, but our Lord knew there would be abuse when He delegated His authority to church officers. 2. Though church discipline is always a heavy and sad action, its an action ultimately born of love and aimed at the good of the person being disciplined. If the authority of elders is a limited authority, what, then,isthe scope and nature of their authority? And so the church should "esteem them . To get right to it, God gave Adam a certain job in Eden, a certain office that he was to carry out. Its the church saying to the world, Yes! Where does that come from? The Bible teaches that elders are to teach the Word, set a godly example for the flock, and oversee the affairs of the church (1 Tim. As He did with the Twelve, our Lord sets apart men still today to serve as His church officers and to preach the Gospel. It requires going beneath that to the wrong view of peoplebehindthose sins, and turning from that wrong perspective of leadership altogether. Thats the kind of authority elders holdan authority of counsel. How does an individual local church go about using these keys and exercising this authority Jesus has given? The church has the authority to carry out Christ's commandments with respect to her mission. Thats not real authority. But it is because its an authority backed by Jesus. Some might hear that and think, Oh, well, good. (Hebrews 13:17 ), But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. In other words, no one is to be involved in a child-father relationship of dependence or a servant-aster relationship of unquestioning obedience or a pupil-teacher relationship of uncritical acceptance. To that end, here are seven points regarding the keys of the kingdom, and how local churches exercise authority through their use. Churches have various forms of leadership and ways to participate in the congregation's life. 7. True biblical leaders have to lead from the bottom, not the top. Still, the congregation maintains final authority. Therefore, it makes sense for the elders to be the primary group who work behind the scenes to address sin issues in the congregation. THE AUTHORITY OF ELDERS IN THE LOCAL CONGREGATION - The Church Of Christ, 15 Grey Street, Warri THE AUTHORITY OF ELDERS IN THE LOCAL CONGREGATION Home Posts Sunday Teaching THE AUTHORITY OF ELDERS IN THE LOCAL CONGREGATION Posted on December 13, 2020 Leave a Comment By: Bro. So Jesus gives keys to actual assemblies of believers. But few people, in my observation, understand what that actually means. You can see it in particular places in the New Testament, but first I want you to see this authority to protect and extend isnt just built from a few proof-texts. The Qualifications & Duties of Elders The qualifications for an elder or overseer represent the basic characteristics that are expected of all Christians (1 Tim. Thats exactly what the first church in Jerusalem didall 10,000 of them met in Solomons Colonnade right up until persecution forced them to scatter, and then they didnt become franchises or arms or campuses of a centralized Colonnade Jerusalem; they became new, fully-functioning embassies or churches of their own. That is certainly part of it, but there is more. The whole story of the Bible is the story of how God would restore those two offices by sending someone who would act as king and as priest in all the ways Adam failed. Briefly, here are three. His superior has authority because it has been delegated to him by his superior to whom he submits, and so on, upwards the whole chain of command until you get to the supreme commander. I didnt post it, however, because Iwashesitant to speak up about issues at a church where I dont attend. What a tender command, but in our tender response to His tender command, we must not neglect the fact that it is a command. And through ups and downs, hopes and despairs, that promise finally comes to rest on shoulders of Jesus. In true biblical, servant leadership, the leader leads from a posture of equality. Hell trust that they have faithfully followed the biblical steps that precede public discipline. as . Recent controversies in the evangelical world have shown that Protestants are not immune to falling into an unbiblical understanding of the nature of pastoral and elder authority. But how does this all work out practically? Almost everyone affirms that elders should not domineer over the church (1 Peter 5:3). If they do not work, they deserve neither respect nor esteem. The elders cannot simply announce that they have excommunicated so-and-so. Oversee the congregation. In addition to these points, we would remind people of key qualifications from an earlier elders' paper on authority in the church: 1. Elders are the designated leaders of the church, and the flock is entrusted to them by God. Its little wonder, then, that the first thing were told about the first church in Jerusalem is they were continually devoting themselves to the Apostles teaching.1. Over and over he denies church officers have any authority. They are not to lead for the pay or the reward but because of their desire to serve and shepherd the flock. There is a usefulanalogy here from civil government that helps make this especiallyclear. Greg Gilbert is the Senior Pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. That elderdid nothave the authority over this individual to tell them who they can and cannot date. Most recently, he is the author, with Tyler Wittman, of Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis (Baker Academic, 2022). If the Bible located church authority exclusively in the elders, the idea of submission would be simple: the elders would make the decisions, and the congregation would submit to those decisions. Only King Jesus has that authority. My knowledge doesnt give meanyauthority. In the Old Testament, elders were heads of households, prominent men of the tribes, and leaders or rulers in the community.
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