Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

The Acts of the Apostles

to be a summary statement on Paul’s customary method of organizing his churches. Scholars have long recognized the significance of this passage. Sir William Ramsay (1851-1939), the pioneer New Testament archaeolo gist and expert on Luke’s historical research, states: It is clear, therefore, that Paul everywhere instituted elders in his new churches; and on our hypothesis as to the accurate and methodical expression of the historian [Luke], we are bound to infer that this first case is intended to be typical of the way of appointment followed in all later cases. When Paul directed Titus (1:5) to appoint Elders in each Cretan city, he was doubtless thinking of the same method which he followed here.lo On their very first missionary journey the Apostles Paul and Barnabas are described as appointing presbyters in every church. The same rule was doubtless carried out in all the brotherhoods founded later; but it is mentioned here and here only, because the mode of procedure on this occasion would suffice as a type of the apostles’ dealings elsewhere under similar circumstances.11 Because Paul was Christ’s special apostle and teacher of the Gen tiles (1 Tim. 227), what he did in these newly planted churches should be of paramount importance to us. In the sovereign will and gifting of God, Paul was a “wise master builder” (1 Cor. 3210) who successfully laid the foundation of these first Gentile churches. Roland Allen re minds us that “in little more than ten years St. Paul established the Church in four provinces of the Empire, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia. Before AD. 47 there were no Churches in these provinces; in AD. 57 St. Paul could speak as if his work there was done.”12 The fact that Paul saw the establishment of elders as strategically important is therefore of great significance. The historical information provided by Acts 14:23 is also vital be cause in his letters to the churches, Paul does not use the term elder or indicate that he appointed elders. For example, in writing to the Gala tians in AD. 49 (that is, to the churches of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, J.B. Lightfoot (1828-1889), Anglican bishop and one of the most learned New Testament and patristic scholars of his time, also noted:

134