Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Paul ’s Instruction to Timothy

The proper examination of deacons and elders is precisely where many churches fail. The examination process takes time and effort, and many churches are too busy with other matters to make that effort. Perhaps the church in Ephesus was also too busy to examine thor oughly its deacons and elders.

THE ELDERS LAY HANDS ON TIMOTHY

In 1 Timothy 426-16, Paul reminds Timothy of how he should faith fully execute his duties, and in verse 14, he specifically warns Timo thy about neglecting his spiritual gift. Paul had personal knowledge of Timothy’s spiritual gift and the unique circumstances accompanying the reception of his gift. Paul was the human channel through whom God conveyed Timothy’s spiritual gift (2 Tim. 126): Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery (1 Tim. 4214). Timothy was converted during Paul’s first missionary journey (AD. 49). Thus he was Paul’s true child in the faith. At the beginning of the second missionary journey, Luke records that Timothy joined with Paul to assist him in his gospel mission (Acts 16:1-3). Three significant things happened to Timothy on that occasion. First, Timothy and Paul learned of Timothy’s unique commission in the gospel through a series of Spirit-given, prophetic utterances: “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight” (1 Tim. 1218; cf. Acts 1626-10 for other super natural utterances accompanying the second missionary joumey).T1mo thy had been singled out by the prophetic word for a specific task, just as Paul and Barnabas had been singled out in Antioch (Acts 1321-3). Second, in complete accordance with the prophetic word, Paul placed his hands on Timothy in order to convey a gift, that is, a charisma or special endowment for service: “And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim. 126). By the laying on of Paul’s hands and the impartation of a spiritual gift through Paul’s hands, Timothy was

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