Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Paul ’s Instruction to Timothy

in sound doctrine, and defend the truth from false teachers (1 Tim. 322; Titus 129). Even if the qualification “able to teach” implies the spiritual gift of teaching, as some commentators think, not every elder would have the same level of skill or interest in teaching (Rom. 1226). However, because the catalog of elder qualifications can fit any ma ture Christian man, and all mature Christians should be able to teach the truth to others, the requirement “able to teach” doesn’t necessarily require the spiritual gift of teaching. First Timothy 5: 17 helps to con firm this viewpoint by asserting that only some elders labor at teach ing. Of course 1 Timothy 5217 doesn’t limit other elders from teach ing, it merely states the fact that some labor in the Word. The kind of spiritual gift envisioned in 1 Timothy 5:17 parallels what we find in Ephesians 4:1 1, which states that the risen Christ gives to the Church gifted shepherds and teachers to equip His people for better service on behalf of the body: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors [shepherds] and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4211,12; italics and brackets added). According to the grammatical structure of the phrase, “and some as pastors [shepherds] and teachers,” shepherds and teachers are closely linked together but not identical. Shepherds are included in the category of teachers, but not all teachers are in cluded in the category of shepherds. The shepherd gift, then, uniquely combines teaching and governance.27 It is this kind of gift that would enable an elder to “rule well” and “work hard” at teaching. A great deal of flexibility exists as to how teachers Operate. They may function locally or as itinerant teachers. They may or may not be elders. Shepherds, on the other hand, are more than teachers because they teach, govern, protect, and care for the flock in practical ways. Shepherds may be itinerant, but their gift is most often used in caring for the needs of one local flock. Thus elders who have the spiritual gift of shepherding are extremely vital to the local church and to the elder ship. Differences in spiritual giftedness must not be allowed to create jeal ousy or division within the eldership. By stating God’s approval of such elders and their entitlement to double honor, Paul emphasizes that these elders ought to be viewed by the congregation and their fel low elders as a source of blessing, joy, and profit, rather than as a threat. Furthermore, we should not overlook the fact that Paul envisions a

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