Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Paul ’s Instruction to Titus

The reason I left you behind in Crete was this: I wanted you to set right the things that remained to be dealt with, and in particular to appoint elders in each city, in accordance with my directions. You remember those directions of mine about the kind of man who is fit to be appointed as an elder—one who is beyond reproach. . .. The man who exercises pastoral leadership must be beyond reproach because that befits a steward in God’s house.3 As in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, the apostolic qualifications are the basis for appointment to eldership. These qualifications represent God’s stan dards that no man or organization has the right to change. Christian elders must be qualified according to God’s criteria: . . .[5b] appoint elders in every city as I directed you, [6] namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. [7] For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, [8] but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, [9] holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. [10] For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, [11] who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain (Titus 1:5b-11; verse references added). Note that Paul does not change subjects in verse 6, although he does change from the plural, “elders” (v. 5), to the singular, “any man [whoever]” (v. 6). So in verse 6, Paul is still speaking about elders, although he uses the singular term “any man.” Paul uses the same sin gular construction, “if any man aspires to the office of overseer,” in 1 Timothy 3:1. ABOVE REPROACH: The term “above reproach” (anegklétos, a syn onym of anepile'mptos, 1 Tim. 322) means “unaccused,” that is, one whose character or conduct is free from any damaging moral or spirit ual accusations. This first qualification, as in 1 Timothy, stands out as

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