Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Peter’s Instruction to the Asian Elders

shepherding conveys a richer, more vivid image than overseeing. There is an amazing likeness between real shepherds and sheep, and God’s shepherds and His people. The shepherd-flock vocabulary communi cates the skillful, loving, sacrificial image of the type of leader-fol lower relationship that befits the Christian community.

SHEPHERD GOD’S FLOCK IN GOD’S WAY

Concerning the responsibility of the church elders, Paul and Peter are in full agreement. The kind of overseers they have in mind are shepherd overseers. In Acts 20:28, Paul reminds the Ephesian elders that the Holy Spirit placed them in the flock as “overseers.” Their pur pose was “to shepherd the church of God.” Peter also charges the el ders to “shepherd the flock of God,” adding that they must “serve as overseers” with the proper spirit. So the elders’ basic responsibility can best be described as providing pastoral oversight for the flock of God. Peter is greatly concerned about how the elders shepherd and over see God’s flock. God is preeminently concerned about the motives, attitudes, and methods of those who lead His people, so Peter consid ers the attitudes or motives that should or should not characterize the elders to be very important. Therefore, he carefully describes how the elders are to serve: “exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3). This emphasis on the proper motivation and attitude for shepherd elders perfectly complements the theme of holy living found in 1 Peter: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1215,16). Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the things in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds,

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