Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Appointment ofElders

MORAL AND SPIRITUAL QUALIFICATIONS

The New Testament is positively emphatic that only morally and spiritually qualified men can serve as elders. So, in addition to his sub jective desire to be a shepherd elder, Scripture demands that a candi date for eldership meet certain objective qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 125-9). Since we have previously explored in detail the biblical qualifications for elders, I refer you back to chapters 4, 9, 10, and 11.

SELECTION AND EXAMINATION

The actual selection of elders can be done by the congregation, es pecially in the case of a new church (Acts 6:3), or it can be done by the existing elders, or by a combination of both. Exactly how the congregation in Jerusalem selected seven of its men for the task of distributing funds to its widows is not explained (Acts 6:3). It would not have been difficult for the congregation to organize itself for such selection, however. From its earliest days, the nation of Israel was organized into precisely defined, manageable groups for the purpose of expediting communication, war, service, and travel (Ex. 13:18; 18:13-27; 3626; Num. 222 ff; 722; 1 Kings 4:7). Con gregational decisions and operations were conducted primarily through representatives or heads of clans and towns (compare Lev. 4:13 with 4:15; Ex. 3215,16; compare Ex. 4:29 with 4231; Ex. 1927,8; Deut. 21:1,2,6-9). So it is possible that the Jewish congregation in Jerusalem was already organized into manageable units (Acts 12: 12,17; 1524,6,22; 21217,18). Such organization would enable issues to be de cided and information to be passed along quickly. We should not con clude that this account proves that each member had one equal vote in selecting the Seven. These were Jews, not Gentiles, so they were ac customed to having representative leaders, such as elders, act on their behalf (Acts 1526-22; 21218). Closely associated with selecting prospective elders is the examination of their moral and spiritual fitness for office. Since the qualifications for eldership are to be taken seriously by the local con gregation, it follows that a formal, public examination of a prospective elder’s qualifications is necessary. This is exactly what 1 Timothy 3210 states: “And let these [deacons] also [like the elders] first be tested;

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