Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

CHAPTER 15 Elders and the Congregation

“Live in peace with one another.”

1 Thessalonians 5213b

low the New Testament church model, Jesus Christ is Chief Shep herd, Scripture is the final and sufficient guide, and the elders are Christ’s undershepherds. Using a different but compatible imagery, Paul refers to the elders as “God’s stewards” (Titus 127). According to this model, the authority to govern and teach the local church resides in the plurality of elders—Christ’s undershepherds, God’s household managers. As Christ’s undershepherds and God’s stewards, the elders are un der the strict authority of Jesus Christ and His Holy Word. They are not a ruling oligarchy. They cannot do or say whatever they want. The church does not belong to the elders; it is Christ’s church and God’s flock. Thus the elders’ leadership is to be exercised in a way that mod els Christlike, humble, loving leadership. In the local church, there are no rulers who sit above or subjects who stand below. The same biblical writer who commanded the elders to shepherd and oversee God’s flock also warned against lordly, con trolling leadership practices (1 Peter 523). All are equally brothers and sisters in the church family, although some function as Spirit-placed overseers to authoritatively guide and protect the church family. For the local Christian congregation that sincerely desires to fol

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