Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Elders and the Congregation

Despite the existence of priestly and Levitical castes, and later of kings, that position can already be perceived in shadow in the Old Testament. The old covenant was with people rather than simply with leaders and under it a certain egalitarianism can be perceived in the relation between people and their covenant God: the superior status, as distinct from authority, later accorded to the monarch in Israel obviously derived from the hardness of the people’s heart rather than the primitive purpose of God (see 1 Samuel 8210-18; Hosea 824, 13-14). The promise is comprehensively fulfilled in the New Testament. There we see a new covenant with a new people which embraces the youngest to the oldest. All receive the sign and guarantee of the covenant— the Holy Spirit; from that Spirit all have knowledge of God and all have the heart of flesh to obey God; all are kings and priests to God; and each receives (from young to old) spiritual gifts, severally according to the will of God, for the mutual upbuilding of the church. The old Israel was dependent usually on a few leaders; in the new, spiritual insight, spiritual power, spiritual character and spiritual standing are now much more widely disseminated through the whole body. Consistent with this teaching, the New Testament accords a much higher status and role to the congregation at large than has often been accepted and practised in the experience of the church—though it should be noted that in times of revival and renewal there has been a constant tendency to rectify matters.2 Christ’s presence is with the whole congregation, not just the el ders. Christ ministers through all the members because all are Spirit indwelt, but all members do not function as shepherds to the whole community—the council of elders does that. The congregation gov erns itself through the congregational elders. It is not governed by any external person or group. The New Testament does not indicate that the congregation gov erns itself by majority vote, and there is no evidence that God has granted every member one equal vote with every other member. Rather, the New Testament congregation is governed by its own congrega tional elders. The elders, according to the express instruction of the New Testament, have the authority to shepherd the congregation. Of course there are matters of congregational business and debate

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