Elders

Elders, also known as shepherds or overseers, are appointed to oversee the congregation and care for their safety as a shepherd would look over his sheep. The Bible teaches that there should be a plurality of elders overseeing and shepherding a congregation (Acts 14:23; Acts 15:2, 4, 6; Titus 1:5). It also teaches the extent of the elders’ outreach is their own flock (Acts 20:17, 28) or their local congregation. Their work consists of watching over the souls of the local church (Hebrews 13:17), maturing the local congregation (Ephesians 4:11-16), disciplining the congregation (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15), shepherding the local congregation (1 Peter 5:1-3; Acts 20:28), and praying for the sick (James 5:13-18) The local congregation’s responsibility to their elders is to esteem them highly in love (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13) and be subject to them (Hebrews 13:17) The office of an elder has specific qualification for those men who aspire to do the work of an elder (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9)

The Bible teaches that to qualify for the office of elder a man must:

• Be above reproach
• Be the husband of one wife
• Be temperate
• Be prudent
• Be respectable
• Be hospitable
• Be gentle
• Be uncontentious
• Be able to teach
• Be sound in the Word
• Be free from the love of money
• Be able to manage his household well
• Be able to keep his children under control with dignity
• Be the father of children who believe (Christians)
• Be a lover of what is good, sensible, just, devout, and self-controlled
• Have a good reputation with those outside the church

The Bible also teaches that an elder cannot:

• Be addicted to wine
• Be pugnacious
• Be a new convert
• Be self-willed
• Be quick-tempered
• Be fond of sordid gain

Currently we are without elders.