How do you view the elders in your church? do you have elders? do you think they meet the criteria laid out in scripture. I know an elder whose sole job in office is to open up the building and lock up after everyone has gone home, while the Pastor/minister runs around like a headless chicken trying to do several jobs at once.
I've read several books telling me that corporate eldership without a pastor is the best way, the biblical way and yet I'm not convinced. Someone always has to take a lead, to dream Gods dreams, to realise a vision and to lead the flock of God , that's why God raises up certain men, at certain times in certain places.
Being an Elder I think a lot about eldership matters and find that most of the time I am quite out of my depth with modern day issues that are no longer swept under any carpets but exposed for all the world to see and even celebrated . I am convinced that a good solid unified eldership within a church is the key to successful church government and reforming of society. A good eldership can be a blessing to any Pastor/Elder not a hurdle to be overcome supporting him in his work. A poor eldership will shorten the life of a Pastor and fragment the congregation. (scatter the sheep)
There is much to write about eldership, the role it has to play in the smooth functioning of the church I believe that if the church can ask society to follow Jesus we have to be a group of people that are organised as an example of how society should be, of course we won't manage to do that being imperfect sinners but as a people saved by the grace and mercy of God we owe it to our Lord our, our church our communities to lead the way through prayers to God that will raise up strong elderships within our churches, elderships that will recognise that within them there will be one who can be trusted to lead, not his way, but Gods way. Let us be a blessing to one another our communities and God whom we serve.
In future posts I hope to look at the role of elder the, relationship/difference between elder and deacon the relationship between elder and pastor and most importantly how the eldership can serve the flock of God efectively.
