Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional. This week, following on from Sunday’s message on eldership, we are reflecting on some aspects of Biblical leadership.
At present, I'm only posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Today, we are reflecting on the qualifications for church leadership.
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‘From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders (presbýteros) of the church.’..Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock (poímnion) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (epískopos). Be shepherds (poimaínō) of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.’ (Acts 20:17, 28-32)
What is an elder in the church?
The New Testament uses three Greek words to describe spiritual leaders in the church, all referring to the same office - All three appear in our reading from Acts 20.
The first is 'episkopos', often translated as 'bishop' or 'overseer.'
The second is 'presbyteros', meaning “elder” or 'presbyter.'
The third is 'poimen', which translates to 'shepherd' or 'pastor.'
These terms—overseer, elder, and pastor—are synonymous, as demonstrated in Acts 20, where they are used interchangeably to describe the role of church leaders.
Qualifications for eldership
Elders are to be men of character, gifting and calling. It’s an office that God calls one into. It’s an office that emphasises character rather than gifting as the teaching in 1 Timothy shows:
‘Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.’ (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
Here is a list of the qualifications that are mentioned:
Above reproach - (Anepílēptos) His life must not be open to accusation or blame.
Faithful to His wife - If married, they must have an exemplary marriage.
Temperate - (Nēpháleos) sober minded. They have a foundation in the truth and so are not tossed around by false teaching, fads and extravagant ideas.
Self-controlled - (Sṓphrōn) wise, prudent, sane, modest and chaste.
Respectable - (kósmios) well-ordered. Following on from the previous, their outward life is worthy of imitation. They are organised and use time wisely. The ‘put first things first’ in their lives and ministry.
Hospitable - (Philóxenos) kind to strangers. Leaders and elders have people in their homes and meet with people.
Able to teach - (Didaktikós) skilful at instructing, qualified to teach. In this character list, this is the only aspect of giftedness that’s mentioned.
Not a drunkard - (Pároinos) Although they don’t have to abstain, they must be a self-controlled so as not to become ‘violent’ and ‘quarrelsome’.
Not violent but gentle - (Plḗktēs) A bully and apt to strike! Gentle (epieikḗs) Fair, reasonable, mild and patient.
Not quarrelsome - (Ámachos) Peacable and not contentious.
Not a lover of money - (Aphilárgyros) Not greedy or covetous but is generous.
Must manage His own family well including his children - ‘Manage’ (proḯstēmi) direct, lead, devote oneself.
Must not be a recent convert - (Neóphytos) To be newly converted, a ‘new plant’.
Must have a good reputation with outsiders - ‘virtuous testimony’.
Elders are men who have the character and gifting required in order to lead and shepherd the local church, as we’ve see in Acts 20 and 1 Timothy. This is a ’noble’ task so let’s be devoted to praying for our church leaders and doing all that we can to encourage them.
Let’s pray together as we finish
Take a moment to name those who lead those in your church. bring them and their families to mind. Let’s now pray for them:
“Father, I pray for my church leaders. I thank you for them. Please encourage them. Please empower them. Please protect them. Please fill them with faith and joy. Please lead me in praying and supporting them. Amen.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
On Sunday, as we appointed Phil Mash as a new elder, our message was on the theme of biblical leaders, and eldership in particular. The church devotionals this week focus on this theme in some more detail so please do use these.
Please read Acts 20:17, 28-32 and discuss: church leaders are described in the synonymous terms of: Elder, overseer and shepherd. What are elders meant to do in the local church?
Please read Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:18-20 and discuss: The two great aims of elders is to lead the church into The Great Commandments and The Great Commission. In what ways is our local church seeking to do this? (Consider our vision and goals in answering this - https://www.communitychurchputney.com/our-vision ).
How often should we pray for our elders and leaders and how can we ensure that we put this into practice?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus; alternatively, pray for the ‘people of peace’ that you regularly meet with.
Let’s pray together: Pray for one another out of our study together and for anything else for which people would like prayer.
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