THE ELDERS

WHICH ARE

AMONG YOU

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 THE ELDERS
WHICH ARE AMONG YOU

The Qualifications, Selection,

and Appointment of Elders

Bobby Duncan

Publishing Designs, Inc.

Huntsville, Alabama
Quantity discounts available from:

Publishing Designs, Inc.

P. 0. Box 3241
Huntsville, Alabama 35810

© 1989 by Bobby Duncan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may

be reproduced or tran:;mitted in any form or by
any means without written permission from
Publishing Designs, lll.c., except for the inclusion
of quotations in a review.

Cover design and art by Phyllis Alexander

Prillted ;, the U�tited States of America

ISBN 0-929540-02-6

96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 5 4 3 2 1
To the elders of the church at Adamsville,
Alabama, who exemplify the principles taught
in this book; and to my wife, Lois Ann, who
encouraged me in writing this material, is this
volume affectionately dedicated.
 PREFACE

It would be impossible to overestimate the value of good

leadership in the church. While I do not agree that most of
the problems the church faces are leadership problems, I do
believe the quality of our leadership determines how success­
fully we deal with those problems.
While �erving as editor of Words of Tntth, a weekly papc!r
published under the auspices of the Sixth Avenue Church of
Christ in Jasper, Alabama, I wrote a series of articles de�ling
with the qualifications of elders. By the time the last article
in the series had bf!en published, several readers across the
country had suggested that the material would be suitabl� for
class study, and should be put in book form. This is the only
excuse I have for adding another to the already large number
of good books on the eldership written by our brethren. .
I claim no originality for any of the ideas set forth i� this
book; I have drawn freely from the writings of others ;who
have written on thi�. subject. i
I have worked under the eldership of the church at
Adamsville, Alabaroa for nearly a quarter of a century� I For
seven and one-half years I served under the eldership of the
Sixth Avenue church in Jasper, Alabama. I am indebtdd to
these two fine elderships for their guidance and encoutage- :
ment. If I have any special qualification to write on l tbis 1
subject, it is my appreciation for elders-an appreciation �hkh
has developed over these many years of association lwith
some of the best elders on earth.
It is hoped that this book will be helpful in accomplishing
two things: (1) a better understanding of the work and qpali­
fications of elders, and (2) a greater appreciation for elders
and their families.
The Author
 CONTENTS
..
1. "A BISHOP THEN MUST . . . II............................................ 7

2. "DESIRE THE OFFICE" . .. ....... ..................... ......................

. 11

3. BLAMELESS . ........ .............. ......... ..................... ................... 15

4. THE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE ................. .............. ... .. ...... 19
5. VIGILANT .............................................................................. 23
6. SOBER.................................................................................. 29
7. OF GOOD BEHAVIOR ........................................................ 33
8. GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY .. ................. ....................... .. .. ...... 37

9. APT TO TEACH .. ... .................. .. .............................. ... ..... ..... 41

10. NOT GIVEN TO WINE.......................................................... 47

11. NOT A STRIKER, A BRAWLER, OR SOON ANGRY.......... 51

12. NOT COVETOUS OR GREEDY OF FILTHY LUCRE ........ 55

13. PATIENT AND TEMPERATE ................................ ............. . 59

14. RULETH WELL HIS OWN HOUSE...................................... 63
15. NOT A NOVICE . .......... ......... .. ............. .. ............................... 69
16. HAVE A GOOD REPORT ........................................... ......... 73

17. NOT SELF-WILLED.............................................................. 77

18. A LOVER OF GOOD ................. ........................................... 83
19. THE ELDERS AND CONGREGATIONAL UNITY .... .......... 87
20. THE AUTHORITY OF THE ELDERSHIP .................. ......... . 91
21. APPOINTING ELDERS ....... ... .................... .......................... 97
22. HANDLING OBJECTIONS . .. .... .. ............................... ..... ..... 103

23. PERPETUATING THE ELDERSHIP .......................... . ....... 109 . .

24. ELDERS AND THE CONGREGATION ..... ..... ................ .... 115

25. ELDERS AND PREACHERS .. ............................ ..... . ..... .... 121 .

26. THE ELDERS' MEETING ..... .... ............. ........ ... ................... 127
 CHAPTER ONE

"A BISHOP TH EN MUST ... "

Many questions center around the qualifications of elders

in the Lord's church. Often churches suffer for a lack of
qualified elders, and sometimes those are appointed to the
eldership who are not really qualified. On the other hand,
congregations will sometimes deprive the mselves of
much-needed leadership because some have elevated the
qualifications for elders to such heights as can never be at­
tained by any human being. These things suggest we need
teaching with respect to the subject of the qualifications of
elders.
Must men actually possess all the qualifications set forth
in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1? Yes, they must. Why would the
Holy Spirit guide the inspired writer to write, "A bishop then
must be . . . " if, indeed, it is not true that a bishop must be . . . ?
And this statement precedes the list of qualifications in both
Titus 1 and I Timothy 3.
Some have suggested that these lists are nothing more
than guidelines to be used in selecting the best men for the
work, and were never intended to be a list of necessary quali­
fications. But an examination of the passages involved will
impress one with the fact that none of the characteristics
listed is something an elder can be without and still be just as
qualified. And if he can be totally lacking in one of the
characteristics listed, how many of them can he be without
and still be qualified to serve as an elder? Also which ones
are absolutely necessary, which ones are optional, and how
are we to determine which are which? All these considera­
tions force us to the conclusion that a man must possess all
the characteristics mentioned if he is to be scripturally quali-

7
fied to serve as an elder in the church of Christ.
It may be objec·:ed that to say one must have all the·
qualifications listed is to say that one must be perfect. Sl.Jch
simply is not the case. There is a vast difference between
possessing certain qualifications and being perfect. In fact, i·l
is probably the case that the majority of the qualifications �n�
possessed to the perfect degree by nobody. One might ibt�
blameless, but not to perfection; vigilant, but not to perf� c..
tion; apt to teach, but not to perfection, and so on. But d � e��
this mean one could be appointed to the eldership who is: o·1 f
at all blameless, not vigilant in the least, and has no aptit!ldt�
at all to teach? Certainly not! The truth is, an elder mlls'l
possess every characteristic in the list. And while he should
possess all of them in a substantial measure, he likely will
possess few of them to the perfect degree.
A failure to recognize this latter has caused some to c<pn..
elude that no man can ever be qualified to become an eld,er.
But careful reflectio;J will reveal that everything in the list.,
with the exception of those qualifications involving his bei nS a
husband and father, is something toward which every faith1�: uJI
child of God should be striving.
It has been suggested that the list of characteristics! in
Titus 1 differs from the list in I Timothy 3, and that botb
Timothy and Titus \Vere expected to take their respective:
letters from the apostle Paul and, from the information con··
tained therein, be able to appoint elders. In other words, the:
elders appointed by Titus would not necessarily have all (he:
qualifications listed in Paul's letter to Timothy, and vice ver5a ..
From this some have concluded it is not necessary for one to f
have all the characte:ristics mentioned in order to be quali·· I
I
•

ned.
In answer to this we would observe that, while techni�Ily
the lists do have some: slight differences, they are not really ian
that different. Not specifically mentioned in I Timothy 3, but
listed in Titus 1, are the following: "not selfwilled," "not soon
angry," "a lover of good men," "just," "holy," and "temp�r-
8
ate." Not specifically mentioned in Titus 1, but listed in I
Timothy 3, are the following: "vigilant," "patient," "not a
brawler," "not covetous," "not a novice," and having "a good
report of them which are without." But does it not seem
highly unlikely that one would find the man described in I
Timothy 3, but without the characteristics mentioned in the
letter to Titus? And does it not seem highly unlikely that one
would find the man described in Titus 1, but not possessing
the characteristics mentioned in I Timothy 3? In other words,
the man described in the letter to Timothy is the man de­
scribed in the letter to Titus.
One other erroneous theory with reference to the qualifi­
cations of elders is that the work of elders, like that of the
apostles and prophets, was limited to the miraculous age. It is
reasoned that the elders in the first century were miraculously
endowed, and since miraculous endowments have ceased,
the eldership also has ceased. While we would agree that
elders in most, if not all, of the churches during the apostolic
period were miraculously endowed, we would not agree that
this fact even suggests the work of elders was a temporary
work. Evangelists during the apostolic period were also mi­
raculously endowed, but this does not prove the work of
evangelists was limited to the apostolic period. The purpose
of a particular work, and its need, not its relationship to
miraculous powers during the first century, determine whether
that work is to be perpetuated. The work of apostles was in
connection with the revelation and confirmation of the gos­
pel. The apostles need no successors, for they completed
their work once for all (Jude 3). But the work of overseeing
the congregation is a work that will be necessary as long as the
church continues, and elders are those designated by God as
the overseers (Acts 20:28). It may also be observed that not
one of the qualifications listed in I Timothy 3 or Titus 1
involves miraculous powers.
We are firmly convinced from our study of the Bible, from
experience, and from observation that churches seriously err
9
which appoint to the: eldership men who are totally without
just one of the chara.cteristics which the inspired writer said
elders must possess. But it is also a terrible mistake to eX]lFCt
any human being to possess to a perfect degree all of �ht�
,
characteristics in the list.

. QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What reasons can you give for believing a study of the
qualifications of elders is needed?
2. Must one posse:ss all the qualifications set forth ill I
Timothy 3 and Titus 1 to be scripturally qualified as, an
elder?
3. Discuss the diffe:rence between being scripturally quaJi..
fied and being p·erfect.
4. Do you believe there are characteristics in these two lists
which are beyond the reach of all Christians? If so, which
ones, and why?
5. Discuss the differences between the qualifications of el<fFrs
as listed in Titus 1 and those listed in I Timothy 3.
,
6. How much did rniracles have to do with qualifying nien ·

for the eldership in the apostolic age?

10
 CHAPTER lWO

"DESIRE.THE OFFICE"

As we move forward in our study of the qualifications of

elders we will allow Paul's brief discussion of the subject in I
Timothy 3:1-7 to serve as an outline. We will make compari­
son with the discussion in Titus 1 :5-9.
The first characteristic we will discuss is not listed as one
of the things which the inspired writer said must characterize
one who is to be an elder; it is nonetheless a very important
matter. One must desire to be an elder in order to be scriptu­
rally qualified. "This is a true saying, If a man desire the of­
fice of a bishop, he desireth a good work" (I Timothy 3:1 ). In
this passage the words desire and desireth are translated from
two different Greek words. The first means, "to stretch one's
self out in order to touch or grasp something, to reach after or
desire something" (J. H. Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon oftlze
New Testament, p. 452). The second means, "to have a desire
for, long for" (Thayer, p. 238). This latter, says Thayer, is equal
to our expression, "to set one's heart upon."
We might, then, paraphrase the verse as follows: "If a man
stretches himself out so as to reach the point at which he can
serve as an elder, then he has set his heart on a good work."
In Living Oracles, a translation edited by Alexander Campbell,
the verse appears as follows: "This saying is true. If one ear­
nestly seek the office of a bishop, he desires an excellent work."
How does one "stretch one's self out in order to" become
an elder in the Lord's church? Certainly not in the same way
one might seek some political office by campaigning for the
office. One who would do such likely is demonstrating by that
very act that he is not the kind of man needed in the eldership.
In fact, one who has reached the point at which he is qualified

11
 I

to serve as an elder in a congregation will not have to call i to

th� attention of the rnembership his qualifications; they will
know about them aln�ady. And when they are ready to seltct
and install elders, this man will not be overlooked. One can- 1

not possess the characteristics that would qualify him as an elder,

and yet possess them in secret for very long.
One who has his heart set upon the eldership stretches
himself out in that direction by cultivating in himself those
qualities that are set forth in the Bible as characterizing those
who are to be elders. The very picture we get when we think
of one's stretching himself out "in order to touch or grasp
something" calls attention to the exertion of effort required.
Think of one's standing on the ground and reaching up to plqck
an apple that is just beyond his reach. At first he cannot reach
it, but as he tries again and again he is finally able to stretCh
himself out and grasp the apple.
The idea expressed by the word translated desireth in I
Timothy 3: 1 can be easily misunderstood. While it may be s 4id
to mean "to set one's heart upon," a proper motive must pe
understood. Is it wron;g for one to have his heart set upon beipg
an elder? No, provided his motive is good and honorable. qut

he must not be motivated by pride or considerations of pr�s­

tige and honor. Just as men may have their hearts set; �n
preaching, but for the \vrong reasons, men may have their heap:s
set on being elders for the wrong reasons. Just as the or)Iy
honorable motives for preaching the gospel involve the des'"e
to glorify God and help people go to heaven, even so the ortly
honorable motives for desiring the eldership are to glorify Gclld ·

and help people go to heaven.

It is for this reason that one should never be appointed to
the eldership who doe:s not desire that work. Though he may
seem to have all the other characteristics in the list, if he� is
lacking in desire toward the eldership he is probably lacking
also in his desire to glorify God and assist his fellow human
beings to gain heaven.
It needs to be emphasized that one who stretches himself
12
out to become an elder is one who has his heart set on a good
work. Certainly it is an honor to be appointed to the elder­
ship, but the eldership was not designed by God to be an
honorary position; it is rather a work. If one will look at the
passages dealing with the work of elders he will be impressed
with the greatness of the responsibility one is reaching toward
as he sets his heart upon the eldership. Notice the following
from Acts 20:28-31 :
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,
to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with
his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing
shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the
flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore
watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I
ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

An elder could never give careful consideration to these

words and at the same time take his responsibilities as an elder
lightly. It is the blood-bought flock of God that is placed in
the care and keeping of the eldership. The elders are respon­
sible for its welfare. They must watch, and warn, and protect
the flock from wolves. One seeking the eldership is seeking a
great responsibility.
I Peter 5:2,3 admonishes elders as follows: "Feed the flock
of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not
by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready
mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock." Instead of the word feed the Ameri­
can Standard Version has tend. The Greek verb means liter­
ally to shepherd. Elders are to shepherd the flock. The idea
once again is that the souls of all the members of the congre­
gation are entrusted into the care and keeping of the elders.
This is the responsibility being sought by one desiring the
eldership. Hebrews 13: 17 plainly says that elders will give
account of the souls of those entrusted into their care.
Perhaps it is the greatness of the responsibility of elders that
keeps some from ever stretching themselves out toward the
13
 .I
eldership. But it is also an awareness of this great responsiqil-
ity which will make a man who is an elder a good elder. I
A word of warning is in order. In many congregations th�re
are some who frankly confess that they do not want to be elde�s.
The responsibility is just too great. But these same ones alre I
often very critical of the actions of the eldership, and would
•
I
even overturn the act1ons of the eldership if they had it wit}lin
their power to do so. These evidently believe themselves It o
be wiser than the eldership. They would relish the power ito
make certain decisions for the eldership, or even dictate to t�e
eldership with reference to certain matters. But they are 1o­
'
tally unwilling to allow the responsibility of the eldership to r st
upon their shoulders. If one otherwise qualified for the eld,r­
ship simply does not �1ant the responsibility of being an eld �r,
then he should never be guilty of trying to make the decisiops
for an eldership. 1
II
QUESTIONS F()R THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION I
1. Why is it important for one to desire the office of a bish0f?
2. In what ways can one aspiring to the eldership stretfh
himself out in that direction? What about his attendance
at area meetings and lectureships?
3. In your estimation, is it likely that one who does not de­
sire to be an elder would possess all the other qualifida-
tions? Why? I I

4. According to Paul's admonition in Acts 20:28, an eldet's

first responsibility is to take heed to himself. Is this being
selfish? Why? !
5. In what ways are elders like shepherds? !
6. In what ways can members of the church help elderships
1
in making important decisions?

14
 CHAPTER THREE

BLAMELESS

"A bishop then must be blameless ... "(I Timothy 3:2).

With these words the inspired writer begins to list the charac­
teristics one must possess to be a bishop or elder in the
church of Christ.
To be blameless obviously does not mean to be sinlessly
perfect. Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God." The tense of the verbs in the
original language makes it clear that all have sinned in the
past, and all still do come short of the glory of God. I John 1:8
says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us." Jesus is the only man who ever lived a
sinlessly perfect life (Hebrews 4:15). It is a mistake, and a
tragic one at that, to try to prevent a man's becoming an elder
because he is not sinlessly perfect. It is just as great a mistake
to expect those who are appointed to the eldership to become
sinlessly perfect upon the occasion of their appointment.
Then what does the Bible mean when it says a bishop
must be blameless? The Greek work anepileptos 'blameless'
means literally, "that cannot be laid hold of' (W. E. Vine,
Expository Dictionary ofNew Testament Words [London: Revell,
1962], p.131). J.H.Thayer in his monumental Greek-English
Lexicon of the New Testament, says the word means, "not
apprehended, that cannot be laid hold of." He then adds:
"that cannot be reprehended, not open to censure, irreproach­
able "(p.44). R.C.H.Lenski comments on the word blame­
less as follows: " . . . of such character that no one can
rightfully take hold of the person with a charge of unfit­
ness . "(Commentary on the New Testament [Minneapo­
. .

lis: Augsburg, 1961] Vol. IX, p. 579). The late beloved

15
brother David Lipscomb, in his commentary, says this verse
means that elders are to be "men whose character is un�m­
peachable, who stand high in public estimation, known :fo:r I
their pure life and spotless integrity" (A Commentary on 1the
New Testament Epistles [Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 19S8],
Vol. V, p. 146). Gerhard Kittel, in his Theological Dictio1 ary �
of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978), �ys
the word refers to "one who cannot be attacked (even by non·
Christians) because of his moral conduct" (Vol. IV, p. 9).j
This is the idea obviously conveyed by the same word
when it is found in I Timothy 5:7, but not talking about eld �rs:
"And these things give in charge, that they may be blathe··
less." The same word is translated "unrebukeable" in 6:1�.
The importance of being blameless (without reproar;lz.,
ASV) can be fully appreciated by one who considers the ��ct
that elders are to be "ensamples to the flock" (I Peter 5�3) ..

Only those against whom no charge of unfaithfulness canjbt�

sustained would be fitting examples for the flock to folloW.
The importance of being blameless can be seen furthe in f
the fact that it is a part of the work of elders to lead �he�
1

congregation in recovering those who have gone into sin �ncl

hav� become unfaithf�l. They �ust also warn the fait �\fu�l
against the dangers of sinful practices. (Read Acts 20:28-�2.)
An elder whose life is not blameless will be rendered largely
ineffective in his efforts to perform such duties. How can Ihe
admonish one with n!ference to some sin of which he him�elf I
is guilty? Or how can he rebuke one for some sin when !he:
himself is guilty of some other sin which is just as ugly? If\an
elder who is not bla:meless were to call upon an unfaith�ull
member of the churc:h for the pur�ose of admonishing him\ to
be restored, can you :see the predicament the elder would be
in when the unfaithful member called attention to the sins of j
the elder? By doing so, the unfaithful church member woljlld
have rendered all the good admonitions of that particuJar
elder completely po"'erless. I
!

16
 In fact, it is interesting to observe that the Greek word
here translated "blameless" is a negative form of the word
from which our word epileptic or epilepsy is derived; and this
disease of the nervous system is so named because it is char­
acterized by seizures. This bit of information would help us
appreciate what the apostle meant when he wrote that an
elder must be blameless. His conduct must be such that it will
be impossible for anyone to seize upon some flaw in his
character and render him powerless in the performance of
his duty.
Some have suggested that it is in connection with the list
of characteristics that Paul gives that the elder is to be blame­
less. This may or may not be true. We are convinced,
however, that one who possesses all these characteristics
would be one against whom no accusation of unfaithfulness
to the Lord could be sustained.
It is interesting as well as significant that the word blame­
less in Titus 1:6 is translated from a different Greek word
from the one in I Timothy 3:2. The word in Titus 1, according
to Vine, "signifies that which cannot be called to account . . .
that is, with nothing laid to one's charge (as the result of
public investigation) . . . " (p. 131). He further adds: "It
implies not merely acquittal, but the absence of even a charge
or accusation against a person."
It is not difficult to follow the leadership of a group of men
whose lives are such that they are never even called into
question concerning their faithfulness to principles of truth,
righteousness, and godliness. This is the kind of men elders in
the church of Christ must be.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Discuss the difference between blamelessness and sin­
less perfection.
2. The apostle Peter was an elder (I Peter 5:1). Was he
sinlessly perfect? Prove your answer.

17
3. The Bible says that Noah was "perfect in his ge ra ­
tions" (Genesis 6:9). What do you believe this meari ?
jf
4. A different Greek word is translated "blameless" in L�kt:!
1:6, but there is little difference in meaning. See how tht:!
word is used in that passage. I!
5. How important is this particular qualification, and "'�y?
6. Who are some men and women of your own acqu in ­ ,
tance whom you would consider to be blameless?

18
 CHAPTER FOUR

THE HUSBAN D OF ONE WIFE

"A bishop then must be . . . the husband of one wife . . . " (I

Timothy 3:2). This statement tells a great deal about those
who are to be selected as overseers in the church of Christ.
The Bible is beautiful in its simplicity and simple in its beauty.
Confusion in religion arises when men depart from the simple
instruction of the word of God, introduce their own ideas, and
follow them.
This passage shows clearly that only men can serve as
bishops or elders in the church built by Jesus. A large seg­
ment of the denominational community, as well as some
within the church of our Lord, has been swept up into the
feminist movement, and insist that women should be permit­
ted to serve as elders. A man reputed to be an elder in a
congregation of the Lord's people was quoted in a magazine
called MISSION (March 1975) as saying that he visualized a
time when "women can do anything in the church that men
can do." In the same issue of that magazine, one sister in
Christ explained Paul's teaching with reference to the role of
women in the church as resulting from his "inability to incor­
porate immediately into his life the full meaning of Jesus'
teachings and to completely rid [sic] himself of his Pharisaic
and rabbinic background." The thing wrong with this kind of
reasoning is that it makes the inspired word of God nothing
more than the bias opinions of fallible men.
It is significant that a great deal of what is being said by
feminists in the religious world has to do with insisting that
women should not be oppressed, that they are not inferior,
and that they should be given the opportunity to use their
God-given talents. No one in his right mind would take issue

19
 '

with these truths. But for one to insist that women oc9¥ PY
positions in the chureh which the Bible denies them is to r�be:l
�
against the God who gave all of us our talents. The s ·� of
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16) was the si1 of
presuming to put themselves into a position which God: �ad
assigned to others. For this they lost their lives.
One may say it St�ems that a godly woman could seJi� as
j
an elder just as well as a man. The truth is that no g Adly
woman wants to occupy a place which God does not want he:r
to occupy. Those ·women (or men) who want to oc<;: py t
places which God has withheld from them are not godly.
A woman simply cannot be "the husband of one wife. ""
The Greek word aner 'husband' is a word which denotes a
man as opposed to a woman. Of its 2 15 occurrences i� h�! � I

New Testament, 156 times it is translated man, fifty time� �t is 1

translated husband, six times it is translated sir, one time' it is

translated fellow, and twice (Luke 24: 19 and Acts 3:14); t is �
not translated. It is never used to refer to a woman or to b fth
men and women. 1
I Timothy 3:2 shows also that only those men who �n.!
married may serve as elders in the church. The passage dbes
not say that an elder, if he is married at all, must have qnly
one wife� It says he ';must be . . . the husband of one wife. T If
he is not married at all, he cannot be the husband of one �fe:,
and consequently cannot scripturally be an elder. !
But why would (J-od require that a man be marriecl in
order to serve as an elder in the church? It is not because I
marriage is a holier state than celibacy; neither is being un-
married more holy than being married, as our Roman CatJto­
lic neighbors insist. 'Ne would caution also that Paul does not
list being married as a qualification for one to be a fait�fu I
Christian. Were such the case, he would have excluded h'm­
self. But being married is a qualification which must i be
possessed by those to be appointed to the eldership.
It is not necessary for us to know why God requires the
things he requires. But there is no reason to believe God has
20
given any arbitrary commands with reference to the qualifica­
tions of elders; there is a reason for every characteristic re­
quired. We may not know all of the reasons God requires
that a man have a wife before he can be appointed to the
eldership, but we know one reason. He must have children (I
Timothy 3:4), and one cannot properly have children without
being married. (The matter of his having children will be
discussed in its proper order.)
One other qualification mentioned in the same verse with
this one we are discussing in this chapter would be enhanced
by his having a wife, that is, the matter of his being "given to
hospitality." While it would be possible for one who is un­
married to exercise hospitality, it would not, in most cases, be
very easy. There are, of course, other areas of his work as an
elder in which a good wife would be a great asset, especially
as his work might involve him in interaction with those of the
fairer sex.
Our text also makes it clear that an elder must be the
husband of but one wife. It is necessary to avoid putting into
the eldership one who is guilty of any deviation from God's
plan with respect to marriage. Polygamy was rather common
among the ancients, as it is among those in some parts of the
world even today. The practice of divorcing and remarrying
is so widespread that practically every congregation of the
Lord's people is affected by it in some way or another. Elders
must be men who have kept themselves free from the immor­
alities which so commonly undermine the sacred institution
of marriage.
What about one who is scripturally divorced and remar­
ried? Can he serve as an elder? He can, provided his divorce
and remarriage do not cause him to lack other qualifications,
such as having a good report of them which are without (I
Timothy 3:7). One who has scripturally divorced his wife
because of her fornication, and who has married another
woman who was scripturally eligible to be married, is, indeed,
the husband of one wife. He no more has two wives than if he
21
had never married but once. In the sight of God, he is no
more married to the first wife than if she had died.
Now, appointing a scripturally divorced and remarltied
man to the eldersh1p may be unwise, especially in cedaim
circumstances. If there are questions in the minds of a IaJrg,e
number of people about the scripturalness of his divorce� 1 nd f
remarriage, or if it is thought by many that his own failure, s ;a
husband contributed to his wife's unfaithfulness, it migh be
wise to pass this man by in appointing elders, though he i�, in
fact, the husband of one wife. I
•
I

Though nothing is said specifically about the qualifica-

�
tions of an elder's wife, it would be difficult to overesti atce
the importance of her being devoted to truth and righte 9us.·
ness, and being willing to make the sacrifices she must m�k�e
to enable him to serve effectively as a shepherd over the flpc](
of God. I
I
I
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION I
1. Read I Corinthians 14:37, and then explain why qod
would not allO\\' women to do some things men are! al- ·

lowed to do.
I

2. What do you think about the idea that the gospel bp·

�I
presses women, or makes them inferior?
3. Read Numbers 16 and tell why the sin ofKorah, Dat an,
and Abiram wa�; so serious. :
4. Read I Corinthians 7: 1-7. Discuss some circumstancds in

5.
which being ma:rried could help one avoid sin.
According to M:atthew 19:9 there is only one script'llratl
I
cause for divorce and remarriage. What is it? i
I
6. What are your thoughts on the appointment to the elqer·
ship of a scripturally divorced and remarried man? lDt:J
you know of cases where such has been done? Un� , e:r
I

what conditions, if any, would you advise such?

22
 CHAPTER FIVE

VIGILANT

"A bishop then must be . . . vigilant . . . " (I Timothy 3:2).

It is interesting to notice that the American Standard Ver­
sion has instead of vigilant, the word temperate. But neither
word fully conveys the idea expressed by the Greek word
neplzalios, which literally means "holding no wine" (Gerhard
Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament [Grand
Rapids, 1978], Vol, IV. p. 939). In each New Testament
occurrence, the word is used, not in its literal, but in its
metaphorical sense, that is, to be calm, dispassionate, and
circumspect (Marvin R. Vincent, Word Shu:lies in the New
Testament [Grand Rapids, 1969], Vol, IV. p. 229). The same
Greek word is translated sober in verse 1 1 of this chapter and
in Titus 2:2, and it seems fairly obvious that in all these
passages the word is to be understood in its metaphorical
sense. The word vigilant, which the King James translators
selected, does not completely convey the idea intended by
the original Greek, but perhaps it comes as close as any other
one word they might have selected.
An elder must be characterized by the ability to think and
reason clearly-that which the man who is filled with wine
certainly cannot do. This is the idea the apostle wished to
convey by the language here used. The word vigilant, when
carefully considered, may more nearly convey the idea in­
tended by the apostle than one would think at first glance. In
the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
(New York, 1969), there is a discussion of the synonyms of
the word aware. The following statement is made: "Watchful
and vigilant imply acute perception of what is dangerous or
potentially so." Is that not precisely the idea the inspired

23
writer intended to convey? At least we know there are �ev ­
eral passages which bear out the need for this kind of percep­
tion on the part of elders. Notice some areas in which elders
must be especially vigilant:
Elders must be vigilant with reference to their own lives.
The elders of the Ephesian church were admonished: "Take
heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over :the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood"
(Acts 20:28). Taking heed to his own spirituality must t�ke
precedence in the life of an elder over his work of shepherd­
ing the flock. How can one lead others in the way of truth
and righteousness vvhen he himself is not walking in �hat
way? Elders must furnish examples for the flock to follow (I
Peter 5:3). All too often we see an eldership simply holqing
meetings to decide ,Nhat the congregation should or should
not do, instead of leading the congregation in carrying out its
program. Such an t�ldership sees itself as a board of ditec:·
�
tors, with underlings serving to carry out the decisions of h�!
board. Such an eldership will accomplish little in its effort� to
lead the congregation in accomplishing the will of God. I
True, an eldersh ip must have meetings and make d� ci ·
sions with reference to the congregation. But in order tolge t
the congregation to involve itself in the program of w r:l< p
outlined, the eldership must lead the congregation in carry·
ing out that progran1. Why is it that an announcement rbay
be made that all should meet at a given time to do a cer ain�
work of the church, and less than ten percent of the confe ·
gation may show up? Likely it is because they see certai� of
the elders not showing up, and they simply will not do thern.-
1
selves what their leaders refuse to do. If it is not impor�an.t
enough to bring the elders out, then why should I bot�er?
Before elders can oversee the flock, they must take heed '
unto themselves.
It must not be overlooked that taking heed to onesellf
includes continuous spiritual development through personal
24
devotion. An elder, despite the importance of his work in the
eldership, cannot afford to allow himself to become so busy
that he neglects his own personal Bible study and prayer. He
must, first of all, take heed to himself.
Elders must be vigilant with reference to the welfare of
the congregation. "Take heed therefore . . . to all the
flock . . . "(Acts 20:28). Elders should be acutely percep­
tive concerning the dangers surrounding the flock. There is
the ever-present danger that members of the church might
simply lose interest in things spiritual, and just quit the church.
Elders must be vigilant with reference to such matters, and
those who are absent from the assemblies should be con­
tacted and admonished to be faithful.
Another danger which threatens the souls of men and
women in the church is worldliness. We are living in perilous
times. Things formerly condemned by all religious
people-dancing, social drinking, immodest dress, etc. -are
now looked upon by many, even in the church, as being
harmless. If the church is to maintain its separation from the
world, elders must be on guard against such dangerous atti­
tudes.
God's flock must also be protected from false teaching. It
is not possible, of course, to see that members of the church
are not exposed to false teaching. There is too much of it
being done on radio and television for that. But an eldership
must do its best to see that members of the church are armed
with a knowledge of the truth, so they will not be deceived by
false teachers.
Elders themselves should be students of the word of God,
so as to be able to defend the flock against false teaching.
Their perception concerning dangers facing the church can
be enhanced greatly by reading good religious periodicals
and by attending lectureships conducted by faithful brethren.
Elderships should employ gospel preachers who will
"preach the word " (II Timothy 4:2), so members of the
church may be informed. Good programs of Bible class
25
 I

�
teaching, with teachers dedicated to the truth, will help re­
pare members of the church to overcome the dangers w ich i.
confront them.
It is sad to note that Paul warned the Ephesian elders , I
of
some false teachers who would arise, it seems, from the� <:ldl·
ership itself. "Also of your own selves shall men arise, sp9ak:· i
ing perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (1ct.s
20:30). Such makes dealing with error doubly difficult on :the
part of the faithful. Not only must they take a stand agalnst
one by whose side they have labored, but also they IQ.ust
stand against one \vhose influence in the congregatio� is
quite great. In all probability, innocent souls will be deceired
and the church will be greatly damaged. To avoid this soJ11 of
thing, elders must be:� vigilant.
As Paul concludes his warning to the Ephesian elders� h4�
says, "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of
three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day witl1
tears" (Acts 20:31 ). This was simply another way of telling
the elders that they 1nust be vigilant.
It would be difficult to find greater incentive to be vigi),ant
than a sober realization of the truth stated in Hebrews 13:17:
"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your­
selves: for they wat·:h for your souls, as they that must give
account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you." The elder who understands th4�
simple fact that he is overseeing the welfare of the souls of
men, and that he m·ust give account to God for those souls,
will certainly understand the importance of the require111en t
to be vigilant. One not characterized by vigilance silllply
must not be appoint·ed to the eldership.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Why would the apostle use a word which means "hold·
ing no wine" to ·convey the idea of vigilance?
2. What is the diffc:�rence between making decisions for the

26
 congregation and leading the congregation?
3. What are some of the dangers against which elderships
must be on guard? Some are mentioned in this chapter.
Name some others.
4. How great a danger is threatened by the changing atti­
tudes toward immorality?
5. If an elder began teaching false doctrine, or otherwise
doing things which threatened the welfare of the church,
what should the other elders do? How should they go
about it?
6. In what sense, and to what extent will elders give account
for souls entrusted to their care?

27
28
 CHAPTER SIX

SOBER

"A bishop then must be ...sober ... "(I Timothy 3:2).

We normally think of one's being sober who is free from
intoxication by alcoholic beverages. Certainly one who is
intoxicated is not sober, but one may be lacking in sobriety
and yet not be intoxicated by some alcoholic beverage.
According to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament(p.613), the Greek word soplz ron 'sober' is formed
from two other Greek words, sozo 'save' and phren 'mind.'
So the idea of holding on to or preserving one's mental
faculties is inherent in the word. Thayer's first definition of
the word is "of sound mind, sane, in one's senses." He
further defines the word as meaning, "curbing one's desires
and impulses, self-controlled, temperate." Instead of the
word sober, the American Standard Version has
"sober-minded."
This Greek word occurs only four times in the New Tes­
tament. It is translated by the word sober here and in Titus
1:8, which also lists this characteristic as one of the qualifica­
tions of elders or bishops. It is translated by the word temper­
ate in Titus 2:2, and by the word discreet in Titus 2:5. The
verb form of this same word occurs six times in the New
Testament, and twice (Mark 5:15 and Luke 8:35) it calls
attention to one who is said to be "in his right mind." In II
Timothy 1:7 a noun form of the word occurs, and is trans­
lated "sound mind."
This bit of information should help us to understand that
those who are to oversee God's congregation cannot be im­
pulsive, gullible, or unreasonable men, but that they must be
those who are sane and sound in their thinking. They must

29
be those who are able to see a situation in all of its aspe¢ts,
and act in a responsible manner. They must not be excita�le
tY
or passionate, but self-restrained; they must not be fligh ! or
flippant.
·

How does this characteristic relate to the work of . an

elder? It must be retnembered that, contrary to the thinlQng
of some, a major part of the work of an elder as an elder
involves making decisions, along with the other elders, '\\Uth
reference to the congregation. The decisions of an eldership�
in the very nature of the case, will influence the welfare of a

congregation to a large degree, and will even help determine

the eternal destiny of souls. The responsibility for such deci�
sian making cannot be taken lightly; it cannot be assumed
with a flippant or flighty disposition.
Many pressures are brought upon an eldership in connec­
tion with decisions it is called upon to make. There is the
temptation to allow one's emotions to overrule his intellqct.
Being sober-minded will help overcome such a temptatipn.
8f
The feelings of an elder's close personal friends in a con eM
gation may prejudice: him one way or another in connect-on
with important decisions to be made by the eldership; it ma)'
be he does not even realize he has become influenced in t;his
manner. Being sobe:r-minded will help avoid mistakes alqng
this line. I
The members of an elder's own family may be a de ri... f
ment to him in his decision making. Unless he is sober-mind�d,.
�b
their feelings about a particular matter may make it im s..
9
sible for him to be completely objective. Certainly the f e1...
ings of an elder's own family members, like the feelings of[alt
other members of the congregation, should be considered.
But being sober-minded will keep the elder from being Un·
duly influenced by the members of his own family.
In this connection, most of us have heard stories of eld�rs
who could not express their views in meetings of elders with�
out first consulting their wives. We have heard also about the
elder who would attt�nd business meetings and help in mak··
30
 ing the decisions, and then in the next meeting announce that
he had "reconsidered" certain matters and changed his mind.
This is often interpreted to mean, and no doubt correctly so
in some cases, that he had talked to his wife about the matter,
and she was not pleased with the decision. One reliable
source told of an elder who would frequently excuse himself
from the business meetings for a few minutes. It was later
learned that he was excusing himself to go to the telephone
to call his wife to find out how to vote on certain questions
that had arisen. On other occasions his wife would even be
sitting in the car outside the building, and he would go out
and consult with her, and then come back into the meeting
ready to express "his" views. One with no more confidence
than that in his own ability to think a matter through and then
cast his vote in an elders' meeting has no business being an
elder.
Being sober-minded will also help avoid mistakes caused
by considering only certain aspects of a situation, emphasiz­
ing one aspect of the work of the church to the neglect of
another. Every congregation, for example, would like to
experience a continual and substantial increase in attendance
week after week. But in our zeal for increased attendance
we may be tempted to neglect sound teaching with reference
to unpopular Bible themes, such as the distinctive nature of
the church, liberal giving, or abstaining from the things of the
world. "What will increase our attendance?" may become a
more import�nt question than, "What would God have us
do?" A congregation may allow itself to be swept into liber­
alism through its neglect of the truth while building its Bible
study attendance.
On the other hand, an overemphasis on the dangers of
liberalism while neglecting other matters can be damaging to
the church. Attention must be called to error, and warning
must be given with reference to departures from the faith.
Elders must see to it that congregations maintain their loy­
alty in contending for the faith once delivered (Jude 3), but a
31
 I

II

congregation which does nothing but warn against false tea h� �

I
ing and liberal practkes will soon wither away and die. So�er
thinking on the part of elders will avoid both of these ex�
tremes.
Sobriety on the part of an eldership will also enable it to
assure the long-terr1 welfare of the congregation. What
might seem the proper action to take with reference to a
particular situation at the moment might not be that whjch
would be best in the long run. Men who are unable to see
beyond the present and the immediate effect of their actions
do not qualify as elders. i
A word of warning is in order. As we consider the ne�S··
sity of sobriety on the part of elders, let us not confuse so�ri··
f
ety with timidity or fear. Being overly cautious may hin er
.1
I

the church in its work and keep it from accomplishing its

purpose in the world.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION I

I
1. Put in your own words what is meant by the charactetis. .
1
tic denoted by the word sober.
2. Discuss why a rnajor part of the work done by elders as
elders involves d ecision making.
3. In making decisions with reference to the congregation�
how much consideration should be given to the personal
feelings of the e1der's own family members?
4. Are there circun1stances in which it is better for an elGier
not to discuss matters discussed in elders' meetings with
his family? What are some such circumstances?
5. Are there circurnstances in which it would be better to
discuss matters discussed in elders' meetings with fa�ily
I
members? What are some such circumstances? I

6. Give an example where what seems to be the best t�m... I

porary solution rnight not be the best solution in the long

run. I
I
32
 CHAPTER SEVEN

OF GOOD BEHAVIOR

"A bishop then must be . . . of good behaviour" (I Timo­

thy 3:2). The Greek word used here is kosmios, and is trans­
lated "orderly" in the American Standard Version. This
same word is translated "modest" in I Timothy 2:9, and in the
same verse the verb form of the word is translated "adorn."
The following comments are from Albert Barnes' Notes
on the New Testament: "Coverdale renders it mannerly. The
most correct rendering, according to the modern use of lan­
guage, would be, that he should be a gentleman. He should
not be slovenly in his appearance, or rough and boorish in his
manners. He should not do violence to the usage of refined
intercourse, nor be unfit to appear respectable in the most
refined circles of society." He further adds: "Other things
being equal, the refined, courteous, polite gentleman . . . will
always do more good than he who neglects the rules of good
breeding."
With the idea that an elder should not be rude, rough,
and boorish we could not be more in agreement, but we
believe there is more in the word than that. R. C. H. Lenski
has written the following in his commentary: "This has been
regarded rather superficially when it is taken to mean 'the
refined, courteous, polite gentleman . . . of good breeding.' Is
this word ever thus used? The Greek calls the gentleman
kalos not kos1nios. Like the two preceding adjectives, this
one also denotes a quality of mind and character which will
then naturally manifest itself in the life" (pp. 282-283).
Thayer defines the word here translated, "of good be­
haviour," as meaning, "well-arranged, seemly, modest. Of a
man living with decorum. A well ordered life." R. Finlayson,

33
 �
I

commenting in Pulpir Comme11tary, says the elder "must h ve

a love for good rule�;." Kittel's Theological Dictionary of�he
New Testament says, "The concept always contains the i ea 1
of control of the body and its movements and impuls�s."'
Kittel also uses the words order, adonzment, self-eontrolled',
disciplined, well mannered, and honorable in his discussiot) of
kosmios.
The characteristic we are here considering will manifest
itself in every area of a man's life, and will also be seen in th�!
balance obtaining bf!tween the various areas of his life. 'fhe
well-ordered life wi ll be a life with priorities properly •ar­
ranged, and with att.ention's being given to different aspect s
of one's life and work in proportion to the importance of
each aspect.
The one who is "of good behaviour" is one who condtJcts
himself in an orderly and well-mannered fashion in connec­
tion with the affairs of the church. One around whom a great
deal of contention and strife always seems to generate likely
would not make a good elder. One whose rudeness stirs up
hard feelings, and causes a congregation to be needlessly in
an uproar is not "of good behaviour." There are those who
have hearts of gold, and who are ever so dedicated to that
which is right, but "'ho simply do not know how to behave
themselves in a way that will promote the general well-bf1ing
of a congregation of the saints. There is such a thing as
'
standing for the right, but doing it in the wrong way.
One must be "of good behaviour" in his day-to-day r'la··
tionships to become an elder. Those with whom he work$ or
does business, those who live in his neighborhood, those \fho
are associated with him in recreational, community, or clvi�:�
�
a�ti t�es all should recognize in him one who is mann ly, t
.
dtsctphned, and courteous. A congregation overseen by th�st:!
who are otherwise �iimply will not have the respect of �he
people in the community. I

While the family relationships of an elder are to be , is··�

cussed in a later chapter, it is in order to mention here� in
I
I
34
connection with this particular qualification, that one must
be "of good behaviour" in the home to be appointed to the
eldership. Nothing can destroy respect for a man more quickly
and thoroughly than a lack of respect on the part of the
members of his own family. As the leader of his own house­
hold, he should conduct himself in an orderly and affable
manner. His practice of self-control, his balanced life, his
good judgment-all these should command the confidence
and respect of every family member, so that each one is
happy to follow his leadership.
It needs to be mentioned also that the real test of one's
behavior or orderliness is in his reaction to stress or difficulty.
It is easy for most of us to conduct ourselves in an orderly and
respectable manner so long as everything is going well with
us. But when we are provoked, or when someone has been
rude to us, or when the crises come-these will separate those
who are qualified for the eldership on this particular point
from those who are not.
Let no one think that "of good behaviour" suggests a
tolerant, easygoing, acquiescent, or docile disposition. All
Christians must stand for that which is right and against that
which is wrong. Those who do so will find themselves in
conflict with the world, and, at times, even with some who are
members of the church. But the Christian can still conduct
himself in an orderly fashion. Jesus did not yield or bend
when tempted by the devil (Matthew 4), but he conducted
himself with dignity and order.
One who cannot order his own behavior with disciplined
self-control and dignity should never be appointed to the
eldership.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. In your judgment, what is lacking in the definition Albert
Barnes gives to the word which is translated "of good
behaviour"?

35
2. What are some things that would demonstrate that OPJl's
priorities are properly arranged? What are some t:bat:
I
would demonstrate otherwise?
•

1
3. Do you know of people who seem to be forever invoh-ted
in some kind of strife? Would you suggest appointf1g
such a person to the eldership? Would there be exq P··
tions? What, if any, exceptions would you suggest? T
I

:
4. If the members of a man's own family have little or no
respect for him will he likely be respected by others in
the community or congregation? Why?
!
1
I

5. Does being of good behavior suggest a tolerant, acquies··

cent, or docile disposition? Give a Bible example ) to
justify your answer.
i
6. Why would you say Christ dealt with his tempter �th
dignity and orde:r? Give a modern day example in whfch
we might do the same thing.

36
 CHAPTER EIGHT

GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY

"A bishop then must be . . . given to hospitality . . . " (I

Timothy 3:2). Instead of "given to hospitality," Titus 1:8 says
he must be "a lover of hospitality." But in the Greek the
distinction does not appear; the same Greek word is used in
both passages, and both phrases accurately translate the Greek
word philoxinos.
Actually this Greek word is compounded from two other
words: philos 'friendly' (the verb form, phi/eo, means to
love), and xenos 'stranger.' Hence, one who loves and is
friendly to strangers is one who is given to hospitality. A
noun form of this word is found in Hebrews 13:2, where the
admonition is given: "Be not forgetful to entertain strang­
ers . . . . " It is found also in Romans 12: 13, where all the .
saints are admonished to be "given to hospitality." It is
probably not without significance that in the same paragraph
with both of these references to hospitality there is an admo­
nition to brotherly love (Hebrews 13: 1; Romans 12: 10). And
in I Peter 4:8,9 the admonition to "have fervent charity among
yourselves" immediately precedes the injunction to "use hos­
pitality one to another without grudging." From these in­
stances it becomes quite plain that hospitality is a natural
outgrowth of love. Those who, as a matter of course, do not
exercise hospitality are obviously lacking in love for the breth­
ren and for strangers. Is it any wonder that God has made
this one of the requirements for becoming an elder?
Love is the basic and primary motive behind hospitality,
but there are a number of secondary motives which should
prompt the exercise of this beautiful virtue. "Use hospitality
one to another without grudging. As every man hath re­
ceived the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as
37
good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (I Peter 4:9,�0).
In this passage, gift, .minister, and stewards capture our atien ­
tion, as these are used in connection with the exercis ' of
hospitality. The means wherewith we are able to exerfise
hospitality are given by God, and are to be used in minister­
ing to or serving our fellow human beings. But these m ans d
do not belong to us; they belong to God, and we are not ing h
more than stewards. The idea of stewardship demands! we
'
practice hospitality.
The Golden Rule motivates us to practice hospitality.
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men sh uld q
do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and 1the I

prophets" (Matthevv 7: 12). While the Greek word translated 1

"given to hospitality" in I Timothy 3:2, and "a lover of hospi­

tality" in Titus 1 :8 de rives from the idea of befriending strang­
ers, one does not have to be a stranger to be a recipient of
hospitality. We have already noted the admonition, "Use:
hospitality one to another" (I Peter 4:9). Christians of :the
first century, because of their love for one another, practiced
hospitality among themselves. All of us appreciate an invita­
tion to enjoy the hospitality of our brethren, if for not}ling
more than a cup of coffee or glass of iced tea. If we ellljoy
being the recipient�. of hospitality, the Golden Rule would
indicate we should also be providers of it from time to time ..
Another reason we should be given to hospitality is to
secure the personal blessing or blessings available to those:
who are such. We 1nay not know ahead of time what all of
those blessings are. The writer to the Hebrews wrote: "Be
not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2). Do not mis­
understand; God does not send angels to us as he sent to
Abraham (Genesis :.8) and Lot (Genesis 19). But the picture
of the judgment in lvlatthew 25 makes it clear that we serve
our Lord by serving our fellow human beings. And the Lord
has said to us: "'Whosoever shall give to drink unto
one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name
38
of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his
reward " (Matthew 10:42). We are assured of blessings as we
exercise hospitality, but we cannot always know ahead of
time the greatness nor the nature of the blessings that will
accrue to us. Publius, a barbarian, graciously received and
lodged Paul and his company on the island of Melita (Acts
28:1-8). Little did Publius realize that his kindness to Paul
would result in the miraculous healing of his father. Miracles
are not performed today, but blessings do come in ways that
are unexpected. This barbarian was willing to do what a
number of brethren are not willing to do, and that despite the
fact he had a sick father.
Being given to hospitality is one of the very finest and
most effective ways of putting oneself in a position to pro­
mote the gospel and the church of the Lord. Hospitality was
exercised in the first century to promote the gospel. Gaius
was Paul's host, as well as the host of the whole church, while
Paul wrote the book of Romans (Romans 16:23). Philemon's
home was to be Paul's home as the apostle journeyed in his
work of preaching (Philemon 22). In modern times there
may not be as great a need as in the first century for that kind
of hospitality. But there is a great need for the kind of
hospitality that will enable us to know each other better and
love each other more. There is no doubt that one of the
reasons we are not converting more people is the fact we
never really get to know our prospects well enough to gain
their confidence so as to be able to teach them. And one
reason so many who obey the gospel become unfaithful is
that members of the church do not spend enough time with
each other outside of church activities.
It is easy to see why God will not accept as an elder one
who is not hospitable. He knows that such cannot effectively
oversee the flock. One who is not hospitable does not know
the flock, and the flock does not know him. He has not really
demonstrated that he cares for them, and they have not
really learned to place their confidence in him. This will not
39
be true in the case of an elder who is given to hospitality. 1
We have earlier referred briefly to the fact that the �ife
of an elder comes into the picture with reference to ithis
particular qualification. It would be extremely difficult, i�not
impossible, for a man to be given to hospitality if his �ife
were inhospitable. Preparing meals, or even refreshmqnts,
for guests in the hon1e normally falls within the domain o� the
woman of the house. Also she is normally more concerned
that the house be tidy and presentable when guests are cOnl­
ing. In this sense, and to this degree, a man's wife could be
the determining fac1:or in deciding whether he is qualified for
the eldership in this particular respect.
Needless to say, as men and women grow older, .an d
health problems develop, it is not possible for them to enter­
tain guests as they once did. We know of many fine elders
and their wives who fit into this category. They practlced
hospitality extensive:ly when they were able, and would do so
today if health pern1itted. They can and do still serve faith­
fully and effectively in other areas of the work. The fact �hat
such are retained in the eldership, and very wisely so, oi1fers
no justification at all for waiving this particular qualificafion
when selecting men to be appointed as elders. I

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION I I

1. What idea is conveyed by the term given to?

2. What should be: the primary motive for exercising hqsp i-
ta 11ty
• ?. ,I
t
3. Discuss the use of the word steward as it is used in · on-
nection with hospitality in I Peter 4:9,10. .
4. What are some of the blessings which come to those 1vho
are hospitable?
5. In what ways n1ust the wife of an elder be involve b in
connection with his hospitality? Give specific examples. I
6. Give specific instances in which the exercise of hosp�tal- :
ity helped convert sinners. Give specific instance� i n
which Christians were made stronger by the exercise of
hospitality.
40
 CHAPTER NINE

APT TO TEACH

" A bishop then must be . . . apt to teach" (I Timothy 3:2).

The very finest commentary on this particular qualification is
one written by the apostle himself as he instructed Titus with
reference to the qualifications of elders: "Holding the faith­
ful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For
there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially
they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who
subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not,
for filthy lucre's sake" (Titus 1:9-1 1).
The phrase, "apt to teach," translates a single Greek word,
didaktikos, which is defined by Thayer as meaning, "apt and
skillful in teaching." R. C. H. Lenski, in his comments on this
verse, says, "Ability to teach means not merely a fair natural
aptitude but the qualification of having been taught." The
American Heritage Dictionary ofthe English Language, in a usage
note under the word apt, says apt is used "when probability
based on a natural or known tendency is implied."
One is not qualified for the eldership on this point merely
because he possesses some innate or latent ability to teach; he
must have demonstrated his ability and skillfulness in teach­
ing in order to qualify. It is a mistake to consider one as quali­
fied on this point merely because it is believed he has the
potential to develop into a teacher of the word of God. While
all Christians, including elders, should continue to grow in
knowledge as long as they live, the responsibility of the elder­
ship is too great for a man to be placed into it with the mere
hope that he will soon become a capable teacher. That would
be like giving a man a job as pilot of a huge passenger plane

41
 I
just because he seerr.ts to have certain innate abilities, and it is
believed he can soon learn to fly the plane. What would you
do if you had boarded a huge jet airliner for a flight across �h�e
Atlantic, and over the intercom came a voice which S:llidl:
"Ladies and gentleme:n, welcome to flight number 1234. I would
like to introduce to you our pilot. He has logged many hours
of flight time as a passenger on this airline. He has read :the
operator's manual through several times, and has even watched
as other pilots flew the aircraft. But this will be his first time
to be at the control�. of an aircraft. We are confident of: his
innate ability, and we are sure he will not have flown many hours
before he has developed into a capable pilot"? I have an idea
most of us would be :tooking for the nearest exit. Yet men are
sometimes appointed to the eldership in the hope they will soon
come to possess the qualities that will equip them to do the
job God wants them to do in caring for the souls of men and
women.
I have in my possession a sermon delivered by our lat�!
beloved brother E. R. Harper at the Broadway churcq in
Lubbock, Texas on the morning of October 20, 1950. Th��
sermon, entitled, "Elders, Their Work and Qualifications," was
published in booklet form. The following is quoted from .�at
sermon: 1
!
I realize this word. apt is a relative term , j ust as many o f
these others are, and some possess them to a greater degree
than others. But e very m an to quali fy as an e lder m ust
possess the ability to teach to a degree that the churc h
can be edi fied , built up; the truth de fended and the gai n •
sayers put to flight. You know and I k now that there are 1
I
scores o f men serving as e ld e rs of the church who do not l
know the Bible: who can't teach the word o f the Lord; I
who can't put to flight the gainsayers; and i f the de fe nse 1
o f the truth were le ft to them the church would die. Such i
·
m e n , though good. men, are not elders and should never
have been selected, and when selected, had they been anything !
like qualified, they would have known that such men cannot I
serve as e lders in the churc h .

I agree totally with this fine

statement by brother Harper,
and would add that churches which are led away into sin and
42
error are so led because elders are lacking in this qualification.
Some preacher comes along with his false theory, and the elders,
not knowing the word of God as they should, are not able to
refute his error. In some cases they do not even recognize error
as being such. Consequently the church, including the elders
themselves in many cases, is led astray.
A failure on the part of elders to be as familiar with the word
as they should be not only helps false doctrine to go unchecked
when it is taught, but it also creates an atmosphere in which
teaching that is sadly lacking in fundamental scriptural prin­
ciples is totally acceptable. I mean not that error is taught, but
that the truth being taught is so indistinctive as to leave people
in ignorance with reference to fundamental Bible doctrine and
godly living. When the only kind of teaching and preaching
being done in a congregation is the kind that would be readily
acceptable in the average denominational church building,
elders need to have enough knowledge of the word to recog­
nize the problem, and the courage to do something about it.
Two things are implied in connection with the requirement
to be "apt to teach": ( 1) a good knowledge of the word of the
Lord, and (2) some skill in imparting that knowledge to oth­
ers. Just one of these without the other is not sufficient. One
might have a good knowledge of the Bible, but without the skill
to impart that knowledge to others he would be totally unable
to "convince the gainsayers . . . and vain talkers and deceiv­
ers . . . whose mouths must be stopped" (Titus 1 :9-1 1). On
the other hand, all the teaching skill in the world will not en­
able one to teach that which he does not know. In order to
qualify for the eldership one must have demonstrated that he
has both the knowledge of the truth and the skill to convey that
knowledge to others.
Actually there is a third thing implied in the expression, "apt
to teach," that is, the probability that one will teach based on
his past performance. One might have grown up in a Chris­
tian family, attended all the Bible classes, studied the Bible in
a Christian college, and be highly trained and skilled in the
43
 I
I

I
teaching profession, and still not be "apt to teach." It co�ld
be that an examination of his performance within the past f�w
years will reveal that he has not taught anyone, either publd:ly
or privately. For one reason or another-perhaps because he
is too busy-he has not set up or conducted any home Bible
studies, will not participate in a visitation program, and has said,
"Let George do it," when asked to teach a Bible class. He has
the knowledge and the skill needed to teach, but he has rtot
been teaching, is not now teaching, and is not "apt" to teaeh.
Appointing him to the eldership won't change that fact.
It needs to be me ntioned in connection with this partiqu­
lar qualification that attendance at gospel meetings and sne­
cial lectureships is a umust" for elders and those aspiring j t o
the eldership. When outstanding preachers from throughout
the brotherhood are brought to area churches for meetin s,
lectureships, etc., it i8 foolish for one sincerely interested 1 in
�
improving his ability to teach not to avail himself of the opMr­
tunity of hearing these well-informed men. The cost in trrpe
and effort to hear such men would be more than repaid :in
growth and knowledge of God's word and how to teach it It o
I
others.
One of the saddest situations which can exist in a congre­
gation is for the elders to be ignorant of God's word. Even
sadder is for them to be ignorant of God's word, and yet have
a know-it-all attitude which keeps them from seeking to im­
prove their knowledge.

QUESTIONS FCJR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1 . From an English dictionary, find the definition of the word
didactic. What is its relation to the Greek word from which
1
"apt to teach" is translated in I Timothy 3:2?
2. What are your thoughts on the idea that one should be
appointed to the eldership with the hope he will soon
become apt to te ach? !
3. What three things are implied by the expression, "apt to
I
I
I
44 I
 teach"?
4. Does the qualification discussed in this chapter demand
that an elder always be teaching a Bible class?
5. In addition to an elder's knowledge of the Bible, how
important is it for him to have some knowledge of what is
going on in the brotherhood at large?
6. Do you consider religious periodicals· important to one who
would be as knowledgeable as possible? Why?

45
46
 CHAPTER TEN

NOT GIVEN TO WINE

"A bishop then must be . . . not given to wine . . . " (I

Timothy 3:2,3).
In a study of the Bible it is important that we understand
that some words do not have the same meaning in the Bible
which we understand them to mean in modern usage. There­
fore it is necessary to ascertain the precise idea a word would
convey to those people to whom it was originally written, and
apply that same sense to the word in our interpretation of the
Bible. Several words serve to illustrate this principle. The
word conversation in the Authorized Version means "deport­
ment " or "general behavior " (Galatians 1:13; I Timothy
4:12; I Peter 3:1). Its usual meaning in modern speech is "a
talking together. " The word hate is generally understood to
mean "to detest, loathe, abominate. " But Jesus said a man
must hate his father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters,
and his own life also (Luke 14:26). It is obvious Jesus is
saying merely that these must not be chosen instead of him.
So in cases where a choice is made, the one not chosen is said
to be hated. (Cf. also Genesis 29:30,31 and Romans 9:13.)
The word baptize in the Bible never means "to sprinkle or
pour water " upon one. The fact the word may be used to
mean that today does not suggest that was its meaning when
it was used by the inspired writers.
When we think of wine, we think of the alcoholic bever­
age by that name, and which is sold in liquor stores. In the
Bible, however, the word wine is used to refer to the juice of
the grape in any form, whether fermented, freshly squeezed,
or still in the grape. Sometimes it is possible to determine
from the context the precise meaning of the word. For ex-
47
ample, in the following three passages it is quite obvious that
the word wine refers to an alcoholic beverage: "Wine i a �
mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is decei�ed
thereby is not wise" (Proverbs 20: 1). "Look not thou upon !
the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup!
when it moveth itse lf aright. At the last it biteth like a
serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold
strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things .
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the
sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have
stricken me, shalt th ou say, and I was not sick; They have:
beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek i1
yet again" (Proverbs 23:31-35). "Woe unto them that rise
up early in the morrling, that they may follow strong drink�
that continue until night, till wine inflame them" (Isaiah 5:ll).
These passages are all very obviously talking about an al o" c
holic beverage, but the word wine itself does not tell us th�t.
On the other hand, it is just as obvious that the sa�e
word, wine, in Isaiah 16: 10 refers to fresh grape juice: "Ajnd
gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; aind
¢
in the vineyards ther·� shall be no singing, neither shall th re
be shouting: the tr��aders shall tread out no wine in �he ,
presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease." 1
In still another passage we have reference to wine whfch
is still in the grapes: "Thus saith the Lord, As the new win� is.
found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; fo a. t
n1
blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I ay
not destroy them all" (Isaiah 65:8).
:
In all of these passages the same Hebrew word is trar s-·
lated by our English word wine. This serves to illustrate the
fact that the word wine is used to refer to the juice of the
grape in whatever form it may be found. The use tha is �
made of the word in (!ach passage, not the word itself, tellsi us
the particular form the juice is in, whether in the gra e, � ,
freshly squeezed, or fermented.

48
 While these passages are quite clear as to the respective
meanings of the word wine, it is not always this easy, nor is it
always possible from the context to determine which of these
specific meanings is applicable to a passage. In such cases
the careful Bible student will not press one definition to the
exclusion of others until he has proved satisfactorily that no
other definition can apply.
If drinking any amount of alcoholic beverages is wrong,
then why didn't Paul say that elders should not drink wine at
all? Because such would most certainly have been misunder­
stood, the word wine meaning what it does in the Bible. Paul
did not mean to prohibit drinking wine, but remember that
wine in the Bible is simply the juice of the grape. Under the
law of Moses, the one who took the Nazarite vow was not to
drink wine (grape juice) at all. In fact, he was forbidden to
eat grapes, even dried grapes (Numbers 6:3). This is not
what Paul was enjoining upon the elders in the Lord's church.
That is why he did not forbid drinking wine, period.
The expression, "not given to wine," in I Timothy 3:3 and
Titus 1:7 in the Authorized Version translates the Greek
word paroinos, which means literally "by or beside wine." A
marginal note in the AV says, "ready to quarrel, and offer
wrong, as one in wine." The American Standard Version
renders the word "no brawler," instead of "not given to wine."
The use of this particular Greek word lends absolutely no
support to the idea that drinking alcoholic beverages in small
amounts is acceptable.
There are two very obvious reasons why an elder cannot
be one who is a brawler. In the first place, such a person
would hardly furnish a fitting example for others to follow.
He likely would not be able to have the respect of the mem­
bers of the congregation. In the second place, it is contrary to
the very nature of the kingdom of the Lord for its members
to be those who are quarrelsome and unable to get along
with others. Meetings of the elders could not be effectively
and efficiently carried on if one or more of the elders were a
49
brawler, or quarrelsome and contentious, as if he had b�en
drinking strong drink.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. In addition to conversation, hate, and wine, name ot�e:r
1
Bible words which have a different meaning today.
2. In John 2 there is an account of the Lord's turning w�te:r 1

to wine. In view of the information in this chapte�, wpat '

form do you believe the wine had? Why? Con ult �
Albert Barnes' commentary on this passage.
3. Read about the Nazarite vow in Numbers 6: 1-21, �cil
tell why there rn.ight have been some misunderstanding
if Paul had said that elders should "drink no wine at aU. '�
4. What is the difft!rence between the Authorized Version
(King James) and American Standard Version's tran�la·
tion on this particular point? Which seems to be the
more accurate?
5. Explain why it is so important for an elder to possess this
particular qualification.
6. If you were judging yourself on this particular character..
istic, how well would you do? How could you improve?

50
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

NOT A STRIKER, A BRAWLER,

OR SOON ANGRY

"A bishop then must be ...no striker ...not a brawler . . ."

(I Timothy 3:2,3). "For a bishop must be . . . not soon
angry . . .no striker . .. " (Titus 1:7). We are discussing
these qualifications together because they are so closely re­
lated. Actually they are closely related also to the qualifica­
tion discussed in the preceding chapter, when one considers
the meaning of the original language. But since the transla­
tors of the King James Version rendered the Greek word
paroinon "given to wine, " it seemed best to discuss that one
separately.
One who is a striker, or a brawler, or who is soon angry is
not to be appointed to the eldership. A striker according to
the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by J. H.
Thayer, is a "bruiser, " or one who is "ready with a blow."
Thayer further adds that a striker is "a pugnacious, conten­
tious, quarrelsome person."
The words not a brawler translate a Greek word which is
defined by Thayer as meaning "abstaining from fighting."
He says also that it is used metaphorically to mean "not
·

contentious."
The words soon angry are from a Greek word which means
exactly that. "Prone to anger, irascible " are Thayer's words
of definition.
One who is prone to outbursts of temper, easily angered,
contentious, quarrelsome, ready to fight, cannot be an elder
in the church of Christ.
Perhaps as Paul penned the words no striker, he was
remembering an incident in his own past during which the
51
 I
high priest gave the order for Paul to be smitten on I th(�
mouth (Acts 23 :2). No doubt, all who read the accou t of 9
that incident today have a decreased appreciation for �hat
high priest, Ananias, and whatever respect we may have )lad
for him earlier is no'N gone. One who thinks that, as a le ade!r
of God's people, he can command respect by brute forde is
.
not worthy of, and vrill not receive the respect of respect b1e
people. This is one :reason, no doubt, that an elder cannot bt!
a striker.
Another reason is that one simply cannot follow the: ex·­
ample of our Lord, and be the kind of person who is always I
ready to engage in a fight. Jesus, "when he was reviiled,
reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" (I Pete:r
2:23). Men who think the way to settle differences is to trol l
up their sleeves and step outside would make poor leadetts in
any institution, especially in the church.
One who is quarrelsome and is known to be a "striker"
would be a detriment to the cause of Christ. These are :the
people we try to avoid; we simply do not want to be around
them. Their very presence in the congregation would cause
some to be uncomfortable; others it would cause not to a1�
tend the services at all. Their being elders in the church
would cause some to question-and rightly so-whether the
gospel of Christ has really had any influence on their lives.
One who is easily provoked to anger does not possess th1�
spiritual maturity required to be an elder. Anger, wilhin
itself, is not sinful. Ephesians 4:26 clearly shows that one
might be angry, and yet not be guilty of sin: "Be ye angry, and
sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." Many
Old Testament passages refer to the anger of the Lord .
Numbers 25:3 says, "And Israel joined himself unto Baal­
peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.!:
The next verse refers to the "fierce anger of the Lord." So ·

anger is not wrong. But it is wrong to be "soon angry," and

one who tends to be such simply cannot be an elder.
52
 The admonition in James 1 : 19 should be considered in
this connection: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every
man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." Proverbs
14: 17 says, "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly. . . . "
Verse 29 adds: "He that is slow to wrath is of great under­
standing. . . . " Proverbs 15 : 18 points out that one who is slow
to anger "appeaseth strife." And Proverbs 19: 1 1 states: "The
discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to
pass over a transgression." The New Berkeley Version trans­
lates this verse as follows: "It is prudent for a man to restrain
his anger; it is his glory to overlook an offense." Restraining
anger is, indeed, the mark of a prudent man. One who has
not the ability to do so cannot be an elder in the Lord's
church.
How quickly one becomes angry, and the kind of thing it
takes to make him angry constitute an index to his character.
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the elder brother became
angry because there was a celebration upon the occasion of
his brother's return from the far country. He obviously con­
sidered himself to be of superior character, but he demon­
strated on this occasion that he was not the kind of man we
would want as an overseer in the church. He considered it a
personal affront that this celebration should take place. (Read
Luke 15:25-32.)
I have known of situations in which elders and preachers
actually came to blows in their business meetings. How
foreign to the very nature of the kingdom of the Lord is such
action! And how lacking in the characteristics it takes to be
an elder in a scriptural sense are those who would participate
in such a brawl. We have known also of situations in which
elders would become angry, and sulk, and pout. Such is a
manifestation of immaturity, and a demonstration of one's
total lack of ability to serve as an overseer in the flock of
God. Differences over matters of judgment in a business
meeting simply must not be settled by fisticuffs, or by seeing
who can shout the loudest or longest. Neither must they be
53
settled by determining which elder's wrath would be the e�si�
est to endure. They must be settled according to the balance
of the combined wisdom of mature and godly men, whose job
it is to "tend the flock of God" (I Peter 5:2, ASV).
It has been the privilege of this writer, time and ti)me
again, to see godly elders, though differing over matter of�
judgment, conduct themselves as mature Christian gen�le·­
men in arriving at a solution to their differences. And tho\lgh
some did not get their way, all left the meetings with nothing
but the warmest of fc�elings toward one another. There is no
doubt this is the way God intends for elders to behave thcrm ­
selves.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Explain the similarities of and the differences between a
striker, a brawle:r, and one who is soon angry.
2. Explain why thc:se qualifications are so necessary to an
elder, but might not be as important for a drill serge,ant
in the army.
I

3. Find some passages in the Old Testament which �en-

q-
tion God's anger, and see what kind of thing makes od
angry.
4. What flaw in the Prodigal Son's elder brother call$ed
him to be angry when his brother came home?
5. What is meant by the admonition, "Let not the sun go
down upon your wrath" (Ephesians 4:26)?
6. If you were a candidate for the eldership, would thbse
who know you best believe you to possess the qual ca1-ffJ I

tions discussed i:n this chapter? :

54
 CHAPTER lWELVE

NOT COVETOUS OR
GREEDY OF FILTHY LUCRE

"A bishop then must be . . . not greedy of filthy lucre . . .

not covetous . . . " (I Timothy 3:2). Instead of the phrase,
"not greedy of filthy lucre," the letter to Titus states that the
bishop must not be "given to filthy lucre" (Titus 1:7). But
both phrases translate the same Greek word in the original
text. The apostle is addressing the idea of one who might be
inclined to have an unhealthy desire for material
possessions-an inordinate desire for money. The words not
covetous in I Timothy 3:3 are from a Greek word which
means literally "not to be fond of silver." This Greek word
occurs in the New Testament only in this text and in Hebrews
13:5: "Let your conversation be without covetousness ; and be
content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
If there is a sin more severely condemned in the New
Testament and passed over with less notice in the church in
our age than the sin of covetousness, I do not know what it
might be. Colossians 3:5 says that covetousness is idolatry.
In I Corinthians 5:10 the apostle Paul lists the covetous with
fornicators, extortioners, and idolaters. In verse 11 he adds
railers and drunkards to the list, and commands that they be
excluded from the fellowship of the saints: "With such an
one no not to eat." Exodus 18:21 clearly shows that men of
truth, who fear God, hate covetousness. Yet in our society
and in the church of our generation, covetousness is little
regarded and seldom condemned. Have you ever heard of a
situation in which a candidate for the eldership was rejected
by the congregation because he was guilty of covetousness?

55
Is this because there is so little covetousness, or is it because
covetousness is so little noticed and so lightly regarded? No
doubt, the latter is the case.
Covetousness, the unholy desire for gain, may manifest
itself in one or man! of a number of different ways. It rhay
manifest itself in trickery or deception deliberately practifed
in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain. Such mayl be
excused by saying it is simply hard-nosed business deali*gs.;
but such is opposed to the spirit of Christianity, demonstrates
greed for base gain, and shows that one is not qualified 'for
the eldership. Somt: workers seem to think there is nothing
wrong with stealing small items from large companies :fo r
which they work. Ctthers obviously think cheating on one's
income tax return is pleasing to God. But both of th!ese
demonstrate that one is "greedy of filthy lucre." !
This greed may rnanifest itself in the disposition to attpc:ll
too much importance to material things. Remember 1th1�
literal meaning of the Greek word translated not covetous !jn 1
Timothy 3:3: "not fond of silver." Some are so fond of
money and the things it will buy that they allow their pursult
of it to have priority over matters much more important� ]t
may be that all they do to gain material things is legiti mate
and honorable, except for the fact they do these things to i th1e
neglect of spiritual matters. Work is honorable, and for a
man to provide well for his family is commendable. Thos1:
who will not do so have denied the faith, and are worse than
infidels (I Timothy 5:8). But there is a difference between
the work which provides for the welfare of one's family and
the work prompted by an obsession with the value and drn� 1

portance of material things. The former is commendaple�

the latter is damnable. Any estimate of value placed upon
material things which would cause one to be less interested in
spiritual things is an indication of unholy greed. Men chatac:­
terized by such greed cannot be elders in the church.
One other way, and perhaps the most common, that cov-

56
etousness manifests itself is in connection with the matter of
one's contributions to the church. It is unfortunate that more
teaching is not done with reference to the matter of giving.
But since it is not, one who simply has a bad attitude toward
giving, and who refuses to give as he has been prospered
might be looked upon as a faithful and devoted child of God.
In other words, he is covetous-"greedy of filthy lucre." And
yet, with as little being said about scriptural giving as is being
said, and with covetousness being regarded as lightly as it is,
it is not so very rare to find those who are covetous, and yet
who have found their way into the eldership without so much
as a single protest because of their covetousness.
God knows that elders who are greedy of filthy lucre
cannot lead the flock into faithful service. Their very ex­
ample would cause people to be materially oriented and very
little interested in spiritual matters. If elders are guilty of
fraudulent practices, and yet are still elders, then the mem­
bership can be expected to be guilty of the same. If elders
are those who have not properly arranged their priorities,
and who have an inordinate desire for the things of this
world, the membership will soon follow suit. If elders are not
liberal givers, sacrificing for the cause of the Lord, then the
membership will become stingy and covetous also.
Perhaps no characteristic is more indicative of a lack of
faith in God than covetousness. Look again at Hebrews 13:5:
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be con­
tent with such things as ye have : for he hath said, I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee." Notice the logic in this verse: If
one believes what the Lord has said, then he will have no
reason to be covetous. How can one be covetous if he really
believes the promise of the Lord that he will neither leave us
nor forsake us? Only those who have little or no faith in the
word of the Lord could ever be covetous.
Elders must be men of great faith. Men of great faith
cannot be covetous. Covetous men cannot be elders.

57
 QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION
1. Read I Peter 5 :2, and tell how it is related to the things
discussed in this chapter.
2. How do you account for the fact that covetousness i� so
·

little noticed in our society?

3. What are three ways named in this chapter that co et·· t
ousness may manifest itself? Name some more. I

4. At what point does one's interest in material things �e··

come spiritually unhealthy?
5. In your view, if one is stingy with his own money, what
attitude will he have toward the money in the treasury of
the church?
6. Explain why covetousness demonstrates a lack of fai¢.
i
I

58
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

PATIENT AN D TEMPERATE

"A bishop then must be . . . patient . . . " (I Timothy 3:2,3).

"For a bishop must be . . . temperate" (Titus 1 :7,8). Patience
and temperance are not the same, but they are so closely
related that it seems good to discuss them together. In fact,
we believe these two characteristics, though differing, are
inseparable, that is, they depend upon each other for their
existence.
The Greek word here translated "patient" occurs five
times in the Greek New Testament, but only in this passage is
it translated "patient." It is translated "gentle" in Titus 3:2;
James 3: 17; and I Peter 2: 18. In Philippians 4:5 the word is
translated "moderation." Kittel's Theological Dictionary of
the New Testament says this word refers to "the reasonable
man who stays within the limits of what is moderate and
orderly" (II, 588). Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the
New Testament defines the word as meaning, "seemly, suit­
able . . . equitable, fair, mild, gentle."
The Greek word translated "temperate" in Titus 1 :8 means,
according to Thayer, "strong, robust . . . having power over,
possessed of . . . mastering, controlling, curbing, restrain­
ing . . . controlling one's self, temperate, continent." Kittel
says the word means "to be inwardly strong." He points out
also that it is the opposite of a word which means "one who
has no inner strength, who is undisciplined" (II, 340).
It is tragic for one lacking in these qualities to be ap­
pointed to the eldership. The eldership itself is bound to be
hindered in its work by his roughness, his impatience, his lack
of moderation and order, his unfairness, and his unreason­
able nature. His inability to master, curb, control, and re-

59
strain himself will be: the source of much grief for the el �er··
ship.
The church itself will suffer greatly with such persons in
its oversight. How can such a person command the respect
of a congregation of the saints? How can Christians be
expected to follow in the faith of one lacking in patience and
temperance? Hebrews 13:7 makes it plain that elders are to
be men whose faith is worthy of imitation. But who woulq bt!!
inclined to imitate the faith of one who is lacking in these:!
virtues? And what kind of congregation would it be if it w� rt::
1:
to imitate such?
It needs to be said also that one lacking in these tj"'o
characteristics would do himself and his family a grave injtus··
tice to accept an appointment to the eldership. The burddns,
the hardships, the disappointments, the heartaches, the crlti ..
cisms, etc., that come:: to those serving as elders are enoug� to
try the patience of the most patient, and the temperancd of
the most temperate. Those lacking in these qualities would
never measure up to their task.
These two characteristics, one of them in the letter to
Timothy, and the other in the letter to Titus, serve to illus···
trate a point we made in the first chapter of this book, as �e
were dealing with tht! false position that it is not necessary for
one to possess all of the characteristics listed in both lett �rs.
The argument goes like this: Paul gave to both Timothy �nd
Titus all the information they needed to appoint elders. 'ut
Paul did not specifically include in the list of qualifications �or
elders to Titus everything he mentioned in I Timothy, �nd
vice versa. And so, it is reasoned, Titus might take his le tjt er
and appoint men to the eldership who did not possess eve ry
qualification mentioned in the letter to Timothy. And by the
same token, Timothy might appoint men to the eldership
who are in possession of all the qualifications in his list, but
who might be lacking in some of those in the list sent to Titus..
In our discussion of this matter we pointed out, as perhaps

60
you will remember, that it seems highly unlikely that one
would find the man described in I Timothy 3 who did not also
possess the characteristics listed in Titus 1, and vice versa. In
other words, the man described in the letter to Timothy is the
man described in the letter to Titus.
As stated already, patience and temperance setve to il­
lustrate this point. Patience is in the list of qualifications
written to Timothy, but not to Titus. Temperance is in the
list sent to Titus, but not to Timothy. But we have already
shown that these two characteristics are inseparable. One
cannot have one of these characteristics without the other,
and one cannot be without either of them and be qualified as
an elder.
We do not want to be misunderstood; we firmly believe
that one must possess to a significant degree every character­
istic Paul lists in order to be scripturally qualified as an elder.
But it is highly unfortunate that, in selecting men for the
eldership, we have largely limited our scrutiny to the number
of faithful children a man has, and whether or not all his
children must be Christians. And we have passed over, as
being minor details hardly worth considering, some of these
matters that have to do with a man's personal character.
While it is certainly necessary for a man to have all the
domestic qualifications, in the final analysis, whether he is
temperate and patient, just and holy, vigilant and sober will
much more materially affect his usefulness and effectiveness
as an elder than the number of children he has.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What is the relationship between the words patient, gentle,
and moderate?
2. Why would a word whose basic meaning has to do with
being strong and robust be translated "temperate"?
3. Relate a hypothetical situation in which an elder's hav­
ing the qualifications discussed in this chapter made a

61
 real difference in the welfare of the church.
4. Relate a hypothe:tical situation in which one's failure to
have these qualifications made a real difference in the
welfare of the church.
5. Would you say the lists of qualifications for elders given
to Timothy and Titus are contradictory, or that they
merely vary? Why?
6. Do you believe enough emphasis is given to such per­
/
sonal qualifications as those discussed in this chapter� as
compared, say, to the emphasis placed on domestic qu�Ii-
fications? 1

62
 CHAPTER 1 4

RU LETH WELL H IS OWN HOUSE

"A bishop then must be . . . one that ruleth well his own
house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if
a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take
care of the church of God?)" (I Timothy 3:2-5). A related
statement in Titus 1:6 tells us the bishop must have "faithful
children not accused of riot or unruly."
There is more controversy surrounding these two state­
ments than surrounds everything else in these two chapters
dealing with the qualifications of elders. Several questions
arise when we begin discussing these matters. Do these
verses teach that an elder must be a man who has children, or
do they just tell us what kind of children he must have if he
does have children? If he must have children, must he have a
plurality of children, or may he have only one? Must his
children be faithful Christians, or does this just mean his
children must be faithful and loyal in their subjection to their
father? We do not anticipate anything like universal agree­
ment upon the answers we shall give to these questions. We
will set forth what we believe to be the truth, and why we
believe it. We would urge every reader to study the matter
for himself and satisfy his own mind.
Must an elder have children, or are these statements
designed only to let us know that, if he has children, they
must be in subjection to him? We believe this passage teaches
that an elder must be one who has children. By properly
disciplining and training his own children he demonstrates
some ability to "take care of the church of God." If he has no
children, there is no way of knowing whether he has the
ability so to govern and rule the congregation. Also the

63
experience gained in rearing and training his own childten
will be invaluable to him as he seeks to lead the people of the:
Lord in the way of truth and righteousness. These things
seem to be implied in the statement: "For if a man know not
how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the
church of God?"
Another reason-one not stated or implied in the text-why
we believe elders should be men with children of their owh is
so they might be men who understand and can sympat!fze
, I

with those who might be experiencing certain heartaches �nd

difficulties in the rearing of their children. We all know that
those with the most expertise in rearing children are thOse:
who have no children of their own! It is easy to criticize:
others and say what one's children would or would not do if
one does not have any children. (On the Sunday immedi··
ately following the bjrth of our first child, I announced to �ht�
congregation at Adamsville that I had resigned my posit;on
as an authority on rearing children.) I
The language itself-"having faithful children"-stroqgly
suggests that an elder must be one who has children. !
Must he have a plurality of children, or will one cl)ild
suffice? In our judgment, the language itself does not de�
mand a plurality of c:hildren. We agree that the man who has
two children has had more experience in rearing children
than the man who has only one; but by the same token, �ht�
man who has three has had more experience in rearing cpil�
dren than the man w'ith only two, etc. But we believe qne:
child fulfills the demands of the language of our text. �
We use the word children in a general sense to include
just one child. For example, one may ask a man if he has .ny
children, and if he has one child, the answer is "yes." Or if
this is not convincing, ask some lady whose first grandchild
has just been born if she has any grandchildren.
But it is argued that an elder is to be one "having faitqfu l
children," and the word children is plural. We have already

64
pointed out that we use the plural noun to include both the
singular and the plural. Notice a Bible example of this same
kind of usage. In Matthew 22:24 there is a reference to what
is called levirate marriage (from Latin levir 'husband's brother'):
"Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother
shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother." The
word children is plural, but it actually has reference to one
who does not have a child. If he has one child, this law does
not apply. Deuteronomy 25 :5, from which this passage is
quoted, actually says, "and have no child." If "having no
children" means not having a single child, then having a
single child would be "having children."
Another passage that illustrates our point is Matthew
19:29: "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or breth­
ren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or
lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and
shall inherit everlasting life." Here the plural word children
is used, but what about one who has had to forsake only one
child? If it is thought that the plural form is used because the
Lord is talking about a plurality of people who are doing the
forsaking, then please notice that the words father, mother,
and wife are singular. In both of these passages the word
children is translated from the same plural Greek noun from
which the word children is translated in Titus 1:6.
Must an elder's children be faithful Christians, or does
our text mean merely that they must be faithful and loyal in
their subjection to their father? We believe the former to be
the case. While it is true that the word faithful may be used in
other senses, there seems to be little reason to believe it
refers here to anything other than faithfulness to Christ. There
would be some difficulty involved in judging an elder's chil­
dren to be faithful to him if they are not indeed faithful to
Christ. It is doubtful that a child not yet old enough to be a
Christian would be old enough to be judged as unfaithful or
disloyal to his father. If he is old enough to be a Christian,

65
and remains in disobedience to Christ, how could he be loya�
to his father, who aspires to the eldership? Titus 1:6 in the
American Standard \1ersion says the elder must be one "hav··
ing children that believe." It is our judgment that this is
precisely what the inspired writer had in mind.
For what it's worth, it is the considered opinion of this
writer that the children of a man should be well on their way
through the teenage� years before he is appointed to the
eldership. It is ordinarily not so very difficult to baptize into
Christ a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy or girl whose par ..
ents have brought him to church all his life. But what abpu1t
the years from twelve to twenty, when pressures to conf9rn1
become so strong, and when there are temptations to dance,
drink, wear immode st apparel, curse, use illegal drugs, etc.?
I
We have known of some-even gospel preachers-who were
very firm in their stand against such things as dancing, : �hu:l
wearing shorts and bathing suits in public, until their dwn
children reached their teens. They then changed their mi ds,�
and decided there is not very much wrong with these thipgs
after all. Let a man's children get well on their way throl!lgh
the teenage years, and then it can be seen what kind of man
he is at rearing child:ren.
If an elder's children are "accused of riot or unruly," ont:
can see how ineffective he would be in trying to get people to
live right. They would say to him, and logically so, "Why
don't you clean up your own house before you try to tell me
how to clean up mine?"
We believe also that this particular qualification has too
often been treated a s a mere technicality. A man may h�vt:!
I I

seven children, and only two of them are members of the:: 1

church, and they may not be very faithful. The other five an!
living in total disregard for spiritual matters. But since this
man has "children t hat believe, " he is considered to b�in
possession of this qualification. It is doubtful that he is!�t:!
would not take the position that one is not qualified un�es!�

66
every one of his seven children were faithful Christians. But
we do believe his record should show more success than
failure in rearing his own children.
A question which so often arises when this subject is
discussed is this: What about the man whose Christian chil­
dren become unfaithful when they grow up and establish
homes of their own? Some have interpreted Proverbs 22:6
as meaning if a child grows up and departs from God, then
his parents failed in providing for him the proper training. It
is true that those parents who properly train their children
can reasonably expect them to remain faithful, even when
they are grown. But to say a child properly trained cannot
under any circumstances become unfaithful is tantamount to
teaching the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy. We
cannot hold a man responsible for the actions of those who
are not his responsibility and over whom he has no control.
When children grow up and establish homes of their own,
parents cannot and should not if they could, continue to
control the lives of those children. If a man is qualified to be
an elder in every respect, the fact that his children may be­
come unfaithful after they are grown and out from under his
control should not disqualify him.
However, as was pointed out in an earlier chapter, cer­
tain situations which do not within themselves disqualify one
might make it unwise to appoint him. If this situation would
significantly hinder his influence in the congregation, it likely
would be better to pass him by in the appointment of elders.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1.What are some questions which arise in discussions of
the qualification discussed in this chapter?
2. What if a man has no children of his own, but has had a
great deal of experience in dealing with children? Does
he possess this qualification? Support your answer.
3. What are your thoughts about the number of children an

67
 elder must have?
4. Do you believe an elder's children must be faithful Chris­
tians? Suppose he has more than one child, and one br
more of them are: not Christians.
5. Do you agree with the things said in this chapter about
the wisdom of waiting until one's children are well on
their way through the teenage years before appointi�g
him to the eldership? Why?
6. How do you feel about appointing one to the eldership
whose children vvere faithful Christians while they we�e
growing up, but \VhO became unfaithful when they were
grown? What about one who is serving as an elde r
already, and whose children become unfaithful? Woqld
this disqualify hirn?

68
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

NOT A NOVICE

"A bishop then must be . . . not a novice, lest being lifted

up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil"
(I Timothy 3:2-6). The word novice is from a Greek word
which means literally, "newly planted." It is the same word
from which comes the English word neophyte. A note in the
margin of the King James Version says, "one newly come to
the faith." One who has just recently become a Christian
cannot be an elder in the church.
But how recent is "recently"? This is truly a matter that
falls within the realm of human judgment. But the very fact
this matter is mentioned shows that there is such a thing as
being a novice, that he can be recognized as such, and that a
novice is not to be appointed to the eldership. Two consid­
erations will help us determine how long one must have been
a Christian in order not to be considered a novice.
In the first place, consideration should be given to the
stated reason why one who is a novice cannot be an elder:
"lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation
of the devil." To appoint to the eldership one recently con­
verted will place that one in danger of becoming proud ("puffed
up," ASV). Thayer says the word tuphoo (pronounced tu fa o)
'pride' means literally "to raise a smoke, to wrap in a mist."
He further states that the word is used metaphorically to
mean: "to make proud, puff up with pride, render inso­
lent . . . to blind with pride or conceit, to render foolish or
stup1"d . . . . "
Not only would it be tragic for the church to have in its
eldership one of such nature, but it would also be tragic for
the individual. Such a person has fallen "into the condemna-

69
tion of the devil." This does not mean that the devil cc;>n··
demns him for his pride. It means rather that the sap-t e
condemnation now rests upon him that rests upon the d�vil.
Many believe, and perhaps correctly so, that this suggests the
sin for which Satan \Vas expelled from heaven was the sin of
pride. (In this connection see also Luke 10: 18.) That the
phrase "into the condemnation of the devil" does not mean
that the devil will condemn him for his pride is obvious for
two reasons: ( 1) it is not the devil who sits in judgment upon
our actions, and (2) the devil would commend and applaud-klot
condemn-One for being proud and conceited; this is �re··
cisely what the devil would want him to be. i
It is unfortunate that brethren will sometimes ima n•:! �
themselves to be wist�r then God, and will ignore this requ �re··
ment. Their reasoni ng may go something like this: "Brot�er
Blank has not been a Christian very long, but has exp�rj.-
1
enced phenomenal growth in a short time, and is exceediqgly
dedicated. He knows a great deal more about the Bible tlttan
most people who have been members of the church for years.
In his case, we will v1aive the requirement that one not be a
novice, and go ahead and appoint him to the eldership." The
only thing wrong with this reasoning is that it leaves ou t
completely what God said about the matter. God did not ,say
that a novice should not be appointed because he would not
be as dedicated, or because he would not know as much
about the Bible. He said that a novice should not be �p­
pointed, "lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the �n­
demnation of the dc:�vil." If we say, "Well, we don't beli vr:! r
there is any danger of that with brother Blank," we are. it - f
ting our own wisdorrl against the wisdom of God. ,
i
A second consideration in determining something abpu t
how long one should have been a Christian before bein,g
appointed an elder is the word elder itself. The word bishop
is used in the discussion in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, but
bishops are also cal] ed elders (Acts 20: 17; I Peter 5: 1 ). It i s

70
true that in the official sense the word elder denotes a bishop
or overseer of the church, without reference to age. But the
meaning of this very word selected by the Holy Spirit to
denote this particular group of men cannot be ignored. Why
were they referred to as elders if, indeed, their age had noth­
ing to do with their office?
We realize, of course, that there are extreme positions
that must be avoided. We would discourage the idea that
one cannot be appointed an elder until he is past retirement
age and largely limited in what he can do because of ill
health. This is not the idea at all. But putting one into the
eldership who is lacking the maturity which comes only with
age and years of faithful service is a great mistake.
In the preceding chapter we advanced the view that it
would be better to wait until a man's children are well on
their way through the teenage years before appointing him to
the eldership. We gave our reasons for that view. We would
add here that, in many cases, this practice would also serve as
a safeguard against appointing him while he is yet a novice.
These years while his children are growing up through their
teens would serve as years of maturing. This would not be
the case, of course, in the event one became a Christian after
his children were already in their teens or older.
It needs to be emphasized that the inspired writer is not
here referring merely to one's chronological age or mental
maturity. It is to one's maturity in the faith that he is refer­
ring. One might be a seasoned and successful business man,
an experienced superintendent, or a veteran of the military,
and still be a novice in the kingdom of God. The only way for
one to be "not a novice" is for him to spend years in service
as a faithful Christian. There are no short cuts.
One recently converted, regardless of chronological age,
business experience, or mental maturity is not qualified to
serve as an elder. For example, one man who was the presi­
dent of a small corporation obeyed the gospel. He was quite

71
faithful, and even began to teach classes and fill the pu�p i t
occasionally. When the preacher in his congregation an­
nounced he was moving to another work, and the congrega ­
tion began its search for a replacement, this man came to a
business meeting with an interesting proposal. He had the
facts and figures ready to support his claim. He suggested
that if no preacher were hired, and the members of the
congregation took tiJrns filling the pulpit, by the end of rthe
first year the church could have a large amount of money in a
savings account! This man, though a faithful Christian, ad �
not yet matured to the point of seeing the difference betw�e:n
the church and a secular business. Other examples of this
kind of immaturity could be cited. I
We have emphasized time and again that one wh<D is
totally lacking in just one of the qualifications listed is not
qualified, and shouJd not, under any circumstance, be .ap­
pointed to the eldership. "Not a novice" is no exception.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What is the meaning of the word novice, and how is it
used in I Timothy 3:6? 1

2. Using a Bible eoncordance, find some other pass �ges

that mention pride, and see what the Bible says about i� .
!
3. What are your thoughts on Luke 10: 18? Supply otjher
passages to support your thinking.
4. Do the rate of one's spiritual growth and his dedication
I
I
have any bearing on the stated reason why a novic¢ i s
not to be appointed an elder? Why?
5. What are some extreme positions that must be avoi(Jed
in connection with this particular qualification?
6. What are some differences between overseeing a con­
gregation of God's people and operating a secular bus]­
ness? What differences are there in the desired results? '
I

72
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

HAVE A GOOD REPORT

"A bishop then must . . . have a good report of them

which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of
the devil" (I Timothy 3:2-7). Here is a very unusual require­
ment, that is, that the bishop's being qualified depends upon
what those of the world think of him. It is not enough that
one's own brethren in Christ think highly of him; he must also
hold the respect of those on the outside of the church, those
not even Christians.
Members of the church generaiiy do not really get to
know each other as they should. In many cases they see each
other only at church gatherings where everyone is dressed in
his best behavior. Seeing an individual only under such circum­
stances, one might conclude that he is the very epitome of
true Christianity. But what kind of reputation does he have
among the people with whom he lives and where he works?
What do the people with whom he has done business think of
him? What kind of reputation does he have among his own
neighbors? What kind of estimate of the church will these
people have when they learn he has been appointed to serve
as one of the overseers of the flock?
An incident which occurred when I had not been preach­
ing very long iiiustrates this point. I had just moved into a
certain town where I would be preaching. As the proprietor
of the service station where I had stopped to get gasoline was
filling my tank, he learned through our conversation that I
was the new preacher at the church of Christ. He made a
statement something like this: "I don't know all the mem­
bers, but I know one thing: you have one real Christian in
that church." He was referring to one of the elders. Now,

73
the man who said this likely did not have a scriptural concFpt
of what a Christian is. Nevertheless he passed a great com�
pliment on this elder, and consequently upon the church.
This is the kind of situation the Bible refers to when it says
that an elder must have a good report of them which are
without.
Not mentioned in I Timothy 3, but listed among the quali ­
fications of elders in Titus 1, are the words just and holy.
Perhaps these should have been discussed in the chaptel! on ,
being blameless, or :in the discussion of good behavior. au t
the qualities of justice and holiness probably have as mucl to
I
do with one's reputation among those on the outside of �he
church as anything else in the list. Justice has to do ith�
treating one's fellov1 human beings in a fair and equitable;!
manner. Holiness has to do with the proper dischargd of
one's duty toward (rod. One who will make it his practice
day in and day out, over the years, to treat his fellow human
beings fairly and equitably, and conscientiously to discharge
his duty toward God., will in so doing cultivate the respect and
admiration of all w.ho know him, even those who are no t
Christians.
Having a good report of them that are without is a mat ­
ter, not so much of v•hat one is at present, but of what kindl of
reputation he has built up over the years. Though he may ,
now have turned away from every vice and be living a p bn!
and holy life, he will have to live long enough to outlive 1 �ny
bad reputation of the past before he can be an elder. Dc\vid
Lipscomb, in his cornmentary on I Timothy, commenting! on
the clause, "lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the!
devil, " says, "The man who has the reputation for dishon�sty
and untruthfulness and for love of money is not fit for an
elder of the church of God. " J. W. Shepherd adds the follow­
ing remarks to Lipscomb's comments: "Those who one�!
knew him among other associations living a very different life
would be only too ready to attack the blameless of the cpn-

74
gregation through the stained and scarred reputation of such
an elder. . . . Paul charged Timothy to be very watchful when
the elders were chosen to choose only those who in their
former days had preserved their good name stainless and
their character unscarred" (Nashville, 1958, p. 148).
We would not go so far as to say that one's past must be
completely free of any moral stain, but that repentance of
such stain should be so evident and far enough in the past
that even those on the outside of the body of Christ hold him
in high esteem because of his reputation for justice and holi­
ness.
Even so, one whose ever-so-distant past is stained with
immorality will find himself at a disadvantage in trying to do
the work of an elder. Unforgiving and uncharitable people
will find occasion to bring up his past mistakes, especially
when it becomes necessary for him to rebuke or admonish
them because of something lacking in their spirituality. Such
being true, we should impress upon our young people the
importance of maintaining a good name. The wild oats one
sows, even while he is young, may be a great hindrance to his
usefulness in the service of God many years later.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Why is this particular requirement unusual?
2. Do you feel members of the church normally know each
other as well as they should? How has this situation
changed over the years? What do you think can be done
to remedy the situation?
3. What does the word Christian mean to the average per­
son who is not a member of the church of Christ? What
is the Bible meaning of that word?
4. What is meant by the word justice? Holiness?
5. Do you agree with the comments made by Lipscomb
and Shepherd? What, if anything, would you add to

75
 those comments?
6. What is the relationship between Proverbs 22: 1 and tt e
qualification discussed in this chapter?

76
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

NOT SELF - WI LLED

"For a bishop must be . . . not selfwilled" (Titus 1:7). We

have been using the list of qualifications in I Timothy as our
outline in this study, and have incorporated into the discus­
sion the entire list of qualifications recorded in Titus 1, ex­
cept two: "not selfwilled," and "a lover of good men." The
first of these will be the subject of the present discussion.
The Greek word autlzades 'selfwilled' is used twice in the
New Testament-here and in II Peter 2: 10. It denotes one
who, "dominated by self-interest, and inconsiderate of oth­
ers, arrogantly asserts his own will" (Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words, by W. E. Vine). In further defining
this word, Vine quotes from Trench's New Testa1nent Syno­
nyms as follows: "one so far overvaluing any determination
at which he has himself once arrived that he will not be
removed from it." Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament uses the following words in defining autlzades:
self-satisfied, arbitrary, unconsidered, morose, gntff, blatant,
and shameless. This volume also makes the following com­
ment in this connection: "In the two passages in which auth­
ades occurs in the [New Testament] the reference is to hu­
man impulse violating obedience to the divine command."
Let us notice some of the implications of a few of the
elements of the definitions of this Greek word which is trans­
lated "selfwilled."
One who is self-willed is dominated by self-interest. Such
an elder is certain to be a constant source of problems for the
church. If there is one characteristic an elder must be with­
out to perform his duty effectively it is selfishness. One who
cannot put the interest of the Lord's kingdom ahead of his

77
own personal whims and fancies cannot be an elder. dne
who just has to have his own way is dominated by �elf-interest.
Also, according to the definitions we have seen, one who
is self-willed is inconsiderate of others. When we consi4er
that the work of eldt!rs has to do with watching out for the
welfare of others it becomes quite obvious that one who is.
inconsiderate of others could not possibly function eff�c··
tively as an elder. One of this nature certainly is not the kfldi
of person any of us would want to select to watch for �ur
souls (Hebrews 13: 17). Only those men who are caring 3!11 I
dl
considerate can serve! as elders in the church of God.
We notice also th.at, by definition, one who is self-willed is
one who is arrogant. One who is overly convinced of his own
importance cannot be an elder. The self-willed person c;�e ..

mands more power or consideration than is rightly his. He:

considers himself to be the center, the object, and the norm
of all experience. Certainly one must have a reasona�le:
degree of confidence in his own judgment; but to be the Idnd
of person who believes his personal judgment is superio to �
the combined judgmc:nt of all the other elders is to be haugb t)'
and self-willed.
I once heard of a situation in which an eldership had
decided to hire a ce1tain preacher to move into their midst
and work with them. One man was not in agreement with the::
decision of the eldership. He personally called the preacher
and told him of his opposition, and persuaded the preac er llt
to change his mind, and not to come to work with that chur h . F
I am sure this man thought what he did was best for the::
church. Even if he vras right in thinking so, he was wrong in
being self-willed. l-Ie was wrong in exalting his persona(
judgment above the combined judgment of the entire elder�
ship. Such feelings of superiority, such arrogance, would
prohibit this man's serving scripturally as an elder.
I have known also of men who would become angry wl)en
their fellow elders v.·ould not agree with them on a certain
!

78
course of action. Such a disposition to want others to bow to
one's own wishes, even though they believe a different course
of action would be better for the church, disqualifies one for
the eldership.
The definition of self-willed implies the idea of one's as­
serting his own will as being the right course to follow, and
then refusing to be removed from it. He places a magnified
estimate of value upon his own chosen way, and is deter­
mined that others must yield to him. One who just must have
his own way cannot be an elder in the church of Christ.
God intended that each congregation be overseen by a
plurality of elders (Acts 20: 17; Titus 1:5; Philippians 1 : 1).
Most members of the church of Christ would agree that it
would be a sin for a congregation to have only one elder. Yet
there are a number of congregations which, for all practical
purposes, are governed by one elder. Though several men
may be listed on the stationery as elders of the church, all
decisions of any magnitude are made by one man. If this one
man happens to be absent from an elders' meeting� then any
decision which might have been made in his absence has to
be rehashed once he is present again. Sometimes the other
elders reach the point at which they postpone all important
decisions until this one man can be present. Any other elder
might be absent, and business goes on as usual, but not if this
one is absent. Now, what would make an arrangement like
that scriptural, while an eldership composed of only one man
is unscriptural?
III John 9, 10 mentions a self-willed person: "I wrote unto
the church; but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preem­
inence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I
will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us
with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither
doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them
that would, and casteth them out of the church." Diotrephes
rejected the apostle John, evidently because of jealousy. The

79
language in this passage indicates that a letter written to . tIhe:
church by John was ·withheld from the church by this sel�sh ;
1

individual. He would allow nothing which would in any Yfay

detract from his own importance or the importance of anY! of
his pet projects, not even the exercising of hospitality tow�rd
brethren who were traveling in the interest of the kingdom of
the Lord. No doubt, he feigned deep interest in the welfare
of the church, but John, by inspiration, marked him as cl
self-serving individual who was motivated by the love of preem"
inence. Unfortunatt!ly there are those in the church in our
own time who are of this same disposition. Every effort
should be made to see that none who are such ever get into
the eldership.
In order to avoid being self-willed, it would be good if
every elder and eve:ry person who aspires to the eldership
would read often the admonition in Philippians 2:3: "Let
nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Qnt::
simply could not obey the admonition of this passage and! go
into an elders' meeting with the disposition to "rule or ru t·'··
He could not obey this and insist that his judgment is be�e:r
than all others. One who esteems others better than himself
simply cannot insist his judgment is better than that of othtrs,
I

be inconsiderate of others, or arrogantly assert his own will.

I
It is sometimes necessary for an eldership to make d�ci··
sions with reference to matters in which there is no unaninitity
I •

of judgment. If none of the elders are self-willed, each Qne

can have his say, and a decision can then be made accord;ing
to the wisdom of the majority of those present. When the
meeting is over, all can leave with good feelings toward their
fellow elders, and no one can possibly feel that he has been
treated unfairly. This is consistent with the very nature of the
kingdom of God.

80
 QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION
1. What kind of person does the context of II Peter 2: 10
indicate Peter is describing by the use of the word self-willed
in that passage?
2. Is there a sense in which one might be unselfish from a
personal standpoint, and yet be self-willed in connection
with the church?
3. Suppose a man who is not an elder is found to be con­
stantly criticizing the decisions of the eldership. Should
he be appointed to the eldership? Why?
4. Read Acts 20: 17; Titus 1 :5; and Philippians 1 : 1. Do
these passages teach that each congregation is to have
more than one elder?
5. Suppose a congregation has had a plurality of elders, but
for whatever reasons, the number has been reduced to
one. Should that one continue to serve alone until oth­
ers could be appointed? Support your answer.
6. Do you agree with the idea that all elders must be in
agreement on a matter before any action can be taken?
Why?

81
82
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

A LOVER OF GOOD

"For a bishop must be . . . a lover ofgood men" (Titus 1:7,8).

The American Standard Version correctly leaves off the word
men, and states simply that a bishop must be "a lover of good."
Certainly one who is a lover ofgood will be a lover ofgood men,
but he will be more. The Greek word plzilagatlzos 'a lover of
good' (ASV) is defined by Thayer as meaning simply "loving
goodness." Moulton and Milligan (11ze Vocabulary of the Greek
New Testament) define the word as meaning "loving what is
good."
Actually this Greek word is compounded from two other
Greek words: plzilos 'friend' (fromplzileo 'love'), and agatlzos
'good.' There is another Greek word (kalos) which means
"good," and which occurs as frequently in the New Testament
as this one, but this one seems to be the loftier of the two. It
suggests that which is intrinsically and inherently good, and not
that merely which would be advantageous or valuable from a
monetary standpoint. This is the word used in Titus 3: 1, where
Paul exhorted: "Put them in mind to be subject to principali­
ties and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good
[agathos] work." It is the word used twice by the rich young
ruler when he approached the Lord and said, "Good Master,
what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" (Matthew
19: 16). And it is the word used to describe Barnabas, who was
said to be "a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and faith"
(Acts 1 1:24). It is this kind of goodness for which elders must
have a fondness. Everything which is intrinsically good and
noble should have a friend in every elder and in every man who
aspires to the eldership. Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the New
Testament, says, "There is no more essential qualification of a

83
bishop than this."
Paul knew it would not be possible in listing the qualifi�-·
tions of bishops, to name specifically every good thing toward
which faithful men would be inclined. But he knew also that
there are some things universally acknowledged as being good.
He intended by this language to assure that only such meq a�.
had shown an inclination toward all things good would be �e-·
lected to oversee the congregation.
Those who knew brother Gus Nichols recognized in himlan
j
example ofthis characteristic. It is doubtful that any who k�·w
brother Nichols would accuse him of ever having an indiffer¢mt I
attitude toward anything he recognized as being good. To him
it mattered not whether he started it or was in any way con�
�ected with it; if it was good, he encouraged it and supported
it as best he could. Every sound and scriptural evangelistic
effort, every benevolent work, everything done to edify or teach
church members more about the Bible received his heart\'
endorsement and support. From his busy schedule he m��..
aged to take time to attend hundreds of gospel meetings nd �
to encourage every faithful gospel preacher. He was, ind�f d.,
a lover of all that is good. :
This is quite a contrast to an inclination on the part of some
to support and encourage their own pet projects, and to txt at
everything else as if it were a work of the devil. Some there are
whose attitude seem�; to be, "If I didn't think of it, it's not gobd .
If it doesn't put me in the spotlight, I'll have nothing to do With
it. If I can't control it, then I'll ignore it." Some are even jeal ous
of the good being accomplished by others in the kingdo� of
God, and if they had it in their power, would put a stop tq it .
There are others 'Nho, while not actively opposing any g9 od
works, simply are not interested in them. They may drive actross
the state to attend a circus or a ball game, but cannot be per·
suaded to drive across town to attend a gospel meeting or a
Bible lectureship. Such practices show what one loves, and we
likely would not classify him as a lover of that which is intrinsi ·

84
cally and inherently good. This, of course, is not to say that
going to a circus or ballgame is wrong; it is rather to illustrate
the fact that some do not have their priorities arranged prop­
erly so as to be likely prospects for the eldership.
There are two passages to which consideration should be
given in connection with this particular qualification. Neither
of the two was written specifically to elders, but both of them
would be especially applicable to them as we give thought to
the fact that elders must be lovers of that which is good. Colos­
sians 3: 1,2 admonishes: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things
on the earth." Matthew 6: 19,20 says: "Lay not up for your­
selves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and
steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Both of these passages have to do with loving that which is
good.
Philippians 4:8, while not addressed specifically to elders,
is a fitting commentary upon the requirement to love that which
is good: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, what­
soever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatso­
ever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be
any praise, think on these things." In commenting on this
beautiful verse, Albert Barnes has written the following:
In this exhortation the apostle assumes that there were
certain thi ngs admitte d to b e true , and p ure , and good in
the world, which had not bee n directly revealed , or which
were com m only regarded as such by the men of the world,
and his obj ect is to show them that such th ings ought to
be e xhibite d by the Christian . Everything that was honest
and j ust to wards God and towards men was to be practiced
b y th em , and they were in all thi ngs to be e xamples of the
hi ghest kind of m oral i t y . They were not to exhibit partial
virtues; not to perform one set of duties to negle c t their

85
 duty to men; not tc• be punctual in their religious rites, and
neglectful of the c ommon laws of morality; but they were
to do everything that could be regarded as the fair subject
of commendation:. and that was implied in the highest
moral character.

While these comrnents from the pen ofAlbert Barnes were

written with referenc:e to Paul's admonition to all the saint� at
Philippi, it would be difficult to find or write a paragraph which
would more adequat,ely sum up what is involved in the requ re -
'
�
ment of an elder that he be "a lover of good."

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What is the basic meaning of the Greek word which is
translated by tbe phrase "a lover of good men"?
2. Give three other instances in scripture where this same
Greek word is used.
3. Besides those who are elders in the Lord's church, do ou y
know of men and women who serve as examples of �his
characteristic? In what way or ways? !
4. How can you pc!rsonally become more involved in g(lod
works? What are some opportunities to do good you �ve
neglected?
5. How do Coloss:ians 3: 1,2 and Matthew 6: 19-21 relate to
this qualification?
6. Is any Christian exempt from the obligation to be a lqver
of that which is good?

86
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

THE ELDERS AND CONGREGATIONAL

UNITY

A great dictum of the Restoration Movement is stated in

the following words: "In matters of faith, unity; in opinion,
liberty; and in all things, charity." We would do well to repeat
this from time to time, and to be reminded of its implications.
Perhaps it is superfluous to point out that matters of faith are
those things believed because they are clearly revealed in the
Bible, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God" (Romans 10:17). Matters of opinion are those things
concerning which one may have formed a judgment, and yet
concerning which the Bible is silent. In such cases, of course,
each one is free to have his own opinion. It is a tragic mistake
to treat matters of faith as if they were nothing more than mere
matters of opinion; it is also tragic to treat matters of opinion
as if they were matters of faith.
And yet there is a sense in which all members of a given
congregation must maintain a degree of unity, even in matters
of judgment or opinion.
Now I beseech you , breth re n , by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that
there be no di visions among you; but that ye be perfectly
j oined together in the same m i nd and in the sam e j udg ­
ment (I Corinthians 1 :10).

This is not to say we can all think alike in matters ofjudgment;

it is rather admonishing that there be a harmony and unity of
action, even in matters of judgment.
It is easy for us to see why there must be unity in matters of
judgment in each congregation. If such did not prevail, it would
be impossible to have an orderly worship period or an effective

87
program of work. The hour at which the church begins it�;. I
worship on the Lord's day is a matter of judgment, but e'ch
member of the congregation is not at liberty to begin at what­
ever hour his own personal judgment dictates. The number of
songs to be sung, and the number of verses of each song are
matters of judgment, and doubtless there are differences of
opinion with referen:e to these in practically every congrega··
tion. Even so, there must be unity and harmony of action in
singing the songs. Who is to preach in meetings, and how long
meetings are to last a:re matters ofjudgment. Whether to build
a meetinghouse, what kind to build, how best to use it, etc., �rc:!
all in the realm of opinion or human judgment. Different Olles
are bound to have different opinions about these matters. And
yet, there must be unity with reference to each one. I
In matters of faith we can be united when everyone subq�it:s
to the word of God (I John 1:7). How can we be uniteq in
matters of judgment or opinion? We can be united in mat�ers
ofjudgment only if all in a given congregation will submit to th�!
judgment of some in that congregation; and the Bible tells us
whose judgment is to govern the congregation. "Obey then1
that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that tltey
may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofit�blc!
for you" (Hebrews 13: 17). R.
C. H. Lenski, commenting on
this verse, says it refers to the fact that "one yields, gives fP'
when he has a contrary opinion." Every member of the congre ­
gation, even though he may have a contrary opinion, is to yield
or give up to the judgments of the eldership. Brother ARe� ..

Turner, Sr., writing in the 1977-78 Gospel Advocate Allllflal

Lesson Co1nmentary , has made the following excellent obser- I
vatton:
•

•
I

Elders are responsi b le for chu rch policy. O ften m u r ­

m u rings a n d m isun dersta n d ings arise in a congregation .
over m atters o f mt:re polic y . The times for m eeting on the
Lord's day and on the wee kdays is a matter o f policy. The
use that outside rs will be allowed to m ake of the church
building-for fun erals, weddings, and public or pri vate
school systems-are in the realm of policy. The use of an

88
 organ in the building for a wedding is a matter of policy .
. . . The point of emphasis is that the elders should lead
the church in the development of a set o f rules relative to
matters pertaining to policy.

Needless to say, in practically every congregation there would

be those whose judgement would differ from that of the elder­
ship. One may differ with the judgment of the eldership be­
cause he does not have access to all the facts in the case. He
may differ because he has not taken the time to study and
investigate the matter as thoroughly as have the elders, or because
his knowledge of the scriptures and his experience in making
such judgments are limited. Or he may differ with the elder­
sh�p in a given situation because the elders have used poor
judgment, and his judgment is better. In any case, however,
every member of the congregation must yield to the eldership
in matters of judgment. This is God's plan for unity in matters
of judgment. God's plan for unity in matters of faith is for
everyone to yield to the scriptures. To reject God's plan for
unity in either realm is to set oneself over against God.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Is the slogan, "In matters of faith, unity; in opinion, liberty;
and in all things, charity " a viable slogan? Explain your
answer.
2. What is the difference between matters of faith and mat­
ters of opinion?
3. What are some examples of treating matters of faith as if
they were matters of opinion? What are some examples
of treating matters of opinion as if they were matters of
faith?
4. Why is it a serious sin for a member of the congregation to
refuse to submit to the eldership of the congregation?
5. What are some reasons why some in a congregation might
not agree with the decisions of the eldership?
6. To what extent, if any, should an eldership receive input

89
from the other members of the congregation before makin�
decisions affecting the congregation?

90
 CHAPTER lWENTY

THE AUTHORITY OF TH E ELDERSHIP

Does an eldership have the right to make decisions with

respect to a congregation and expect the members of the
congregation to abide by those decisions? Manywould answer
in the negative, saying that the only authority an eldership has
is the authority to set a good example. I Peter 5:3 is used:
"neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples
to the flock."
Do the words, "neither as being lords over God's heritage,"
mean that an eldership has no authority to make decisions with
respect to a congregation, or to expect the members of a
congregation to abide by those decisions? Some believe the
elders are to carry into their meetings the wishes of the congre­
gation, and make decisions accordingly. They think elders are
like those elected to the legislature, that is, that it is the job of
elders to represent the wishes of the people in the meetings of
the eldership. But the government of God's church is not a
government "of the people, for the people, by the people." It
is rather a government of God's people by those appointed of
God to govern his people. If an eldership's decisions must be
representative of the wishes of the congregation, then there
would be no need of elders. A simple vote of the entire
membership would more nearly guarantee that all decisions
are representative of the wishes of the majority.
Then what does Peter's statement, "neither as being lords
over God's heritage," mean? A statement in Mark 10:42-45
will illustrate the meaning:
But Jesus called them to h i m , an d saith unto them , Ye
know that they which are accounted to rule over the
Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones

91
 exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among 1

you: but whosoeve r will be great among you , shall be your

minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall
be servant of all.

This says the apostles would not "exercise lordship." Does

this mean the apostles had no authority to command and expect
those commands to be obeyed? Certainly not! (See Matth�w
18:18; II Thessalonians 3:6; I Corinthians 14:37.) Then w�at
does it mean? A parallel passage in Luke 22:25 says, "11he:
kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and theyt lat
exercise authority upon them are called benefactors." The:
idea is that the relationship between an apostle and thosei to
whom he has given certain commands is not the relationship of
a king to his subjects. The subjects serve the king, and the king
is the source of benefits to his subjects. But those who obey the
commands of the apostles are not serving the apostles; they are
serving the Lord, and the Lord is the source of all benefits for
those who serve him.
Even so with an eldership. Elders do not rule so the c�n··
gregation might serve them, but that it might serve the Lo�d..
Furthermore, the Lord is the source of the benefits and bl�s-· I
ings which come to those who serve him by faithful submiss�on
to their elders. To refuse submission to an eldership simply
because its decisions do not coincide with my wishes would:be
equal to refusing obedience to an apostolic injunction simply
because it does not coincide with my wishes.
When an eldersh:tp acts in the best interest of the church,
even though the merrtbers of the church do not like the acti�n.,
the elders are not be:ing as "lords over God's heritage." I !
If an eldership us ed its authority merely for the persona ]
welfare or satisfaction of those who make up the eldership
instead of the general welfare of the church, then it wouldibe
abusing its authority. Such would be a clear violation of I Peter
5:3. There can be little doubt that some elderships have abused
their authority. An over-reaction to this abuse has led some to
affirm that the scriptures actually give elders no right to make:

92
decisions with reference to the congregation. But the fact that
some may have abused their authority is no justification for
taking the position that an eldership has no authority.
Hebrews 13: 17 commands: "Obey them that have the rule
over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls,
as they that must give account. . . . " How would an eldership
"rule over" a congregation, and not have any decision-making
authority? And why would we be admonished to "obey them"
who have absolutely no authority to make decisions with re­
spect to us? And how could they possibly be required to give
account for those over whom they have no control?
I Timothy 5 : 17 refers to the "elders that rule well." The
wordnlle is translated from the same Greek word as that found
in I Timothy 3:4,5 where the apostle writes of the elder's ruling
his own house. It is also the same word as in 3:12 where refer­
ence is made to deacons' "ruling their children and their own
houses."
I Thessalonians 5 : 12 makes reference to those who "are
over you in the Lord." But if an eldership simply takes into its
meetings the wishes of the congregation and acts accordingly,
then the passage should refer to elders as those who "are under
you in the Lord."
The elders ofthe Ephesian church were called "overseers"
by the apostle Paul. He then warned them about "grievous
wolves" that would enter in among them, "not sparing the flock,"
and about men who would arise "speaking perverse things, to
draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:28-30). But what
could they do about it, if they had no authority to make deci­
sions with reference to the congregation?
Sometimes one elder will have the mistaken idea that he,
as an individual elder, has some authority to make decisions
with reference to the congregation. One elder has no more
authority than any one other member of the church. Author­
ity does not reside in an elder, but in an eldership. (There are
some who reject the idea of an eldership, but it is a concept that

93
is altogether scriptural.) It is true that an eldership misht:
authorize one elder to make certain decisions with referertce
to a congregation. But in such cases he has aut�ority to m$e
those decisions, not because he is an elder, but because he )llas
been authorized by the eldership to make them. The same:
eldership could authorize one who is not an elder to do id�n··
tically the same thing. It is inconsistent to insist that there mpst:
be a plurality of elde:rs in a congregation in order for it to ibt:
scriptural, and then think one elder has certain authority se p a··
rate and apart from the eldership.
But the fact that some elderships have abused their author..
ity, and that some individuals have mistakenly thought their
being elders gave the:m the right as individuals to rule over the
congregation, should not lead any to conclude that an eld�r··
ship has no scriptural authority. Abuses of every kind nee� to
be avoided. But care must be taken not to oppose that whfcb
is scriptural just because it may have been abused. i
Let it be remembered: (1) that there is a proper and scqp..
tural use of whatever is scriptural, (2) that that which is scrip ..
tural may be imprope:rly and unscripturally employed, and (3)
that there is no proper and scriptural way to employ that which1
within itself, is unscriptural.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What is the meslning of the phrase, "not as being Io ds }
·

over God's heritage," in I Peter 5:3?

2. Might there be a situation in which the elders do right1
though the course they follow would not be the course
chosen by the overwhelming majority of the members of
the congregation? Explain.
3. How much authority does one elder have? Why?
4. In light of Hebrews 13: 17; I Timothy 3:4,5,12; and I Thp s··
salonians 5: 12, how would you respond to the suggest�on
that ruling done by the elders is only by the power of t�ir
example?

94
5. What would be the responsibility of an eldership in a situ­
ation such as that described in Acts 20:29,30?
6. The word overseer in Acts 20:28 is from a Greek word
which is defined by Thayer as meaning, "a man charged
with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are
done rightly." What does this definition indicate with
reference to the authority of the eldership?

95
96
 CHAPTER lWENTY-ONE

APPOI NTI NG ELDERS

I would emphasize that what is said in this chapter about

installing elders is in the realm of human judgment; the New
Testament tells us nothing at all about the actual process by
which they are appointed or ordained. To do it in some way
other than that suggested here is not necessarily to err. In
matters of judgment, we may hold differing views without
either's holding a view which is unscriptural. But the things
said here represent judgments formed after a number of
years of observation and consideration.
Please let it be emphasized that the appointment of eld­
ers, within itself, is not a matter of judgment, but is clearly
taught in the New Testament. Paul wrote: "For this cause
left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things
that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had
appointed thee" (Titus 1 :5). Men who already possessed the
characteristics Paul listed in his letter to Titus (and also in I
Timothy) needed to be ordained or appointed to the elder­
ship. The fact they already possessed the qualifications did
not make them elders, any more than a man might be a
husband merely because he has the necessary qualifications.
He has to be "selected" by the woman whose husband he is
to be, then he must be "installed" as her husband by the
required ceremony. Regardless of how well qualified he
might be, and of how much he may desire to be her husband,
he cannot be her husband until she consents, and then actu­
ally becomes his wife. Just so must those qualified to be
elders be selected and installed by the congregation they are
to oversee. Until such selection and installation takes place,
they are not elders of the church, regardless of how qualified

97
they might be.
There is a very apparent reason why God J;llade it th]s
way. If one automatically became an elder just by posses$ing
the qualifications, and without being selected and appoiJlted
by the congregation, look at the confusion it would cause.
Some would considt:r themselves qualified who would not be
considered qualified by the congregation. Consequently sqme
would consider the1nselves elders who would not be re4Qg­
nized as elders by the congregation. Furthermore, it would
be impossible to know who the elders of a congregation are,
unless one were intimately acquainted with every memb�r of
the congregation, and personally knew of his qualifications
or his lack of the sarne.
Having said all this, we remind the reader that the sUtte­
ment to Titus (1:5) is enough to let us know that elders D!lUSt
be "ordained," that is, set into their position. It is my belic::f
that the words, "Lay hands suddenly on no man" (I Timqthy
5:22), refer to the actual installation ofelders. (Compare �his
1
with the laying on of hands in Acts 6:6 and 13:3.)
Who is to take the lead in the selection and appointnl.ent
of elders? We have already observed that the congreg�lion
is to select and appoint those who will oversee it. An el�er­
ship can lead only those who will agree to follow it. But ,ho,
in the congregation, is to take the lead in the selection �nd
appointment of those who are to be elders of the congrega- 1
tion? The answer is, those who take the lead in other things
the congregation does. If a church already has some el rs� ,
and some additional ones are to be appointed, we wQuld
expect the present eldership to take the lead, and ove�see
the selection and appointment process, just as they do ,the
other activities of the church.
Whether elders or otherwise, those taking the leac.t in
selecting and appointing elders should discuss among tb�m­
selves those they consider to be qualified. When they have
agreed among themselves on certain ones, these certain ones

98
should be consulted, and their permission obtained to rec­
ommend to the church their appointment to the eldership. I
strongly urge that prospects for the eldership not be told they
are being considered until those leading in the selection are
fully prepared to recommend to the congregation their ap­
pointment. This lessens the likelihood of hard feelings in the
event those leading in the process decide there is some rea­
son why some particular person should not be recommended
to the congregation.
When the names of those considered qualified by those
leading in the selection are submitted to the church, it should
be emphasized that the congregation itself is to select its
eldership, and that these are simply the recommendations of
those taking the lead in this matter. It might also be men­
tioned to the church that there is a distinct possibility that
some have been overlooked whose names should have been
submitted along with these. It should be added that, if any­
one would like to submit another name, that name should be
submitted privately to those taking the lead in this matter,
without the knowledge of the person whose name is being
submitted. This will show him the same courtesy that others
have been shown whose qualifications have been discussed in
private meetings of the elders or others taking the lead. If
the elders (or other leaders in this matter) already know this
person not to be qualified, his name should not be submitted
to the congregation. This will save him some embarrass­
ment, and, perhaps, avoid some problems for the church. It
might be wise to give an explanation to the person who
submitted his name, provided this person can keep the mat­
ter in confidence. Or it might be wise merely to explain to
him that the person whose name he has submitted has been
considered, and it is thought that he should not be appointed.
If, on the other hand, after due consideration, the elders (or
those taking the lead in the matter) consider him to be quali­
fied, they should do with him as they have done with the

99
others. After obtaining his permission, they should recqm·­
mend to the church that he also be appointed to the el �, er·-
ship.
In making announcements to the church, it should 1 be 1
I
emphasized that one must possess all the qualifications is et
forth in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and if one knows some
reason why either of those recommended is not qualified,! he
has a moral and sp:iritual obligation to let it be known� It
should also be mad.e clear that these will be instal1ed! as
elders on a specified date, unless there should be some rea··
son advanced why they should not be installed. This sp¢ci·­
fied date should not be very far in the future, for the congre"
gation should already have received some sermons on the:
qualifications and ·work of elders, and they already knovl
what it takes to be qualified.
Again I would ernphasize that there is no plan of install··
ing elders which must be followed to the exclusion of an
other plans. The one which follows is a mere suggestion.
When the day arrives for the actual appointment to the:
eldership, it would be good to have a sermon emphasizing
God's plan for the organization of the local church, and how
all the members of the congregation should rejoice to be able
to implement that plan. Have the present elders (if there are
any) to stand up. Express appreciation for their leadership
up to this time, and ask them to remain standing. Then ask
those who are being appointed to stand up. While all th�se
are standing, announce to the congregation that, as of this
moment, all these men make up the eldership of the church
at this place. At this point it might be wise to say somethjng
like this to the congregation: "Now, as a symbol of q>ur
support of this eldership in all its holy endeavors, as it leads
this congregation, le1: us all stand." While all are still stabd··
ing, have someone lead the congregation in an appropri�te:
prayer. It would not be out of order, in most cases, to h4ve
each elder make a brief statement to the congregation.

100
 In the next chapter we will deal with the matter of what to
do if someone objects to the appointment of one whose
name has been submitted to the church.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What is the difference between matters of faith and
matters of judgment? What should be our attitude to­
ward those who deviate from the New Testament? What
toward those who may differ with us in a matter of judg­
ment?
2. What idea does the word ordain convey? How is it used
in Titus 1:5?
3. Why is one who possesses the characteristics listed in I
Timothy 3 and Titus 1 not already an elder, even though
he has not been appointed as such?
4. Who is to take the lead in appointing elders in a congre­
gation that already has some elders? Who in a congre­
gation that has no elders?
5. Do you agree that the present elders (or others taking
the lead in this matter) should recommend those they
consider to be qualified before inviting the congregation
to submit names for consideration? Justify your answer.
6. Have you ever been present when elders were actually
installed as elders? If so, what do you think might have
been done differently so as to increase the impressions
for good?

101
102
 CHAPTER lWENTY-lWO

HANDUNG OBJECTIONS

In the chapter dealing with the actual installing of elders

we suggested that the names of prospective elders should be
submitted to the congregation, and that members of the church
should be encouraged to consider these men in the light of
I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Upon such consideration, if one
should know some reason one of those proposed should not
be appointed, it is his duty as a Christian to let it be known.
To fail to do so would make him a party to the appointment
of one to the eldership who is not qualified.
In this chapter we will discuss how these objections may
be registered, and how they may be dealt with once they are
registered. I would emphasize again that these matters are
within the realm of human judgment, and the judgment of
others may differ from that herein stated.
In the first place, how should objections be registered?
To say the same thing in a different way, if one has an objec­
tion, how should he go about letting that objection be known?
This is a matter that should be made clear in making an­
nouncements about the proposed new elders. If it is not
made clear how objections are to be registered, some unnec­
essary difficulty may arise as a result of poor judgment on the
part of those who have objections to register.
One quite common way of having objections registered is
to have the person who may have an objection to write out
that objection, and sign his name to what he has written, and
then tum it in to those who are taking the lead in the appoint­
ment. This practice has certain desirable characteristics. (1)
It helps avoid idle complaints of those who like to grumble.
(2) It keeps one from turning in an objection unless he is

103
willing to stand behind what he has said. (3) It puts in wdrd s
just exactly what the objection is so there can be no mi�un··
derstanding. In one sense, these reasons are good, and can
be appreciated. But this practice, in my opinion, discour�ges
registering objections, and defeats the purpose for which,the
announcement is made in the first place. It seems to place
under scrutiny one �Nho might register an objection, instead
of those who are rightfully being scrutinized as candidate � for
the eldership. I
To require that one put in writing over his signatur� an
objection to one's being appointed to the eldership mak�s it
difficult for one to object to one's appointment to the elder­
ship for whatever reason, unless he is able to prove the accu­
sation he makes. Suppose, for example, I believe one to be a
fornicator, or thief, or extortioner, not because I have seen it
with my own eyes, but because of the reliable report� of
others-maybe even reliable reports of those not members of
the church. When his name is submitted to the churc for &
consideration as an elder, I may be reluctant to write d ·wn
and sign something I cannot prove. But it would be unfai . for
those in charge of the matter not to have access to the infor­
mation I have. Why should I not go to one of the elders (or
other men taking the lead in this matter), and let him know of
my concerns? I might even wish to remain anonymous to the
rest of the eldership, if possible, though I would be perf�ctly
willing to be known to them should it become necessar)'. It
seems to me that wise brethren would, in the interest �� the
church, be willing to hear legitimate objections in this �a:n -
ne� :
As earlier stated, this is a matter that must be dictatep by
the best judgment available. What is here stated is simply the
judgment I have formed over several years of experience· and
observation.
In the second place, how should objections be handjled?
Needless to say, objections will fall into one of two ca�go-
1

104
ries: ( 1) objections that are valid, and (2) objections that are
not valid. We will consider first objections that are valid.
A valid objection is an objection that calls to the attention
of those in charge something which makes it plain that one
whose name has been submitted to the church really should
not be appointed to the eldership. Utmost care should be
taken to get all the facts before concluding that an objection
is valid. When it is concluded that a valid objection has been
registered against the appointment of a certain one, the mat­
ter should be handled in a fashion which will cause the least
embarrassment to the one being rejected as an elder, and in
a fashion which will cause the least harm to the church. The
candidate himself should be told privately about the decision,
and he should be given the option of requesting that his
name be dropped from consideration. He may do this with­
out an explanation's being made to the congregation, and
consequently with a minimum of embarrassment to him and
his family. If he does not consent to withdraw his own name,
then it will be necessary to announce that a decision has been
made not to appoint brother So-and-so to the eldership.
Some would prefer simply to say nothing, and then not install
him when the other elders are installed. It seems, however,
that this latter would leave a number of questions unan­
swered, and maybe even cast undue suspicion in the direc­
tion of the one who is not appointed. It may or may not be
necessary and advisable to give to the congregation a reason
for the decision not to appoint this brother. In any case, no
effort should be made to deceive the congregation, that is, to
make an announcement that would cause the church mem­
bers to believe something that simply is not the case.
On the other hand, suppose there is an objection to one's
being appointed, but that objection is not considered valid by
the present eldership or by the men who are taking the lead
in the appointment, as the case may be. How should these
invalid objections be handled? Care must be taken not to

105
jeopardize the welfare of the church, nor to alienate th se p
who have registered the objections. If, after thorough in'\fes­
tigation and consideration, it is the consensus of those who
are in charge that the objections are not valid, those who
have registered the objections should be talked with. Appre­
ciation should be e"pressed to them for their concern, and
they should be com1nended for their courage in bringing �is
matter to the attention of those in charge. Assurance shduld
be given them that their objections have been discussed at
length by those who are taking the lead, and that it is h11! �
belief of the group that the matter which has been rai$ed
should not stop the appointment. If there is pertinent intor­
mation to support this conclusion, it should be shared With
those who have raised the objection; this might cause the!$ to
change their minds. If they do not change their minds, this
should not block the appointment. These should also be
assured that there is no bitterness toward them on the part of
any, and that all are confident that the entire church call
work in peace and harmony, even though they still do not
agree that this certain one should be appointed to the el4er-
�� I
�
Of course, if those objecting represent a significantly l rg,e
�
segment of the congregation, it will have to be decided whe e:r
or not the appointnlent will cause some real division in r the
church. Remember, an eldership cannot lead those who �ll
not follow.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Why should the congregation be invited to consider can ..

didates for the eldership and offer objections?

2. How do you believe objections should be registered�
3. What is a circumstance under which it would be a �s�
able or even nt:cessary to publicize the reason one !hats
been rejected as an elder by the congregation? �

106
4. What is the difference between a valid objection and an
invalid objection?
5. If you were in charge of the process of appointing elders,
what would you do that we have not suggested in the
chapter?
6. Could deacons be selected and installed in the same or
in a similar way to that we have discussed?

107
108
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

PERPETUATI NG THE ELDERSHIP

Sometimes elderships allow themselves to deteriorate, so

that an eldership that once was strong and providing excel­
lent leadership to the congregation will reach the point that it
hardly leads the congregation at all. In some cases the elder­
ship actually ceases to exist, and the church struggles along
without being organized according to God's plan. In some
cases otherwise strong and wise elders fail to make provision
for the time when they are no longer able-because of poor
health or even death-to lead the church. They have not
made any special efforts to train and develop other men to
carry on their work in the same faithful tradition that has
characterized their years of service. Consequently men are
appointed to the eldership who are not qualified; in some
cases their devotion to Christ and his church is even ques­
tionable. We have seen both of these things happen more
than once, and their natural result is either the dwindling of
the church, or a departure from the old paths on its part. Just
as parents try to see to it that their children become mature
enough to live successfully after the parents are dead and
gone, even so an eldership should be doing all within its
power to see that the church it oversees is developing mature
leaders, so that it will not suffer the effects of a deficient
eldership when the present elders are either dead, have lost
their health and their ability to function effectively as elders,
or move on to some other location.
As we have mentioned earlier, it is the task of the congre­
gation itself to select and appoint those to serve as elders
over it, but it is as much the work of the present eldership to
take the lead in these matters as it is in other phases of the

109
 I

work of the church. In this chapter some suggestions fpr

perpetuating the eldership will be made, with emphasis upon
preparing men for the eldership, rather than ,their actqal
appointment. While the things said here are primarily said to
those who are already elders, these things would also be
beneficial to those who may be taking the lead in congrega­
tions which are without elders at the present time. If these
suggestions are follov,ed in such congregations, it should not
be very long before nten are matured and developed so that
they might be appointed to the eldership.
As is true in certain other matters we have discussed, the
suggestions made here are within the realm ·of human judg­
ment. They are offered as suggestions, and not as a "t�s
1
saith the Lord. "
Elders should make it their business to acquaint the�­
selves with every man in the congregation who might one day
be a prospect for the eldership. I am not referring here to
the weeks just befort: new appointments are to be made; I
am rather referring to a year in and year out observance of
one's spiritual growth and development. His strengths and
weaknesses should be: noted. Every effort should be made :to
help him develop into the kind of man God wants in tpe
eldership. Does he have his priorities properly arranged? 1 Is
he interested in learning more about the Bible? Is he cdn- 1
cerned about the lost? Does he give liberally of his time apd
money to the cause of Christ? Does he refrain from t�e
things of this world? Is he free from doctrinal error? Is � is
life above reproach? Is he the spiritual leader of his fami�?
Is he growing and developing in these areas? What about � is
family? Are they growing into the kind of family that a IDfin
needs if he is to be an elder?
From time to time the congregation should be reminded
of the constant need for developing more good leadership,
and it should know that its present eldership is always look­
ing for those who are growing in that direction. It is sad when

1 10
a congregation thinks of the need for developing new elder
material only when it reaches the point that new elders must
be appointed. The idea of arriving at that point, and then
getting down the church directory to see who the good pros­
pects are is somewhat ridiculous.
Elders should ask their preachers to preach on the need
for developing elders. They should ask them to preach on
the qualifications of elders. How long has it been since you
have heard a sermon on the need for developing elders, or a
sermon on the qualifications of elders? Like the subject of
giving, the subject of the eldership has been neglected in the
church of Christ. Preachers have neglected to preach on
giving, lest they be judged as mercenary. They have ne­
glected to preach on the eldership for fear their present
elders will feel rebuked by their preaching. Most preachers
do not mind preaching on the subject, but would feel more
comfortable doing so if they had been requested to do so by
the eldership. For this reason, from time to time, elderships
should request of their preachers a sermon (or some ser­
mons) on the eldership. It is difficult to get people to under­
stand how anything can be so important if the preacher rarely
mentions it.
Another thing that certainly would help develop men for
the eldership is a class designed especially for that purpose.
Both husbands and wives could attend the class. It might be
a good idea to insist that wives attend such a class. After all,
there are many things about an elder's job that his wife must
understand. Perhaps such a class could be held on some
night of the week other than Sunday or Wednesday. The
class could be just for those who are aspiring to the eldership.
Unless one is willing to give an extra hour or two a week to
help train himself for the eldership, the congregation would
do well to pass him by in selecting its candidates.
Such a class might run for three or six months at a time.
This book, or some other such book, might setve as a guide in

111
 I

the study. Class members might be given certain assi� ­

ments to do out of class, and then come back and report.
The elders might invite the class to attend an actual elders'
meeting, so they might get some idea of how meetings �re
conducted. Of course, if there are things on the agenda
which are not to be n1ade public, these things would have .to
be left out of the di�cussion and handled by the elders in
private at some other time. One class activity might be to Jet
the men in the class act as elders in a hypothetical situation.
Let the teacher prepare an imaginary agenda, and let the
imaginary elders have a meeting and take care of the things
on the agenda. It would be good if all of the present eld � rs
could sit in the class for such meetings as this, so their experi-
ence and wisdom might be called upon. i
When it becomes obvious who the most likely prospe ts f
for the eldership are, the present elders would do well to see
to it that those prosp·ects are receiving some of the very b� st
periodicals in our brotherhood. In this way, they will lear� a
little more about what is going on in the brotherhood th�n
they might otherwist� know. They will be made aware i of
potential problems, a nd learn something of how to deal with
these problems if they arise. Better still, their knowledge
might enable them to prevent such problems. Such periodi­
cals will also increast! one's knowledge of the Bible and en­
hance his chances of being an effective leader in the church.
If the eldership is important-and there is no doubtipg
that it is-then it is irnportant that churches have an ongoing
program to prepare rnen for the eldership.

QUESTIONS F1DR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What are some ways a strong eldership may becom� a
weak eldership? :
I
2. Since the church is to select those who are to serve as iits
elders, why should the present eldership concern it�� lf
with perpetuating the eldership? !
1 12
3. What are some questions that need to be answered in
determining whether one is developing into good elder
material?
4. Why does the average congregation hear so few sermons
on the eldership? Do you agree that more teaching on
the subject is needed?
5. Do you feel classes to train men for the eldership would
be well received by members of the church where you
worship? Support your answer.
6. What kind of periodicals would you suggest as being
good reading material for prospective elders?

1 13
1 14
 CHAPTER lWENTY-FOUR

ELDERS AND THE CONGREGATION

It has been said before: An eldership can lead only to the

extent the church is willing to follow. A congregation's will­
ingness to follow an eldership is largely dependent upon the
eldership's maintaining the love, respect, and appreciation of
the members of the church. While an eldership supervises
the work of the church, the work of an eldership is not like
the work of supervisors in a coal mine, or a steel mill, or an
automobile factory. There those who are under one's super­
vision may perform satisfactorily day in and day out, even
though they have little appreciation for their supervisor, and
even though they may have no interest in the end result of
their labor. They are working for a material reward, and are
willing to do, within reason, what they are told, even by a
supervisor they do not especially like. In such cases the
supervisor is sometimes referred to as the boss. Obviously,
unless an eldership's relationship to the congregation is some­
thing much closer than a supervisor-worker relationship, the
eldership cannot successfully lead the congregation for very
long. What are some things which will help elderships to
establish and maintain a good relationship with the congre­
gation?
In the first place, no elder should ever forget that he is a
member of the congregation, and, like every other member,
he serves under the eldership of that congregation. He may
not be in total agreement with every action taken by the
eldership, but he should be among the first to implement
those actions. He would certainly expect other members of
the church to yield to the judgment of the eldership in areas
of disagreement. Such being the case, he should hasten to do

1 15
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I
I
so himself. Showing his personal respect, as a member of tpe
�
congregation, for the eldership, will set an example for ot er
members of the congregation to do the same. :
An eldership should never ask the members of the cdn­
gregation to do anything the elders themselves are not willipg I
to do. If elders choose to except or exempt themselves from
decisions of the eldership, they are isolating themselves from
the church, and preparing other members not to respect the
actions of the elders hip. For example, suppose an elder,
instead of going to Bfole class on Sunday morning, chooses: to
go into the church office and read the mail that has come: in
during the past week. Or suppose the Bible study hour is tbe
time the elders choose to get together to discuss some busi­
ness matter of the church. Are they not widening the gap
between themselves and other members of the church? Do
their actions not declare that they themselves are not subject
to the same decisions of the eldership which are supposed to
govern other membe rs of the church?
It will bear mentioning again, as we mentioned in the
chapter on "The Authority of the Eldership," that one elder
has the same amount of authority as any other member of
the congregation. If God had intended to allow one man to
make decisions governing a congregation, he would not have
required each congregation to have a plurality of elders.
This, of course, doe s not mean that an eldership can ot q
authorize one person, whether an elder or not, to make d eci­
sions within certain rt!alms. For example, the eldership might
delegate authority to one person to decide, from among sev­
eral acceptable workbooks, which one is to be used in a I
certain Bible class. Or one person may be delegated ! to
select, from an approved list, which persons will be asked[ to
teach in a vacation Bible school. But one does not have to jbe:
an elder to have such delegated authority. I
The wise eldership will keep those serving God under f its.
oversight informed of what is taking place in the congr� $a··
I
1 16
 tion. This does not mean that everything discussed in mee.t­
ings of the elders must be made available to all the members
of the church. Certainly there are things elderships must
deal with, and yet which must be kept confidential, at least
for a time. I refer to such things as confidential reports of
immorality on the part of church members, or discussions
concerning the possibility that a certain church member may
be getting confused by some false doctrine. If such problems
can be solved otherwise, then they should never be made
public. But information directly affecting the members of
the congregation and its work should be made available. I
can think of no good reason, for example, why an eldership
would refuse to allow any member of the church to examine
the church's financial records. In fact, it seems wise for an
eldership to see that a financial report is made available to
the entire congregation on a regular basis. The eldership
which wants to hide certain expenditures, such as the amount
of the preacher's salary, or the amount sent to a certain
mission work, because it is afraid the congregation "won't
understand," either is trying to cover its errors in judgment,
or else it is admitting the congregation has no confidence in
the ability of the eldership.
It seems also that it would be good if elders would make
periodic reports, other than what shows up in printed finan­
cial statements, of various works being considered, and of
what these works will cost, etc. If members of the congrega­
tion are kept informed of such matters, and are urged to
express their views, there will be greater understanding, and
less criticism of the work being done by the eldership.
Some elderships see a need (wisely, I think) to have, in
addition to their regular elders' meetings, a general business
meeting of all the men of the congregation on a monthly or
quarterly basis. In this meeting each person present is given
the opportunity of bringing up whatever he wishes for con­
sideration. This meeting is conducted under the supervision

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of the elders, of cou rse, and all present understand that *ny '
decisions made are subject to their approval. Sometim�s a
matter will be discussed without a decision's bei�g made, l>ut
with the understanding that it will be considered in the next
meeting of the eldt�rs. Such meetings help the eldership
keep its finger on the pulse of the congregation and reap th�!
benefits of whatever good thoughts come out of the meet�ng.
These meetings also let the members of the church know the:!
I

elders care what they think, and that they actually have a Bart
in the decision-making process. 1

If there is a caring, compassionate group of people iri �h1�!

church, it should be 1:he elders and their wives. Of all peo�le:,
they should show their love for members of the church t pey
oversee. If elders have rejoiced with those who rejoiced, fnd
wept with those who wept; if they have shown an interes� in
people's accomplishments and disappointments; if they have!
stood by them in tht!ir hours of heartache and tribulation; i f
they have let people know they really care for them; then
those people will "walk through the fire" to follow their
I
leadership in spiritual matters.
One word of warning is in order as we discuss the mafte r
of maintaining a close relationship with the congregadon .
Every elder should strive to be the kind of person any m �mt·
ber of the congregation would feel free to talk with abou� �ny
subject. But being approachable does not mean one mus� , b1!
willing to divulge confidences of the eldership. Neither �oes
it mean that one should commit the eldership to a certain I

course of action without first letting the eldership discuss !the

matter and make its decision. Sometimes the only thina an
elder can do when he is approached about a matter involving
the business of the elders is simply give a listening ear, and�
after assuring the person of his appreciation for expressing
his feelings, tell hint the matter will be brought before 'the
elders in an elders' tneeting.
There is little doubt the things we have discussed in �h1is
. !
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chapter will help elderships provide more effective leader­
ship for the church. And with more effective leadership, we
can accomplish greater things in the service of our Leader,
Jesus Christ.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. Discuss the difference between the supervision of an
eldership and that of a supervisor in some secular capac­
ity.
2. In what way does an elder differ from other members of
the church? In what way is he the same?
3. How much authority does one elder possess to act on
behalf of the eldership? How much does any other
member of the church possess?
4. What kind of information should an eldership share with
the congregation? What kind should be kept in confi­
dence? Give examples of each.
5. What do you think about the idea of a monthly or quar­
terly meeting of all the men of the church with the elder­
ship? How would you suggest such meetings be con­
ducted?
6. In addition to things mentioned in this chapter, what
might one do to show people he really cares for their
welfare?

1 19
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 CHAPTER lWENTY-FIVE

ELDERS AND PREACH ERS

If there are any two categories of people in the church

who should work together in harmony it is those who preach
and those who oversee the church. Yet it is often the case
that preachers and elders see each other as adversaries in­
stead of allies. This unfortunate situation grows out of a
failure on the part of one or the other-maybe both-to be
sympathetic and understanding. In this chapter we will con­
sider some things which should help preachers and elders to
complement and supplement each other in the work they are
doing.
But first, let us deal with a question that often arises when
we discuss preachers and elders. That question is: Should a
preacher be an elder in the church where he preaches? To
say that a preacher cannot be an elder is to deny the plain
teaching of Scripture in I Peter 5 : 1. Here the apostle Peter,
who was a preacher, stated clearly that he also was an elder.
We do not know the circumstances under which the apostle
served as an elder, but we do know that an approved apos­
tolic example is enough to prove a practice to be in harmony
with the will of the Lord.
To say that it is scriptural for a preacher to be also an
elder is not to prove that it is always in the best interest of the
church for such to be the case. It seems that each situation
would need to be judged on its own merits to determine if it is
the part of wisdom to appoint the preacher to the eldership.
Some things that might make a difference are whether or not
there are a large number of other men who comprise the
eldership, whether or not the preacher earns his living by
preaching or has another job, the attitude of the congrega-

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¢
tion toward the preacher as an elder, etc. Let us look bri fly
at each of these situations.
If a congregation has only one or two other men who q:an
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serve as elders, and real strength could be added to the
eldership by appointing the preacher, then by all means, put
the preacher into the eldership. But if the congregation can
have a strong eldership without using him as an elder, it
might be best not to appoint him.
If a preacher earns his living in some secular work, (Jnd
preaching is a part time job, it might not be a bad idea to
appoint him to the eldership. But if he makes his living by
preaching, then to n1ake him an elder might cause somt:� to
believe his motives :for being an elder are less than honor­
able. He would hav�� more to say than the normal preacher
has to say about his tenure with the congregation and about
his pay.
Though a preacher might be well qualified to serve asi an
elder, and though he is needed in the eldership, if the �tti­
tude of the congregation toward him as an elder would not
be what it should be., then it would not be wise for him to) be:!
appointed. We have said before that, regardless of the q\}�li..
fications of an elder:;hip, if the congregation will not foil w '
r·
1
the eldership cannot lead.
If I were not a preacher, I would most certainly "dt:f' �ire
the office of a bishop, " but I have often said that I do : pot
want to be an elder as long as I am preaching on a full titrH�
basis, and as long as the eldership where I preach is alreaqy a
strong eldership. I can already do, as a preacher, everythi�g I
could do as an elde:r, except cast a vote in the meetings of
I
clden.
But it is my firm conviction that preachers should m�et
with the elders on a regular basis. This does not mean tllat
elders cannot have a meeting without the preacher's bedng
present. There may be times when they need to have meet"
ings that do not concern him or his work, and which would: bt!

122
a waste of his time. There may be times when the elders
would like to talk privately about some matter involving the
preacher, and they prefer he not be present. There may be
times when the preacher, like any one of the elders, might be
unavailable for a certain meeting. But there is a great deal of
wisdom on the part of elders who let their preachers know
they are expected to be present for all regular meetings of
the elders. It is foolish for elders to have meetings to discuss
the work of the church, and exclude from those meetings the
one man who stands before the congregation more than any
other. Certainly a preacher worth his salt is one of the most
influential members of the congregation. He needs to know
what the elders are thinking, and what kind of plans they are
making. He needs to know of problems that have arisen, and
what is being done about them. How can he work closely
with the eldership if he doesn't even know what they discuss
in their meetings?
Furthermore, the elders who are wise will make the best
possible use of the knowledge of a faithful gospel preacher.
There is a chance that the preacher studies the Bible more,
and reads more gospel papers than most elders. He proba­
bly knows more about what is going on in the brotherhood
than the average elder knows. His input into the discussion
might be quite valuable. Also the preacher is usually not the
last to learn about problems or potential problems in the
lives of the members of the church. What he knows about
such might be of great help to the eldership in dealing with
certain matters that arise from time to time.
Sometimes members of a congregation are not sympa­
thetic toward certain actions of the eldership. But in nearly
every case those who are not sympathetic were not in the
elders' meetings where the discussions took place and the
decisions were made. While it is not practical to have every
member present for everything the eldership discusses, it
does seem wise to let the preacher be in on the discussion of

123
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difficult matters. Then when a decision is reached, and \\l en
action is taken, the preacher will be sympathetic toward thatI
decision and that action. While it is his job to "preachl �he
word" (II Timothy 4:2), he can be of invaluable assistanc¢ in
helping the congregation to have confidence in and fol�ow
the leadership of its elders.
Elders and preachers should back each other in tHeir
respective works. C)ne of the most thankless jobs in tht:
church is serving as an elder. A good elder spends m$ny
hours-sometimes difficult hours-in serving the congrega··
tion. But most of his work is behind the scenes, and he ·

receives little recognition and few expressions of thanks; and

this fact bothers very few good elders. But unless the church
maintains confidence in its eldership it will not follow it. . By
publicly expressing appreciation for and confidence in �he
elders, the preacher can help maintain a good attitude on the::
1
part of the church toward its elders. I

This works both ways. The faithful preacher will �nd

himself from time to time preaching the truth on matters tpat
might not be so pleasant to discuss. Some members of the�
church might not be inclined to appreciate his preach g, �
especially if it deals with some of their pet sins. On � ych
occasions the wise eldership will see that one of t�eir nu�pe:r
steps before the church and endorses the lesson In no un�er­
tain terms. I am not referring here to what some might call a
I
"united front." I ant referring rather to real unity of el�rs
and preachers in seeking to get all to follow the Lord. i
This, of course, does not mean that either elders or pre�h··
ers should give any insincere praise or endorsement to the
teaching or actions of anyone. But it always helps for elders
and preachers to work with each other very closely andi to
encourage each other in their respective efforts.
A word of warning: I have known of situations in which
elders and preachers did not work effectively together be ..
cause of that green-eyed monster we call envy, or jealousy .

124
Maybe it is envy on the part of the preacher with respect to
an elder. He is envious of the elder's successful business, or
his high paying job, or his popularity with the people, or his
ability to do personal work, or some other enviable charac­
teristic. Or perhaps an elder is envious of the preacher's
salary, or his popularity with the people, or his ability to
teach the Bible. All Christians, especially elders and preach­
ers, should remember that envy and love do not dwell in the
same heart. Both preachers and elders should regularly and
diligently pray: "0 Lord, help us to love one another."

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. How might our efforts to glorify God be hindered by a
poor relationship between the preacher and one or more
of the elders?
2. What are your thoughts on the advantages and disad­
vantages of the preacher's serving as an elder?
3. Should preachers attend the meetings of the elders on a
regular basis? Why?
4. What are some circumstances when it would be better
for the preacher not to attend the elders' meetings?
5. How can preachers encourage the congregation to be
united in following the leadership of the elders?
6. How can an eldership make the preaching more effec­
tive?

125
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 CHAPTER lWENTY-SIX

THE ELDERS' MEETING

It is certainly true that the work of elders involves a great

deal more than just making decisions. The eldership which
thinks otherwise will do a poor job in leading the congrega­
tion. But it is also a fact that a great deal of the work of an
eldership involves making decisions with reference to the
congregation and its members. Any who think otherwise
either have not studied the matter very carefully, or else they
are not thinking realistically. In Acts 15 the elders and apostles
came together to discuss an important matter and to take
some needed action. In Acts 2 1 : 18 we read of another occa­
sion when the elders had a meeting to deal with an important
matter. In Acts 20: 17 we are told of an elders' meeting that
was called by Paul. The very nature of the work of elders
demands that they have meetings to discuss and plan the
work of the congregation, and to make decisions with refer­
ence to that work. In this chapter we will consider some
practical matters with reference to elders' meetings. As in
some other matters we have discussed, most of the sugges­
tions made here will be in the realm of judgment, but I
believe they are worthy of serious consideration.
Meetings of the elders should be held on a regular sched­
ule, instead of "just when the need arises." The need will not
likely arise very often if elders are no more interested in the
work of the church than to operate on such a basis. This is
not to say that there will not be times when it is necessary to
have special meetings to deal with particular situations. But
in addition to these special meetings, elders should meet on a
regular basis in order to oversee effectively the ongoing work
of the church. These meetings might be on a weekly basis, or

127
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they might be held t:very other week, or even monthly. ut · �

they should be conducted on a regular schedule, and if �h�!
eldership is not able to take care of the business at hand iJtl I

the time allotted, then meetings should be scheduled mb , re

frequently.
Meetings should be presided over by a chairman, whOse
job it is to see that each item which comes before the meeting
is taken care of, and that the meeting is carried on exp�d]­
tiously. It is recomn1ended that the elders take turns serving
as chairmen of the meetings, so that no one elder will be
thought of as the chairman of the elders to the exclusion of
the other elders. The ideal situation would seem to be to
allow the chairmanship to rotate from one to another ':Vith
each successive mee:ting.
Each meeting of the elders should begin with prarer.
There is no more important work than the work of the Lord's
church. If any people on earth feel the need of the help of
the Lord, it should be those who are appointed to oversee
the work of the church. It seems that a great burden coulcjl b e:
made much easier to bear if elders would pray, rememb �tin.g
+
the words of Philippians 4:6,7: "Be careful for nothing; b t in
every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiviri� le:t
your requests be made known unto God. And the peacf of
God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your h�rts
and minds though C:hrist Jesus." Minutes of each el�ers' ,
meeting should be taken and kept as a permanent recprd.
�
Ideally, these minutes should be locked in a file drawer a the
meetinghouse, or ·wherever the elders have their meet�gs.
This way, the things discussed and acted upon can b� a s
private as the elders themselves choose for them to be. . As
we observed in an earlier chapter, some things elders must
deal with in their n1eetings are to remain private. Alse by
keeping the minutes at the place where the meetings: are
conducted, they wilJ be available for reading at the next mee t­
ing, as well as for consulting in later meetings to help recall

128
exactly what actions were taken. The business of each regu­
lar meeting(following prayer) should begin with a reading of
the minutes of the previous meeting. This will do two things:
(1) It will provide an opportunity to make any needed correc­
tions in the minutes, so that the permanent record will be an
accurate one, and(2) it will bring to mind business that might
have been unfinished in the previous meeting, so that it might
be handled in the present meeting. In other words, minutes
of the previous meeting will help determine the agenda for
the present meeting. As a rule, business left over from the
previous meeting should be taken care of first, then new
business should be introduced. The exception, of course,
would be the new business which is more urgent and the
disposition of which cannot wait until the next meeting.
Each elder in the meeting should be given the opportu­
nity to say whatever he wishes to say with reference to the
subject being discussed, but no man should be allowed to
dominate the meeting or the eldership. There would be no
need for a plurality of elders in each congregation if one man
were going to dominate the others. Each one should listen
courteously to the others, and weigh all things said, and then
act in harmony with his own best judgment.
It is a lovely thing when important matters are discussed,
and every elder is in perfect agreement as to the action to be
taken. But it does not always happen that way; elders some­
times do not agree as to what should or should not be done.
How should such disagreements be handled? In the first
place, no man should be an elder unless he can disagree
without being disagreeable. Remember, one of the qualifica­
tions of an elder is that he be "not selfwilled "(Titus 1:7). In
the second place, disagreements over actions to be taken or
decisions to be made should never be allowed to become
personal in nature. One should never consider those who
differ with him in a matter of judgment as being less sincere
than himself, or as acting upon anything less than motives as

129
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high and holy as his own. This being the case, when he
meeting is over, regardless of how sharp the differences 111ilght
l
have been, all will leave as friends, with nothing but i �he
highest regard and the greatest love for one another. :
But the question remains: How should disagreement� be:!
handled? Let us suppose that a certain action has been
suggested; we will call it "Action Z. " Every argument has
been made both pro and con. Each elder has had his say, bu t
it is obvious that the elders will never totally agree on �he
advisability of "Action Z." What is to be done? The chair­
man should ask if one of the elders would like to mak,e a
motion with reference to the matter. One who is in favot o f
"Action Z" moves it be adopted. Another seconds his mo­
tion. Further discussion is invited, now that the motion ha:s
been made. Then the chairman calls for a vote. The deci�on
is made by a majority of the elders who vote.
When the decision is made, every elder needs to under­
stand and remember that it is a decision of the eldership, �nd
has the backing of every elder-even those who voted agafn�t
it. It would be wise also to have a policy which demands tlhat
any elder who is absent from the meeting when a decisio;n is
made automatically votes with the majority. In this way :the
elders will be united in their leadership of the church.
Some may objec:t to the procedure we have outli�ed! I

because it involves making decisions by majority vote. i To

this we would reply that it is the majority vote, not of Iith'�
members of the congregation, but of the divinely appoiqted

when there are such differences as we have described, w 1uld

be to make the decision by minority vote of the elders ip.
1
�
governing board of the congregation. The only altern8;tjve: !

That would most certainly be unwise.

I
I have heard of congregations whose elders take : nly
such actions as are agreed upon by all the elders. If on is
opposed to a certain action, then that action is not ta en�
even though the majority of the elders are in favor of it. S cb

130
constitutes a rule by one man, and is opposed to the will of
Christ.
One other matter: In the Lord's church, there are no
junior elders and senior elders. Some may have served as
elders for many years, and their age and experience should
be considered when discussions are taking place. But unless
a man is mature enough for his voice to carry as much weight
in the decision-making process as any other man in the elder­
ship, then he should not be made an elder. Every elder has
an equal voice in making decisions that affect the congrega­
tion. Any departure from this equality borders upon ecclesi­
asticism, and reminds one of the situation which eventually
led to the election of the pope.
Those who serve as elders should be thankful for the
confidence that God and their brethren have bestowed upon
them. Those of us who serve under their direction should
appreciate the magnitude of their responsibility. They guard,
not our political freedom, nor our material wealth, but our
souls (Hebrews 13: 17).

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT OR DISCUSSION

1. What action was taken by the apostles and elders in Acts
15?
2. What is your evaluation of the advice given by James
and the elders to Paul in Acts 21: 18-25?
3. What do you think about regular elders' meetings as
opposed to having only meetings called to take care of
things as they arise? Why?
4. Should the chairman of the elders' meeting be changed
with each meeting? Why?
5. What are some advantages of recording all actions taken
in meetings of the elders, and keeping these records
permanently?
6. What do you think of the practice of allowing the deci-

13 1
sian of the majority to be a decision of all the elders�
even though some of the elders were opposed to tha�
particular decision? What about the policy of havina
those absent from the meetings automatically voting with
the majority?

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Bobby Duncan began preaching in 1956 and has servea
under only two elderships in local work. However, becausE·
of an insatiable de�;ire to serve God, he has worked wit!�
countless elderships i n gospel meetings and s pecia
lectureships. He is frequently invited to address the subjec t
of elders - their qualifications and work.

The Elders Which Are Among You focuses on the very pulsE·
of man's work for G·Jd - the qualifications and installatio n
of elders. As Christians better understand the office of an

elder, they will better appreciate the work of the eldership.

With the passing of years, Bobby Duncan's ad vic� is being

sought more and more by congregations and elderships. W'­
are delighted to share with the brotherhood some fruits o r
his studies and expe riences.

The Publisher:-:

ISBN 0-929540-02-8