The Word of God must be our guide to discover how the elders of churches functioned in the first century, their heart, and their responsibilities. Many centuries have passed since the church began and church government has changed, though the Word has not.

Some churches in the United States in particular are run like a secular corporation, others like a family business. Some churches are run by a board, having authority over the pastor. Some are a democracy based on a vote from the congregation that has authority over the pastor. Many charismatic and evangelical churches are run by an elite few trusted friends and/or family members of the pastor (‘yes’ men)...and the list goes on and on.

All the above are examples of a typical ‘pyramid’ style of leadership (with the pastor at the top of that pyramid) and not at all what the Bible describes as the structure of the church. By contrast, the Bible demonstrates a flat style of leadership rather than a steep pyramid.

For instance, in most Bible schools and churches there is instruction about ‘submission and authority’ or something to that effect, meaning ‘how to keep the sheep in line’. This instruction is based around the congregation or staff members (paid or volunteer) submitting to the pastor and those in authority. Yet Jesus said in Mark 10: 42-45 that leadership was to submit downward to those they served. In John 13 Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and exhorted them that this was a pattern for leadership. This means that instead of a pyramid structure, the church should a flat or horizontal structure with mutual submission.

Does this mean that submission and authority have no place? Not at all, for clearly there is instruction to the congregation to obey those in authority (Heb 13:17 for example). However, the New Testament is built around empowering believers to hear from God for themselves within a check and balance network of relationships of those who speak into their lives, respecting elders and the more knowledgeable and mature in the faith.

It should be noted that in the whole of the New Testament letters, not a single one is written to ‘the elders of the church at...’. Every letter is written to the church as a whole, not to a group of informed leaders ruling over the congregation. This tells us that Paul, Peter, James and John understood (as elders themselves) that they were to empower believers to be responsible Christians, along with the elders and leaders, taking responsibility as a body for the happenings in their church (which met in homes, but see related study on this web site).

The first pastors conference was held in Miletus and recorded for us in Acts 20:17-38. It was no longer safe for Paul to go into Ephesus, so he called the elders (Gk: presbytery) of that church to Miletus, a town a short distance away. In 20: 28 Paul tells them that they are to take heed to themselves and the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers (Gk: bishops). He tells them to feed (Gk: pastor) the flock.

In this one verse we see that the duty of the elders was to pastor the flock, being given that responsibility by the Lord. Elders are to have the heart of a pastor, wanting to feed and protect the flock.

In many churches today the elders (or whatever title their equivalent role is given) are notable business people, the pastor’s relatives, an influential person, a politically motivated person, or gifted in some area. Yet the Bible is clear that the heart of the elder is concerned for the spiritual maturity and growth of the members of the church, as a shepherd, interested in the sheep and their nurture and protection.

Paul addresses the type of person an elder/overseer/bishop should be in I Timothy 3: 1-7 and it should be noted that the issue is character and motive, not gifts or connections.

There are many gifts listed in the Bible. Among them would be the charismatic gifts of I Cor 12: 8-10, the ’motivational’ gifts of Romans 12: 6-8, the ministry gifts of

I Cor 12:28 and Ephesians 4:11, and so on. Gifts are fun for us to operate in, but they are not the basis upon which the call of God rests. The call of God rests on the character of a person. It’s always more fun to operate in your gift, but your call must be fulfilled through character.

In the world we see many gifted people in sports, movies, TV, and the music industry. They have developed their gifts to a very high degree. But many of these gifted people are in and out of relationships, in and out of rehab, in and out of substance abuse. Why? They have not developed character along with their gifts.

Unlike the world, God will not allow a person’s gifts to develop beyond their character (though a Christian can ignore God and become conformed to the world in the development of their gifts). He will shut down a gifted person, putting them on the sidelines for a season until their character catches up with their gift.

Paul wrote that elders are to be people of character first and foremost, and that means age, experience, maturity and heart in the things and people of God.

In a home church setting, as in the New Testament, elders are pastors who ‘take heed to themselves’ meaning they watch over their own walk with God. This brings into their lives the constant reminder of accountability to the Lord. They also seek the well being of the sheep as a first priority. They are people of character and maturity, with adequate life experience to guide others. Their leadership is offered to others, not demanded. They know when to be quiet and let the Lord use others, and when to speak. They are apt to teach, imparting to others what they have learned, though they are usually not gifted in or fill the role of teacher, but rather as father in the faith.

Their heart is that Christ might ‘be formed in them’ (Gal 4:19) and that we all may come into the unity of the faith, to the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ.