Baptists and Elders

I am pleased this week, while on vacation, to have Jeff Cavanaugh as a guest blogger on Pastor and People. Jeff is someone I have grown to appreciate not only as a theologian, thinker, and writer but also as a dear friend. I trust you will enjoy his posts and be encouraged by his words.

Baptists and Elders by Jeff Cavanaugh

In today’s evangelical world, it seems most people don’t give a lot of thought to how the Bible says that the church should be governed and led. For those in established denominations, those conversations are several hundred years in the past. For those in non-denominational churches, the assumption seems to be that whatever works or is most effective is generally what should be done. As Mark Dever makes clear in the last chapter of Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, however, God has in fact given us a pattern for church leadership in His Word, the Bible. Those of us who value the Bible and intend to submit to its rule in all of faith and life would do well to understand and follow the Biblical model of church leadership.

First of all, leadership within the church is to be understood in a congregational context. That is, the congregation as a whole has final responsibility and authority for the most important and clear things in the life of the body, such as matters of doctrine and discipline. Within this congregational context, however, we are to submit to the leadership of a plurality of godly men-elders-who demonstrate good and godly character, knowledge of God’s Word, ability to teach, and concern for the good of the whole church. These men should have spiritual gifts that they are dedicated to using to build up the congregation. They exercise various roles in relation to the church-bosses, examples, suppliers, and servants. Biblical church leadership reflects God’s character as it shows a model of Christians submitting to the authority God has in himself and the authority he has delegated to church leaders on earth.

So, if your church doesn’t have elders who lead in this way, is that really such a bad thing? What’s the problem with, for example, the way most Baptist churches are structured with a pastor (the sole elder, in a sense) and deacons which serve with a mix of spiritual leadership and meeting physical needs? Are there any good reasons for a church to undertake the challenging task of changing its leadership structure? As a matter of fact, there are several real and potential problems with such a structure, not all of which are listed here.

First, and most importantly, it simply isn’t the model that Jesus has ordained for His church in the Bible. If we believe in the inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency of Scripture, we have a duty to follow its dictates in every area where it speaks to our lives and our churches. Polity-church government and leadership-is one area where the Bible does clearly tell us what to do, and we should obey. Remember that because of the congregational nature of the church, obeying the Bible as a congregation is something for which we all are responsible, and for which we are all to blame if we don’t.

Second, when men-like a board of deacons-who are not recognized by the congregation as elders have a share in the leading of the congregation, there can be an unhelpful confusion regarding who actually is in charge. On one hand, the pastor, who has the responsibility of preaching God’s word as an elder, should naturally be seen as one who should be looked to and obeyed as a leader. On the other hand, God never intended that a single man should bear the whole burden of leading a congregation, and a pastor who is appropriately humbled by God’s word will naturally turn to others-such as deacons-to help him with that burden.

Third, there can be an unhelpful confusion regarding the role that deacons are to play in the church. The New Testament is fairly clear-and Baptists historically understood-that deacons are not the ones who are to be in charge of the teaching and leadership of the church. They aren’t required to be skilled in understanding and teaching the Word of God as elders are, and they have another role that is clearly outlined in the Bible. They are to serve the physical and organizational needs of the church, taking the burden of “waiting tables” off of those whose duty it really is to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Fourth, when the pastor and the deacons both have a degree of spiritual leadership, it can sometimes produce a tension-at worst, an outright struggle-between them over the leadership of the church. While this is certainly possible with elders as well, it is less likely where the pastor understands himself to be-and is understood by the congregation as-only one of several elders, each with an equal share of the burden of ministry, and each with a duty to respect and submit to the others.

Fifth, when there is not a plurality of elders in the local church, the pastor almost always finds himself with an impossible load, as the entire burden of the ministry is on his shoulders. He is particularly vulnerable to criticism for initiatives he might take to lead the church in new directions. If the church is larger than even just a few dozen members, it can be nearly impossible for the pastor to know the congregation well enough to care for them spiritually as an under-shepherd of the flock should.

So, for obedience to the Bible, for clarity on who’s in charge, for clarity regarding the role of deacons, for unanimity in leadership, and for the relief of the pastor, consider leading your church to adopt a plurality of elders. These are just a few reasons, and there are many more. Making that sort of move may be difficult, and so it should be approached deliberately, with great wisdom and much faithful teaching of the congregation. If done wisely, however, regaining the Biblical model of plural eldership can have great fruit for your church and for the whole Bride of Christ.

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Jeff Cavanaugh is pursuing a Master of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Originally from central Ohio, he graduated from Patrick Henry College with a degree in Government. Before moving to Louisville, he spent some time in Washington, D.C. where he interned at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and worked for the White House handling presidential correspondence. He is a member at Third Avenue Baptist Church and hopes to pursue pastoral ministry after finishing seminary. He is married to a wonderful wife, Andrea.

 

Filed under: Baptist, Elder, Guest Blogger, The Church

More Advice for a Pulpit-Search Committee

Not only are there doctrinal questions to be asked in the pastoral search, but there are many practical implications that must be examined as well. Someone who can answer the doctrinal questions very satisfactorily may not make a good pastor. On the other hand, if the individual cannot answer the doctrinal questions he would still not make a good pastor.

Let me be clear, the primary role of a pastor is to preach. Above and beyond anything else he may do in the church, his singular role and most important is to exposit, teach and preach the Word of God. He is doing a great disservice to his people if he fails in this area.

Many churches are blessed with numerous elders and deacons. If this is the case, they should be doing the “work” of the ministry, freeing the senior pastor to study, pray and preach. I realize this is only in an ideal situation and something perhaps to work toward in the future if not already in place. However, in the many churches I know of without a pastor the luxury of elders and numerous deacons is simply not there. Therefore, it falls upon the pastor to do the practical side of ministry (time-management in this regard is a separate matter). I want to present some questions and probing insights that would be helpful in the interview process with a prospective pastor.

- Explain your view of ministry. Perhaps give a personal philosophy of ministry.

- What do you see as practical ministries in the church?

- What role do you see the pastor playing the practical ministry of the church?

- What are your views of weekly visitation to the shut-ins and nursing homes?

- Do you feel the church should have a ministry in the nursing homes?

- What type of resources and ministry should the church provide those who are members but are elderly and shut-in?

- What is your view of evangelistic visitation? Do you feel this is important and something everyone in the church should be involved in?

- How often, weekly, would you be involved in evangelistic visitation?

- If not in place already, how will you implement awareness and ministry opportunities for home and international missions?

- What do you think about prospective-member visitation?

- Do you think hospital visitation is necessary and important?

- To what degree will you try to minister to those in the hospital and those sick?

- What type of ministry should be in place to minister to those who have bereavement issues?

- How do you feel about prison (perhaps you can insert another ministry that better describes your church) outreach and ministry?

- What type of ministry outreach should be given to the poor in the community?

- What would be your strategy in implementing new ministries in the church? Specifically, how would you implement a nursing home (insert a ministry your church is not currently involved in) ministry if the church did not have one?

- Will you be a visible presence in the life and ministry of the church?

- How well will you delegate ministry jobs and positions in the church?

- To what degree do you feel you would be involved with the youth and children’s ministry of the church?

- Do you intend to equip the deacons to serve the members of the church in various ministry capacities?

- How well do you work with others? How well do you work with others in leadership positions?

- Do you find it easy to get along with those who agree or disagree with you?

- Will you be accessible for counseling members in bereavement situations, marital situations, and whatever else comes up in the yearly life of the church?

- How well do you handle stress?

- What do you believe the Bible means when it says, “equip the saints for the work of the ministry”?

- What administrative skills do you have?

- Do you have past or current problems with drugs, alcohol, or pornography?

(Perhaps you will want to give the man a few case studies and see how he answers and what strategies he will implement to meet the need.)

Again, this list of insights and questions is by no means meant to be exhaustive. There are many parts to these questions and much follow-up and follow-through that will no doubt take place. This is meant only to be a guideline and help in the interview process. If you can think of other important questions that should be added to this list please feel free to drop me a line in the comment box. I appreciate Rick Mansfield already setting me upon the right track by leaving a comment and suggestions in my first post. I truly pray this aids you in your search.

Filed under: Deacon, Doctrine, Elder, Evangelism, Ministry, Pastors, Preaching, The Church

A Qualified Elder

The one supreme authority for the church is Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18) and that church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders (also called bishops, pastors, and pastor-teachers; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5). These leaders lead or rule as servants of Christ (1 Timothy 5:17-22) and have His authority in directing the church. The congregation is to submit to their leadership (Hebrews 13:7, 17). I would refer you to my other posts on Eldership and the qualifications of a Deacon.

The primary responsibility of the Elders is to devote themselves to prayer and the Word. The Elders are responsible for governing the church, teaching the Word and tending the flock. Elders must possess the qualifications described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9.

The qualifications for the office of an Elder:

(a) Blameless as a steward of God; above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6-7)

(b) Husband of one wife; a one-woman man (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6)

(c) Temperate, sober, vigilant (1 Timothy 3:2)

(d) Sober-minded, prudent (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8)

(e) Of good behavior; orderly, respectable (1 Timothy 3:2)

(f) Given to hospitality (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8)

(g) Apt to teach; able to teach; he can exhort believers and refute false teaching (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9)

(h) Not given to wine (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7)

(i) Not violent; not pugnacious (1 Timothy 3:3, Titus 1:7)

(j) Patient, moderate, forbearing, gentle (1 Timothy 3:3)

(k) Not a brawler; uncontentious; not soon angry or quick-tempered (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7)

(l) Not covetous; not a lover of money; not greedy of base gain (1 Timothy 3:3, Titus 1:7)

(m) Rules well his own house; his children are faithful, not accused of rebellion to God (1 Timothy 3:4; Titus 1:7)

(n) Not a novice; not a new convert (1 Timothy 3:6)

(o) Has a good report or reputation with outsiders (1 Timothy 3:7)

(p) Not self-willed (Titus 1:7)

(q) A lover of good men and things (Titus 1:8)

(r) Just, fair (Titus 1:8)

(s) Holy, devout (Titus 1:8)

(t) Self-controlled (Titus 1:8)

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Image: Saint Paul by Etienne Parrocel, 1740’s

Filed under: Elder, The Church

Elders, Southern Baptists and Church Structure, pt. 5

Most important among the Elder discussion is the truth that Christ has preeminence and position of headship in the local church. Because the apostles knew that Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, was uniquely present with them as Ruler, Head, Lord, Pastor, Master, Overseer, High Priest, and King, they chose a form of government that reflected this distinctive, fundamental, Christian truth. Even among a congregation that has a plurality of elders there must be a Christ-centeredness and a Christ-dependency among not only the elders but the congregation as well. Must churches have a plurality of elders? Does that church desire to be Biblical? Does that church desire to honor the model of the early New Testament Church? If yes, then a church is to have, according to Scripture a plurality of elders. It works, it’s needed, it’s Baptist and it’s Biblical.

(Thank you for your interest in these posts.  If you would like this discussion in a paper format please contact me.  I would very much like to hear your comments on the topic of Elders in Southern Baptist life.)

Filed under: Church Government, Elder, Southern Baptist, The Church

Elders, Southern Baptists and Church Structure, pt. 4

Defense of Elder Position

The first position that must be defended is that of the relationship of the plurality of elders among one another in regards to their relationship with the “pastor” who is, after all, suppose to be of equal rank. This was the question that many Baptists were asking in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as they considered the role and place of ruling elders with teaching elders. Baptists finally concluded that there can be no distinction between ruling and teaching in the eldership. The particular elder usually referred to as “the” pastor is generally the one set apart to fill the pulpit on Sunday. He is often the one the congregation will see the most during special services and the weekly meeting times of the church. He will often be paid either part time or fully. Most of the time, the elder that fulfills this particular role will be called, by virtue of his calling, the senior pastor. Yet among the other elders of the congregation, the senior pastor is an equal and only has one vote among the group. Therefore the men that make up the plurality of elders in the church see their individual role as benefiting the congregation as a whole and most importantly pleasing Christ.

To the view of the congregation not wanting a team of preachers and maybe it is the case that the main pastor himself does not want a team of preachers in his church. Among a plurality of elders there must be a shared leadership. This concept should not be a new idea to a Bible-reading Christian. The New Testament reveals that the pastoral oversight of many of the first churches was committed to a plurality of elders. This held true not only of the Jewish Christian churches in Jerusalem, Judea, and neighboring countries, but also among many of the Gentile churches. For example James instructed the sick believer to “call for the elders [plural] of the church [singular]” (James 5:14). In Acts 15 the elders in the elders united in the Jerusalem church with the twelve apostles to deliberate over doctrinal controversy. So like the apostolate, the elders comprised a collective leadership body. When Paul wrote to the Christians at Philippi, he greeted “the overseers [plural] and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). Peter when writing to the churches of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia exhorted the elders to pastor the flock (1 Peter 5:1). This indicates that Peter knew that the elder structure of government was standard practice in these churches. The benefits of having a plurality of elders will be seen by the congregation when they not only have one man to minister to them but a team of individuals to meet their needs even to a greater extent. The council of elders tends to balance each other’s weaknesses, the work load is lightened and there is a true accountability among them as fellow ministers of the gospel. The benefits to the congregation as well as the other elders in a plurality government far out weight the benefits of simply having one individual leading a congregation.

Filed under: Church Government, Elder, Southern Baptist, The Church