The Work of Elders

March 11, 2025

We tend to use the word “elders” in referring to our congregation’s leaders. This term (presbuteros in Greek) was used in both Jewish and Gentile environments for religious and civic leaders in the ancient world. Jack P. Lewis notes, “The term ‘elder’ suggests a leadership built on respect and reverence (cf. Lev. 19:32), a reverence that recognizes ability, service, knowledge, example, and seniority.”1

The New Testament uses “elders” interchangeably with two other words: overseer (episkopos) and shepherd (poimēn). Bishop is another word used in English for overseer. Unfortunately, it now has some historical baggage and has come to mean something different from its New Testament usage. Pastor comes into English from Latin and is simply a word meaning shepherd. The nouns “overseer” and “shepherd” also have corresponding verbs that are used in leadership contexts: to oversee (episkopeo) and to shepherd (poimainō).2 The following New Testament passages confirm the idea that these words were used interchangeably to refer to the same group of leaders within the congregation: Acts 20:17, 28, Titus 1:5-7, and 1 Peter 5:1-2.

Oversight. So what do elders do? Both the words “overseers” and “elders” suggest oversight, leadership, and decision making. In 1Timothy 5:17, Paul notes elders “who rule well” (ESV). The Greek verb in this verse (proistēmi) can be defined as “to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of).”3 The same verb is used in 1 Timothy 3:5 to speak of a elders’s leadership in his family.

Teaching. One of the qualifications of overseers in 1 Timothy 3 is “able to teach” (3:2). Some may “especially” give attention to “preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). “Especially” lets us know that the work goes beyond these things, but may include them. In the qualifications given in Titus, there is the need “to give instruction” (Titus 1:9). And shepherds are linked with others in Ephesians 4:11 as equipping the saints for service.

Guarding. The word “overseers” includes the idea of guardians. The image of shepherds also includes the thought of guardians of a flock of sheep. Paul warns the Ephesian elders of dangers coming to the church and urges them to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” and “be alert” (Acts 20:28, 31).

Shepherding. Shepherd is a very personal image. The figure of speech evokes the role of shepherd with his sheep: feeding, protecting, caring for wounds, and searching for the lost sheep.

And finally, we note that elders are “examples to the flock,” the church (1 Peter 5:3).

–Russ Holden

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1Lewis, Leadership Questions, p. 21

2I’ve given the first person singular form rather than the infinitive, because it is the dictionary form.

3BDAG, p. 870

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Posted by Russell Holden

Aspiring to be an Elder

November 12, 2024

This article is a call for our younger men to begin preparing themselves to serve as elders in the church.  Elders (also referred to as shepherds, pastors, bishops, or overseers) have a very critical role to play in the life and health of the church.  And since becoming an elder takes years of spiritual preparation, the church should always be looking ahead and thinking about how to prepare faithful men for this role.

We can read about the qualifications of elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.  Let’s take a look at some of the qualifications and consider how a man might prepare himself to fulfill them.  First, it is important to note that aspiring to be an elder is a good thing.  Paul wrote, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” (1 Timothy 3:1 NASB95) The work of an overseer is often difficult and comes with very weighty responsibilities.  In light of this, it is important that there is a desire to take on this work.  Elders need to serve willingly and eagerly, not under compulsion. (1 Peter 5:2)

Second, an elder must be able to teach (1 Timothy 3:2). He must hold fast to the faithful word and be able to encourage sound teaching and refute false teaching (Titus 1:9).  An elder, then, must be a man who is deeply rooted in the truth.  An aspiring elder must prepare himself through serious, ongoing study of the word of God.  People’s souls will depend on you faithfully holding fast to the teaching.

An elder must be one who “manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?) (1 Timothy 3:4-5 NASB95) The training ground for an elder is the family.  The one who aspires to be an elder must aspire to lead his family in the ways of God.

Finally, an elder must be a man who is himself walking with God.  Looking through the lists of qualities in 1 Timothy and Titus we see many descriptors of the kind of man he should be:  temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, gentle, peaceable, a lover of what is good, free from the love of money, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully (pugnacious).  In short, he must be a man who is being led by the Spirit of God.  He should be a man who has been walking with the Lord for many years; a man whose character has been transformed by the Lord.

It is a good thing for our men to aspire to this work.  If you feel the desire to serve as an elder one day, I encourage you to begin preparing now.  And if you do not desire this work, I still encourage you to strive for these qualities, for they are wonderful qualities for each of us to pursue.  May God raise up godly men among us to serve our congregation in this way.      

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin