79a) Formation and Functioning of a Biblical Eldership

Introduction: Practical Issues in Eldership Formation and Functioning

0:03 Well, we come again, brethren, to take up the subject that we began to consider in our previous lectures, namely the normal framework for the task of oversight of the people of God. And in that previous study, I set before you the two major presuppositions on which all of the materials rest. And then we worked through the basic thesis that the normal framework for the administration of the task of oversight is that of a plurality of scripturally qualified overseers functioning with genuine parity, but with realistic, harmonious, functional diversity. I then sought to demonstrate the scriptural foundation for the four major elements in that thesis, and then I concluded by setting before you four major exhortations and warnings growing out of the thesis. Now, having laid before you...

1:02 a basic overview of the theology of the eldership, I wish today to move on to consider some very practical issues relating to the formation and functioning of a biblically established eldership. And there are two major divisions to today's materials. First, practical directives for establishing a biblical eldership, and then secondly, practical directives for the efficient functioning of a biblical eldership. First of all, then, as you see in your notes, large letter A, practical directives for establishing a biblical eldership.

Qualifying Statements for Establishing a Biblical Eldership

1:40 And as I introduce this large heading, I want to make a couple of qualifying statements. And the first is this, that the outworking of these principles will vary in terms of the situation in which God has placed you as you are brought into the eldership yourself. Some of you will go into virgin soil, and in that virgin soil, there will not be at the outset any men of any semblance of matured Christian character. What you have to do in the application of these principles will in many ways be different from the situation where a man goes in, and we have seen this, and the very core group that is called him is made up of men who have already, in principle, been functioning as elders. men of sufficient maturity, understanding, and grace, that they have been able, as they have prayed together and worked together in various ways, perhaps establishing a Bible study and circulating the leadership of public ministry among themselves, and in a sense, a man inherits two or three partially grown elders, even on virgin soil. Now, obviously, the outworking of the principles in those two situations will have a tremendous, broad spectrum of diversity. On the other hand, some of you may come into a situation where there is a well-established work,

3:09 and already a plurality of elders, functioning with genuine parity and realistic, harmonious diversity, and in that situation, the application of these principles, again, will differ greatly. So we must understand that the outworking of the principles will vary in terms of the diversity of the elders. In terms of the situation into which God places you. A failure to recognize that will cause you to err on one side or another in the outworking of these biblical principles, and then lead people to have a negative response to the very things you are seeking to promote.

3:48 And then secondly, by way of introduction, the outworking of these principles must never be regarded as mechanical, since the activity of the Spirit, and the dispositions of Providence, are free and, many times, unpredictable. These principles will bend to these higher realities. We must never view the activity of the Spirit and the dispositions of Providence as something that we control. In this aspect, as in all other areas of church life, we are shut up to the Word and the Spirit, and to the good pleasure of a sovereign God.

4:26 And we must never forget that. And approach this as though we were given a blueprint for the organization of an army, or the organization of a company that's about to float stock and throw itself into the commercial arena. The outworking of the principles must never be regarded as mechanical. Now, with these qualifying statements conditioning all that follows, I want to set before you these directives under three major headings, and I've tried to use words that have some sense, words that have some stickability to them, supplication, cultivation, and recognition.

Directive 1: Supplication (Asking God for Overseers)

5:03 First of all, then, under supplication, why must supplication, that is, asking God for specific things with deep desire, why must supplication mark any directive that is touching on the subject of the establishing of a biblical eldership? Well, I answer by saying that, the general relationship between prayer and the blessing of God necessitates this, but there are particular things in the very nature of the establishment of an eldership that make it highly desirable and mandate to us that there be a true spirit of grace and supplication upon our hearts as we wrestle with this very vital issue. And some of those things that necessitate this, I've listed in your notes first, it is God who makes men into true overseers. In Ephesians 4, 9 to 11, the very familiar passage to which we've made reference many times in the course of the lectures dealing with the task of oversight and matters related to it, the emphasis of the activity of the exalted Christ is dominant in this passage. But unto each one of us was the grace given.

6:27 According to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now this, he ascended, what is it? That he also descended into the lower part of the earth.

6:44 He that descended is the same that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some to the apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Do you see the pervasive emphasis upon the givenness of these gifts in general and in particular the givenness of pastors and teachers? Unto each one of us was the grace given.

7:12 According to the measure of the gift. And he gave gifts. And he gave some. And the emphasis in the original is strong.

7:23 He himself gave. He gives. He gives. And in that recognition we must never think this is a task we take into our hands and basically, while we shoot up a prayer to heaven occasionally, this is a task in which we carry out the issue.

7:43 No, it is God himself who makes men into true overseers and the ascended Christ alone who gives them to his people. And the same emphasis is there. In Romans 2, verses 4 through 6a. Dealing with the diversity of gifts, the apostle writes, For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, so we who are many are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.

8:14 And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us. Grace that was given. The diversity of gifts that will find expression in some men being gifted of Christ for the work of the eldership. It is God who thus endows them with those gifts.

8:40 And the same emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12, verses 4 through 7. Dealing again with the subject of the gifts that are given within the church for the benefit of the whole body. In 1 Corinthians 12, verses 4 through 7, the apostle writes, Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of ministration, and the same Lord.

9:07 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God who works all things in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit with all. Forgiveness is again underscored. Or, when we look at 1 Timothy 3, verses 1 to 7, and consider the fact that there must be internal desire, and with that the commensurate graces and gifts, all of those things, both the desire, sanctified and purified, the endowment of gifts and graces, these are all the work of God.

9:44 And therefore supplication must be the baseline in any directive for establishing a biblical eldership. The evidence that we really believe that something is ultimately the work of God is the measure of our prayerfulness in relationship to that activity. We must evidence our conviction that God makes men and gives them as overseers by the degree of our prayerfulness. And then Acts 20 and verse 28 is the capstone text as Paul charges these elders with their responsibility.

10:24 He reminds them of this very fact. They are to take heed to themselves and to all of the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. They are not in that position because of some kind of ecclesiastical nepotism, because they have somehow conned the people into recognizing them. He says the Holy Spirit has placed them as overseers.

10:53 There was the immediate, though not what we would call directly revelatory, but nonetheless the immediate, imminent activity of God the Holy Spirit. And therefore the issue must not be approached in a naturalistic manner but with a deep undercurrent of supernaturalism in the whole process. But then supplication ought to be foundational to this whole process. In the second place, because it is God who makes congregations submissive to the Word and the Spirit in order to recognize and receive those whom he gives.

11:32 As surely as God alone can make true overseers, God alone can make his people recognize true overseers and receive them as his gift. We have tragic examples of the Old and New Testament of situations in which God gave leaders to his people, but whom his people refused to follow. And in speed reading some of those sections in the Old Testament, again and again, Moses given by God to the people is refused in his leadership because there was something defective in the hearts of those to whom he was given as a leader. And then I've cited the Corinthians' temporary rejection of Paul.

12:17 When you read that second letter of Paul, to the Corinthians, you're filled with mingled emotions of grief and pain and astonishment. How in the world could these people be so buffaloed as to think that Paul was not a true apostle and that he should be pushed outside of the realm of having a pastoral slash apostolic ministry towards them? So with these examples in the Scriptures, we need to recognize that it's God who makes congregations submissive to the Word and to the Spirit in order to recognize and receive those whom he gives. And because the dynamics of the Spirit's work are tied in to the prayers of God's people, we must be eminently prayerful in this whole endeavor. And I've cited those two texts that you hear quoted often. And when I'm praying, these are two of the most well-known texts that I constantly bring before God. If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?

13:27 And it's as we ask that God gives. Philippians 1.19, This shall turn to my salvation or deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That intimate conjunction between prayer and the supply of the Spirit.

13:46 By way of application, I want to say that I've lived long enough to see the tragic harm that has come when men have sought to implement biblical principles by carnal and prayerless means. Biblical principles by carnal and prayerless means. And since a true eldership is so vital to the well-being of the Church, the enemy will fight it tooth and nail. So if ever we need to keep 2 Corinthians 10.4 before us, it is in this arena of concern. Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. The praying man will be kept sensitive to a host of issues that the prayerless man will simply overlook. And so, my brethren, in this great work of seeking under God to be integrated into an existing eldership and in due course being involved in the recognition of other elders, or going into a virgin situation with no potential elders, or some homegrown, half-matured elders,

15:02 whatever the situation, in this matter, as in all other facets of your labor, you must begin and carry on that work on your face, alone with God. If you fail here, it is right that God would make you a living, current validation of Jeremiah 17, verses 5 through 9. Another passage that again has been a lifetime companion with me. Would God that it had even a greater influence upon all of my thinking.

15:33 Thus saith the Lord, Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord. He shall be like the heathen of the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose trust the Lord is. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river, shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green, shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

16:14 So as you contemplate in due course this whole matter of the recognition of fellow elders or elders initially, let this verse be stamped over all of your perspective. God pronounces a curse upon the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm. If you think you've got it all sorted out and your theology of it and the text are all there, and there is not an internal, present sense of one's utter dependence upon God causing us to have this entire endeavor founded upon eminent prayerfulness, it would be right for God to curse those endeavors. And in turn, the people of God suffer from God's curse upon His servants who do His work in self-confidence. But since the God who works sovereignly, often unpredictably, but works in answer to prayer, is the God who works by means that leads us to the second category, the category of the directives for establishing a biblical eldership, the category that I am subsuming under the word cultivation. Now I'm using the word in the sense of promoting the growth or development of something. If we say a man cultivated the vegetables in his garden or he cultivated a good flower garden, he promotes the growth and development of that garden by taking out the weeds,

Directive 2: Cultivation (Promoting Growth and Development)

17:41 by feeding it with fertilizer, etc. And so the imagery is that we look upon the congregation as the garden of God and we are convinced there are some plants whom the Lord will cause to grow into scripturally qualified, biblically functioning elders. Now, our concern is that we work with God. We are workers together with Him to see such plants brought to their God-given potential in that garden.

18:14 And I'd like to suggest there are three tools with which we go out and work in the garden by way of sanctified, biblically directed endeavor in this broad category of cultivation. First of all, and foundational to all the others, preaching and teaching on the subject. If the people of God are to act in faith with respect to the establishment of an eldership, they must act out of the conviction that it is the will of God. And they cannot do this unless they see the will of God as transcribed in the Word of God.

18:53 So often it's true that people err not knowing the Scriptures. They err not because they've got a clenched fist to their Bibles, it's because they've got an empty head with respect to a given area of biblical instruction. And so as part of the ongoing outworking of the Lord's commission in Matthew 28, 20, to teach them all things whatsoever I have commanded you, then in this area of seeking to do the work of cultivation, preaching and teaching on the subject is foundational. There's a lovely little incident recorded in the second volume of Ian Murray's condensation of Spurgeon's four volumes of autobiography, the second volume called The Full Harvest on page 74. Spurgeon writes, When I came to New Park Street the church had deacons but no elders. And I thought from my study of the New Testament that there should be both orders of officers. They are very useful when we can get them, the deacons to attend to all the secular matters and the elders to devote themselves to the spiritual part of the work.

20:02 This division of labor supplies an outlet for two different sorts of talent and allows two kinds of men to be serviceable in the church. And I'm sure it's good to have two sets of brethren as officers instead of one set who have to do everything and who often become masters of the church instead of the servants as both deacons and elders should be. As there were no elders at New Park Street when I read and expounded the passages in the New Testament referring to elders I used to say, this is an order of Christian workers which appears to have dropped out of existence. In apostolic times they had both deacons and elders but somehow the church has departed from this early custom.

20:43 We have one preaching elder, that is the pastor, and he's expected to perform all the duties of the eldership. That's what Spurgeon would say when he came to one of the relevant passages. That's the end of him quoting himself. One and another of the members began to inquire of me.

20:58 Ought not we as a church to have elders? Can we not elect some of our brethren who are qualified to fill the office? I answered, we'd better not disturb the existing state of affairs. But suddenly, some enthusiastic young man said they would propose at the church meeting that elders should be appointed.

21:16 And ultimately we did appoint them with the unanimous consent of the members. I did not force the question upon them. I only showed them that it was scriptural and then they, of course, wanted to carry it into effect. And then there is this beautiful entry from the church meeting book that has a record of all their congregational meetings from January 12 in 1859.

21:42 Here's the transcript. Our pastor, in accordance with a previous notice, then stated the necessity that had long been felt by the church for the appointment of certain brethren to the office of elders to watch over the spiritual affairs of the church. Our pastor pointed out the scripture warrant for such an office and quoted the several passages relating to the ordaining of elders. Titus 1.5.

22:06 Acts 14.23. The qualification of elders. 1 Timothy 3.1-7.

22:11 Titus 1.5-9. The duties of elders. Acts 20.28-35.

22:17 1 Timothy 5.17. And James 5.14.

22:21 And other mention of elders. Acts 11.30. Acts 15.4.6.23.

22:29 16.4. And 1 Timothy 4.14.

22:32 And you see what happened. Here was instruction to a people who had no past tradition and when their consciences were persuaded from the word of God. Here was a people desirous to follow the word of God and Spurgeon wisely laid back until the pressure of the word upon the conscience of his people was such he would have had to give up his credibility not to have responded to that grassroots response. Now in some situations that's the ideal and it says the church was absolutely unanimous and in some cases there may be people who are recalcitrant but whatever the response was it may be be certain that it is not because you failed thoroughly to preach and teach the fundamental biblical truth with respect to elders who they are qualifications etc. God's promise to his people under the new covenant in Jeremiah 3.15 is this I will give them shepherds according to my heart who shall feed them with knowledge and understanding. And that's our great task if we are privileged to be set apart to labor in the word and in teaching.

23:41 Now this does not mean that your first series of sermons in the first three months in the new place is on the biblical doctrine of the eldership. You've got to use wisdom with respect to these matters earning the confidence of your people as a safe and trusted guide taking them down paths already familiar to them and yet opening up new riches of what they are and have in Christ new dimensions of their privileges and duties growing out of that relationship they sustain to Christ by his grace and having won their confidence in due course in prayerful waiting upon God at the proper time then teach and preach on the subject. It may be as with Spurgeon he obviously didn't just give everything all at once but he dropped the seed and then no doubt watered it with his prayers and he let the spirit of God have some time to work that seed send some roots downward into the thinking and into the convictions of the people until this beautiful plant sprung up of a whole consensus among the people we must obey the word of God. But then second to that there must not only be preaching and instruction but pastoral encouragement of specific individuals. As you are praying as you instruct you must be looking for men who evidence both graces and gifts for the work of oversight. So, 1 Timothy 3.1 indicates

25:10 the legitimacy of sanctified desire and often the most qualified are the most reluctant. The most qualified are the most reluctant because they have the foundational grace to all others that of humility and self-effacement. They have a servant's heart and the most qualified are often the most reluctant and since the office cannot be forced upon the man that reluctance must be overcome. And as certain men come to your mind as you pray you must prayerfully take the opportunities to ask them questions such as these.

25:54 John, Harry, Pete, have you had any inclination as you think of the work of God and how you fit in here have you ever had any thoughts that God might want you to serve in any office bearing capacity? All you are doing is trying to get Him to open up. You are not putting anything in there. You are trying to find out what God may be putting in there.

26:16 What do you feel you lack if you were to aspire to the office of an elder? What are the areas in which you feel yourself deficient? Is there anything we can do to work on those areas? Pastoral encouragement of specific individuals.

26:33 Now fully aware of the warning to lay hands suddenly or hastily on no man, that no one is to be encouraged into the office who is a recent convert. Again, the directive of the apostle, do these things without partiality. Yet, the principle of 2 Timothy 2.2 is clear.

26:52 Paul says to Timothy, the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful, trustworthy men. Timothy was to exercise discretion among men. As he looked at men, some he would consider to be trustworthy. Some who were proven worthy of that additional intensified investment of Timothy's ministry to them.

27:20 And again, it's interesting that Spurgeon captured that principle in that same section in which he mentions how he went about instructing the congregation. He went on to say, I've always made it a rule to consult the existing officers of the church before recommending the election of new deacons or elders, and I have been on the lookout for those who have proved their fitness for office by the work they have accomplished in their private capacity. He was constantly looking and taking some sanctified initiative in pastoral encouragement of specific individuals. But then, thirdly, in this area of cultivation added to the instruction and preaching pastoral encouragement of specific individuals, there should be pastoral awareness of the thinking of your flock. If God is constituting a man an overseer, there is almost invariably some degree of a groundswell of general consensus on the part of a well instructed people. Now, if they are not well instructed, they may have a consensus based on false premises. The guy's a charmer, the guy's sweet, the guy can speak, the guy can this,

28:48 the guy can that. That consensus means nothing if you are determined to act biblically. But here are people whose minds have been sufficiently instructed in the teaching of the word of God so that the grid through which there is not some degree of a groundswell from the people recognizing the activity of Christ. The office does not make the man.

29:20 Rather, it's the making of the man which prepares him for the office. And the work of God in making the man will often be seen by the people of God. So then, you must be aware of who and the advice to whom people are looking as a standard in his family life, in his integrity, in his area of work and business. In the prayer meeting, who is the brother or the brethren that, when they pray, you sense that they carry the congregation on their heart, of fashioning him into an overseer and a gift of Christ. If Christ is forming and giving a man as a gift to the church, that activity, I say, will ordinarily be sensed by the people. And so in your fulfillment of your pastoral duty, you must have your antenna out. You're not out among the people to promote your man.

30:33 You are among your people to see whom Christ is promoting in the deepest levels of their spiritual consciousness. Now, I can't give you a little rule book how you do that. But you've got to do it and be open to that input. I've listed Acts 16, 1 and 2 as a specimen text when Paul, even though he is an apostle and has known direct revelatory activity of the Spirit of God, and in the Acts 13 passage there seems to be some kind of unique, identification of the two men who are to be set apart, how the Lord indicated his mind, we don't know.

31:16 It just says, the Holy Spirit said, separate Barnabas and Saul. Most likely, since there were prophets there, the Holy Spirit said is almost technical language for a prophetic utterance. So Paul knew what it was in matters of personnel in conjunction with the kingdom to be the recipient, or at least in the context of direct revelatory activity of God. But when he's going to choose a companion, notice what he does.

31:42 He came to Derbe and to Lystra and behold, a certain disciple, doesn't say he was an elder, he was a disciple, was there named Timothy, the son of a Jew as they believed, but his father was a Greek. The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go with him. Now you see the conjunction.

32:05 Paul was greatly dependent upon the grassroots congregational consensus in these two cities with respect to this man, Timothy. He was well reported of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium. Now it doesn't give us any data what was the nature of his interaction, what were the constituent elements of that, but one thing is clear that Paul did not say God's made it clear to me Timothy's to go with me, I don't care what you think about him. In this instance, he seems to be dependent more upon Timothy.

32:38 Upon the dynamics and the framework within which we will in the ordinary course of recognizing elders, that framework within which we will operate. So in conjunction then with the constant labor of supplication, I add the work of cultivation through teaching, encouragement, and pastoral awareness. Now we come to the third directive for establishing a biblical eldership and it's all subsumed under the word recognition. Now under this heading I'll address myself to the question of the mechanics of discovering the will and work of Christ in giving an overseer and how such a one thus discovered actually takes up his labor in the flock of God. Now again, here as in so many areas of doctrine and practice, church history shows us a pattern of extremes, imbalances, and a partial recognition of the biblical data, all of which result in a convoluting of these issues. As you become more and more aware of the tragedies of church history, you will see that this has been true. And what I desire to do is to lay before you the biblical principles that I hope under God will keep you from any of these extremes.

Directive 3: Recognition (Discovering God's Will and Work)

33:58 And the first is this.

34:01 Recognize that no pattern of recognition is adequate unless it operates within the perspective that no one group of men or congregation can make a man an overseer. Now that's quite a mouthful, but I don't know anything that I want to delete from it. In reworking the lecture yesterday, I said, no, I can't leave out any of that. No pattern is adequate unless it operates within the perspective that no man, no group of men, no congregation can make a man an overseer.

34:33 Often the debate is focused on the question, who has the right to ordain a man to be an elder? Is it a bishop? Is it the existing overseers? Is it the congregation?

34:46 But you see, that question is wrong-headed. We need to ask the question, who is it that makes an overseer? And the scripture again is clear. I go back to the Ephesians 4 passage with the autos edoke.

35:01 He gives pastors and teachers. It is the prerogative of the association that ascended Christ to give men as pastors and teachers to his church. And the Holy Spirit who is the executor on earth of the will of Christ in heaven, He places men as overseers in the flock of God. Acts 20 and verse 28.

35:26 You must let those texts percolate into all of the subterranean stuff of your brain when you think of this whole matter of a process of recognition. And you must emphasize to your people that whatever part they may have in the whole process that ultimately they do not give a man this office. They do not confer this upon the church. It is Christ himself who gives such gifts to his church.

36:00 Secondly, no pattern of recognition is adequate unless it focuses on a careful and realistic assessment of a man's character and gifts as set forth in the two pivotal passages of the New Testament. 1 Timothy 3, 1 to 7 and Titus 1, 5 to 9. Here the great head of the church has given us a transcript of his mind with reference to those whom we recognize as his gifts. If you ask the Lord, How may I know, Lord, that you are giving a gift?

36:38 He says, Look at the portrait of my gift in those two passages and compare the man you are contemplating with the portrait that I have given. And if where I say there ought to be a nose you see an ear, that's not my gift to the church. And if where I say there ought to be a chin there's nothing, then that's not my gift. Here is my portrait of those whom I give.

37:03 Look at this man and see if he is a reasonable mirror image of the portrait that I have drawn. There are times when I've traveled abroad and I'm to be picked up at the airport with people who've never seen me, never seen a picture of me. They've just heard my voice. And what the person does on the other end is they give a picture and they say, Somebody looks like this.

37:24 That's him. Wave your hand, holler, do something. That's Pastor Martin. So what does he do?

37:29 He looks at the picture and here comes the guy through who's five foot two, three hundred and twenty-five pounds and he's got a beard and half bald. He said, No, I don't think that's him. Doesn't quite look like that. And then someone else comes through six foot seven and weighs only a hundred and ninety pounds and barely got his bones hung together with sinews and he looks about twenty-one.

37:51 He said, What's he doing? He's waiting until someone comes through in whom there is a reasonable facsimile of what's here in the picture. All right? Now the picture may have been taken five years ago and they have a few more lines, a few more wrinkles, a few less hairs here, but there's a reasonable proximity.

38:07 Oh, that's Pastor Martin. Now this is what Christ has done in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. He says, You want to see my gift? Do you want to recognize it?

38:14 Here's the point. Look for a reasonable facsimile. Look for a reasonable representation. Don't waffle on this point.

38:23 Listen to Owen in his section on the true nature of a gospel church which is listed at the end in that brief bibliography. He says that the call of persons under the pastoral office in the church consists of two parts, election and ordination. Then, dealing with what is previous to election or the suffrage of the church, this is what he says. That which is previous unto it is the meekness, that is, the fitness of the person for his office and work that is to be chosen.

38:52 It can never be the duty of the church to call or choose an unmeet and unqualified and unprepared person to this office. No pretended necessity, no outward motives can enable or warrant it to do so. Nor can it by any outward act, whatever the rule or solemnity of it be, communicate ministerial authority unto persons utterly unqualified for and incapable of the discharge of the pastoral office according to the rule of Scripture. And this has been one great means of debasing the ministry and of almost ruining the church itself, either by the neglect of those who suppose them and themselves entrusted with the whole power of ordination and here he's going after bishops and prelates who think they have been given by Christ the power to ordain people to office or he says and pick up the thread of thought or by imposition on them by secular power and patrons of livings referring again to situations in Anglicanism as they are called with the stated regulation of their proceedings herein by a defective law whence there has not been a due regard unto the antecedent preparatory qualifications of those who are called to this office. He goes on to say the church is not to call or choose anyone to office who is not known

40:22 unto them whose frame of spirit in walking they've not had some experience not an office or one lately come to them he must be one who by his ways and walking has obtained a good report even among them that are without so far as he is known unless those without the enemies are scoffed one that hath in some measure evidenced his faith love and obedience unto Jesus Christ in the church this is the chief trust that the Lord Christ has committed unto his churches and if they are negligent therein or if all adventures they will impose an officer in his house upon him without satisfaction of his meekness upon due inquiry it is a great dishonor unto him Christ and provocation of him herein principally are churches made the overseers of their own purity and edification what a profound statement the churches are made the overseers of their own purity and edification in what in their determination that they will not consent to have anyone set apart to this office who does not meet the biblical qualifications this is the great means Owen says that the God is put in the hands of the church to promote its own purity and edification and that's worthy of reflecting upon that because if indeed

41:51 as an ordinary course the state of a people is determined by the sustained input of its leadership then Owen's assessment is indeed an accurate one so no pattern of recognition is adequate unless it focuses whatever else it involves it must focus on a careful and realistic assessment of a man's character and gifts as set forth in the relative passages but then thirdly no pattern of recognition is adequate unless it secures an expression of recognition from the people of God and where applicable the existing oversight since the overseer is to lead he cannot do so if he does not have a grip upon the consciences of those whom he seeks to lead leadership in Christ's church is spiritual it is not magisterial it is not carnal it is not political we must follow any dictates of the government over us until those dictates cross the clear teaching of the word of God then we say we must obey God rather than man we are told to honor the king whether there is anything honorable about him or not that is in the civil realm but God does not call upon us to follow in spiritual things those who do not hold a grip on our conscience by their spiritual stature and this is why God has given the right

43:21 and responsibility to the people of God to assess those whom they will recognize as over them in the Lord for once they recognize them then they have solemn obligations to follow them as they lead them in the scriptures but what a terrible thing when people are seeking to obey all of the biblical injunctions about those placed over them when the overall tenor of their lives does not grip their conscience that these men are the embodiment of their message and so there must be some opportunity for the people of God to express this presence or absence of the grip of the life and gifts of the man being set before them and certainly this is true if God has put in place an existing leadership he would not be adding to that leadership someone whom the leadership could not recognize as being a gift of Christ along with their previous and periodically affirmed fitness for that office now the Acts 6 passage is most instructive at this point not as a one-to-one equivalent but as containing some vital principles relative to the recognition of leaders in the church notice notice notice first of all that the initiative was taken by the existing leadership here was a crisis

44:50 and the existing leadership was deposited in the apostles at this point and what did the apostles do they took the initiative to address this deficiency in an area of leadership you know the story the tension between the Grecian the Hellenistic and Hebrew widows and the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said it's not fit to be in the church it's not fit that we should forsake the word of God and serve tables look out among you from among you seven men good report full of the spirit and of wisdom whom we may appoint over this business but we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word the existing leadership did not come out to the congregation and say look we got a problem let's have a congregational meeting and see what we do with it no they gave definitive directives as God gave them wisdom to address this crisis in the life of the church so there was the initiative taken by the existing leadership then there was secondly the activity of the whole congregation and this saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose now by what process did a church of over five thousand do this I don't know but Luke summarizes that the saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose so when we think of logistical problems certainly if any church had logistical problems to fulfill the directive to look out among themselves this church would but Luke just says in a very matter

46:19 of fact way the saying pleased the whole multitude they chose Stephen and names the seven and then in verse six we have the concurrence of the existing leadership what happened when these seven were presented we read whom they set before the apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands upon them they validated as it were the consensus of the congregational perspective with regard to these seven men well there I say we have some general principles of initiative being taken by the existing leadership if you're in a virgin situation and you are there sent by another eldership then obviously in that initial process of recognition those who are giving pastoral guidance will take the initiative if you have been installed and you are a single elder you will want to take the initiative not only in the instruction but in saying whatever the framework of your constitution is we must now as the people of God consider so and so in the light of the scriptures the initiative taken by existing leadership but the activity of the whole congregation absolutely critical and then the concurrence of the existing leadership and these principles are embedded in the first Timothy 3 and Titus passage in the light of the fact that Timothy and Titus were given these directives not unilaterally to impose their will on the congregation

47:49 I don't know of anyone that takes the position unless people try to defend the right of bishops to impose presbyters that when these standards were given they were given that Paul that Timothy and Titus might use them in their interaction with the congregation at Ephesus and in the churches of Crete so that the congregation might be involved in that assessment and then we cannot discount the participial use of Kairatoneo in Acts 14.23 with respect to the apostles activity in appointing elders and here I commend Owen's detailed discussion of the classical use of Kairatoneo as well as its biblical use in volume 16 pages 60 to 63 it's a very helpful word study and I commend it to you and you may have occasion to want to consult that in days to come so no pattern of recognition is adequate unless it secures an expression of recognition from the people of God and the existing oversight now the mechanics of the process may and should vary from place to place but the principles should be present in some of our churches there is an annual ballot taken and people are able to put on the ballot the constitution may say any man receiving more than 25 or 30 or 40 percent

49:18 from the people should be then formally considered for office other churches have a different pattern and I my own posture on this is that the day we all demand that there be a wooden similarity we have ruled out the fact that there are tremendous factors that create a diverse situation and the constitution ought to reflect that diversity and the constitution may itself undergo an evolution in the maturation of a church in terms of the concrete specific factors that go into this process of congregational recognition so I would encourage you to check the constitutions of some well established reformed baptist churches that have a good track record of a functioning plurality of elders and then as you do you'll see well this has this to commend it this has this to commend it and in this situation I think for now this principle ought to override this and you're not just thinking down the narrow tunnel of just the immediate situation to which you've been exposed here or in the church situation out of which you come but I would urge you not to approach this in a wooden legalistic way but recognize that within these broad principles that are non-negotiable the application to the mechanics are indeed negotiable and will differ from one place to another

50:45 alright I think that's what I wanted to say it is what I wanted to say simply to conclude this part of the lecture then we'll take our break with the statement in our own confession of faith in the chapter on the church chapter 26 and paragraph 9 the way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit unto the office of bishop or elder in the church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer with the imposition of the hands of the eldership of the church if there be any before constituted thereof therein and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage and set apart by prayer and the imposition of hands and the basic text are quoted Acts 14 23 1st Timothy 4 14 Acts 6 3 5 and 6 well brethren that's what I hope to get out in this first hour and I've done it and now we'll break till 20 after and then we'll come back and we'll deal with some of the practical directives that should take me probably only about 20 25 minutes and hopefully leave us some time for discussion consider large letter B in your notes some practical directives for securing the efficient functioning of a biblical eldership and the directives come in two major categories those pertaining to your relationship

Directives for Efficient Functioning: Relationships with Fellow Elders

52:14 to your fellow elders and then directives pertaining to your labors with your fellow elders and the proper order of considering these things is the order I've laid them before you because if there's any breakdown in your relationship to your fellow elders it's going to show up in your ability to labor with your fellow elders as you ought and under that first heading I have just two major words of exhortation and to introduce them let me say that your efficiency in your labors will be conditioned greatly by your relationship to these men as Christian brothers if distance suspicion lack of trust respect or ill will are found in your relationship to them as Christian men you simply cannot function as you ought as fellow overseers and it's a basic principle that the more intimate any human relationship is the more potential there is for the eruption of remaining sin most of us never knew how much remaining sin was in us until we got married and then all of a sudden stuff that was lying like silt on the bottom of still water suddenly came into suspension and we were shocked and wondered where did all this come from and it's as though the Lord said there all along waiting for multilevel pressures of this more intimate

53:43 relationship to show you what you really are well in some way that's true of an elder ship and it doesn't even have the compensation of kissing and making up alright and many a man many a man finds that though he had a reasonable degree of maturation in the chemistry of relating to people in general when he sought to enter into a relationship of true parity of shared oversight that there was indeed a discovery of many areas where remaining sin was still very much remaining sin so in the light of these facts I would lay before you these two simple but important directives with respect to the relationship you sustain to your fellow elders as Christian brethren number one maintain harmonious relationships with them as brethren all that the Bible says to you and to your fellow elders as believers you must apply with great vigor and I'm referring of course to such passages as the ones I've listed Ephesians 4 1 and 2 walking worthily of our calling having those graces essential to unity endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace verses 29 to 32 which deal with our speech and with our attitudes in interpersonal relationships all of 1st Corinthians

55:13 13 to tell yourself again and again whatever I may be doing in the oversight of the flock and in particular whatever I may be doing as one laboring in the word and in doctrine what does 1st Corinthians say if all of that is done if there is an absence of love and then as you know love is described more

55:37 is not easily provoked is not puffed up does not behave itself unseemly against the scheme of things love bears all things believes all things hopes all things you'll need to come back to that again and again the love that Peter describes in 1st Peter 4 8 that covers a multitude of sins and no little part in fulfilling 1st Peter 5 3 the charge to the elders there is making yourselves examples to the flock and certainly if a group of elders do not demonstrate that the spirit of God can give men with all of their remaining sin and all of their differences can give to them a relationship that is exemplary how in the world can one of those elders stand before the people of God who see the distance who know the rumors of the tensions and the frictions how can he stand and preach on Christian unity how can he preach on the expressions of Christian love so it's critical that in your relationship to your fellow elders you maintain harmonious relationships with them as brethren and this means you need to bear with each other's quirks you need to overlook each other's weaknesses and you will know more of those weaknesses than anyone but God and the

57:03 you'll perceive far more and you will have to have the love that defers that bears that covers a multitude of sins if you don't and you allow these things to become burrs under your saddle it won't be long before disaffection sets in with respect to one of your fellow elders and that will skew your judgment it will be something that just creates a noxious spiritual climate when you seek to meet to engage in the labor of overseeing the flock of God so I cannot press too forcefully the necessity of maintaining harmonious relationships with them as brethren and then secondly under this first heading to maintain proper biblical attitudes to them as fellow overseers the teaching of parity has great practical and personal implications you must look upon them as peers in the work of oversight though they may not have as prominent a place in leadership as God has given to you as one set apart to labor in the word and in doctrine that does not mean that you regard them as holding a lesser office if Christ has equipped them to be overseers in the flock with you then he sees that their unique perspective their unique contribution is essential to the well being of the church you must then view them in that light look upon them as peers in oversight look

58:33 upon their input as essential and not merely formal maintain this attitude to them as fellow elders in which you count it your privilege to prefer one another in love to recognize that your fellow elders are your shepherds and to welcome their counsel their admonitions their rebukes what ever they are doing to shepherd you remember that you must regard them as God's instrument for your own spiritual well being first Peter 5 5 also has some helpful reminders in that chemistry likewise you younger be subject to the elder you may have men who don't have anywhere near the technical biblical knowledge you have but they have that knowledge of life and of the work of the church that comes only with years and you would be a fool not to recognize alright as the younger I'm going to be subject to the elder in this area time and experience makes this brother far more competent to make a good judgment than my top heavy academic acquisition of tools for biblical study preaching etc and so that chemistry which the spirit of God alone can both create and sustain in our hearts is absolutely critical but then let me speak briefly on the matter of directives pertaining to your labors with your fellow elders

Directives for Efficient Functioning: Labors with Fellow Elders

60:02 overlaid then upon the commitment to sustain godly healthy chemistry with them as brethren what directives can I lay before you as you labor together with them and here I have three very simple directives establish a weekly meeting for prayer and consultation if the task of all oversight is one of caring for the flock of god then any man who is too busy to meet with other elders for prayer and consultation in my judgment has no business taking the office if the task is given to the entire eldership and providence precludes a man from integrating into an eldership with at least a weekly meeting then perhaps providence is saying though he may be qualified for the task providence is not open to his way to perform the task and we're not in the business of just giving names and titles to people or to prove we're a biblical church we've got a plurality of elders when in reality one man is doing the work of oversight because the other man or other men recognized to the office simply have a schedule that precludes their doing what is essential to the most basic fundamental elements of exercising the responsible oversight find the time that is most suitable to your respective duties and then guard that time with a holy tenacity and it should be characterized by prayerfulness

61:31 it must never be looked upon as a business meeting of the leaders like the trustees in a corporation or the CEOs and the vice presidents know we are under shepherds who are responsible for the care of the flock of God it ought to be marked by a practical submission to the word of God when issues are discussed scripture ought to be at hand scriptural perspectives ought to be brought into the discussion it ought to be marked by mutual respect and submission though you of necessity may have to take the lead in organizing the meeting setting the agenda you don't have to take the lead when every issue comes up on the agenda giving your opinion first learn to wait upon your brethren brethren here is the issue that we need to wrestle with brother what is your thinking on this what have been your thoughts on this and in many situations it may be as I indicated I believe in the last lectures the part of wisdom for you to be the last to intrude your own opinion into the pool of the eldership it ought to be marked not only by prayerfulness submission to the word of God mutual respect and submission but transparent openness it is a tragic thing when an elder has a growing personal agenda and doesn't disclose it to his brethren and brethren I speak out of grievous painful experience in this area where for years and this was many years ago none of you would know the specifics

62:59 I thought a brother's silence was acquiescence in a context of humility when in reality we eventually found out it was his way of issuing his own protest that he did not go along with the consensus of all the other brethren and once I began to be aware of this I had the horrible duty as chairman to say brethren from here on in any time an issue is before us for discussion and it's time to come to some resolution I'm going to ask you to verbally declare your perspective on the issue within a matter of a few months he resigned from the eldership because it then became evident that what we in graciousness interpreted as a modest silence was a silent protest against the whole consensus of the rest of the brethren and once the pattern began to

63:56 and he would say I don't agree with you brethren we then said show us from the word of God where our decision tentative decision on this is contrary to scripture and he wouldn't bring scripture and it was evident it was a projection of his own prejudices and I would spare you men that so that's what lies behind this exhortation demand transparent openness there's a saying you know in the business world the committee never accomplished anything well the problem is God's ordained to govern his church by a committee it's called an eldership but people recognize the frustration of men with leadership capacity having to come to a consensus but that's the way God's ordained to do it and we must insist that there be transparent openness in our interaction and then the final thing that is critical there must be a free

64:51 a time when each of us gives any significant pastoral input that we've had on such practical matters I've received two or three notes and phone calls of people who as a result of the ministry a couple of Lord's days ago are now calling in when they're going to miss prayer meeting or miss the Lord's day well a couple of the other brethren said oh I appreciate come on let's all

65:22 that information the entire eldership now knows why so and so is not coming out to prayer meeting his work schedule precludes it now that's just a very technical thing but on deeper issues people will be devious enough to try to set one elder against another to single out an elder that they think may have a soft underbelly on an issue with which they have a controversy with God and they'll seek to work that and if you're not communicating with one another conveying information about your interaction with the flock you could unwittingly be drawn into that kind of devious scheming and that's not theoretical brethren that's the voice of experience pleading with you to insist that there be a free conveying of information now that's where the copying machine that many times has been accursed can be a copy of it any other letter she has carte blanche to open all of our mail and anything that she says is remotely something that the entire eldership it never even comes to my desk unless it says on the outside envelope personal and confidential it comes to my desk in my folder concurrent with it appears in the folder of all the other elders and that's critical and so you must labor to cultivate a climate in which there is this open free conveying of information now I'm not saying that there may not

66:52 be times in pastoral counseling where you will righteously tell someone what you've told me will go to my grave with me it is not necessary even to share this with the other elders I'm not saying there are not areas of legitimate confidentiality but as a general rule anything that pertains to the life and well-being of the church and the members of the flock there should be a free conveyance of information there's a beautiful statement in the shorter catechism with regard to the fifth commandment and it applies so well to this matter of how we work and how we regard our fellow elders in the day-by-day interaction with them what are the duties of equals question 131 the answer is the duties of equals are to regard the dignity and worth of each other in giving honor to go one before another and to rejoice in each other's gifts and advancement as their own now you can apply that in a parity of elders and eldership it will mean you'll have a good wholesome climate among your elders regard the dignity and worth of each other give honor to go one before another and to rejoice in each other's gifts and advancement as their own so I would urge you establish a weekly meeting for prayer and consultation a meeting marked by these five matters that

68:21 I've underlined secondly establish a functional division of labor and according to the nature and strength of gift and availability of time now here again brethren the words are chosen carefully establish a functional division of labor according to the nature and strength of gift and availability of time as you meet regularly you'll get to know each other your peculiar areas of strength your areas of non strength some will begin to manifest a stronger and a more cultivated gift in dealing with marital problems some in dealing with problems in relationship to business and as the thing is dynamic and the strengths and weaknesses and areas of greater aptitude and gift emerge then constantly respond to that in the division of labor that's what I'm talking about according to nature strength of gift and availability of time some are more apt in direct confrontation others more competent in public leadership and in those matters you need to seek as an eldership to aim that your people will get the best of each man in any situation in which that elder is interacting with the people of God the best of each man in the various circumstances in which opportunity for leadership is given

Directives for Efficient Functioning: Relationship with Deacons

69:51 and then thirdly and this is crucial establish a trustful functional relationship with your deacons if the diaconate is an office instituted by God and we believe it is and God willing we'll address that next week as we take up the subject of the establishment of a diaconate then as elders gifted with men who take the burden of the mundane off your shoulders it is vital that you as an elder and your eldership establish maintain and nurture and cultivate a

70:28 relationship with your deacons Bannerman says in his scripture doctrine of the church this is Douglas Bannerman not James on page 418 the apostles sought relief from the excessive burden laid upon them as Moses had done in somewhat similar circumstances in the wilderness by a division of labor they handed over this special department or practical work to the seven and their young assistants with a view of concentrating their work their own strength in a more effective way on the higher objects of their spiritual ministry but there is no reason to suppose that this implied that the twelve meant henceforth to resign that general oversight of the affairs of the church in all their aspects which had been hitherto taken by them and nothing is more plain than that the apostle Paul held to be quite consistent with the position and functions

71:28 to take the general oversight of collections in the churches and giving careful directions in the matter although leaving to others the local arrangements needful for the actual gathering of the money and associating others chosen by the churches with himself in charge of the fund until it was handed over to James and all the elders at Jerusalem end quote so it's critical that though we recognize a division of labor it

71:58 tells from the labor of the deacons that there must be this ongoing relationship of trustful and functional interaction what we did in our early days because we came out of a background where we didn't have well defined concepts of elder and deacon and when we left the denomination and the church disbanded membership and officers etc and we were teaching through the word of God when two of us were recognized in September of 67 as elders and three men as deacons we said let's meet monthly in order to learn the division of labor because things have been so convoluted and we would have that monthly meeting and we'd have an agenda and then we'd say well this is really a diaconal function you fellows can take this this is an eldership function and we did that for I think probably the first year something like that until we began to be more clear not just in the broad strokes of the biblical idea but in the particulars of our own situation you see it's one thing to say alright it's clear that the elders should give themselves to the more directly spiritual things and the beacons to the practice concerns that's generic what does that mean in your situation and

73:18 over there in an insulated department of labor and what you do is of no concern to us no interest to us no there must be that interaction because as elders you are responsible before God for the oversight of the assembly and even those functions which are administered by the deacons and therefore it's vital that there be good communication in our situation once a month Mr. Davies produces as we'll show you God willing next week and give you a sample a full diaconal report with Dewey decimals of a decimal system that goes from finances to personnel to buildings to grounds etc. and to that is attached a financial statement where every penny has gone where we are in relationship to the budget every single month and as soon as that comes into our hands I put it on the agenda in the elders meeting as it was last night they met on Monday by Thursday on our agenda was going through every item any matters that have concern where we must give directive those are noted Pastor Carlson meets with Chuck Davies usually the next day and there's that constant interflown what's this say to the deacons they know there is an accountability to their overseers they know that

74:37 joint meeting just so that we can sit down for an evening last one we had was in here tables set up in new configuration and what a delight it was to just we had no great crushing weighty issue to resolve but it was good for us to just look each other in the eye and recognize and express our appreciation for each other's labors and in some churches it's a grievous

75:07 up of house of representatives and the senate and they're there to be checks and balances upon one another that's a tragic thing and if they begin to think that way that we're the deacons we must pull back on this and any kind of an adversarial climate develops it's a travesty and so I would urge you that in this whole matter of working with your elders be sure that

Recommended Resources

75:38 you are minister a man who would freely acknowledge that he was greatly helped by some of the materials that he got from here in pulling these things together but it has some very helpful things but recognize it is written from the presbyterian perspective likewise Samuel Miller's the ruling elder is a he's writing from the perspective that would see three offices teaching elder ruling elder and deacon but nonetheless some very helpful things in having a functional eldership and then this work by a strouch biblical eldership Lewis and Roth publishers is probably the most extensive finest biblical theological treatment of the eldership that I've ever read you say well why don't we carry it in the bookstore well there are a few areas that we have some reservation about but overall I don't think there's a finer work on the subject of the eldership and then in the works of Owen volume 15 pages 491 to 506 that's the section I believe taken out or volume 16 pages 42 to 143 I think it's 15 that has his catechism on the worship of God I xeroxed it so you could see it's typical Puritan

77:05 title yeah here we are a brief instruction in the worship of God and discipline of the churches of the New Testament by way of question and answer with an explication and confirmation of those answers but it's the worship of God and discipline of the churches in the New Testament and I don't know of anything that gives a finer distillation of the biblical materials and helps to lay them

77:35 these will be some of the resources that I hope you will find helpful in the tape catalog and I should have listed that Pastor Nichols series on the office of elder I think there are twelve tapes very helpful material and there are some things that I've done that are also in the catalog