View source for Eldership

[[File:monkserve.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The creation of doctrines around the '''FiveFold Ministry''' concept has often led to a neglect of the duties of the Church. [[Christ]] [[appoint]]ed ''the [[ministers]]'' of His Church to do a job and provide the services of [[Pure Religion]] through [[charitable practices]], freely giving what was [[freewill offerings|freely received]] like the [[Levites]] before them, who were the [[Church in the Wilderness]]. They were [[liturgy|public servant]]s of the appointed [[Kingdom of God]] ''of, for, and by'' the [[virtue]] of the people and the [[ministry|ministries]] of [[His Church]]. Providing [[welfare]] through the state where men may ''call themselves [[benefactors]]'' creates a [[social compact]] with a corporate body that [[exercises authority]] which makes the ''[[Corban|word of God to none effect]]'' and [[snare]]s the people as [[surety]] for debt. They gave up personal wealth being "[[called out]]" and relied upon [[charity]]. They were not [[mendicant]] which would be contrary to the [[early Church]]. They were to be in one [[accord]], [[One Body]], as the true [[Church legally defined|Church]]. 1000 years later in the days of [[Lady Godiva]] the Church would look to the ''[[Benefactors]] who exercise authority'' and the ''[[Fathers]]  of the earth'' becoming ''entangled in the [[elements]] of the [[world]]''. It is time to [[repent]]!]]


== Biblical eldership  ==

[[Eldership]] is defined:
: 1. An older person.
: 2. An older, influential member of a family, tribe, or community.
: 3. One of the governing officers of a church, often having pastoral or teaching functions.

This third definition of the word [[elder]] or [[eldership]] is common among many [[denominations]] of the [[modern Church]]. The idea that the elders of the first century Church were "governing officers of a church" can be very deceptive and is a misuse of the term. The misuse and application of these words and many others found in the New Testaments have allowed doctrines to creep into Christianity that is destroying the effectiveness of the Church and altering its very nature and purpose in the minds of many people. 

Countless church groups and ministries are offering books, workbook, and courses to teach ministers the art and skills of "eldership". They talk about training "leaders in the church", ''memorizing scripture, homework, assigned reading, and the facilitator’s role as guide to the group to questions and encourage interaction sharing answers, insights, and clarifications through verbally participating''.

What this does is cause participants to invest their time energy and even their money in the idea of an [[elder]] being an office of the Church established by Christ. That investment causes people to cling to that idea and defend it. The truth is that the term '''[[elder]]''' was not really used in the [[early Church]] to describe an office of the Church.

The term [[Elder]] was only noting a position of authority or respect conferred by age and experience within a family. Identifying the true nature of the term "elder" may lead us to comprehend their role in the [[early Church]] and the Christian community. Shedding light on what these terms actually meant and how they were used at that time in history may lead us to a greater understanding of the [http://www.hisholychurch.org/mission.php mission of the Church] as prescribed by Christ.

The family is the first institution of God. It is from a healthy, viable, and free family that a free and righteous Christian society is born. Anything that does not promote, guard, protect, and strengthen the rights, the ''prosperity and health''  of the Families of God is not compatible with the purposes of God.<Ref>3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest [[2137|prosper]] and be in [[5198|health]], even as thy soul prospereth.</Ref>

The spiritual leadership and emotional support of the families of God, from which the next generation of the children of God shall spring, is the [[Holy Spirit]], the [[Comforter]]. Neither [[Jesus]] nor [[Moses]] ''[[called out]]'' men to be a substitute for the [[Holy Spirit]] of God dwelling in the ''hearts and minds'' of every man.<Ref>[[Jeremiah 31]]:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
: Hebrews 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
: Hebrews 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
</Ref>

The [[Holy Spirit]] does not dwell in [[temples]] of dead stone built by the hand of man but in the living stones, hearts and minds of the people. This is why it was written that ''the [[kingdom of God]] is within you''.<Ref>Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the [[kingdom of God]] is within you.</Ref> For the [[Holy Spirit]] to enter in and guide us we need to [[Repent]] and [[seek]] the [[kingdom of God]] and the [[righteousness]] of God.

The [[early Church]] was composed of congregations of congregations but those congregations were composed of families represented by the heads of families which were called [[elder]]s. A small group of elders was a congregation or "company" of [[tens|ten men]] and their families or what the Greeks called  ''sumposion''.<Ref>{{4849}}</Ref> There were Hebrew words for congregations or assemblies including  ''qahal''<Ref>{{06951}}</Ref> and ‘edah <Ref>{{05712}}</Ref>. There is another Greek word for congregations or assemblies of [[Tens|ten heads of families]] which may seem more familiar which is ''sunagoge''.<Ref>{{4864}}</Ref>

The [[elders]] we see appointed in the [[early Church]] were already elders of families. Their appointment was not to positions of ''authority one over the other'' but positions of service which helped to connect the companies of elders in [[tens|ranks of tens and hundreds and thousands]] a charitable [[network]] to provide a [[daily ministration]] and relief on a local and international level.

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=== Study Guide ===

: '''To [[repent]] is to think differently which may require that we revisit the meaning of words that we believed at one time we understood. The ''study guide'' to the right, the multiple live inks, and audio files are offered for free to help you understand the [[gospel of the kingdom]] as it was understood by the [[early Church]].'''

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| Because the Church is the institution of Christ in order to understand [[eldership]] in relation to the [[early Church]] you must know the meaning of the term ''[[elder]]'' and the [[Church legally defined]]. 
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| You will also need to now the original meaning of the word [[Religion]] and the difference between [[Pure religion]] and [[Public religion]].
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| If a Church organization strays significantly from [[The Way]] taught by Christ and the [[early Church]], acts in a manner fundamentally different or contrary to the doctrines of Jesus, or is established by or goes under another authority other than Christ can it still be the Church established by Jesus, His Church?
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200 years ago [[religion]] was defined as the "performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men". [[Politics]] of the [[world]] has become a way to impose duties on our fellow man through [[force]] as if we are gods. [[Religion]] today is often used to justify that imposition of [[force]] on our fellow men.

The politics of the [[Church]] is the politics of ''the word'' which empowers man to seek [[Religion|“Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men”]] unspotted by the politics of the [[world]] which is [[Pure Religion]].

The purpose of the Church is the purpose of Christ. The office of that Church appointed by Christ is to feed His sheep by facilitating every elder of every family in their personal practice of [[Pure Religion]]. To do this ''natural elders'' of every family should freely assemble to choose the best amongst them to connect all the people seeking the [[kingdom of God]] and [[The Way]] of Christ in a voluntary network of [[charity]] and [[love]].

One of the primary [[qualifications]] for a minister of the [[Church]] or the [[Levites]] before them was that they were the head of a good family. They were chosen by the people to serve all the other [[elders]] and their families in [[free assemblies]] in a [[network]] of congregations of [[tens|ten elders]]. Once that pattern is established and we understand that the purpose of the ministers includes more than emotional and spiritual support but also the provision of clothing, food, and shelter when needed we may begin to see the mission of the Church.

In [[Titus 3]] verse 5 Paul is giving instructions about the appointment of existing [[elders]] to offices of the Church to fulfill appointed duties directed by Christ. There is no reason to believe from the text that the term "elder" was an office of the Church. In verse 6 Paul describes the kind of elder you are looking to appoint is one that is already "blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children..."

Some would say there are no "offices" of the Church but clearly, Christ speaks of ''officers''.<Ref>John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this [[world]]: if my kingdom were of this [[world]], then would my servants<[[5257]]> fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.</Ref> The word we sometimes see as "servant" in scripture in Greek was ''huperetes''<Ref>{{5257}}</Ref> which is far more often translated "officer". It was also used by the apostles.<Ref>Acts 13:5  And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to ''their'' minister <[[5257]]>.
: Acts 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister <[[5257]]> and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
: 1 Corinthians 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers <[[5257]]> of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.</Ref>

Jesus clearly came and took the kingdom from those who sat in the seat of [[Moses]] and appointed that kingdom to those who would ''bear fruit'' to men he called His [[little flock]].<Ref>Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.</Ref>  The officers of His government did not [[exercise authority]] one over the other but there was rank based on service.<Ref>Mark 9:35  And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
: Mark 10:44  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
</Ref>


== Duties of an elder ==


Biblical [[eldership]] is the performance of the duties imposed by God and Nature of ''every man who is an elder to their family'' and to the community as themselves according to the leading of the Holy Spirit within the commandments of God.

The institution of the family is the first institution of God. While the ''church in general'' is driven by the Spirit of God that [[Holy Spirit]] is only found dwelling in the hearts and minds of every man and woman. The [[Kingdom of God]] is within them from ''generation to generation''<Ref>Daniel 4:3 How great [are] his signs! and how mighty [are] his wonders! his kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion [is] from generation to generation.
: Genesis 6:9 These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God.</Ref>. 

For the next generation to receive the wisdom, values, and spirit of [[righteousness]] each family cannot just ''think or believe they love'' their neighbor but they must turn that love into competent actions<Ref>1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.</Ref> through the natural [[sacrifice]] of [[charity]].<Ref>John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
: John 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
: 1 John 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought</Ref> 

For eldership to fulfill its duties it must include the will of God for your family and the next generation and what God desires you do for your fellow man. In order to attend to the [[weightier matters]] of Christ we must be diligent in our quest for the [[righteousness]] of God for every man. [[Charity]] cannot express or fulfill the competent [[love]] for and of Christ without an intimate knowledge of needs, cause, and effect of [[fervent charity]] upon the recipient of your personal sacrifice.<Ref>Matthew 10:42  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
: Matthew 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 
:: ''See also'' Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom [his] lord shall make ruler over his household, to give [them their] portion of meat in due season?
: Matthew 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
: James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.</Ref> It cannot be righteous without a humble willingness to [[forgive]].

== The importance of Eldership to the Church ==

The ''Church specific'' is not an institution of man but of [[Christ]]. As a government it operated according to the [[perfect law of liberty]] by [[faith]] through [[charity]] in [[hope]] of [[salvation]] in this [[world]] and in that which is to come. Christ [[ekklesia|called men out]] of the [[world]] just as [[Moses]] [[called out]] the [[Church in the wilderness]] from the camp of the [[Golden calf]]. Jesus was to follow after [[John the Baptist]] who followed after his father Zacharia serving as the ''highpriest in the wilderness''. Jesus chose and taught His [[disciples]] to be ministers of the people for His purposes which is the purpose of the God of Creation and Nature.

But [[Jesus]] as the [[Christ]], the ''highest son of God'', was also the righteous king of Judea and also of [[Israel]]. He [http://www.hisholychurch.org/ekklesia.php#share called out  His faithful disciples], His [[little flock]], to be appointed "a kingdom" to serve.<Ref>Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath [[appoint]]ed unto me;</Ref> He was able to do this because he had taken the kingdom from the [[pharisees]] by the words of their own mouth.<Ref>John 19:15 But they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.</Ref>

Jesus had chosen specific men, tested them over time,<Ref>Luke 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.</Ref> and promised to appoint a kingdom to His [[little flock]].<Ref>Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.</Ref> while prohibiting them from exercising authority over each other or the people in free assembly like the governments of the [[world]] did at that time and do again today. Unless the elders of every family also serve to set the table of the Lord there will be no [[Eucharist]], no [[communion]] of the [[flesh and blood]] of Christ.

The people were always meant to have the free dominion of God in His Garden as long as they ate of the [[tree of life]] dressing and keeping the gift of this domain. Only then shall they be a peculiar people.

== Pastoral eldership ==

Is the '''pastoral''' mission of the Church primarily or exclusively "concerning or appropriate to the giving of spiritual guidance"?<Ref>2018 Oxford University Press</Ref>

"Pastoral care is an ancient model of emotional and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. It has been described in our modern context as individual and corporate patience in which trained pastoral carers support people in their pain, loss and anxiety, and their triumphs, joys and victories." University of Canberra

In the [[modern Church]] today there is a reference to Pastoral care as "emotional and spiritual" support but the words related to pastor in the Bible suggest, even state, a temporal Pastoral responsibility for the health and well being. The Hebrew word "raah"<Ref>{{07462}}</Ref> is not only the word for ''pastor'' and ''shepherd'' it is mostly commonly translated as "feed".  

The Greek word ''poimen''<Ref name="poimen">{{4166}}</Ref> which we see translated ''pastor'' in the New Testament is commonly translated ''shepherd''. 

The term shepherd as an occupational title reached beyond emotions and spiritual needs of the flock and for 2000 years the Church was heavily engaged in [[daily ministration]]s of a temporal needs. The relegation of a pastors duties to primarily a spiritual or emotional caregiver is an apparition of the [[modern Church]].

The original duties of a shepherd are said to be:'<Ref name="poimen"></Ref>
*   -to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep
*   -to defend the sheep from attackers
*   -to heal the wounded and sick sheep
*   -to find and save lost or trapped sheep
*   -to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.
 
Jesus repeated that we were to ''Feed His Sheep'' and the apostles and the [[early Church]] were clearly rightly dividing actual ''bread from house to house''.<Ref>Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,</Ref>

We see the first to preach the kingdom of God at hand was [[John the Baptist]] who was the son of Zacharias a high priest of Judea. As the voice of one crying in the wilderness he is telling people to "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" because at that time it was "crooked" and needed to "be made straight" because the people had become a "generation of vipers" so that there was a recompense and "wrath to come" 

John was calling not just for repentance but "fruits worthy of repentance". They could not just depend upon the fact that "Abraham to our father" ut their generation was going to have to think so differently that they produced "good [[fruit]]".

So, "the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?" 

*  '''"He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."''' [[Luke 3]]:11

Those meats were equivalent to the [[free bread]] of [[Rome]] and the gift, gratuities, and [[benefits]] provided by the Sacrifice of the people called [[Corban]] but under [[Herod]] the Great and the [[Pharisees]] that sacrifice became a matter of compelled offerings as opposed to [[freewill offerings]]. If the sacrifices of the people were not based on  a [[freewill offerings|freewill offering]] they would make the [[Corban|word of God to none effect]].

John was making a clear statement that the straight way of God is to care for the needs of society including food through [[charity]], not by [[covetous practices]] and certainly not by compelling the contributions and sacrifices of the people through [[force]] like the ''[[fathers]] of the earth'' and ''rulers of the gentiles who [[exercise authority]] one over the other''.

The word ''meat'' is translated from the Greek word broma which means "that which is eaten, food".<Ref name="broma">{{1033}}</Ref> Christ and the apostles provided the distribution of this "meat" for the people translated ''victuals'' in Matthew 14:15.<Ref>Matthew 14:15 "And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.</Ref> We also seem the same word in [[Luke 9]]:13<Ref>Luke 9:13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.</Ref> in the same reference to actua food distributed to the people for eating.

== The Bible and eldership ==

In every family, there is to be a king and high [[priest]].

But like the Levites before them, ordained ministers of the Church chosen by the people should meet the qualifications of a trusted elder. But as an officer of the Church instituted by Christ, they must also meet the qualifications and requirements of [[Jesus]] [[Christ]] as the [[legally defined|establisher of the Church]].

The people should always look out among themselves and choose men they trust to provide these services. It was the job of the Church to [[appoint]] or [[ordain]] them over those matters of service. The people retained the power over their choice of [[votive]] offerings to support the ministers and services of the Church to the people.

The term [[ordain]] is Greek word ''kathistemi''<Ref>{{2525}}</Ref> meaning "set in place", specifically "1b) to appoint one to administer an office".

Paul is not ordaining men to be ''[[elders]]'' but ordaining men who were already [[elders]] in their families to be [[bishops]] as "steward" of the Church. A ''steward'' was "the manager of a household or of household affairs" of the house of God which received the donations of all the elders of families to provide the daily ministration of the people. They were in charge of the "finances" of the [[polis]] of Christ, "treasurers or quaestors of kings". <Ref>{{3623}}</Ref> 

We see in the New Testament "the office of a deacon"<Ref>[[1 Timothy 3]]:10  And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
: [[1 Timothy 3]]:13  For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.</Ref>, "the office of a bishop"<Ref>1 Timothy 3:1 ¶ This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.</Ref>, and "the office of the priesthood"<Ref>[[Hebrews 7]]:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:</Ref> but there is no ''office of [[elder]]''. 

Paul uses the term  ''diakonia'' <Ref>{{1248}}</Ref> translated "office" in refrence to himself but diakonia is more often translated ''ministry''.<Ref>Romans 11:13  For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:</Ref> He also uses a word translated office but the word is ''praxis'' <Ref>{{4234}}</Ref> which actually means "a doing... a thing to be done, business".
 

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