Talk:Elder

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  • What is biblical eldership?
  • What is !
  • How important is this subject to the Church?
  • What does the Bible say about church eldership?

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 use of the word elder or eldership is common among many denominations of the modern Church. I see countless church groups and ministries 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 money in the idea of an elder being an office of the Church established by Christ. But the problem 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?

The family is the first institution of God. It is from a healthy, viable and free family that free and righteous society is born. Anything that does not promote, guard, protect, and strengthen the rights and well being of the Families of God is not compatible with the purposes of God.

The spiritual leadership and emotional support of the families of God, from which 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 men.

The Holy Spirit does not dwell in temples built of dead stone built by the hand of man but in the living stones and hearts and minds of the people. This is why it was written that the kingdom of Heaven is within.

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 “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 and 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 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 appointed duties 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..."

Biblical eldership

Biblical eldership is the performance of the duties of every man who are elders to their family and to the community as themselves according to the leading of the Holy Spirit within the commandments of God.

While the church in general is driven by the Spirit of God dwelling in the hearts and minds of everyman the Church specific is not an institution of man but of Christ. Christ called men out of the world and taught them as disciples. He then appointed them a kingdom[1] while prohibiting them from exercising authority like the governments of the world.

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[2] 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". [3]

We see in the New Testament "the office of a deacon"[4], "the office of a bishop"[5], and "the office of the priesthood"[6] but there is no office of elder.

Paul uses the term diakonia [7] translated "office" in refrence to himself but diakonia is more often translated ministry.[8] He also uses a word translated office but the word is praxis [9] which actually means "a doing... a thing to be done, business".



Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:



1 Timothy 3:1 ¶ This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.


8 ¶ Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 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.


Pastoral eldership

Is the pastoral mission of the Church primarily or exclusively "concerning or appropriate to the giving of spiritual guidance"?[10]

"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"[11] is not only the word for pastor and shepherd it is mostly commonly translated as "feed".

The Greek word poimen[12] 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 ministrations 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:'[12]

  • -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.[13]

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 a freewill offering. If the sacrifices of the people were not based on a freewill offering they would make the 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".[14] Christ and the apostles provided the distribution of this "meat" for the people translated victuals in Matthew 14:15.[15] We also seem the same word in Luke 9:13[16] in the same reference to actua food distributed to the people for eating. 



12  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

David wrote in Psalms 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."

Luke 3:1 ¶ Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.


Psalms 80:1 ¶ « To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. » Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest [between] the cherubims, shine forth.


The lack of knowledge concerning the role of elders and deacons in the early Christian community is in part the lack of understanding of the function of the early Church appointed by Christ. Revisiting a few of the definitions of terms used in the biblical text and the history of that era

We are not training the very men who lead and have oversight of our churches. We erroneously believe that our serving elders and deacons understand spiritual oversight and care, but in fact our churches are filled with elders and deacons who confess that they are unprepared and untrained for their work.

Biblical Eldership, when used in connection with the main text, Biblical Eldership, provides twelve comprehensive lessons regarding biblical eldership principles. It is designed for use by the prospective new elder under the direction of a mentoring elder, or can also be used in group study.


John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.


TUTORIALS

MENTORING PLAN

Roots of the Church are the congregations of the people.

  1. Culture of Christ. How does the culture of Christ differ from the culture of the world? That culture does not seek to undermine local customs and cultures. In history, almost all cultures have elements of the kingdom culture of Christ.
  2. Empowering people. The kingdom of God is the power of God, Holy Spirit of God, operating in the heart and mind of every man. The operation of a man from within the communities or people as groups cannot diminish the power of choice, liberty of choice, of the individual without limiting the Holy Spirit. The right to choose and the power to act must not be diminished as an individual pursuit but instead acceptance of responsibility should be encouraged and even required at every opportunity.
  3. Demonstrate Christ. Christ's life was a manifestation of the Master Plan for life created by God. He laid down his life in love and picked up life more abundant. The Way of love and sacrifice through charity was an alternative to the way of the world, of covetousness, force, and unforgiveness that leads to sloth and weakens the poor.
  4. Communicate Vision. To paint a picture of the kingdom of God we mut learn the meaning of words used by the prophets of the kingdom
  5. Express Core Values. The values of Christ must dwell in the hearts and minds of every elder who sits down with his fellow man in Congregations of Recorded Elders (CORE)
  6. Understand Christ's Purpose. The purpose of Christ was that everyman would be lead by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in his heart and in his mind.
  7. Define Your Community. CORE
  8. Start with the End in Mind Priorities
  9. Strategies

Every congregation of record (CORE)should have its own email group which includes the minister of the minister and should establish a weekly call through a phone tree.

ELDER TRAINING PROGRAMS

ELDER MISSION

Latin decānus ('chief of ten people; dean')

  1. ↑ Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
  2. ↑ 2525 ~καθίστημι~ kathistemi \@kath-is’-tay-mee\@ from 2596 and 2476; v AV-make 8, make ruler 6, ordain 3, be 2, appoint 1, conduct 1, set 1; 22
    1) to set, place, put
    1a) to set one over a thing (in charge of it)
    1b) to appoint one to administer an office
    1c) to set down as, constitute, to declare, show to be
    1d) to constitute, to render, make, cause to be
    1e) to conduct or bring to a certain place
    1f) to show or exhibit one’s self
    1f1) come forward as
    Ordain#An_Appointment_Ex_Officio
  3. ↑ 3623 ~οἰκονόμος~ oikonomos \@oy-kon-om’-os\@ from 3624 oikos meaning house and the base of 3551 nomos meaning law; TDNT-5:149,674; {See TDNT 539} n m AV-steward 8, chamberlain 1, governor 1; 10
    1) the manager of household or of household affairs
    1a) esp. a steward, manager, superintendent (whether free-born or as was usually the case, a freed-man or a slave) to whom the head of the house or proprietor has intrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age
    1b) the manager of a farm or landed estate, an overseer
    1c) the superintendent of the city’s finances, the treasurer of a city (or of treasurers or quaestors of kings)
    2) metaph. the apostles and other Christian teachers and bishops and overseers
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ 1 Timothy 3:1 ¶ This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
  6. ↑ 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:
  7. ↑ 1248 ~διακονία~ diakonia \@dee-ak-on-ee’-ah\@ from 1249; n f AV-ministry 16, ministration 6, ministering 3, misc 9; 34
    1) service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others
    L 2) of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men
    2a) of the office of Moses
    2b) of the office of the apostles and its administration
    2c) of the office of prophets, evangelists, elders etc.
    3) the ministration of those who render to others the offices of Christian affection esp. those who help meet need by either collecting or distributing of charities
    4) the office of the deacon in the church
    5) the service of those who prepare and present food
  8. ↑ Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
  9. ↑ 4234 ~πρᾶξις~ praxis \@prax’-is\@ from 4238; TDNT-6:642,927; {See TDNT 657} n f AV-deed 4, work 1, office 1; 6
    1) a doing, a mode of acting, a deal, a transaction
    1a) the doings of the apostles
    1b) in a bad sense, wicked deed, crime, wicked doings (our practices i.e. trickery)
    2) a thing to be done, business
  10. ↑ 2018 Oxford University Press
  11. ↑ 07462 ^הער^ ra‘ah \@raw-aw’\@ (רעה) ReshAyinHei a primitive root; v; AV-feed 75, shepherd 63, pastor 8, herdmen 7, keep 3, companion 2, broken 1, company 1, devour 1, eat 1, entreateth 1, misc 10; 173
    1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed
    1a) (Qal)
    1a1) to tend, pasture
    1a1a) to shepherd
    1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig)
    1a1c) of people as flock (fig)
    1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst)
    1a2) to feed, graze
    1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal)
    1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig)
    1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess
    2) to associate with, be a friend of (meaning probable)
    2a) (Qal) to associate with
    2b) (Hithpael) to be companions
    3) (Piel) to be a special friend
    • 07462 (רעה) ReshAyinHei ra`ah is also translated feed 75, shepherd 63, pastor 8, herdmen 7, keep 3, companion 2, and broken, company, devour, eat, entreateth once each and 10 miscellaneous other ways. It is defined 1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed 2) to associate with, be a friend of ... It is the same three letters we see in 07463 (רעה) ReshAyinHei re`eh 1) friend, friend of the king (technical sense)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 4166 ~ποιμήν~ poimen \@poy-mane’\@ of uncertain affinity; n m AV-shepherd 15, Shepherd 2, pastor 1; 18
    1) a herdsman, esp. a shepherd
    1a) in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow
    2) metaph.
    2a) the presiding officer, manager, director, of any assembly: so of Christ the Head of the church; the NT uses the term bishop, overseers, 1985 pastors, 4166 elders, and presbyters 4245 interchangeably {#Ac 20:17,28 Eph 4:11 Tit 1:5,7 1Pe 5:1-4 etc.} 2a1) of the overseers of the Christian assemblies 2a2) of kings and princes
    The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were:
    • -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.
  13. ↑ 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,
  14. ↑ 1033 ~βρῶμα~ broma \@bro’-mah\@ from the base of 977; TDNT-1:642,111; {See TDNT 147} n n AV-meat 16, victual 1; 17
    1) that which is eaten, food
    • It is also a shipworm (Teredo navalis) that bores into wooden piers, ships, etc. and in (dentistry) it can mean a cavity.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ 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.
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