Menu
A plurality of leaders in the local church is most consistent with biblical precept and example. Therefore, we are governed elders who are biblically qualified men whom God has raised up from within our body. Elders are the pastoral body of the church and are appointed as their ministry, calling, and the church’s need becomes apparent. Elders have the responsibility and authority to serve as managers and caretakers of the church (1 Tim. 3:5) by functioning as spiritual overseers of the flock through determining church action; overseeing the church (Acts 20:28); ordaining others (1 Tim 4:14); ruling, teaching, and preaching (1 Tim 5:17, 1 Thess 5:12, 1 Tim 3:2); exhorting and refuting (Titus 1:9); acting as shepherds, setting an example for all (1 Peter 5:1-3); and any other responsibility or authority given by the Scriptures.
Some elders serve in a full-time capacity, especially those that labor in preaching and teaching, and others are self-supporting elders. Christ is acknowledged as the Chief Shepherd of the church and no one person is the head of the local church. Elders, as undershepherds, are directly accountable to the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, for their stewardship of the local body of believers. The elders are different in their giftings, but equal in their authority. The elders jointly lead in shepherding, guiding, teaching and protecting the church. Their leadership is distinguished as pastoral, shared, male, qualified, and servant-like.
Three different terms are used in the New Testament to refer to the same position. In Greek, “Poimen” meaning shepherds or pastors, refers to caring, leading and feeding function. “Presbuteros” meaning elder, refers to one’s spiritual maturity. “Episcopos” meaning overseer, refers to the managing of the church. All three words refer to the same office- Elder. Spiritually mature men are to be appointed and recognized within the church to tend the flock of God, to be concerned about the spiritual care of the body and provide counsel, leadership, correction, direction, and example for the church.
Elders are not merely the church’s governing body, but they are to be active shepherds and the pastoral group of the church. Elders must be able to teach and explain the Word of God and hold firmly to sound doctrine, so they can encourage others in it, and refute those who would oppose it (Titus 1:9; Jude 3).
True elder-lead churches with a team of elder (pastors) are unfortunately the outliers in American evangelicalism. The structure of the church must never be determined by culture, business practices, or even denominational traditions. Other church structures of various configurations, such as the ‘CEO’ model of church leadership, or a voting representative ‘board of directors’ structure, unnecessarily deviate from the biblical model of church leadership. Still too, an overreliance on a ‘one person, one vote’ congregational church government and American democratic principles can sometimes paralyze a church making by making it’s leadership subject to a popularity contest or decisions not rooted in the Scriptures. Such configurations depart from the biblical pattern for church leadership— which is a plurality of diligent, functioning, servant-minded ‘pastoral’ elders working with the congregation in the work of the church’s ministry. Only by following this biblical pattern will the church maximize its effectiveness and fruitfulness.
At Liberty Community Church, we have a simple, biblical, elder-led structure with the aim of maximizing ministry.
For more information on biblical eldership click here.
For further information on our church’s structure and governance, please see our By-Laws.
