Appointing Elders in the Church

(1 Timothy 3:1-7 – Appointing Elders in the Church)

Appointing Elders in the Church is a serious matter. There are definite requirements and preconditions that ought to be met for anyone who aspires to the task of Eldership.

It is not a role to be taken lightly as an Elder has responsibility on earth for the well-being of the congregation of God’s people. They have a very important job to do, and they will be held accountable by God and the Lord Jesus Christ in how they perform their duties.

That is why Paul gave strict instructions as to the conditions that should be present in any person who is seeking or being considered when appointing Elders in the church.

Appointing Elders in the Church who are above reproach

This passage concerning the appointing of Elders in the church opens by saying that they should be above reproach.

A person of questionable character should not be considered for the role of Eldership. If they are looking at the position as one of power or to serve their own passions, then they are not fit to become an Elder in the church.

The Elders in the Church are there to help and to serve the members of the Church. They are to be as Christ was, who came to serve rather than to be served. Elders serve in many ways, some of which are to protect the flock of God, to teach the people, to ensure no false teaching or false prophecy enters the church, to guide the people into the ways of Christ and to help them to grow. They also may serve in administrative functions to ensure the proper running of the church.

Eldership is an important role and not to be taken lightly, which is why when appointing Elders in the church there are standards that should be met.

Standards to use when appointing Elders in the Church

This section of scripture holds most of the necessary standards as we see in the scripture. (Note: in the following passage the word “bishop” is the same word translated as “Elder” in other translations and can be used interchangeably).

1 The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task. 2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3 no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way; 5 for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil; 7 moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

The second verse contains a list of requirements that could describe an Elder as being serious, conservative, non-controversial, and generally level-headed and well-balanced in all ways. They are also required to be an “apt teacher,” which tells us that they should be well versed in the scriptures and able to explain and guide others in the truth of the Gospel and the New Covenant.

Attitudinal attributes of an Elder in the Church

As we continue on into verse 3 we see a number of physical and attitudinal attributes that an Elder or prospective Elder should show.

The scripture says they should be “no drunkard” but on examining the Greek it seems they should not partake of alcohol at all. That is, they should be a teetotaller and not take any strong drink. The Greek here is, “me paroinon.” It translates literally as “not beside wine.”

Basically it is saying that an Elder should stay away from the presence of wine and not imbibe in it at all. So rather than saying “no drunkard” it would be more accurate to say “no drinker.”

And this makes sense when you consider the effect of alcohol on people. They lose their inhibitions, lose their sensibilities, and drunkenness leads to all kinds of problems. A drunken Elder will not exhibit the kinds of behaviour that are appropriate in the leading of God’s church. And a drunken Elder is likely to become violent, quarrelsome, and rough with people, which the end of this verse suggests are inappropriate for one wishing to be an Elder.

Management skills when appointing Elders in the Church

The next verse shows a range of what we might consider to be management skills an Elder should possess.

First, the Elder should manage their own household well, keeping their children respectful and well behaved. Sure, children will rebel and do things they should not, but it is how they are disciplined to resolve any issues that is telling on how the Elder manages the household.

Management and disciplinary skills are important in the role of an Elder. There will be times such skills are needed to deal with the immature in the flock under their care. They are also required when dealing with those who try to bring false doctrine into the church.

Preventing the Devil’s advances

The final aspect of appointing Elders in the Church covered in this scripture deals with preventing the devil attacking the Church.

Firstly, the Elder should not be a recent convert. They need to have a number of years experience in the Lord to give them time to grow. They need to be on the road to maturity in Christ so that they can properly understand the importance of the role. It is critical that they are established in Christ and strong in the faith so that they do not fall prey to false teaching and false doctrines.

A recent convert is none of these things because they have not had time to learn and apply the teachings of the New Covenant in their own lives, let alone be able to counsel others who come to them.

Furthermore, as the scripture says, the new Elder must not be a new convert as they could be puffed up with conceit. They may think they are better than others or more important than other because they do not realise the truth of Eldership is one of service. And if conceit rears it’s ugly head it open the door for Satan to do his dirty work in the church.

Finishing off this section, the Elder must be well thought of by outsiders. They should be considered by all to be people of integrity, character, honesty and reliable. This is a hallmark for all of the people of God as they grow, and especially for an Elder.

Summary

This section of the scripture is a great summary for any church seeking to appoint Elders in the Church.

And it is IMPORTANT that every church be led by a group of Elders and not just one man. Where a Church is headed by one man, then that is an Antichrist structure, as I have discussed in other posts elsewhere.

Eldership is critical to every church because it is the Eldership of the Church that provides the first line of defence against the opposition of the devil. The Elders build the foundations of the Church upon the Rock, who is Jesus Christ. And they protect the ministry and the people of the Church as is their calling.

So, any Church seeking to appoint Elders, and every church needs them, ought to study these words in this scripture to be certain they get it right.

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