1 / 28

Scriptural Church Organization Elders: Shepherds Of The Flock

Scriptural Church Organization Elders: Shepherds Of The Flock. Scriptural Church Organization Elders: Shepherds Of The Flock. Introduction. -Any congregation is not organized unless they desire to have and appoint elders

caia
Download Presentation

Scriptural Church Organization Elders: Shepherds Of The Flock

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock

  2. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Introduction -Any congregation is not organized unless they desire to have and appoint elders -These men have a very important function in the work of any local church -These men will meet scriptural qualifications, and hold a great responsibility as they serve the Lord in His kingdom

  3. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Introduction -God has commanded that elders be appointed in every church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5) -Peter described the elders as shepherds that must, “Feed the flock of God which is among you” (I Peter 5:1-2) -Today we will notice: -Numbers and designations for elders -The authority and work of elders -Some false conceptions of elders

  4. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Descriptions Of Elders In The New Testament -ELDER -(presbyturos) means one advanced in life, a senior. -This term describes this individual as someone who is dignified and experienced (I Peter 5:1) -This can be understood when one cannot be qualified who is a “novice” (I Tim. 3:6)

  5. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Descriptions Of Elders In The New Testament -BISHOP -(episkopos) means an overseer, watcher, guardian or superintendent. -Bishop describes the work of overseeing (I Tim. 3:1-2; Phil. 1:1) -These men must watch out for the souls who make up the local church where they labor.

  6. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Descriptions Of Elders In The New Testament -PASTOR -(poimen) means herdsmen or shepherd -This portrays a picture of those who lead a flock (Lord’s sheep) into paths of truth -Any pastor at work must be careful to protect and lead sheep to safety (Eph. 4:11)

  7. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Descriptions Of Elders In The New Testament -All Three Terms Describe The Same Office -Passages use these terms interchangeably and they are describing the same function in a local church (Acts 20:17, 28; Tit. 1:5-7) -When an elders work is understood one can see how each term is used (I Pet. 5:1-2; Eph. 4:11)

  8. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Number Of Elders In Each Congregation -Each congregation had a plurality of elders -The churches in Jerusalem and Ephesus had “elders”(Acts 11:30; 20:17, 28) -This is something that was found in every church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5) -Each congregation had “elders” among them (I Peter 5:1)

  9. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Number Of Elders In Each Congregation -One man cannot oversee a congregation alone, and it would violate the teaching of the word of God if a congregation decided to do such -Since there are a plurality of elders, they need to be able to stand for truth and work together

  10. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Authority Of Elders -It must first be noticed and understood that an eldership does have authority (Heb. 13:17; I Tim. 3:4-5; 5:17) -The elders authority is limited to the law of Christ since He is the only lawgiver (James 4:12) -Elders are also limited to the local church over which they have been appointed (I Peter 5:1-3)

  11. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Authority Of Elders -Some elders abuse their authority, while others are timid about using it. -Some elders cannot agree in their decisions and need not to have one elder making the final choice over the others -Elders must abide in the word of God and lead the local church to the keeping of the Lord’s will

  12. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock The Work Of Elders -ELDERS ARE SELF-EXAMINERS -Elders must watch for themselves as well as others in the pursuit of righteousness (Acts 20:28) -The first responsibility of an elder is to himself.

  13. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock The Work Of Elders -ELDERS ARE EXAMPLE-SETTERS -If an elder is going to lead in any direction, he must first walk down that path (I Peter 5:3) -Sheep are not driven but led. A congregation is to follow their example in truth.

  14. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock The Work Of Elders -ELDERS ARE OVERSEERS -Elder must stand over the work of a local church and make sure it is functioning according to the Scriptures (Acts 20:28) -An elder’s oversight is limited to the local church over which he was appointed (I Peter 5:2)

  15. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock The Work Of Elders -ELDERS ARE FLOCK-FEEDERS -Sheep that aren’t fed are sheep that can’t be led (Acts 20:28, 32) -The word of God is the source of food for the Christian (I Peter 5:2) -Consider the example of the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-3)

  16. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock The Work Of Elders -ELDERS ARE SOUL-WATCHERS -Shepherds must give account for the flock at the end of their work (missing sheep, injured or sick etc.) -Elders likewise, must give account for the souls of the brethren in a local church (Hebrews 13:17) -This describes an important responsibility

  17. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock The Work Of Elders -ELDERS ARE RULERS -Elders must rule their own house, as well as the household of God (I Tim. 3:4-5) -Elders must lead (rule) well, that is with diligence (Romans 12:7-8; I Tim. 5:17) -These passages show that an elder must know how to rule in order to be qualified

  18. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Some Common False Conceptions Of Elders -NO ELDERS -There are many who feel that a congregation is better off without elders -They base their argument on either a poor experience with elders in the past, or the worry that an eldership would lead them down the wrong path. -Elders are to be appointed in “every church”

  19. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Some Common False Conceptions Of Elders -MEN CAN JUST ASSUME THE ELDERSHIP -Some think that men of higher social status or financial success can just be an elder -The problem with this is that it takes more than wealth and recognition by the world to be an elder (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9)

  20. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Some Common False Conceptions Of Elders -EVANGELISTIC OVERSIGHT -Some want to put the evangelist in charge of everything -The Bible makes a clear distinction between the work of both of these men (Eph. 4:11) -This may be where the title “pastor” has been falsely used for many minister’s today.

  21. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Some Common False Conceptions Of Elders -GROWTH INTO QUALIFICATIONS -Some hold that any man can be appointed an elder, but must then begin to grow to meet the qualifications found in the word of God. -The Bible says, “A bishop, then, must be…” and then lists the qualifications. -What if a man fails to grow?

  22. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock Some Common False Conceptions Of Elders -GROUP QUALIFICATIONS -This view states that we can appoint several men that each make up the list of qualifications -EX: One man has one wife, another is apt to teach, the next one is not given to wine. -We wouldn’t even appoint a man to public office this way …like Congress

  23. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock APPLICATION -Elders have a very important work and it is indeed worthy of double honor when done well -We need to look out among us and find men who might be qualified to serve as elders and encourage them in this work that they might be appointed -Without elders or without efforts to appoint them we are not organized Biblically.

  24. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock APPLICATION -The work of these men is seen by the descriptions of elder, bishop, and pastor -There must be a plurality of elders in each local church -These men must recognize the authority given to them to lead the congregation in the paths of righteousness -Elders must submit to the authority of Christ

  25. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock APPLICATION -Elders should be: -SELF-EXAMINERS -EXAMPLE-SETTERS -OVERSEERS -FLOCK-FEEDERS -SOUL-WATCHERS -RULERS

  26. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock APPLICATION -An elders will be rewarded for taking on this wonderful responsibility: “…when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (I Peter 5:4)

  27. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock HAVE YOU HEARD THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE? -Jesus said,“ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John. 10:11-16)

  28. Scriptural Church OrganizationElders: Shepherds Of The Flock HAVE YOU HEARD THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE? -Jesus words tell us we must: Hear Matthew 7:24, 26 Believe John 3:16 Repent Luke 13:3, 5 Confess Matthew 10:32-33 Baptized Mark 16:16 Faithful Matthew 24:13

More Related