Tag: elders
For Whom Do Elders Have Responsibility? (Should Elders, Pastors and Bishops Have Authority Over a Congregation or a Geographic Area?)
A key question when discussing the role of elders, pastors and bishops in Jesus’ church is: Which Christians does an elder / pastor / bishop have responsibility for overseeing, shepherding and leading? In other words, biblically speaking, how should we determine which souls an elder is responsible for? … Before continuing, there are 3 prior…
The Purpose of Elders, Pastors and Bishops in the Church
I’ve previously shown from the Scriptures that elders, pastors and bishops referred to the same role in the apostolic church. The terms were interchangeable references to the same individuals. With that defined, and having looked at what the Old Testament and Jesus’ life can teach us about this role, in this post, I explain from the…
What Jesus Teaches Us about Shepherds (9 Qualities of Effective Pastors and Elders)
The Prophets foretold Jesus’ shepherding of His flock, spiritual Israel (the church). Here is an example from Micah: 1 Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us.They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of…
What the Old Testament Teaches Us about Shepherds
We are in the midst of a study of the various roles GOD has placed within the church and we’re currently thinking about elders. As we progress, it’s important to keep in mind what we have already established: the overall purpose of the church is to help transform individuals be into the image of Jesus,…
What the Old Testament Teaches Us about Elders
The New Testament tells us that the Law of Moses was our tutor (teacher; guardian; schoolmaster) to bring us to Christ (see Gal. 3:23-25). In this post, let’s look at what our tutor has to say about the role of elders in Old Testament times. Having this foundation helps us better understand the role of…
Are Pastors, Bishops, and Elders the Same or Different Roles?
As I continue writing about the various roles Jesus has placed within the church, we turn our attention toward the role of elders. Before we discuss the purpose of elders, there is a very significant question we must answer up front: Are the terms elders, presbyters, bishops, overseers, shepherds and pastors interchangeable in Scripture, or…
The Purpose of the Various Roles in the Church (And Why GOD Gave These Roles)
What roles exist within Jesus’ church? Why did GOD create these specific roles? Before diving into these questions, let me provide some context… This post is a continuation of thoughts regarding the big picture of Christian life and Jesus’ church. If you’re joining in the middle of this journey, I’d encourage you to start here:…
Jesus’ Church: Organism or Organization? (Why Our Thinking About the Church is Wrong)
I recently read a newspaper article written by a preacher that was discussing his view of the purpose of the church. Since I’ve been thinking and writing about similar things recently, the headline caught my eye, so I read it. The contents got me to thinking. As Christians, we understand (intellectually) the individual truths that…
To Whom are You Committed? (Why We Can Think We’re Following Jesus When We Aren’t)
In the posts “How to Know When GOD is Calling You” and “What it Means to be Jesus’ Disciple,” I discussed discipleship and obeying when GOD calls us, first to Himself for salvation, and subsequently, to do specific things for His glory. Today, we continue that train of thought and consider a few basic, but…
How to Improve Your Church’s Health (Using a Church Checkup)
Want to help your church become more effective? Here’s how. For the past two Sundays, I have led our church in an exercise we have come to call a “church checkup.” One of the blessings of small(er) churches is that you can legitimately get feedback from every person on a regular basis and include everyone…