“THE ELDER”
SELECTED SCRIPTURES

I. Introduction
Four weeks from today, on Sunday, March 4, 2012, LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH will celebrate eight years of God’s grace. Much prayer and seeking after His will led to the founding and establishment of this church. God has blessed His work in countless ways since that first Sunday in March of 2004. We’ll take time to acknowledge Him and His blessings in a special anniversary service next month. But this morning is special too.

Now God has led us to another milestone in the life of our church. He has made it clear that He has given us another elder. Today we will officially appoint and commission Tim Yorgey as that man.

A little over two years ago God brought Tim, Allison, Hannah, and Timothy to us. Short-ly after their arrival the Lord presented them (and us) with Katherine. As most of you have come to know, they are a family that truly loves the Lord. Tim and Allison have committed themselves to God and His work on this earth. Tim is Dean of Students and teaches at Faith Christian School in Williams Bay. In addition to being mom to Hannah, Timothy, and Katherine, Allison also teaches one- to five-year-old children at the school.

Tim has taken the pulpit here a number of times and, in the process, he has consistently demonstrated his gift for the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Since last Septem-ber, both Tim and Allison have taken on the roles of teaching, guiding, directing, and giving counsel to our young people with a clear focus on training them to become godly and mature Christian adults. That’s what the Wednesday night “BRIDGE” is all about. (“Building Responsible Individuals to Depend on God for Eternity”)

We prayed, and God, in His timing, has answered our prayer and given us a wonderful young family. Not only that, He has given us two teachers for our children, and He has given us an elder. So this morning we acknowledge God and His provision for us.

The government of the Christian church is a major issue in the founding and day-to-day operation of any local assembly of believers. First and foremost, that leadership must be based on God’s Word. Then it must be succinctly stated and clearly understood by the leadership, those who have committed to membership, and those who attend.

It is to that end that ARTICLE V of our church constitution speaks.

Section 1:
The Head of the Church –
LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH acknowledges only the Lord Jesus Christ as its head, the Holy Spirit as its teacher, and the Holy Scriptures as the only infallible guide in matters of faith, discipline, and order.
Section 2:
The Government of the Church –
The government of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH shall be vested in the Elders. They are accountable to God and responsible to Him for the oversight and the spiritual welfare of the church and its members.

Section 3:
Elders –
The Elders shall be men in full communion with LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH, of mature judgment and unquestioned Christian character, loyal to the Word of God, setting a godly example, devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in accord with the scriptural standards for Elders as found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The Elder Board shall be self-perpetuating, appointing and ordaining Elders in accordance with the Bylaws of this Constitution. Their responsibilities shall include ruling, teaching, preaching, and exhorting, as well as praying for and shep-herding the flock of God.

First, we recognize Jesus Christ as Head of His church, the “Chief Shepherd of the Flock,” the real “Senior Pastor,” if you will. Second, we recognize that, as a local assembly, we are to be governed by those who have been called to be elders. Third, we agree that the Bible alone is the elder’s guide in the administration of His duties before God. Who is eligible to be an elder, how is he selected, and what is his term of office?

ARTICLE I, Section 1 of our Bylaws address those questions.

Elders –
Candidates for Elder shall have been active members of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH for a minimum of two years prior to their appointment as Elders.
1. Candidacy – Candidates for the office of Elder may originate from any one of three sources. First, a man may aspire to the office and indicate that aspiration to the Elders. Second, active members of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH may propose candidates to the Elders. Third, the Elders may choose candidates directly.
2. Appointment – The serving Elders shall appoint new Elders from among the membership of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH.
3. Term of Office – The office of Elder is a life-long position. Each Elder is affirmed by LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH and confirmed by God. Terms of active service shall be determined by the serving Elders. When an Elder is inactive (not serving), he may be consulted as a continuing source of wisdom.

Then, with the Holy Scriptures as our absolute and final authority, our Constitution and Bylaws as our rule and guide, we have drawn up a “job description” for elders at LBC.
Copies of the complete job description are on the table in the lobby. I would encourage you all to take one with you. But for now I’ll read just the opening paragraph.
“Elders are called to oversee the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Elders are required to function as under-shepherds in complete submission to Christ, the Chief Shepherd. It is in this role that God has given Elders final temporal authority in the church. They are to lead, guide, and direct the congregation that God has allotted to their care. They are to preach and teach God’s word, the Bible, and always be on the alert to protect the church from doctrinal error and worldly thinking. In all of this they must continually present themselves as examples of Christian maturity and godly character.”

Jeff and I believe LBC has been given the right young man for the job in Tim Yorgey.
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II. Text
Proper church government is essential for the church to function as God has intended it. One of the primary tasks of church leaders is to train up younger men to someday replace themselves. I believe one of the main reasons churches dry up and die is that the older leaders are either reluctant to train younger men or, in some cases, simply refuse to do so.

The Lord may come at any moment, in which case there would be no need for any more elders here at LBC. But while we’re to live each day as if Jesus were coming today, He expects us to care for His church as if He weren’t coming for a thousand years. One aspect of that care is for Jeff and I to do all we can to see to it that LBC will be in capable hands when we’re gone. We are to train up leaders for the next generation.

God’s plan has always been for elders to govern and lead His church. There is to be a plurality of elders. The Scripture never tells us of a local church ruled solely by one man. Cults may be run by one man, but that is not to be the case for churches. Furthermore, Scripture never tells us of a local church that is ruled by majority opinion. Majority rule may be popular in the world but God has not ordained it for His church. So this morning I want to look at four broad aspects of biblical eldership.
1. Who and what is an elder?
2. What qualifies a man be an elder?
3. What does an elder do?
4. What is the right relationship between an elder and the congregation he serves?

The first question is, “Who and what is an elder?” The Greek word translated “elder” is “prĕsbutĕrŏs.” We get the word “Presbyterian” from it. When used in the secular sense it does indeed refer to older men. But when used in the church, chronological age is not the primary issue. Remember, the first Christians were all Jews. In the OT the elders of Israel were mature men spiritually. They were heads of families. They were men of unquestioned character who feared God. They were men of courage and imparti-ality. They were men who judged rightly and fairly.
They were men of integrity, filled with wisdom, discernment, and experience. Beyond all of that, they were men who could teach the Word of God.

Someone may say, “I love Tim, I see his character, and I know he can preach the Word.
But isn’t he a little young to be an elder?” That’s a fair question and it deserves an ans-wer. Tim is a young man, but if we were hiring an assistant pastor, we wouldn’t think him too young, would we? A recent graduate of a seminary might be only 25 or 26 years of age. We wouldn’t think such a man too young to be an assistant or even an associate pastor. And if we were to hire such a man, he would become one of our elders by virtue of his position as a pastor/teacher.

In fact, those of you who have been here since the beginning will remember Jonathan Rourke from John MacArthur’s church in California. In 2004 Jonathan was younger than Tim is now. We would have hired Jonathan had not Grace Church determined to keep him. So Tim’s modest years do not in any way disqualify him for service. On the contrary, Tim’s character, integrity, wisdom, discernment, and his Christian experience to this point in his life do qualify him to serve God and you here at LIGHTHOUSE.

Let me clarify another thing that is sometimes confusing. The words “elder” and “pas-tor,” refer to the very same biblical office. The word “bishop” also refers to that office. Is there a difference? Not really! They are just different aspects of the same thing.
• So “elder” comes from “prĕsbutĕrŏs.” Elder speaks to whom and to what the man is.
• The word “pastor” comes from “pŏimēn,” meaning “shepherd.” Shepherding and feeding the flock of God is one of the two primary things an elder does.
• The word “bishop” comes from “ĕpiskŏpŏs.” We get the word “Episcopal” from it. It means “to oversee.” Overseeing and protecting the flock of God is the other primary thing an elder does.

In the NT, whether the word is elder, pastor, shepherd, bishop, or overseer, they all relate to the same man and the same office, the office of elder. In fact, there is one place in the NT where all three Greek words are found together.
*1 Peter 5:1-2a
1 Therefore, I exhort the elders (prĕsbutĕrŏs) among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that is to be revealed,
2a shepherd (pŏimēn) the flock of God among you, exercising oversight (ĕpis-kŏpŏs) not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God…

That is an elder. He is a shepherd and an overseer. Shepherds nurture and feed the flock. Overseers protect and lead the flock. Those are the things God has called elders to do.

The second question is, “What qualifies a man to be an elder?” The Bibles is clear.
*1 Timothy 3:1-7
1 It is a trustworthy statement: If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, tem-perate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money.
4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?);
6 and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condem-nation incurred by the devil.
7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

*Titus 1:5-9
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.
6 namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,
9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

Both passages emphasize an elder’s character and speak to how he is to live his life. His testimony as a godly man is to be clear to both the church and to the secular world around him. Notice that both passages begin with the requirement that a man be above reproach. The KJV uses the word blameless. The Greek actually means that a man is to be found both unaccused and unaccusable. He is to be free from any legal charges at all.

Contrary to popular opinion, “the husband of one wife,” does not mean that a widower or a man divorced, for biblically acceptable reasons, is automatically disqualified from ser-ving as an elder. The Greek is literally, “a one-woman man.” This limitation is not based on a man’s marital status but on his sexual fidelity to his wife.

Both passages tell us that a man must not be addicted to alcohol. Both passages tell us that a man must be self-controlled, hospitable, and free from an inordinate love of money.
Both passages tell us that a man must be able to rule his home and his children well.
And both passages tell us that an elder must be able to teach (1 Timothy 3:2), and exhort in sound doctrine and (this is so important) refute those who contradict it (Titus 1:9).
• “…able to teach” reflects the pastoral part of caring for the sheep. An elder must be able to feed God’s flock with spiritual food.
• “…able to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it” reflects the overseer part of caring for the sheep. An elder must be able to protect the sheep from false doctrine that would cause them to stumble in their walk with God.

The third question is, “What does an elder do?” The one overarching function of elders, their first duty, is to be guided by the Holy Spirit in everything they do. In 1988 John MacArthur published a booklet that addressed key questions about biblical eldership. In it he says this –
“If all the elders are guided by the same Spirit and all have the mind of Christ, there should be unanimity in the decisions they make. If there is division, all the elders should study, pray, and seek the will of God together until consensus is achieved. Unity and harmony in the church begin with this principle.”

So guidance by the Holy Spirit must be the elders’ starting point. Every positive thing will emanate from there. In and under that guidance the elders are called to proclaim the truth, and to determine, clarify, and explain doctrinal issues. In and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the elders are called to preach and teach the Word. Their call and responsibility to preach and teach the Word of God cannot be overstated.

That’s because there have always been false teachers and false teaching, but today, as we approach the end of the age, false teaching, false doctrine, and outright lies are running rampant throughout the world, as well as throughout far too much of the professing church. God has called the elders to stand in the gap. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this to the elders of the church at Ephesus.
Acts 20:28-29
28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock…”

*1 Timothy 5:17
17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, espe-cially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

So it is clear. The first thing elders do is oversee the church. As part of that oversight they define and set church policies (Acts 15:22) and appoint others (Acts 14:23). The Greek word translated “appoint” is “chĕirŏtŏnĕō,” meaning “ordain by the stretching out of hands.” This is why Jeff and I will actually lay our hands on Tim after the sermon.
Finally, as a part of their responsibility to oversee the church, all elders are called to set a godly example. Look with me at 1 Peter 5 once more.
*1 Peter 5:1-3
1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that is to be revealed,
2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under com-pulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
3 not yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

Such are the duties of the elders. But there is one more thing. Since the church requires such a wide variety of tasks necessary for its day-to-day operation, the elders are to appoint deacons to handle those affairs. The first deacons were chosen to serve the body very early in the life of the church. Their initial task was serving food and waiting tables.
Acts 6:3-4
3 “But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
4 “But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

It is interesting to me that one of those deacons, “Stephan, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5),” was the first Christian martyr, the first to lay down his life for his unwavering faith in Christ.

So we have seen who and what an elder is. We have seen what qualifies a man to be an elder. We have seen what it is that elders are called to do. But there is one more thing we need to consider.

The fourth question is, “What is the right relationship between an elder and the congre-gation he serves?” This is really a two-part question. The first part has to do with the congregation’s responsibility to the elders. The second is the reciprocal – the elders’ responsibility to the congregation.

What is the congregation’s responsibility? The congregation is to obey and submit to the elders care, protection, and guidance. This is not so that elders may exercise power, but because God has given them the solemn responsibility to shepherd His flock.
*Hebrews 13:17
17 Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Do you see? Along with the elders’ God-given privilege of leading and shepherding God’s people comes a God-ordained accountability. Every elder will be held accountable to God for his leadership in the church. No elder should ever take that lightly.
And let’s be clear. Please do not think that this in any way implies that elders are perfect. Far from it! No honest elder would ever claim to be perfect in anything he does. But even with the imperfection of every elder, God still calls the church to submit.

There is no question that such submission can be difficult, but the Christian church can-not be what God intends it to be without submissiveness in all of God’s people. That includes the elders. It is helpful to remember that we are all called to submit to someone.

For example, in Ephesians 5 wives are called to submit to imperfect husbands. In Ephe-sians 6 children are called to submit to imperfect parents, and employees are called to submit to imperfect employers. In Romans 13 Christians are called to submit to imper-fect governments and rulers. In Romans 14 we are all called to submit to each other, even though we are all imperfect. Even the Lord Jesus Christ submitted Himself to His Father’s will and went to the cross on our behalf.

That leads us to the second part of the question about an elder’s relationship to the con-gregation he is called to serve.

What is an elder’s responsibility? An elder is to be a “servant-leader.” He is to be hum- ble before God’s people. Leading and directing from a position of humble submissive-ness is not an easy thing to do. But with God’s help, all things are possible, aren’t they? Listen, God expects the elders, to whom you are called to submit, to be loving and hum-ble servant-leaders.

And I need to say this as well. While we elders are responsible for the spiritual welfare of the church we have no business dictating the personal affairs of God’s people. Elders are to be ready, willing, and able to provide sound advice should people ask for it, but if the Scriptures do not command or condemn something, then neither should we.

What else does the Scripture teach about how elders are to shepherd and lead the flock God? Titus 1:7 tells us an elder must not be headstrong, unyielding, or blind to others’ feelings. 1 Timothy 3:3 tells us an elder must be patient and gentle. 1 Peter 5:3 tells us an elder is not to lord it over those allotted to their charge but to be an example of godli-ness. Can you submit to such men as that? Jeff and Tim and I can only be such men to the degree that we submit ourselves to God!

There are two verses in the NT that serve to remind me of my responsibility to God’s people in my role here as pastor/teacher and as an elder in the church that Jesus is building here in Lake Geneva. Their gravity always holds my attention. The first is…
James 3:1
1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.

I stand in front of you as one who fears God so I will never knowingly teach error or misrepresent the truth to you.
Furthermore, I know Jeff and Tim well enough to know they share that sentiment. James 3:1 gets our attention.

The second verse is one we read just a minute ago.
Hebrews 13:17
17 …your leaders…will give an account…

• We have seen who and what an elder is.
• We have seen what qualifies a man to be an elder.
• We have seen what an elder does.
• We have seen what the right relationship is between an elder and the church God has called him to serve.
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III. Conclusion
In just a moment Tim and his family will come down here to the front. We will give him his charge, lay hands on him, and pray for him, his family, and our church. But first I have a word for Jeff and for Tim and for me. (You guys can listen too.)

“Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, has called us to serve as elders in His church. We have been called as shepherds to lead sheep. We have not been called as cowboys to drive cattle. What a difference!

“Each one of us will give an account to God of how well we shepherded, fed, guided, handled, cared for, protected, nurtured, loved, and yes, even how we rebuked and disciplined the church that God has placed under our spiritual leadership.

May God help all three of us in that.”

~ Pray ~