Biblical Eldership: Training, Affirming, & Implementing,pt4-1 Tim 3:1-7

Suppose you were called to pastor a church where none of the elders were biblically qualified, though they had been serving in their “positions of authority” for decades? Or what if you are serving at a church that had learned a bit about the Bible’s teaching on eldership, yet they simply renamed the board of deacons to elders, changing the name, but not the function? Whether you personally have experienced eldership done poorly, or you shepherd those who have suffered under unbiblical leadership, the sheep will either be helped or hindered in direct proportion to our affirmation and practice of biblical eldership. They will be stimulated toward holiness under shepherd-elders, or they will be hurt under the tyranny of unqualified leadership. To the extent that we follow exactly the blueprint of Scriptural mandate and example will be the extent of the church’s health. Said differently, how much are you willing to wiggle from God’s Word? It is not only the final authority for faith and practice, it is the only revelation of what constitutes God’s work. Brothers, do we indeed tremble at God’s Word, as the prophet Isaiah exhorts us, with the sincere desire that God would look to humble under-shepherds who seek to build His work according to His instructions alone, rather than exercising a rogue spirit of our own entrepreneurial genius (Isa 66:2)? Do we maintain the conviction that God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s blessing, even though it may mean disfavor with His people and their tradition of how they’ve always done ministry? Wednesday night at 6PM during midweek Bible study we will continue our study on "Biblical Eldership: Training, Affirming & Implementing", pt4 looking specifically at the qualifications of 1 Tim 3 & Titus 1.