The Eldership

1
The Eldership

• Who is to Shepherd the Flock of God?

2
DEVELOPING ELDERS

• Recognize The Need
• Answer The Call
• Develop The Abilities
• Understand The Role
• Select And Appoint Qualified Men
• Submit To Their Rule And Follow Their Lead

3
Children

• In the Old Testament
• Gen. 217 1 Sam. 3022 1 Chr. 230 1 Chr.
  232 Isa. 234
• In The New Testament
• Mt. 1929 Mt. 2224 Mk. 1029 Lk. 1426 Lk.
  1829-30 Acts 239 1 Cor. 714 2 Cor. 1214
  Eph. 64 Col. 321 1 Th. 27 1 Th. 211 1
  Tim. 54 1 Tim. 510 1 Tim. 514 Tit. 24 1
  Timothy 34 Titus 16

4
Children
5
Children

• Gen. 217 7 She also said, "Who would have said
  to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I
  have borne him a son in his old age."
• 1 Sam. 3022 22 Then all the wicked and
  worthless men of those who went with David
  answered and said, "Because they did not go with
  us, we will not give them any of the spoil that
  we have recovered, except for every man's wife
  and children, that they may lead them away and
  depart.
• 1 Chr. 230 30 The sons of Nadab were Seled and
  Appaim Seled died without children.
• 1 Chr. 232 32 The sons of Jada, the brother of
  Shammai, were Jether and Jonathan Jether died
  without children.

6
Children

• Isa. 234 4 Be ashamed, O Sidon For the sea
  has spoken, The strength of the sea, saying, "I
  do not labor, nor bring forth children Neither
  do I rear young men, Nor bring up virgins.
• Mt. 1929 29 "And everyone who has left houses
  or brothers or sisters or father or mother or
  wife or children or lands, for My name's sake,
  shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal
  life.
• Mt. 2224 24 saying "Teacher, Moses said that
  if a man dies, having no children, his brother
  shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for
  his brother.
• Mk. 1029 29 So Jesus answered and said,
  "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has
  left house or brothers or sisters or father or
  mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake
  and the gospel's,

7
Children

• Acts 239 39 "For the promise is to you and to
  your children, and to all who are afar off, as
  many as the Lord our God will call."
• 1 Cor. 714 14 For the unbelieving husband is
  sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife
  is sanctified by the husband otherwise your
  children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
• 2 Cor. 1214 14 Now for the third time I am
  ready to come to you. And I will not be
  burdensome to you for I do not seek yours, but
  you. For the children ought not to lay up for the
  parents, but the parents for the children.
• Eph. 64 4 And you, fathers, do not provoke
  your children to wrath, but bring them up in the
  training and admonition of the Lord.
• Col. 321 21 Fathers, do not provoke your
  children, lest they become discouraged.

8
Children

• 1 Th. 27 7 But we were gentle among you, just
  as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
• 1 Th. 211 11 as you know how we exhorted, and
  comforted, and charged every one of you, as a
  father does his own children,
• 1 Tim. 54 4 But if any widow has children or
  grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety
  at home and to repay their parents for this is
  good and acceptable before God.
• 1 Tim. 514 14 Therefore I desire that the
  younger widows marry, bear children, manage the
  house, give no opportunity to the adversary to
  speak reproachfully.
• Tit. 24 4 that they admonish the young women
  to love their husbands, to love their children,

9
THREE DIFFERENT TERMS FOR THE SAME PERSONS

• And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called
  to him the elders presbuteros of the
  church....Take heed unto yourselves, and to all
  the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you
  bishops episkopos, to feed poimaino the
  church of the Lord which he purchased with his
  own blood. (Acts 2017, 28)
• For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou
  shouldest set in order the things that were
  wanting, and appoint elders presbuteros in
  every city, as I gave thee charge....For the
  bishop episkopos must be blameless, as Gods
  steward.... (Tit. 15, 7)
• The elders presbuteros therefore among you I
  exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of
  the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker
  of the glory that shall be revealed Tend
  poimaino the flock of God which is among you,
  exercising the oversight episkopeo, not of
  constraint, but willingly, according to the will
  of God.... (1 Pet. 51-2)

10
Bishop or Overseer (epskopos)

• BAGD overseer. 1. of God.... -- Of
  Christ.... 2. of persons who have a definite
  function or a fixed office within a
  group....superintendent, guardian, bishop Ac
  2028.... (p. 299)
• Thayer an overseer, a man charged with the
  duty of seeing that things to be done by others
  are done rightly, any curator, guardian, or
  superintendent.... spec. the superintendent, head
  or overseer of any Christian church.... (1985,
  p. 243)
• Vine lit., an overseer (epi, over, skopeo, to
  look or watch), whence Eng. bishop, which has
  precisely the same meaning.... Note
  Presbuteros, an elder, is another term for the
  same person as bishop or overseer. See Acts
  2017 with verse 28. The term elder indicates
  the mature spiritual experience and understanding
  of those so described the term bishop, or
  overseer, indicates the character of the work
  undertaken. (Vol. 1, pp. 128-129)

11
pistos (pistos) Believing

• Those of the circumcision who believed (Acts
  1045)
• Timothys mother was a believing Jewess (Acts
  161)
• Lydia was faithful to the Lord (Acts 1615)
• A believer (2 Cor. 615)
• Abraham was faithful (Gal. 39)
• The faithful in Christ Jesus (Eph. 11)
• Them that believe (1 Tim. 43, 10, 12)
• A woman that believeth (1 Tim. 516)
• Believing masters (1 Tim. 62)
• Faithful men (2 Tim. 22)

12
The Qualifications of Elders and Christians
13
The Qualifications of Elders and Christians
14
The Qualifications of Elders and Christians
15
The Qualifications of Elders and Christians
16
The Qualifications of Elders and Christians
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The Qualifications of Elders and Christians
18
Elders and Evangelists
19
Elders and Evangelists
20
Who Appoints Elders

• Approved Example So when they had appointed
  elders in every church, and prayed with fasting,
  they commended them to the Lord in whom they had
  believed. (Acts 1423)
• Express Statement For this reason I left you
  in Crete, that you should set in order the things
  that are lacking, and appoint elders in every
  city as I commanded you (Tit. 15)
• Direct Command Do not lay hands on anyone
  hastily, nor share in other people's sins keep
  yourself pure. (1 Tim. 522)
• Consistent Secondary Evidence The
  qualifications are given in letters to
  evangelists (1 Tim. 31-7 Tit. 15-11)