WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ELDER?

You walk into a new church and the first thing you might ask is ‘who is the pastor?’ That man who stands before the congregation every Sunday and preaches the word is the focal point of many churches. He attracts the most attention, gains the most praise and often endures the most criticism. He carries a boatload of authority and his word has a weightiness to it that is unrivalled in the congregation. He is important, to be sure. But what exactly is the pastor’s function? What is his job description? Is there defined limits to his authority? In sum, who is he? Most Christians probably think little on these questions. They are happy when the pastor comes and talks to them in the foyer but they don’t often stop to evaluate what exactly who he is and why is he there in the first place. Does the Bible have a clear job description of this important position? Is he like the CFO of a corporation, a guru, a friend, a counselor, a parent? All these questions about leaders in the church fall under the general biblical category of ecclesiology. Like most church related things the Bible is distantly specific. That is, the Scriptures give broad parameters about the church and how it is to be run (called church polity) but nowhere is there to be found an exact blueprint. Thinking about how a church is to be organized depends on many factors, including cultural context, availability of resources, and the demographics of the people who attend. Thus when we turn specifically to the role of the pastor we find some flexibility in defining that role. In this post I will try to give a general outline of what a pastor should be and what he shouldn’t be. I will be especially honing in on the domain of his authority.

When we are talking about the pastor, most N.T. scholars believe that this title is interchangeable with the word elder (presbuteros) as texts such as Acts 20:28 demonstrate. The word for elder simply means an older person. It can also be used for women as in 1 Timothy 5:2 (presbuteras). The idea comes directly out of the Old Covenant where older men and women were considered the leaders in the community due to their life experience and wisdom. Not all elders were wise, to be sure. But in those ancient cultures a general deference was given to older people. For example, in the Old Covenant men must attain to the of 30 before becoming priests. Moses was eighty when he took over the reins of Israel. This word elder also seems to be closely connected to one who takes on the role of bishop or overseer (episkopos). This word is the combination of ‘skopos’ which comes to us in English as the word ‘scope’ (to look over intently) and a prefiix ‘epi’ which means ‘over’. Thus a bishop is one who looks over those under his charge. Whereas an elder is an older man with wisdom and judgment, the emphasis of the bishop is that of general oversight much as a military general overlooks a battlefield. That brings us back to the word shepherd or pastor. This too seems to be a title for one who exercises authority in the church and overlaps the functions of elder and bishop. The idea of a shepherd is one of tenderness and care and this aspect of intimacy is a needed corrective for the more big-picture role of of overseer. The noun shepherd (Gr: ποιμήν = poimén) is used twice for our Lord Jesus but only in Ephesians 4:11 does it speak of mere men. Its verb form ‘to shepherd’ is found more frequently than the noun. This may give us a clue that shepherd is more of a function than a title. From the Book of Acts forward the verb ‘to shepherd’ is found in Acts 20:28 (for the Ephesian elders), 1 Cor 9:7, 1 Peter 5:2 and Jude 12. It is used four times for Jesus in the Book of Revelation and is normally rendered ‘to rule.’

One other title that is often used for a pastor is the word ‘minister’ from the Greek word diakonos which means servant and from which we get the word deacon. Being a servant is exactly how Paul looked at himself. He was a minister of the New Covenant (2 Cor 3:6), of God (2 Cor 6:4), of Christ (2 Cor 11:23) and of the gospel (Ephesians 3:7, Col 1:23). Whatever else may be said about a pastor, or elder, he must view himself as the servant of all who are under his charge. This qualification alone would disqualify many who assume this sacred role. Now there may be room for debate as to whether these four titles speak of the same office, if they overlap or if they connote different offices. Whatever be the case, when you put these four concepts together they paint a beautiful mosaic of what a leader in the church of God should look like. Let’s again review them one by one.

Elder - an older man of wisdom and experience

Overseer - a man with strong leadership qualities who surveys the community and sees the big picture

Servant - a man who sees himself as nothing, raised up to do whatever he can for the growth of the body.

Shepherd - a man who loves the sheep and pours out his life for them.

We proceed now to focus more closely at these roles which are normally ascribed to church leaders. The word elder is clearly a concept taken from a Jewish context where it refers to the leaders of the tribes of Israel (see Exodus 3:16; Proverbs 31:23) . The emphasis here is on the age and experience of the one who is to lead. In the ancient culture there was a dignity attached to those who had gray hair. Leviticus 19:32 admonished the young to, ‘stand up in the presence of the grayheaded and honor elders, and you shall fear your God; I am the LORD.’ In days gone by there was an intimate connection between obedience to God and respect for elders in the community. Thus, it would seem right to say that a man who is to lead the people must have experienced life and has gained insights that only age can bring. As we get into the New Testament, the an elder becomes an official title for a church leader but has not completely shed its connection to one who is older and wiser. In both 1 Timothy 5:1 and 1 Peter 5:1,5 the ‘elder’ (older man) is contrasted with the younger man thus showing that in the mind of the apostles an elder retained its original connection with age. There is no reason to abandon this connection today. An older man who has walked with the Lord for many years ‘through many dangers toils and snares’ is generally a person most qualified to take on the role of an elder. In our current day there is a too common custom in making a very talented young man an elder. For example a young man who is outgoing, charismatic, successful in business and who appears to have life altogether is often made an elder. But this pattern is altogether foreign to Scripture. Though it is conceivable that a young man may have a maturity beyond his years and could be considered an elder, it must be said that this ought to be an exception rather than the rule. Another thing to consider is that in our culture young men normally have no time to devote to such a all-consuming calling for they are busy raising a family and holding a taxing job. There is a reason that older men whose working and child rearing days were over were the men tasked with making decisions for their respective communities. It is wise for the church to follow this pattern.

The term bishop is next to be discussed. The word generally connotes a person who has general supervisory oversight of an organization. It is connected with church leaders in Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:1-2; and Titus 1:7. In 1 Peter 2:25 the title is ascribed to Jesus who is ‘the bishop’ (guardian) of our souls. In no sense does this word describe a despotic leader who imposes his will on others, but rather is a big-picture visionary who takes a broad look at what is happening beneath him. A bishop should be a man who sees the larger picture and embraces the larger goal while refusing to overreact to the small and frequent disturbances found in any organization. Who could possibly be a better overseer than Jesus who views the labors of the church from a throne in heaven and patiently keeps her on course despite many difficulties over two thousand years. Leaders who overreact to things, try to manipulate events, or frequently change goals in order to meet present crises will not be useful and inspiring overseers.

Another title frequently given to leaders in the church is that of minister or servant. Jesus clearly taught that those who would lead His bride must be servants of all. He said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and those in high position exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant.” Matthew 25:25-26. Those who lead the body of Christ must be humble, unpretentious, giving, serving, sacrificing individuals. It is often said that a good leader in the church is one whom no one thinks is the leader because he is busy doing all the menial tasks. In the world we find just the opposite. The world looks for strong, aggressive men who push people out of the way to get things done. The world wants ‘movers and shakers’ not those who wash feet. But Jesus, the greatest servant of all (Mark 10:45) demands that his leaders be ‘servants of all.’ In an age where everything is about climbing the ladder and getting ahead, a true servant leader who cares little for raw power is a rarity indeed. Any man who wishes to lord it over men and find their identity in authority cannot lead the church of God.

But the most important title given to leaders must be that of shepherd. It is used in connection with Jesus Himself who is the great Shepherd of the Flock. It is a word that is not merely functional (overseer) or positional (servant) or qualitative (elder) but one that encompasses all three. It defines a sacred calling, a devotion to a body of people, a wholesale selling out of one’s body, mind and spirit to care for others who are prone to wander (Isaiah 53:6). Overseers, servants or elders do not necessarily feel emotionally and personally bound to their people. But a shepherd must be. Shepherding is not a relationship built around hierarchy but one built around friendship, care and trust. What a contrast this is from the modern pastor who operates as the CEO of a corporation and watches sheep (employees) come and go from his flock with big-business like indifference, So long as the organization thrives the plight of the sheep is a matter of insignificance. This is because many ‘pastors’ have no emotional attachment to those under their care, which makes that man more like the hired hand described in John 10:12.

Of all the titles given to leaders of God’s people, this is the one that Paul seemed to exemplify the most. Though often thought of as a indefatigable preaching machine, Paul was in reality a very loving, intimate man who loved the sheep of God’s pasture and forged an emotional and personal bond with them. A quick review of the names in Romans 16 should convince any reader who is skeptical on this point. In that chapter Paul uses the word ‘beloved’ in connection with Epaenetus (5), Amplias (8) Stachys (9) and Persis (12). Moreover of Paul considered the mother of Rufus to be as close to him as his own mother. Upon closer examination we find examples of Paul’s intimacy with God’s people splattered all over the epistles. Like a loving shepherd he consistently chased after the saints, even those who did not care for him. Consider what he said to the Corinthians who were openly resisting him and even mocking him, ‘I seek not yours but you,’ 2 Cor 12:14. Paul sought nothing from the Corinthians but only yearned for their spiritual best. In describing his premature departure from Thessalonica, Paul says, ‘But we, brothers and sisters, having been orphaned (torn away) from you by absence for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face’ (1 Thess 2:17). Paul viewed separation from this infant church akin to being ripped out of a mother’s arms and sent away like an orphan. And indeed the Greek word means exactly that, (ἀπορφανίζω, ap-orphanizo, lit: to be orphaned from). More amazing still is Paul’s assessment of his ministry in verse 8, ‘So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you had become dear to us.’ Like the shepherd who would fight the lion and the bear for his sheep, Paul gave up his whole self for the spiritual benefit of the Thessalonian saints. Winer’s Grammar translates the word ‘affectionately desirous’ as ‘the longing of love.’ As a shepherd Paul not only fed the sheep with the meat of the word but he gave them far more; he gave them himself. Shepherding, therefore, is the highest and most non-negotiable attribute for any man who would lead the church. It does not surprise us that in the restoring Peter after the latter had denied the three times, Jesus exhorted him to be a shepherd to God’s people. Three times he charged Peter to ‘feed my sheep’ (see John 21:15-17). Churches often fall into the trap of using 1 Timothy 3:1-7 as the sole guide for the choosing of church leaders but in that list nothing is said about loving or shepherding people. We can only conclude that the Timothy passage contains only the minimal qualities for an overseer. But there is much more that makes a man a leader of the church of God than merely staying away from wine and not losing his temper. By looking at these four concepts is it hoped the reader would have gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be a leader in God’s church. No calling among mortals is higher. No calling among mortals is more taxing. No calling among mortals is more rewarding. And at the end of the day a man who has faithfully discharged the duty of elder, bishop, servant and shepherd will hear those longed-for words, ‘job well done good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.’ And that is enough.