A church cannot excel without elders. As long as we live in a fallen world, there will be a need in the church to, “set in order the things that are lacking,” as Paul puts it in Titus 1:5. It is the reason why Titus was placed in Crete—to “appoint elders in every city.” John Maxwell’s axiom is true, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”
Over time, I have left my traditional understanding of a church with a single elder (pastor) to embrace what I consider a more truthful interpretation of a plurality of elders. Notice that Paul uses the plural here—and we find it in other texts as well. There is a strength that comes from the varied gifts, mutual encouragement, and joint accountability that comes from a group of elders which benefits the church more than a single pastor can.
The bar is set high in qualifying to serve as elders—as it should be. Some of the qualifications are stated in the positive and others in the negative in Titus 1:5-9.
HEALTHY TRAITS EMBRACED BY THE ELDERS. There are six areas where positive traits need to be embraced for the health of the elder and the church.
Elders must be morally uptight in public demonstration. The word, “blameless,” is used twice here. This does not mean we will be sinless, or none of us would qualify. It does mean that there is no scandalous sin in public life that would sully our reputation and dishonor our Lord and His church.
Elders must be faithfully devoted to family direction. They are faithful in loving their wife, “the husband of one wife,” and devoted in leading their children, “having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.” The home is life’s leadership laboratory. Shepherd our family prepares us for shepherding God’s flock.
Elders must be sacrifically surrendered to church demands, “as a steward of God.” There are three primary areas of stewardship: our time, our talent, and our treasure. In each of these it will require a sacrifice of what we desire for what the church demands.
Elders must be compassionately minded in community devotion. We are, “hospitable.” The home is open as a Gospel lighthouse to our neighbors who are lost. Our arms are open to comfort those who are hurting. Our guidance is given to those seeking counsel. Our table is shared with those who are hungry. People know that a knock on our door will find one offering hope and help on the other side.
Elders must be seriously focused in personal discipline. Several terms describe this, “a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled.” In his heart he loves what is right, as “a lover of what is good.” In his head he concentrates on thinking right being “sober-minded.” With his hands he is compelled to do right as one who is “just, holy, self-controlled.”
Elders must be steadfastly true to Bible doctrine, “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” He is a student of the Word. You cannot speak the truth and be a steward of the truth, if you do not study the truth. He is a speaker of the Word. He wields the double-edged sword of the Spirit, in a manner that sometimes challenges with exhortation and at other times, confronts with conviction.
HARMFUL TRAITS EXCLUDED FROM THE ELDERS. There are five, “no nos” that are harmful to the elder and the church.
There must be no prideful insubordination, “not self-willed.” This is the spirit of rebellion that turned an angel into the devil.
There must be no carnal agitation, “not quick-tempered.” This is a fire that will ignite words you cannot retract and works you cannot remove, with the potential to burn the church down!
There must be no habitual intoxication, “not given to wine.” You must be controlled by the Spirit of God and not the spirits of alcohol.
There must be no harmful instigation, “not violent.” It is the fury that produced the first murder when Cain killed his own brother, Abel.
There must be no material infatuation, “not greedy for money.” It is not so much a matter of the amount in your bank, but the attitude in your heart. A rich man may be generous and a poor man may be greedy, but the danger is in living for the material and not the eternal.
These are not suggestions, but qualifications. We may not always get it right, but there is no excuse for not aiming at the bull’s eye, so that even if you don’t hit it every time, you will at least be close.
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