"Church leadership models always seem to be going through a type of cultural renovation. Trying to stay relevant, influential evangelicals try to innovate at every turn; trading in biblical roles like elder and deacon for newer, less biblically stringent leadership positions. Some churches avoid having elders altogether because of bad experiences or horror stories from others who warn, “Don’t have elders, they will try and control you beyond what is written in the Scriptures!” Still, there are churches who have yet to raise up elders or don’t know how. Whatever the scenario, biblical eldership is not always taken as seriously as it should be, and yet, it is incredibly vital to the health of a church (note Hebrews 13:7, 17).
Elders are important to the church because, first and foremost, they are the leaders that Christ has appointed to oversee His church. This is not mere suggestion – it is the biblical mandate. A church cannot be a fully healthy church without elders/pastors, and a church can most certainly not be a healthy church without qualified elders (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). At the very least, there should be elders being raised up where there are no qualified elders yet. Elders are so important that one of Paul’s first apostolic decisions in the churches that he established was to appoint elders there (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5).
Besides their biblically mandated presence in a church, there are several specific ways that elders are important to the vitality and health of a church. Here are are six to consider:
1. The church needs elders who are spiritually minded
Far too many elder boards are nothing more than a decision making board when instead they should be pastoral. The church doesn’t need corporate CEO's, it needs shepherd-leaders (see this book for practical application related to this vital ministry role). True elders are ultimately put in their position by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:28), not by being golfing buddies with the senior pastor or a wealthy influencer in the church (though having money is not a sin). The term elder, in the Bible, is reserved for spiritual men who shepherd the flock. The terms πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros), ποιμήν (poimen), and ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) are all used to describe the same office in the New Testament. Overseers, pastors, shepherds, and elders are all operating as the same kind of servant leader(s) of the church (see John 13; Phil. 2:1-10). Therefore, elders are spiritual men who are spiritually minded. Men that are truly called to serve in this office aren’t concerned with holding a position of power, but rather, being a faithful steward of what Christ has entrusted them with. The authority they have comes under the authority of God's Word alone. Jesus Christ alone is the Chief Shepherd of every true Church. Pastors and elders are undershepherds of Christ!
