Elders
Part 10 - Appointment by the Spirit
We've been studying the office of elder through the eyes of Paul in Acts 20:28. The text is an injunction to elders. However, it applies to us all as we seek men to serve in our midst in this important office. "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).
The Holy Spirit makes men overseers, servant shepherds, in His church. If we follow the qualifications of set forth by the Holy Spirit in Scripture, we may have assurance the Holy Spirit gives us our local elders. In addition, if we follow the procedure outlined in Scripture, we may also have assurance the Holy Spirit gives us our local elders. What procedure should we use? Acts 14:23 helps us. Toward the end of the first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas returned to "Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch" (Acts 14:21). "When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed" (Acts 14:23).
The word translated appointed literally means "extending the hand" and refers to a "vote by the show of the hands"[1] Calvin explains, "Paul and Barnabas are said to appoint presbyters. Are they acting alone, by virtue of the office peculiar to them? On the contrary, they allow it to take place by the votes of all. Hence in ordaining pastors the people had a free election; but in case there might be any disorder Paul and Barnabas preside like moderators."[2]
The picture looks something like this. Christ requires local elders. Paul and Barnabas insure the new congregations organized through their ministries have these elders. They set before the churches the qualifications for the office. We see examples of this in the letters to Timothy and Titus. Acting as moderators, they conduct elections. Once a congregation selects their officers by raising the hand, electing, Paul and Barnabas ordain them. Paul speaks of ordination in 1 Timothy 4:14. "Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery."
We see this pattern in the selection and ordination of the first deacons. Acts 6:2-3 records, "The twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, 'It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task." The apostles, the elders of the church in Jerusalem, directed the people to select deacons according to specific requirements they set forth. When the people selected seven men fitting the job description, the apostles ordained them and put them in possession of their office.
We do the same in our own churches. We study the requirements for men to enter the office of pastor or ruling elder. Men seeking the office and congregations seeking elders do this. The congregation is required, under the moderation of an already ordained elder, to elect a man they believe meets the requirements of Scripture. The man elected by the congregation is then ordained, placed in office, by the body of elders. We follow the process outlined by Scripture. When we do so, we are assured the Holy Spirit places the men ordained to office in our midst as our shepherd-leaders. We give thanks to God for His grace in this.
