Elder's

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop [Elder], he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 

1 Timothy 3:1-7

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— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 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. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

Titus 1:5-11

Yesterday, our Church recognized a new Elder, and it reminded me of something one of my friend’s father said in regard to the Elder’s position: “What an Elder is, is what every Christian should be seeking to be.” And not seeking the characteristics of an Elder for the actual purpose of being an Elder, but because that is what we are called to be. That is how we, as Christians, should be acting; we should never be content to remain the same in our spiritual walk. We should always be growing and striving to be more like Christ.

Most people, myself included, look at what is required and let out a gasp. I am wholly inadequate. Yet, God is wholly adequate to supply any and every need that we have. And He so desires for us to come to Him so that He can teach us and conform us into His image.

I came across this quote by Jim Elliot this morning while I was reading and it seemed apropos.

“I like the attitude elders are to have for their work, not as though they were forced to it, but, “a willingness that befits one commissioned of God. “ It is not compulsion; yet it is certainly constraint, and describes an attitude that should be general in all God’s work. It is a self-imposed imperative executed with a will responding to God’s overlordship. The doing of God’s work is a balance of autonomous zeal and desire spurred and strengthened by the recognition of God’s being concerned with it and partaking actively in it.”

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:1-2