What Do Elders do?
The Scriptures explain to us that the chief leader - and very foundation - of the local church is uncontested: His name is Jesus Christ.
Under the authority and direction of Christ, the “undershepherds” include both the elders and deacons. The deacons - literally “servants” - are men who originated in Acts 6 as those who assist the elders in caring for the congregation in practical ways such as benevolent care or in facilitating ministries that serve the church and her needs (in the case of the Jerusalem church in Acts 6, it was caring for and feeding widows who had been overlooked or discriminated against). The assistance deacons provide allows the elders to prioritize their focus on preaching and prayer (Acts 6:4).
THE ELDER’S CHARACTER & COMPETENCY
Both 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 describe the exemplary character demanded of elders - they are to be “above reproach”, “sober minded”, and “the husband of one wife” (meaning a one-woman man). Titus 1:7 also uses an interchangeable word “overseer” - demonstrating that the elders are the men called to exercise spiritual oversight in the local church as they submit to Christ’s lordship. In 1 Peter 5:1, Peter speaks to “the elders among you, as a fellow elder” and then proceeds to exhort them to “shepherd (pastor) the flock of God that is among you”. The elders are the men tasked with pastoring the people of God as they lead with willing hearts, humble demeanors, and lives that set an example worth of following. Above all this, elders must be uniquely gifted at preaching and teaching as they give instruction on sound doctrine and have the authority to rebuke any contradictory teaching (Titus 1:9, 1 Timothy 3:2). With this God-given duty, the congregation should submit willingly to their counsel and care (Hebrews 13:7,17).
PLURALITY OF ELDERS
Paul instructed Titus to “appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). Each local church should have a council of qualified men who work together for the oversight and spiritual health of their congregation. A plurality of elders bears a significant weight of responsibility and work and should rely on one another to steward this responsibility well. In his book, Biblical Eldership, Alexander Strauch provides at least three reasons why a plurality of elders is both healthy and helpful: it balances people’s weaknesses, it lightens the workload, and it provides accountability. I can say from experience both how joyful it is to work with others - and how “safe” it is to not be a rogue leader who is susceptible to my own (or others’) whims.
FIRST AMONG EQUALS
Within this team, there is still a “primus inter pares” - or ‘first among equals’, like Peter in Jerusalem (Matt 10:2), or Paul with Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13, 14:12), or Philip/Stephen among the deacons (who are both listed first in Acts 6:5 as well as chapters 7-8 and 21:8). The elder (or elders) who is first among equals is recognized as the chief speaker and who is uniquely gifted and called to represent the group to the church, speaking appropriately on the elders’ behalf, worthy of the double honor of being supported by the local church financially (1 Timothy 5:17). As Strauch points out, this does not demote the other elders to become his “assistant pastors”; Peter was not the apostles’ ‘senior pastor’! On the contrary, these men share the responsibility equally - though their workload may be divided up quite differently.
WHAT DO THE ELDERS DO?
So what do elders actually do in a church?
We join with other church members in joyfully fulfilling our responsibilities as church members (Phil. 3:17; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7–8; 1 Pet. 5:3)
We carefully shepherd the flock with willing, eager humility (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:1-4)
We invite others to follow our exemplary walk with Christ (1 Cor 11:1, 1 Peter 5:3, Titus 1:6)
We teach the full counsel of God (Acts 20:27–28; 1 Tim 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:1–5; Titus 2:1) and carry the authority of God’s Word (1 Timothy 2:12)
We safeguard sound doctrine and warn those in error (Titus 1:9-2:1)
We counsel, reprove, rebuke, and exhort our fellow members from the Scriptures (2 Timothy 4:2)
We pray for our members (Acts 6:4), particularly the sick (James 5:14), along with those in all levels of God-given authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
We organize our gatherings to equip the saints and glorify God (Ephesians 4:11-12)
We prayerfully seek God’s will for our church community and steward her resources to the best of our ability based on our study of the Scriptures and following of the Spirit (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1–4).
We lovingly exercise discipline when necessary, for the glory of God, the good of the one disciplined and the health of the church as a whole (Matt. 18:15–20; 1 Cor. 5; Gal. 6:1; James 5:19–20)
We identify, train, and appoint future elders and deacons according to the criteria assigned to them in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9; 1 Pet. 5:1–4).
WHAT YOUR ELDERS ARE PROBABLY DOING THIS WEEK
This list is not exhaustive - but gives a glimpse of what elders are generally called to oversee Biblically. On any given week, our elders are praying with and for our members, sitting down in Biblical counseling meetings, planning worship services, studying a passage of Scripture to teach, training future leaders, reviewing the church’s finances, following up with new visitors, meeting with potential new members in the church, calling wayward members to deeper discipleship, exhorting both younger and older men (and women) to grow in their faith (Titus 2-3), studying doctrinal / current issues in the broader body of Christ in order to create content which will best protect and equip the church, organizing weddings/funerals/baby dedications/baptisms as God’s people grow in grace. It is all at once a noble task (1 Timothy 3:1), a weighty yet wonderful responsibility, and a ministry we have received by the mercy of God (2 Cor 4:1). Pray for your elders - they are praying for you!
