Elders and the Church

What is an elder?

            The concept of Elder (aged, mature, example among the people) is definitely tied to the concept of overseer (supervisor, looks after) and shepherd (pastoring the flock).  However, in I Peter 5, Elder is the noun, oversight and shepherd are the verbs.  We should be careful not to assign titles where they are unnecessary.  The less titles in the church the better.

            Taking a broad overview of scripture leads me to this conclusion.  Elders are mature men of the faith, equipped and called by God to set an example for the church in word and deed.

            This means that they are to be examples of what it is to follow Christ, prior to being recognized as an elder.  Whether it is an outsider or part of the family, others should look at an elder and think, “that is what it means to be a Christian.”  Not perfection, but a Gospel-centered, humble lifestyle that seeks to give God glory in every area.

            It also means that they should already be teaching others how to follow Christ.  They should be leading a Gospel Community, regularly involved with both believers and unbelievers.  All of their relationships should be intentional disciple making relationships.  One should be recognized as an elder among the people, not handed a title.

What does an elder do?

            In 1 Timothy 3, the term elder is not used, but the noun form of overseer is.  The description of this “office” is very similar to Titus 1 where Paul writes about elders.  It is probably safe to assume that the usage of Elder and Overseer is fairly interchangeable.  This makes a great deal of sense based on the OT usage of elders.  They were to look after the people, make judgments, and lead families in following God’s ways.

            It would seem that the responsibility of an elder should be to oversee the Gospel Communities.  This is where we live out our faith.  The best way to do this would be through two methods.

1)  Coaching the Gospel Community leaders in a cluster

2)  Meeting regularly to discuss matters related to the extended church family (teaching, discipline, support, planting, sending, etc)

            Elders, like everyone else in the church, should work within their gifting.  Some are teachers, some are pastors, some are prophets, etc.  No two elders are alike.  We must celebrate our differences so we can become a more holistic body.  Because of this, some elders will be paid by the church, some will not.  Some will focus on the gathering, some on church planting, some on global missions, some on gospel communities.  It will depend largely on their gifting by the Spirit.  What a freeing concept!

How do we recognize elders?

            As mentioned before, men become elders not through titles or elections, but through living as an example.  Therefore, we do not appoint, approve, or vote in an elder, rather we recognize elders that God has raised up.  They should be confirmed through a system.

            I Timothy 3 says, “if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.”  The aspiration to be recognized as an elder should first come from the individual.  They may be encouraged by others and even “recruited” by current elders, but ultimately the individual should have to take the first step.

            Once they have submitted themselves, the elders should conduct a thorough investigation.  How are they doing leading their family?  How are they doing leading their Gospel Community?  What kind of reputation do they have at work or in their neighborhood?  This process should involve interviewing both the potential elder, his family, his Gospel Community, and several outsiders.

            After enough information has been gathered about the potential elder, the elder body should discuss whether the individual meets the criteria of scripture.  There are other factors that should come into play as well.  The 4 C’s (from North Point):

            -Character (I Tim 3, Titus 1, and I Peter 5)

            -Competence (can they coach others and teach people)

            -Chemistry (is “now” the right time for them with the current team)

            -Culture (do we agree doctrinally and philosophically)

How long should an elder serve?

            When we see the church as family, this question seems a bit odd.  Eldership is a role that the elder should continually aspire to.  In fact, if at any point he does not want the responsibility of eldership, he has neglected the first qualification in I Timothy 3.  Elders are elders for life, because that is who they are.

            However, because being an elder is based on who you are and not what you do, if the individual ceases to be worthy of the recognition of elder, he should also be stripped of the title.  All elders should be formally evaluated yearly and informally evaluated every day.  If the elder is failing to fulfill his calling as an elder, he needs to repent and take appropriate action.  If he refuses to act on his own, then the other elders must take actions to bring him to repentance and reconciliation.

Where is the Lord's house?

My trip to Myanmar made me think deeper about the issue of "places of worship."  In John 4, the Samaritan woman questions Jesus about the proper place for worship.  His response to her is that the Father is looking for worshippers who worship in Spirit and Truth.  But what about all of the examples in the OT where God calls His people to come worship Him in the Temple?  Or where the Psalmists long for worshipping in the Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Zion?  This seems to create a yearning for location specific worship.  Psalm 122 really had me thinking about this:

A Song of Ascents. Of David.  

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

David had such a longing to go to the house of the Lord.  He loved the city, the brothers and companions there, and he longed for the peace of the city.  David's heart is not to be lost.  It carries into the life of a Christian.  But Psalm 122 is no longer about the city of Jerusalem.  It is about the church!

In Hebrews 8-10, the author goes to great length to explain that the tabernacle, sacrifices, and law are all only a shadow of heavenly realities.  They were given to show us how dim everything is in comparison to the magnificent glory of God.  That glory was fully displayed in Jesus Christ.  What He came to do was to shine light on the shadows so that we could see clearly.  And that is why we see Psalm 122 in light of Hebrews 8-10, the church IS that city bound firmly together, the church IS the house of the Lord (I Corinthians 3:9-17, Ephesians 2:11-22, I Timothy 3:14-15).

So let us walk back through Psalm 122 through the lens of a church reconciled to God through the redemptive work of Jesus.

1)"I was glad..." - Someone who has been bought by the blood of Jesus has been born into a new family. The church is that family.  The Scriptures really do not entertain the idea of a lone ranger Christian.  Our heart is that we are glad to "go to the house of the Lord!"  And by house of the Lord we do not mean the church building.  We mean that we are glad to be gathered with our church family whether it be in corporate worship, dinner, serving our neighborhood, rejoicing over the birth of a child, or mourning the loss of a loved one.  A follower of Jesus is GLAD to be with the people of Jesus.  You will not know this gladness unless you've lived among the people, unless your feet have stood in the gates.  So taste and see that the Lord is good.  Enjoy the company of the house of the Lord.

2)"A city that is bound firmly together" - The church is united in the bond of peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.  You know that you have found a true church family when nothing can shake them.  It was recently shared with me that about 50% of the churches in New Orleans ceased to exist after Hurricane Katrina.  Why?  Because the storm washed away their buildings.  But those that continued to exist had a bond stronger than brick and mortar.  They were firmly bound together by brotherly love and service.  Our churches are only as strong as our dependence on the unifying work of the Holy Spirit.  If we have to manufacture community, then whatever we are being, we are not being the church.

3)"The tribes go up... to give thanks to the name of the Lord." - The church is a people made up of those giving thanks to the name of the Lord.  Thanks for what?  Not only thanks for His numerous gifts in our lives, but one particularly unifying cry of praise.  We thank Him for His unparalleled gift of salvation!  This is why there is no one like our God.  What sets our Lord apart is that Jesus came to die for us, defeated sin, death, and Satan, and is reigning in His church even now.  We give thanks for this!  A church must be characterized by their praise of the glorious name of Jesus.

4)"Pray for the peace..." - there are 3 areas that David prayed for peace and the church should follow suit.

• Bring security to those who love the church!  The Lord has given us much strength within the church, providing living stones (Christians) who stand firm for the sake of the Gospel.  Pray that their steadfastness will not waiver.  Pray that more believers will be secure stones in the wall and not be tossed to and fro by the cares of life.
• Peace among brothers and companions.  Pray for the unity of the church!  The glory of God will be displayed among the church if we are unified in Him.  If we have no love for one another, then the love of God is not in us at all and we are liars.  Pray for the kind of love that would cause God to die for His creation.
• Pray for the good of the church.  When was the last time you prayed that the church would be successful in God's mission to the world?  Pray that God would give the church favor in the workplace, marketplace, schools, and neighborhoods.  Pray that the church would be given opportunities to bless the city she lives in.  Pray for the GOOD of the church!

The Lord's house is His people.  The church is the Temple of the Living God, Jesus.  Do not look to this mountain or that mountain to find worship, worship the Lord in the midst of His people!  You will find many glorious, messy, truths about God among His church.  I hope that you will come and find Him among us.

What is a Gospel Community?

What is a Gospel Community?

A Gospel Community is a community of people continually encountering God in the gospel and engaging in God's mission in the world, as they enjoy God together.

We believe that God's people are meant to be communal and therefore are to live out the gospel in community.  This has to do with both encountering God regularly and being engaged in mission.  But ultimately, we live this way because we know that it is for our joy.

What is the Gospel?

Why use the term gospel?  Because the church is a people formed by the gospel and sent for the gospel.  So in order to understand who we are and what we do, we must understand the gospel.  This is how we talk about the gospel at Round Lake.

The Gospel is the good news that, for God’s Glory, Jesus died for our sin and was resurrected so we might move from death to life.

What is our mission?

To be witnesses for God’s Glory in the world by continuing the work of Jesus in word and deed through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gospel Communities have 5 main identities:

1)Worshipers

We worship Jesus as God by living out the other 4 identities.

(John 4, Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 13:15-16, Revelation 4-5)

2)Family

        We are children of God who live and care for each other as a family should.  

        (John 1:12-13, Galatians 4:4-7, I John 2:28-3:3)

3)Missionaries

We are sent by God to present the Gospel to all people.

(Matt 28:18-20, Acts)

4)Servants

We engage in serving God by serving others.

(Phil 2:1-11, John 13:1-7)

5)Learners

We engage in discipleship by teaching scripture to one another.

(Matt 28:18-20, Eph 4:11-13, II Tim 2:2)