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The Eldership. Qualifications and Work. Process requested by the Elders. Take the process seriously Talk privately Do not allow the process to become adversarial No objections should be raised if qualifications to serve are present Remember principals of: Love, Humility and Patience. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Eldership
Qualifications and
Work
Process requested by the Elders
Take the process seriously Talk privately Do not allow the process to
become adversarial No objections should be raised
if qualifications to serve are present
Remember principals of: Love, Humility and Patience
The Nature of the Elder’s Work
Elder (presbuteros) (Acts 20:17)– An older man– Premium on age & experience (maturity)
Bishop (episkopos) (Acts 20:28)– An “overseer”– Refers to type of work undertaken
Pastor (poimen) (Ephesians 4:11)– A shepherd– Refers to way work is carried out, with
care and tenderness in feeding flock
The Authority of Elders
(Hebrews 13:17), “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
• Rule is discretionary, not legislative• Hence, the need for wisdom, and
willing submission on our part
The Nature & Purpose of Qualifications
Definition: “any quality, knowledge, ability, experience, or acquirement that fits a person for a position, office, profession, etc.; a requisite” (Webster’s)
List of Qualifications– Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9
Considerations to Contemplate– Not “suggestions”, rather requirements– Divine: Not man-made requirements– They ensure that a man put into the office
is capable of service.
Character Qualifications Blameless Blameless Temperate Sober-minded Not given to wine Not Violent Not Greedy for
money Gentle Not Quarrelsome Not Covetous
Not self-willed Not quick-tempered A lover of what is
good Just Holy Self-controlled A good testimony
among those outside
As a steward of God
Character - Reputation
Vines: lit., that cannot be laid hold of, hence, not open to censure, irreproachable, unrebukeable, irreprehensible.
Blameless (Titus 1:6), anegkletos. Same basic point. Nothing can be laid to one’s charge as a result of public investigation.
Blameless (1 Ti. 3:2) anepileptos
Character - Reputation
From 1 Timothy 3:7 References the reputation of the man,
external to the church “Lest he fall into reproach and the
snare of the devil.” Reproach: A defamation (Vine’s) The elder’s reputation has an effect
upon the church!
A Good testimony among those outside
Character - Reputation
Steward (oikonomia) (Vine’s): Lit. “to arrange a house.” The manager of a household or estate.
Indicates the nature of the work. An elder is to show himself blameless in regard to the affairs to which he has been appointed steward by God.
As a steward of God
Character - Demeanor
Temperate (1 Ti. 3:2) (nephalios). (KJV – vigilant). Lit. free from the influence of intoxication. Used to denote watchfulness
Soberminded (1 Ti. 3:2; Tit. 1:8) (sophron). Vine’s: sober. Self-controlled. Of sound mind.
Not Violent (1 Ti. 3:3; Tit. 1:7) (plektes). Not a striker or a brawler.
Temperate, Soberminded, Not Violent
Character - Demeanor
Gentle (1 Ti. 3:3) (epieikes). Vine’s: Equitable, fair, moderate, forbearing. Indicates consideration.
Not Quarrelsome (1 Ti. 3:3) (amachos). Vine’s: Not a fighter. Metaphorically, not contentious
Not Self-Willed (Tit. 1:7) (authades). Not dominated by self interest. Considerate of others. Not arrogant.
Gentle, Not Quarrelsome, Not Self-Willed
Character - Demeanor
Not Quick-tempered (Tit. 1:7) (orgilos). (KJV – not soon angry). An elder must be in control of emotions
Just (Tit. 1:8) (dikaios). Vine’s: righteous, a state of being right (by the divine standard).
Self-Controlled (Tit. 1:8) (enkrates). KJV – temperate. Vine’s: strength, self-control.
Not Quick-tempered, Just, Self-Controlled
Character - Moral
Not Given to Wine (1 Ti. 3:3) (paroinos). Vine’s: Lit. tarrying at wine. Given to wine. (Note: Social drinking condemned in 1 Peter 4:1-3, “drinking parties”)
Not Greedy for Money (1 Ti. 3:3; Tit. 1:7) (aischrokerdes). Vine’s: denotes greedy of base gains. (An example of this would be gambling).
Not Given to Wine, Not Greedy for Money
Character - Moral
Not Covetous (1 Ti. 3:3) (aphilarguros). A grasping for money. Can cause cruelty and dishonesty.
Lover of Good (Tit. 1:9) (philagathos). Vine’s: tender affection for that which is good in character or constitution.
Holy (Tit. 1:8) (hosios) Vine’s: pure from evil conduct and observant of God’s will.
Not Covetous, Lover of Good, Holy
Ability Qualifications Hospitable Able to Teach
Not a Novice Holding fast the
faithful word as he has been taught
Ability - Hospitality
Hospitable (1 Ti. 3:2; Tit. 1:8) (philoxenos). Vine’s: ‘philo’ (tender affection); ‘xenos’ (stranger). Came to mean our common concept of hospitality. This trait indicates a special character as a lover of God’s creation.
Hospitable
Ability - Doctrinal
Able to Teach (1 Ti. 3:2) (didaktikos). Skilled in teaching. (Varying degrees of skill).
Not a Novice (1 Ti. 3:6) (neophutos). A new convert, neophyte, novice.
Holding Fast the Faithful Word (Tit. 1:9). To hold firmly to the reliable and trusted, revealed will of the Lord.
Able to Teach, Not a Novice,Holding Fast the Faithful Word
Domestic Qualifications The husband of
one wife Rules his own
house well; children in subjection with all reverence; faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination
Domestic
(1 Ti. 3:2; Tit. 1:6) Excludes: Polygamist, Bachelor,
Adulterer Would not seem to exclude a widower
who has remarried, or one who has divorced and remarried for just cause (cf. Matthew 19:9). Why? They are “the husband of one wife.”
Husband of One Wife
Domestic
(1 Ti. 3:4; Tit. 1:6). Perhaps most difficult, because of differences.
Excludes a childless man. (No opportunity to prove self. “for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?”)
Would not necessarily exclude a man with only one child (cf. 1 Tim. 5:4,10)
Faithful children would seem to indicate that they must be Christians.
Faithful Children
Potential Pitfalls (from 5/00)
Impatience – “Oh no, here we go again!”
Apathy – “Things are fine as they are.” Perfectionism – Putting peculiar slants
on qualifications, or adding personal preferences to the attributes established by God.
Compromise – “He’s not qualified, but he’s the best we have, so let’s appoint him.”