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"How long should an elder of the Lord's church serve?"
"Once a person has been appointed by the congregation to the office of an elder is he then always an elder?" "What is to happen when an elder sins?" Harrell Davidson |
We have before us a series of questions on the subject of the eldership. We are happy to deal with them, but it will take several issues of The Gospel Preceptor to answer them. We are confident, that due to the subject matter, there may indeed be those who disagree with us, as most of the questions are judgment questions. This, then, will probably precipitate other questions. We are not going to list the qualifications of elders here. Our readers should find such qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. 1 Peter 5:1-4 ought also be taken into consideration. Question four: "How long should an elder of the Lord's church serve?" Answer to question four: An elder should serve as long as he is qualified. We understand that health issues and dementia that sometimes come with the aging process might cause a person to resign from the eldership, as well he should if he is not able physically to continue serving. We know a man that is relatively young age-wise who was an elder in a very faithful congregation. Due to the strenuous problems that elders have to deal with, this brother's blood pressure became almost uncontrollable due to those pressures. He was forced, due to health reasons, to step down as an elder. There are many such cases. However, as a general rule there is no set time for an elder to resign. We are hearing more and more about "term limits." The idea is basically this: An eldership is appointed for about 8 years with the agreement that three will step down in three years and three new elders will be appointed. In five years three more of those originally are to step down and three new ones appointed and on this goes until all have been replaced. We have been told that some who have already served a term may be reappointed to another term. We have also been informed and have the confirmation that after three years or five years one must be "re-elected" by popular vote of the congregation in order to serve. This is wholly without Bible authority! This makes the eldership a popularity contest — nothing more. We are to do all things by the authority of Jesus Christ (cf. Col. 3:17). The process described above is not according to the authority of Christ. Question five: "Once a person has been appointed by the congregation to the office of an elder is he then always an elder?" Answer to question five: Once an individual is appointed he is not always an elder. This would make a person who became unqualified an elder in perpetuity. Again, this is without scriptural authority. If "once an elder always an elder" was the truth one could not resign for any reason. Question six: "What is to happen when an elder sins?" Answer to question six: When an elder sins there is a sad situation because of the very nature of the work that he has been appointed to do. Sometimes congregations are torn asunder due to an elder's sin. The Scriptures are not silent in this matter. Paul was writing to Timothy in regard to an elder sinning when he said, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (1 Timothy 5:20). In verse 19 he commanded not to receive an accusation except in the presence of two or three witnesses. If and when an elder sins he is to be rebuked by the entire congregation. If he does not, and will not, repent he is no longer an elder. I take the same position as the great and lamented brother Guy N. Woods. Brother Woods on numerous occasions said that when a person ceases to be qualified he is no longer an elder. Thanks for the questions. |