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Every December CLC nominates and votes on elders, men set apart by the Lord and affirmed by the people to "shepherd the flock of God that is among them (1 Peter 5)."

This article is not exhaustive, but hopefully serves as a helpful primer for what we mean when we talk about these stewards of God's churches.

So what is an elder? The scriptures paint many different pictures, but I'll highlight two here:

First, "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer he desires a noble task (1 Tim. 3:1)."

"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly...(1 Peter 5)."

Simply, elders desire to be elders; they desire a noble task willingly.

This is important to not misunderstand.

The aspirations of an elder are not simply for power and authority. It’s not an aspiration to “climb the church ladder.”

Instead, the noble aspiration and task is an aspiration for death, sacrifice, servanthood, and slavery. 

Which is the second point:

"But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:28)”

Are elders given authority? Except in the event of unbiblical church governance and structure (which is unfortunatley common), yes!

But the Lord only delegates authority to them because they are the type of men who look at their fellow members and joyfully lay down their lives to serve the church on the narrow path.

Eldership, or any kind of leadership for that matter, should be thought of less like climbing the ladder to rule and more like walking the cross up Golgotha’s hill to die.

The call to eldership, just like the call to all disciples, is the call to willingly die. Elders joyfully aspire to this. It’s the desire of a noble task, to emulate to the body what their savior is like, giving themselves up for the lives of their sheep. 

Questions to Ask Re: Elders & Deacons

  • Is he above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2)? 

The question here is not, “Is he perfect?”, but rather, does he display a consistent pattern of holy living that commends the gospel? Is his life free from obvious, unaddressed sins that bring reproach on the name of Christ?

  • If married, is he faithful to his wife (1 Tim. 3:2)? 

If single, does he honor Christ with his body (1 Cor. 6:18-19)?

  • Is he sober-minded, self-controlled, and respectable; Does he control his temper, appetites, and attitudes (1 Tim. 3:2-3)? 

Paul says that an elder must be “not…a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” Does this man show restraint and self-control in his speech, actions, use of money, use of food, and use of alcohol? Does he make his body a slave of Christ or is he a slave to his appetites?

  • Is he able to teach* (1 Tim. 3:2)? 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that he has to be able to preach a hummer of a Sunday morning sermon, but it does mean he needs to be able to teach the Bible to others.

Would a person with questions about the gospel understand it better after talking to him?

Is he able to instruct others in the faith, whether through preaching, teaching, leading a small group, or one-on-one conversation? 

*While “able to teach” is not listed regarding deacons, a deacon must “hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” The phrase “the mystery of the faith” is simply one way Paul speaks of the gospel (cf. 1 Tim. 3:16). Consequently, this statement refers to the need for deacons to hold firm to the true gospel without wavering. Yet this qualification does not merely involve one’s beliefs, for he must also hold these beliefs “with a clear conscience.” That is, the behavior of a deacon must be consistent with his beliefs.

  • Is he hospitable (1 Tim. 3:3)? 

Does he open his home to others in order to serve them and care for them? Or is he greedy and protective over his resources and time?

  • Does he manage his household well (1 Tim. 3:4-5)? 

Does he care for and lead his family in a way that honors God? Do his children respect and obey him?

  • Is he a seasoned believer (1 Tim. 3:6)? 

Paul says that an elder “must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Is this man a recent convert or a seasoned believer? 

  • Is he well thought of by outsiders (1 Tim. 3:7)? 

Does he generally have a good reputation with those outside the church? Does he commend the gospel and build bridges to non-Christians?

  • Does he aspire to the task (1 Tim 3:1, 1 Pet. 5)? 

Does he want to give his life to the body to serve them (not give his life to be served)? 



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