IS A CHURCH "UNSCRIPTURAL" WITHOUT ELDERS?
According to the New Testament, God intends for every congregation of His church to possess elders.
· "So when [Paul and Barnabas] had appointed elders in every church, and
prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed" (Acts 14:23).
· "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that
are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I had commanded you" (Titus 1:5).
However, hundreds of congregations of the Lord's church lack elders. Some Christians ask, "Aren't such churches unscriptural and displeasing to God?"
The answer to the aforementioned questions might be "YES" if not for one important detail – God provides strict qualifications for the office of elder –1 Tim. 3:1-7, Tit. 1:6-9. Due to the importance of this position, God intends that each congregation be very selective about the men that are appointed as elders.
Before judging a congregation that lacks elders as being unscriptural, one should ask, "Does this church possess at least two willing, qualified men to serve?" If it does, but the congregation prevents them from serving, such a church is unscriptural in terms of organization.
But what if less than two qualified men are willing to serve as elders at a congregation? In that case, the church simply cannot have a scriptural eldership.
To put it another way, every church is in one of the four following states (in terms of biblical organization):
1. Scripturally organized – possessing biblically qualified elders (and deacons).
2. Unscripturally organized – possessing an unbiblical organizational structure, i.e. unqualified elders (or deacons), i.e. one elder, female elders, etc.
3. Scripturally unorganized – not possessing at least two willing, qualified men to serve as elders.
4. Unscripturally unorganized – refusing to allow qualified men to serve as elders (or deacons).
The fact is that many congregations of the Lord’s church do not have at least two qualified men who desire to be elders. Compelling such churches to appoint elders regardless would be a flagrant violation of God's will.
Please pray that the church in Milan will one day have two or more qualified men that desire the office of elder (as well as deacons).
A Recommitted Me in 2023!
Dennis
According to the New Testament, God intends for every congregation of His church to possess elders.
· "So when [Paul and Barnabas] had appointed elders in every church, and
prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed" (Acts 14:23).
· "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that
are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I had commanded you" (Titus 1:5).
However, hundreds of congregations of the Lord's church lack elders. Some Christians ask, "Aren't such churches unscriptural and displeasing to God?"
The answer to the aforementioned questions might be "YES" if not for one important detail – God provides strict qualifications for the office of elder –1 Tim. 3:1-7, Tit. 1:6-9. Due to the importance of this position, God intends that each congregation be very selective about the men that are appointed as elders.
Before judging a congregation that lacks elders as being unscriptural, one should ask, "Does this church possess at least two willing, qualified men to serve?" If it does, but the congregation prevents them from serving, such a church is unscriptural in terms of organization.
But what if less than two qualified men are willing to serve as elders at a congregation? In that case, the church simply cannot have a scriptural eldership.
To put it another way, every church is in one of the four following states (in terms of biblical organization):
1. Scripturally organized – possessing biblically qualified elders (and deacons).
2. Unscripturally organized – possessing an unbiblical organizational structure, i.e. unqualified elders (or deacons), i.e. one elder, female elders, etc.
3. Scripturally unorganized – not possessing at least two willing, qualified men to serve as elders.
4. Unscripturally unorganized – refusing to allow qualified men to serve as elders (or deacons).
The fact is that many congregations of the Lord’s church do not have at least two qualified men who desire to be elders. Compelling such churches to appoint elders regardless would be a flagrant violation of God's will.
Please pray that the church in Milan will one day have two or more qualified men that desire the office of elder (as well as deacons).
A Recommitted Me in 2023!
Dennis
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