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"Teaching God's Word to God's World"
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If I Were Asked To Be An Elder
Len Faull - Jan. 1959 "Gospel Impact"
I would first want to know why I was being asked to
be an elder. I would want to know
whether or not I was being considered because of popularity or because of my
qualifications for the responsibility.
I would ask myself the question, “Has the Holy
Spirit made me an elder?” Acts 20:28, “Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own
blood.”
I would also give considerable thought as to whether
or not I was being used to foster division in the body of Christ, for I would
not want to have my appointment as an elder bear any likeness to a political
election.
I would also ask myself the question, “Do I desire
to do the work on an elder?” The Word
of God states most clearly, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth
a good work. I Timothy 3:1, “This is a
true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
I would not accept the function of an elder merely
as a token of honor to myself, for no work in the Church is to be done for that
reason.
I would check my life to be sure that it pleased God
so that when I was called upon to rebuke a wrongdoer, there would be nothing in
my life to which he might point as evil in my life. Elders have as one of their duties the reproving of those who do
wrong.
I would want my life to be clean and above reproach
because an elder must be an example to the flock of God. I would not want to cause any person to
stumble because of my poor example. I
would try my best to abstain form all appearance of evil so that no one could
reproach me.
I would expect to be found present at all of the
services of the Church: Bible school, morning worship, evening service and
mid-week service.
I would expect to be called upon to visit in the
homes of the people, for an elder is a shepherd and should watch over the
sheep. When one is missing, he should
go out and find it so that he can bring it back to the fold. A shepherd sees to it that his sheep are
properly fed; and unless he is with the sheep when they are feeding, he cannot
oversee the feeding.
I would want to know the Word of God, as it is necessary if one is to be
an elder. An elder must know the truth,
and he must be able to
by sound doctrine
to exhort and to
convict the gainsayer. Titus 1:9, “Holding
fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”
If an elder does not know the Word of God, he cannot
feed the flock of God. I Peter 5:2, “Feed the flock of God
which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”
I would expect my family to have the same mind and
purpose as I, for an elder must rule well his own house. If he knows not how to rule his own house,
how shall he take care of the Church of God? I Timothy 3:4-5, “4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule
his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”
I would expect the Church to respect the function of
an elder and submit to the teaching of the Word of God. Unless the Church has respect for the
function and the man who has been placed in this service, he will not be able
to perform duties.
I would not accept the work of an elder if I were
but a novice since it calls for men of experience and of wisdom. I would seriously consider the matter from
every angle and make certain that I would be ready and able to bear the
burdens, which are apart of the elder’s life.
To be an elder of the Church is to occupy the most responsible place,
which a man may receive as a trust. It
calls for godly men; men who are right with God and who are willing to suffer
much for Christ. To be a godly elder
ought to be the ambition of every Christian man, but it demands sacrifice and
requires ability to endure the reproaches of men.
I would pray earnestly and long before I accept this
responsibility; for I know that unless I would serve rightfully, I would incur
the wrath of God. James 3:1, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall
receive the greater condemnation.”
It is a serious thing to trifle with the things of a
Holy God or to use His Church in any way for personal gain and selfish reasons.
I would not accept the function of an elder unless I
really loved Christ and His Church.
If I really loved the Lord, Jesus and His Church and
was qualified to be an elder, I would not let anything stand in my way!