The Elder-Led Church

Here you will find answers to many of the important questions about why we have chosen an elder-led model for church leadership and how this structure shapes the way we make decisions, care for one another, and pursue our mission together.

The Bible has a great deal to say about how the local church should be led and organized. Because we want our church to reflect what Scripture teaches, we have worked through many of the key questions surrounding elder leadership and church government. The questions and answers below are drawn from a careful study of the New Testament and are intended to help our congregation and guests better understand why we are structured the way we are, how our elders are selected and what they do, and how different parts of our church family relate to one another. We hope this resource helps you see that our approach to church leadership is rooted in a genuine desire to be faithful to God’s Word. Topics covered below:

1. What The Bible Teaches About Elders
2. Who Is An Elder
3. What An Elder Does
$. How Elders Work With Others

What The Bible Teaches About Elders

These questions explore the biblical and theological foundation for why our church is led by a plurality of elders. They address whether having multiple elders is actually taught in Scripture, why the way a church organizes its leadership matters, and where the office of elder came from in the first place. If you have ever wondered why we structure our church leadership the way we do, these questions are a great place to start.

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Is A Plurality of Elders Biblical & What Are the Advantages of Having a Plurality of Elders?
  • Key Texts: Acts 14:23; Acts 15:4, 6, 22; Phil. 1:1; Acts 20:17; 1 Pet. 5:1–2
  • Summary: While the New Testament consistently portrays churches as having multiple elders, the number was determined by the size and context of the congregation, as seen in Jerusalem’s house churches each requiring pastoral leadership while remaining one church.
Why Is It Important to Have a Biblical Form of Church Government?
  • Key Texts: 1 Cor. 14:40; Acts 2:42; Matt. 18:15–17
  • Summary: Scripture provides foundational principles for church organization that must be followed exactly, while leaving contextual details adaptable, meaning churches are not free to organize entirely as they see fit.
What Is the Origin of the Christian Elder or Overseer?
  • Key Texts: Acts 11:30; Acts 14:23; Acts 15:2; 1 Pet. 5:1; 2 John 1; 3 John 1
  • Summary: The office of elder developed from its Old Testament roots in Jewish community governance and was formally established in the New Testament church as the primary leadership office, with the apostles themselves eventually taking the title.

Who Is An Elder

 

These questions walk through the practical side of how elders come to serve in our church. They address how elders are identified and selected, what formal recognition of that office looks like, how long elders serve, and what kind of character and gifting Scripture requires of anyone who holds this role. These questions will help you understand what we are looking for when we identify and affirm men for this important responsibility.

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How Should Elders Be Selected?
  • Key Texts: Acts 14:23; Acts 13:2–3; Titus 1:5; 1 Tim. 5:22
  • Summary: Elders are appointed through a process that begins with God’s call confirmed by the church, requiring fasting, prayer, and deliberate assessment of the candidate’s gifts and qualifications before laying on of hands.
Should Elders Be Ordained & Should They Have Terms or Serve for Life?
  • Key Texts: Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 4:14; 1 Tim. 5:22
  • Summary: Ordination in the New Testament was the church’s public confirmation of an inward divine call and demonstrated giftedness for ministry, though Scripture does not specify term lengths or tenure structures.
Who Is Qualified to Be An Elder?
  • Key Texts: 1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9
  • Summary: The fifteen qualifications listed across 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 center primarily on character, summarized in the word “blameless,” with the one indispensable spiritual gift being the ability to teach.

What An Elder Does

 

These questions answer the practical question: what do elders actually do? They cover the three main areas of elder ministry — teaching God’s Word, caring for and protecting the congregation, and providing overall leadership and oversight for the church. They also address how elders make decisions together and how they handle conflict when it arises within the church.

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What Do Elders Do?
  • Key Texts: Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11–14; 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 13:17; James 5:14
  • Summary: The elder’s role encompasses three overlapping functions — instructional (teaching and preaching the Word), pastoral (praying for and protecting the flock), and administrative (overseeing and governing the congregation).
How Should Elders Make Decisions?
  • Key Texts: Acts 15:6, 22; Acts 6:2–5; 1 Tim. 5:19–20
  • Summary: The Jerusalem Council models a pattern where elders deliberate together, seek consensus, and bring significant matters before the congregation, while maintaining the authority to rebuke publicly when necessary.
How Do Elders Handle Conflict and Disagreements?
  • Key Texts: 1 Tim. 5:19–20; Matt. 18:15–17; 1 Pet. 5:2–3; Titus 1:9
  • Summary: Elders are to address conflict by requiring multiple witnesses before receiving accusations, rebuking publicly when guilt is established, and leading not by coercion or domination but by persuasion, sound doctrine, and personal example.

How Elders Work With Others

These questions help clarify how the elders relate to the rest of the people who make up our church. They address the congregation’s own role and voice in an elder-led church, how elders and deacons work together, and where staff members fit within our leadership structure. Understanding these relationships will give you a clearer picture of how our church family is meant to function together.

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What Is the Relationship of the Congregation in an Elder-Led Church?
  • Key Texts: Acts 6:2–5; Acts 15:22; 1 Pet. 5:5; 1 Thess. 5:12–13; Heb. 13:17
  • Summary: Scripture seems to teach that authority ultimately resides in the congregation, who are to respect and submit to their elders, while elders lead by example and with the congregation’s participation in significant decisions.
What Is the Relationship Between the Office of Deacon and the Office of Elder?
  • Key Texts: Phil. 1:1; Acts 6:1–7; 1 Tim. 3:8–13
  • Summary: The New Testament establishes only two permanent offices in the church — elder and deacon — with deacons serving under the oversight of elders to handle practical ministry needs so that elders can remain focused on prayer and the Word.
What Is the Relationship Between Staff Members and Elders?
  • Key Texts: Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Tim. 5:17–18; 1 Cor. 9:14; Acts 15:1–2
  • Summary: The New Testament pattern suggests that those who labor in Word and teaching are worthy of financial support and function within the elder structure, with one man consistently serving as the primary leader even among multiple elders, as James did in Jerusalem. As with the congregation, staff is accountable to the elders.