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Study 05 of 18

Called by God, Elected by the Church

Two things must meet before a person is an elder

Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.

Synopsis

The handbook insists that an elder's appointment has two sources: a call from God and an election by the congregation. Neither alone is sufficient — a person ordained but not elected has no official authority in the church, and a person elected without any inward call will carry an office he cannot fill. Elders are usually elected for a one- or two-year term and may be re-elected, but the church is under no obligation to re-elect, and a former elder who is not currently elected holds no authority. The elder's actual job description is shaped by five factors: the size of the congregation, the availability of the pastor, the pastor's plan for involving elders, the elder's own spiritual gifts, and his willingness to serve.

Key points

  • An elder is both called by God and elected by the congregation.
  • Ordination without current election confers no authority to act.
  • Terms are normally one or two years, with no automatic right of re-election.
  • Five factors shape each elder's job description.
  • Willingness to serve is a genuine qualification, not a formality.

Key texts

  • Acts 14:23
  • 1 Timothy 5:17, 19
  • Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22
  • James 5:14
  • 1 Peter 5:1-4
  • Acts 9:6
  1. Comprehension

    1. What two things must come together before a person serves as an elder?

  2. Doctrinal Clarity

    2. Why does a previously ordained elder who is not currently elected have no authority?

  3. Comprehension

    3. How long is the usual term of an elder, and what follows at its end?

  4. Comprehension

    4. List the five factors that shape an elder's job description.

  5. Scripture

    5. Read 1 Timothy 5:17 and 19. How is the elder to be regarded, and how protected?

  6. Scripture

    6. Read James 5:14. What specific ministry belongs to the elders?

  7. Doctrinal Clarity

    7. Why does the handbook treat willingness to serve as a real factor rather than an assumption?

  8. Contrast

    8. Contrast an elder who sees election as a mandate with one who sees it as a stewardship.

  9. Application

    9. Describe your own sense of call to this office, and how the congregation confirmed it.

  10. Application

    10. Which of the five factors most limits your ministry right now, and who can help you change it?