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Study 06 of 18

The Elder's Job Description

Small church, large church, and the first elder

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

Synopsis

The handbook draws a general job description from the New Testament: elders are appointed in every congregation (Acts 14:23), are highly respected (1 Tim. 5:17, 19), carry significant leadership and administrative responsibility (Acts 15), lead the prayer ministry and anoint the sick (James 5:14), and serve as shepherds, overseers and examples (1 Pet. 5:1-4). Elders are overseers (Acts 20:28), which does not mean doing all the work but watching over members and activities and including others in decisions. In a small church the elder may carry nearly all administration — preaching or arranging speakers, leading worship and Communion, chairing board and business meetings in the pastor's absence, visitation, and oversight of evangelism, stewardship, finance and departments. In a large church an elder team is organized around councils and committees, reclaiming inactive members becomes a central ministry, and a first or head elder coordinates the team and often chairs the board.

Key points

  • Oversight means watching over the work, not personally doing all of it.
  • Nurture is central: counsel, encouragement, prayer, Communion for shut-ins, preparing baptismal candidates.
  • Small-church elders carry nearly the whole administrative load.
  • Large churches organize an elder team with assigned areas of responsibility.
  • The first elder coordinates the team and often chairs board and business meetings in the pastor's absence.
  • Reclaiming inactive members is named as a key ministry of the elder team.

Key texts

  • Acts 14:23
  • 1 Timothy 5:17, 19
  • Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22-23
  • James 5:14
  • 1 Peter 5:1-4
  • Acts 20:28
  1. Comprehension

    1. Summarise the five New Testament functions of elders the handbook lists.

  2. Doctrinal Clarity

    2. What does 'oversight' mean in practice, according to the handbook?

  3. Scripture

    3. Read 1 Peter 5:1-4. What manner of oversight does Peter require?

  4. Comprehension

    4. List the responsibilities that typically fall to an elder in a small church.

  5. Comprehension

    5. How is the work organized differently in a large church?

  6. Doctrinal Clarity

    6. What is the role of the first or head elder?

  7. Doctrinal Clarity

    7. Why does the handbook single out reclaiming inactive members as key ministry?

  8. Contrast

    8. Contrast the elder who does everything himself with the elder who oversees.

  9. Application

    9. Which part of the job description are you carrying well, and which are you neglecting?

  10. Application

    10. Name three shut-in or inactive members and plan a visit to each this quarter.