The (Human) Strength of a Church
One of the most important things any congregation needs to remember is that the ultimate strength they have is in Jesus and in His Word, the New Testament. It is a blessing that is hard to put into powerful enough language that we can rely on a Head Who is perfect and on His Word, which is infallible.
In that Word, though, we are clearly commanded to do certain things within the context of each congregation. And one of those things is to have qualified men as elders/pastors/bishops/overseers. These men are the human strength of the local church.
Central is currently in the process of seeking additional elders, so this has been on my mind for a long time. I preached on it when the search for additional elders began and I have tried to pray a great deal for Central at this time. Whenever the eldership changes–whether by addition or subtraction–it is a powerful moment for the congregation, and needs to be thought of as such.
But, in too many places, it is just sort of assumed that elders will magically appear. I’m so grateful that our elders at Central have worked over the last couple of years on some leadership training with our men. It has not only been to “raise up” elders, but that was certainly part of the thought process. Even if some of these men are not quite ready right now, they have received some training to help them in the future, and they are better equipped to lead ministries, their families, and more right now.
Think, though, of what elders do. They are tasked with feeding the flock. They are to oversee the congregation. They must be the ones who lead when discipline is necessary. They set the tone for who will be preaching regularly. They shepherd the people. And they will give account to God for how they have done all this.
In other words, they are the human strength of a congregation. If they are spiritually weak, so will the congregation be. If they are not strong on doctrine and holding the line against moving to the right or the left, the congregation will drift. If they do not discipline, sin will find a foothold in the church. If they are evangelistic, the congregation will grow to be evangelistic. If they let the preachers “lead” (instead of the elders leading), the congregation will become a cult of personality instead of a Christ-centered group. If they do not show kindness to guests, the congregation will grow to be insider-focused.
And on, and on, and on.
Pray for your elders. If you do not have elders, get serious about raising up elders. The Lord designed the Church, and His pattern is right. Support your elders. And be grateful that there are men willing to take on this mantle of responsibility, to watch for your soul.
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn