The LORD Rules in the Kingdoms of Men
1 week ago
Sunday, March 25, 2007
PREACHING THIS MORNING...'Appointing Elders In Every Church', a look at the need and qualifications for elders in the local church as our congregation begins to revisit the appointment process. The church here has tried and failed twice to appoint Scriptural leadership, once since I have been here. We must keep trying until we are in full compliance with God's expectations of local church organization.
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5 comments:
Wild Bill - and Alan - I have a question about submission to the elders. Is it an absolute? Does it end at the church doors? I agree that it would be good to hear sermons on it.
My understanding has always been that if the elders decide something should be done through the church/with the congregation, then we have an obligation to do it. But does that go beyond doing what the Bible requires? A good example is church attendance. The NT only requires attending services on Sunday at some time. Most churches of Christ in the US meet three times a week. The prevailing opinion seems to be that missing any of those services is being disobedient to God because of the "do not forsake the assembly" passage. And if the eldership has set those as times to meet, then the member has also not been in submission to the elders if (s)he misses.
Do you think that's true? What if the elders decide it's in the members' best spiritual interest to meet every morning at 6:30 during the week for a devotional to start the day? There are some days I think that would be great. But would I be out of submission if I didn't attend?
At another church I know, the elders have decided that women should not wear slacks to services. It's an official position of the church that new female members are made aware of. It's not enforced on non-members, of course, although I believe it has been brought up to some who attended for a while without placing membership. Would it actually be sinful for a female member there to wear slacks, if, say, she were caught in traffic and had to choose between going to church in slacks or missing church?
I would be interested in thoughts from both of you.
susanna in alabama
Dear Alan and others.
the eldership is studied with references to Timothy and Titus and others. The words of Jesus are seldom considered in this study. When he said that the church will not have rulers as the Gentiles do he was certainly talking about Christian behavior and the role of elders. The elders cannot tell anyone to do anything that the Bible does not tell the others to do. Elders are not given super-Biblical powers of decree. They certainly have their scriptural place. In my opinion, we, the church, have lost the meaning of it and until we get it back we are better off without elders.
It was very helpful. Thank you :).
susanna
Glad to hear you and your church are, Lord willing, headed in that direction. Would that more local churches recover the biblical model for church government.
If you aren't already aware of them, 9 Marks Ministries has a lot of resources on this and related topics.
The issue of elders seems to be for many the answer to the quesstion, "Who is in charge here?" I am convinced that the Scriptures challenge man to a higher plane of behavior. While that is true, I am convinced that some of our brethren, including confused elders, have decided that the Scriptural challenges are not sufficient. They, in addition, would then impose their preferences upon their flocks. This is what happens when elders and their flocks do not understand who they are or rather who God wishes them to be. I have seen the imposed cutting of hair, the draconian and inconsistent enforcement of attendance, the totally arbitrary and, yes, silly creation of dress codes, etc. I was an elder. My father was an elder. We got it wrong because we were taught incorrectly. Is it submission to elders or is it submission to God? If submission to the laws God is the issue then elders shold not be in the business of creating their own. In my opinion.
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