What is a church elder?

9Marks
The Basics: An elder is a man who (i) meets the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, (ii) is recognized by his congregation as an elder, (iii) and leads the congregation by teaching the Word (1 Tim. 3:2), praying for the sheep (Jas. 5:14), and overseeing the affairs of the church (1 Pet. 5:2).

Is it appropriate to include non-members in leading church services?

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Generally speaking, we don’t believe so. Exceptions occur, as with guest preachers. But churches should generally use only members to lead church services because:

Who should lead church services?

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Generally speaking, elders or spiritually trustworthy men who are on their way to being elders should lead services.

Practically speaking, how can a pastor plan services?

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When planning services, each pastor should do whatever works best for himself. That said, here is the broad outline of how one pastor does it (Mark Dever, senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC).

What’s the goal of service planning?

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The goal of service planning is to craft a unified service that clearly communicates the gospel, makes the sermon the centerpiece of the service, and impresses people with the glory of God.

Why should a pastor or elder plan church services?

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A pastor or elder should generally plan church services because the whole service is part of the teaching ministry of the church, which is entrusted to the elders (1 Tim. 3:2; 1 Thess. 5:12-13).

What does the New Testament say that churches should do when they gather?

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The New Testament says that when churches gather they should read the Bible, preach the Bible, pray the Bible, sing the Bible, and see the Bible.

True or false: God only cares that we worship him, not how we worship him.

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Answer: false.

Some Christians think that as long as we’re sincere, we can worship God however we want. But throughout the Bible God shows us that he cares deeply about how he is worshiped, not only that he is worshiped.

How should we decide what does or does not belong in a Christian worship service?

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For some Christians, the answer to this question seems painfully obvious: “God gives us freedom to worship him however we want. We should do whatever the Holy Spirit inspires us to do—after all, we don’t want to quench the Spirit!” But what if someone wanted to worship God by bowing down to an image of him?

How should a biblical understanding of conversion impact us personally as Christians?

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A biblical understanding of conversion should…

Can you give several examples of bad evangelistic practices that result from a bad understanding of conversion?

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Altar calls, decision cards. Altar calls and decision cards result from an overemphasis on the human’s role in conversion, as if conversion results whenever someone is persuaded to walk an aisle. (Never mind the movement of God’s Spirit!) Also, signing a card isn’t the same thing as repenting and believing. The Bible calls us to repent and believe.  

What practical difference does a biblical understanding of conversion make in the life of a church?

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A church with a biblical understanding of conversion will…

Why is a right understanding of conversion so important for a church’s corporate witness?

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A church that does not rightly understand conversion will…

How do I lovingly confront someone who claims to be converted but who lives like a non-Christian?

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Pray for yourself and the other person. Pray that you would be faithful merely to speak truth, relying on God’s Spirit to do the work of true persuasion (1 Cor. 3:6-7; 2 Cor. 7:8-10). Pray that he would convict and change the heart. Speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Approach the person tenderly, patiently, and kindly. Explain that you are confronting them out of a deep and loving concern for their eternal good.

Can someone be genuinely converted and contentedly live in sin?

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Generally speaking, no.

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