CHURCH LEADERSHIP

The Bible tells us that a church has to have leaders who have authority over the congregation which has to be subjective to them (Hebrews 13:17). This authority is not given to one individual but to a group of people as indicated by the Bible as we see the use of plural in the word leaders. At the beginning of a congregation there might be a leader but this leader is just temporal as we see in Titus 1:5 where Titus was instructed by Paul to appoint leaders. Elders were appointed for the oversight of each individual church as we see Paul and Barnabas meeting with the apostles and elders (plural) of the church (singular) in Acts 15:1-5, and we also see Paul and Barnabas appointing elders of the church in Acts 14:23 at the end of their missionary journey. We also see the plurality of the elders in the church in Acts 20:17-35 and 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:16; and 1Peter 5:1-2. so the authority of the New testament church did not rest on the congregation nor on an individual but on a group of leaders called elders. The elders had several rules and so have three different names meaning the same; elders (PRESBUTEROS) Acts 20:17, bishop (EPISKOPOS) as overseers, and pastor (POIMEN) who were shepherd of the church of God (Acts 20:28). So elders emphasises the maturity of the leaders, the word pastor emphasises their care for those given to their care while the term bishop emphasises their function as overseers.

Elders are to oversee the church with the loving care of a shepherd and with the maturity of an elder. So they have to be available to the Lord to protect the church and to guide the church. So the function of the elder is therefore to protect himself and the Church (Acts 20:28) from ignorance, partiality, error and from false teachers (Titus 1:9-10). Another function is to guide as we see the congregation asked to be subject to elders (Hebrews 13:17); something which can only be possible if the elder is guides and leads the fellowship to maturity in Christ as Paul calls this labour (Colossians 1:29). The elders would likely concentrate on prayer and teaching of the word of God as they exercise these functions not to be distracted (Acts6).

The qualities of a church elder is a demonstration of leadership abilities as they also show the desire of being an overseer (1Timothy 3:1), and willingness (1Peter 5:2) to do the work. They must have the ability and take care of the church of God (1Timothy 3:4) through the ministering of the word to the church and to those who oppose it (Titus 1:9) to maintain the moral, doctrinal and directional purity of the church. The elder must show example (1Peter5:3) as overseer to the congregation beyond reproach (1Timothy 3:2) in the things of the Lord. Anyone can be charged falsely ( Matthew 5:11-12), but the intent is that the elders life should not give basis for a charge, as we see from the qualities given by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9); husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, orderly, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not pugnacious, gentle, not contentious, free from love of money, manage his household well, not a new convert, good relationship with outsiders, having faithful children, with no rebellion, not self-willed, not quick tempered, loving what is good, just, devout, and self-controlled.

Elders were appointed by the church planter as seen in Acts 14, or their designates as in Titus 1:5. so they were not selected by the people who made up the congregation but by those who had the responsibility of oversight for the congregation. Because the elders have the responsibility for the welfare of the congregation, they would naturally carry the responsibility of selecting additional elders. The congregation is commanded to be subject to their leaders because they have been given great responsibility; oversight of souls and hence shall be held accountable. The congregation also have the biblical responsibility of supporting the elders financially (Galatians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 9:1-18; 1 Timothy 5:17) as they have the responsibility of the congregation.
The role of the Deacons is to serve in certain church ministries and advise the elders in their shepherding role. As in Acts 6 the apostles knew that without the seven men selected to oversee specific task, they would be distracted from prayer and the ministry of the word. Some people consider them as the first Deacons since the word means ‘servant’. So Deacons must demonstrate a servant heart in their character and ministry. Acts 6:3 notes that they have to be yielded to the spirit of Christ and so the character qualities in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 also apply to them. They also have to be full of wisdom to perform their duties prudently and effectively. In this like they have to be tested (1 Timothy 3:10) to make sure that they are wise and faithful to the ministry which they will lead. A woman can be accepted as Deacon so far as the ministry in which she is faithfully ministering would not be exercising authority over the men (1 Timonthy 2:12). The word Deacon in Greek is DIAKONOS, which was used for men and women. We find references to women deacons in the early church. According to the Letter of Pliny, the governor of Bithnia about A.D. 112, the Emperor Trajan tortured two Christian handmaidens who were called deacons. Pheobe is called a servant, or deaconess, in Romans 16:1.