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An elder (in Greek, πρεσβυτερος [presbyteros]; see Presbyter) in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations then a synonym of episkopos (which has now come to mean Bishop Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Wisdom is a concept of personal gaining of Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, discretion and intuitive understanding, along with a capacity However, elders exist throughout world cultures.

This article looks at how it is treated both in the Bible and as it is held in various Christian denominations. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within

Contents

Elder in the Bible

Terms

The term elders is used in various ways in the Bible. In many instances, particularly in the Old Testament, it has reference to the older men in a tribe, usually entrusted with the governmental affairs. Their age and experience made their counsel sought often. This was not necessarily a priesthood calling. Genesis 50:7, Ruth 4:2, Matthew 15:2, and Acts 4:5 are examples of this usage. There were ordained elders in the Melchizedek Priesthood in Old Testament times, as in Exodus 24:9-11 and Numbers 11:16.

There are three different words used synonymously in the New Testament to refer to the office of elder. In 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul drafts nearly identical lists of qualifications for elder and overseer, while Peter draws all three concepts together in one passage: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you. . . shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight. . . " (1 Peter 5:1-2). Luke uses the terms elder, overseer and shepherd interchangeably in Acts 20.

presbuteros

(Greek word #4245 in Strong's)

This is the most commonly used word in the New Testament with regard to the twelve apostles, the quorum of seventy, or others acting under their apostolic authority. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, generally known as Strong's Concordance, is a concordance of the King James Bible It refers 28 times in the Gospels and Acts to the members of the Jewish Sanhedrin and 12 times in Revelation to the representatives of the redeemed people of God. The remaining 19 times the word is employed in Acts and the Epistles, it identifies a unique group of leaders in the church. The term simply means advanced in age, but in the first century context indicates a rank or office among Jews as members of the ruling council, among Greeks as those who those who managed public affairs and administered justice, and among Christians as those who presided over the local assemblies. While no specific age is given, this term emphasizes the character of the elder and implies maturity, dignity, experience, and honor. [1]

episkopos

(Greek word #1985 in Strong's)

This is a common word for in the Greek culture for any official who acted as a superintendent, manager, controller, curator, guardian or ruler. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, generally known as Strong's Concordance, is a concordance of the King James Bible It occurs only five times in the New Testament, once referring to Christ (1 Peter 2:25) and the other four times to church leaders. The term emphasizes the function of an elder as exercising authority and supervision "by divine placement, initiative and design". [2]

poimen

(Greek word #4166 in Strong's)

This word simply means shepherd. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, generally known as Strong's Concordance, is a concordance of the King James Bible It is applied only once in the noun form and three times in the verb form in the New Testament in the context of church leaders. The term emphasizes the heart attitude of an elder as one who tends, feeds, guides, protects and cares for his flock. [3]

Mandate

Together, the New Testament writers mention elders, overseers and shepherds in reference to church leadership more than twenty-five times in the Gospels and the Epistles. The basis, selection, office, character, functions, attitude and qualifications of elders are laid out and the pattern established early and often. Strauch writes, "In fact, the New Testament offers more instruction regarding elders than on any other important church subjects such as the Lord's Supper, the Lord's Day, baptism or spiritual gifts". [4]

For example, Acts 11:30; 15:2,4,6,22-23; 16:4; and 21:18 demonstrate that elders had a significant role in the Jerusalem church and the Jerusalem council. In reference to churches in Antioch, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, Acts 14:23 demonstrates Paul's pattern of appointing elders as a key step in organizing a new church. Antioch in Pisidia &ndash alternatively Antiochia in Pisidia or Pisidian Antioch (Ἀντιόχεια τῆς Πισιδίας and in Roman Empire Konya ( قونیه; also Koniah, Konieh, Konia, and Qunia; historically also known as Iconium ( Latin Lystra was a city in what is now modern Turkey. It is mentioned six times in the New Testament of the Bible and was visited a few times by the Apostle Derbe is an ancient city in today's Turkey. This city is mentioned in the Bible Acts - (( ( Paul spoke directly to the elders in Acts 20:17 and warned them in 20:28 to "(b)e on guard for (them)selves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made (them) overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. "

Each of these passages points to an early understanding that God's intent for church leadership was by a plurality of elders. Instruction about elders is given to the churches in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 3:1-7,10 and 5:17-22,24-25; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:17; James 5:14; and 1 Peter 5:5. Instruction is given to elders about churches in 1 Thessalonians 5:13; James 5:14; and 1 Peter 5:1-5. In the majority of the references the word for elders is plural and word for church is singular, indicating a very clear directive that the church should be governed by a plurality of elders.

Qualifications

(This list was developed by the leadership of Grace Community Church and can be found in the The Biblical Case for Elder Rule)

Duties

Distinctions in practice

Some churches, particularly under Presbyterian polity, make a distinction between teaching and ruling elders. Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders This distinction rests upon 1 Timothy 5:17, James 3:1 and other passages. The distinction is made that some elders are called to teach and govern while others are called to govern only.

Within this distinction, there are two-office and three-office views. The two office view see the church offices as elder and deacon. The three office view sees the church offices as minister, elder, and deacon. Under the two-office view, teaching is a gift that all elders possess and each elder (pastor or overseer) receive their ordination from the same source. Under the three-office view, teachers or ministers in the church possess not only a separate gifting but also a separate office. Under the three-office view in Presbyterianism, ministers (or teaching elders) are ordained by the presbytery while ruling elders and deacons are ordained by the minister in the local congregation. Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders In Presbyterianism, all elders (both teaching and ruling) are eligible for participation in church courts (congregational session, presbytery, synod, general assembly). A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application Those holding to the three office view are more likely to hold to a distinct demarcation between clergy and laity. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy.

Baptists

Most Baptist churches do not recognize elder as a separate office; it is commonly considered synonymous with that of deacon or pastor. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. This is not universal in Baptist circles, however, and there are many Baptist churches which are elder-led.

Brethren

In early 19th century Great Britain groups of believers began to gather in what they referred to as Biblical simplicity. Under the leadership of such men as J. N. Darby and George Mueller these groups began to meet with no clergy to share the Lord's Supper. John Nelson Darby, (18 November 1800 - 29 April 1882 was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. George Mueller may refer to George Mueller (NASA, a former NASA deputy administrator George Müller (1805&ndash1898 Christian

The most defining element of these churches is the total rejection of the concept of clergy. Rather, in keeping with the doctrine of the Priesthood of All Believers, they view all Christians as being ordained by God to serve and are therefore ministers. The universal priesthood or the priesthood of all believers, as it would come to be known in the present day is a Christian doctrine believed to be derived from several Leadership is by example and by the recognition of their abilities by those they lead.

Regardless of great efforts to prevent it, splits happened, with the two largest divisions being commonly referred to as Open Brethren and Closed Brethren. The Open Brethren, sometimes called Christian Brethren or " Plymouth Brethren " are a group of Protestant Evangelical Christian The Exclusive Brethren are a subset of the Christian evangelical movement generally described as the Plymouth Brethren. Among other differences their view of elders vary.

Open Brethren

So called because they serve the Lord's Supper to any Christian who wishes to fellowship with them, their churches are led by elders—men meeting the Biblical qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. These men are the spiritual leadership of the church.

Exclusive Brethren

Exclusive Brethren are so named for their practice of serving the Lord's Supper exclusively to those who are part of their own particular group, agreeing with them on various doctrinal positions. The Exclusive Brethren are a subset of the Christian evangelical movement generally described as the Plymouth Brethren.

Most Exclusive Brethren groups believe the church to have been in ruins between the death of the apostles and their own time. Since no truly apostolic authority exists to appoint elders the church has none. Instead they recognize leading brothers who demonstrate maturity and leadership ability.

Church of Christ

Most congregations referring to themselves as a church of Christ (see Churches of Christ) believe that local congregations should be led by a plurality of biblically-qualified elders. The Churches of Christ discussed They base this on a conviction that congregations (and Christians in general) should attempt to follow the teachings of the New Testament wherever humanly possible. This belief is shared with other religious organizations with roots in the Restoration Movement, such as the Independent Christian Church. This article is about the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and churches that have a historical and/or theological connection to it (e The Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ are a part of the Restoration Movement and share historical roots with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Main article: Elder (Mormonism)

Elders are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have the Melchizedek Priesthood and have been ordained to the office of elder. Elder is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known The Melchizedek priesthood is the name of several priesthoods Additionally, male missionaries of the Church, General Authorities and Area Authority Seventies are honorarily titled "Elder" unless they are instead referred to by the title of President. A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church a general authority is a member Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of several denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of

The detailed duties of the ordained elders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today have been defined by revelation (D&C 20: 42-45; D&C 42: 44-52; D&C 46: 2; D&C 107: 12). Elder is the proper title given to all holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Thus an apostle is an elder in this sense, and it is proper to speak of members of the Quorum of the Twelve or the First Quorum of the Seventy by this title (D&C 20: 38; cf. 1 Pet. 5: 1; 2 Jn. 1: 1; 3 Jn. 1: 1).

Congregationalism

See also: Congregational polity

In some Protestant churches, an elder is a senior member of an individual church who is a lay and non-salaried minister. Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism is a system of Church governance in which every Local church congregation is independent Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. This is a defining characteristic of a Presbyterian church, which draws its name from the Greek language for 'elder'. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The elders provide either an advisory or a ruling role in the decision process of local issues; though most modern churches now emphasize the participation of all confirmed members. Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for

Eastern Orthodox

Main article: Starets

Among the Eastern Orthodox Churches the charism of Eldership (itself an extenuation of Prophesy) continues to this day in monasticism. A starets (стáрец fem стáреца is an elder of a Russian Orthodox monastery who functions as venerated adviser and teacher The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Religious meaning A charism (plural charismata. From the Greek charis - grace the divine influence on the receiver's heart and its reflection in his Prophecy, generally describes the disclosing of Information that is not known to the Prophet by any ordinary means Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one An experienced monastic Elder (Greek: Geronta; Slavonic: Starets) will provide guidance not only for their fellow monks, but for the laity as well. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Church Slavonic (also Church Slavic, Old Bulgarian) is the Liturgical language of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Macedonian Orthodox

Jehovah's Witnesses

Among Jehovah's Witnesses, an elder is a spiritually mature man appointed to teach the congregation, according to Biblical requirements. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination The Organisational structure of Jehovah's Witnesses is a religious Hierarchy.

An elder works within a group known as a "body of elders", each assigned to specific congregational tasks entailing oversight of the congregation. Each congregation has a chairman, or presiding overseer, typically the most experienced elder.

Elders are not clergy in the common sense of the term; they are not paid and elder is not a title. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion.

Traveling overseers and men serving in the boards of the offices of Jehovah's Witnesses are all considered elders.

Elders in a congregation receive no monetary compensation for their work. Travelling overseers, and members of the 'Bethel families' seek the kingdom first instead of material benefit. They are not forbidden from doing secular work but do receive a modest stipend.

Methodism

Main article: Elder (Methodism)

An Elder -- sometimes called a "Presbyter" -- is someone who has been ordained by a bishop to the ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service. An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active Their responsibilities are to preach and teach, preside at the celebration of the sacraments, administer the church through pastoral guidance, and lead the congregations under their care in service ministry to the world. The office of Elder, then, is what most people tend to think of as the pastoral, priestly, clergy office within the church. A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. Indeed, even a Methodist Bishop is still an Elder who has been elected and consecrated by the laying on of hands to the office of Bishop (Bishop being understood as an office within the Presbyterate, not an order or separate level of ordination). A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight In most of the denominations within Methodism, ordination to the office of Elder is open to both women and men. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies

Presbyterian Church (USA)

See also: Presbyterian polity

In the Presbyterian Church (USA), elders are "ordained lay" people (Ministers of Word and Sacrament are also elders, though they have a different function). Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders The Presbyterian Church (USA or PC (USA is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. They form the session, which is a ruling council for their congregation. Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders

Governmental responsibilities

Elders are chosen by the people. Together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, they exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large, including ecumenical relationships. They shall serve faithfully as members of the session. (G-10. 0102) When elected commissioners to higher governing bodies, elders participate and vote with the same authority as ministers of the Word and Sacrament, and they are eligible for any office.

Gifts and requirements

Elders should be persons of faith, dedication, and good judgment. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel, both within the church and in the world. (G-6. 0106)

Specific responsibilities

It is the duty of elders, individually and jointly, to strengthen and nurture the faith and life of the congregation committed to their charge. Together with the pastor, they should encourage the people in the worship and service of God, equip and renew them for their tasks within the church and for their mission in the world, visit and comfort and care for the people, with special attention to the poor, the sick, the lonely, and those who are oppressed. They should inform the pastor and session of those persons and structures which may need special attention. They should assist in worship. (See W-1. 4003, W-2. 3011-. 3012, W-3. 1003, W-3. 3616, and W-4. 4003. ) They should cultivate their ability to teach the Bible and may be authorized to supply places which are without the regular ministry of the Word and Sacrament. In specific circumstances and with proper instruction, specific elders may be authorized by the presbytery to administer the Lord's Supper in accord with G-11. 0103z. Those duties which all Christians are bound to perform by the law of love are especially incumbent upon elders because of their calling to office and are to be fulfilled by them as official responsibilities.

Shakerism

Among the Shakers, Elders and Eldresses were leaders in specific areas. The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, was a Protestant religious denomination that originated in Manchester Two Elders and Eldresses headed the central Shaker ministry at Mount Lebanon, New York and dealt with both spiritual and temporal matters. Other pairs of elders and eldresses headed groups of Shaker communities, while others were spiritual leaders of smaller groups within the communities.

References

  1. ^ Strauch, A. (1995). Biblical Eldership. Lewis and Roth Publishers, p. 125
  2. ^ Strauch, A. (1995). Biblical Eldership. Lewis and Roth Publishers, p. 148
  3. ^ Strauch, A. (1995). Biblical Eldership. Lewis and Roth Publishers, p. 149
  4. ^ Strauch, A. (1995). Biblical Eldership. Lewis and Roth Publishers, p. 103

See also

External links

In general religious use Ordination is the process by which a person is consecrated (set apart for the administration of various religious rites The term Elder (or its equivalent in another language is used in several different countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority A Church of Scotland congregation is led by its minister and elders. In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders Grace Community Church is a non-denominational, evangelical Megachurch located in Sun Valley California.
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