Introduction
Biblical leadership is essential for the ongoing health of a local church. Behind the scenes, here are Canyon Verde, we have been working with a couple of men and we are about to install our first elder team. That elder team will consist of myself along with Al Crownoble and Brian Lockard. This morning, I’m going to take a break for a few weeks from our Romans study to focus intently on the subject of church leadership so our church understands the significance and the role of Biblical elders. As an elder-governed church, Canyon has an extremely high view of elders and we are very careful in their selection.
John Maxwell wrote that “leaders have two characteristics: first they are going somewhere and secondly, they are able to persuade others to go with them.” In the case of the local church and in the narrow context of Spiritual leadership, it is critical that the influencers in the church are leading people in just one direction: they are leading people on a path to Jesus.
In this regard, leadership in the church is quite different from leadership in other places in our society. When the secular culture puts together a leadership team, they are sure to gather the best of the best, regardless of their personal integrity. Watch this presidential election season. The top candidates will assemble a dream team of all the best advisors and promoters and directors for their campaigns. The conventional wisdom is that you can’t possibly change the world unless you assemble all the best experts – even if they are not men and women of character. Some people think the church should work this way as well.
Many churches are tempted to elect or appoint men to leadership roles because they are experts in their field or because they are well-liked by the people or because they have had great success in the marketplace. When most Christians hear about church elders, they think of their previous experiences with a church board.
A typical church board is a group of influential men who get together a few times a year to make policies, to raise funds and to advise the pastor. Church boards typically love building projects and business meetings. Congregations don’t expect the church board to be able to handle the Word or to be involved in people’s personal lives. They see them as policy makers and advisors to the pastor and not as ministers.
The church board concept of leadership is completely at odds with the New Testament definition of eldership. The Bible seems to care very little about experts or wealth or success or like-ability when it comes to elders in the church. There is no New Testament example of a church board made up of businessmen. The New Testament is far more concerned with integrity and character. The Biblical requirements for elders actually disqualifies most men for elder leadership in the church. Men who are experts in their field, may be a very poor choice for church leadership.
According to the New Testament, elders not only lead and direct the church, but they are totally involved within the church. Elders have the task of protecting the doctrine of the church, overseeing church ministries and caring for the needs of the body. Elder teams are people-driven and not project-driven. An elder team is a team of ministering servants who serve God’s people through prayerful, Holy Spirit directed leadership.
A biblical elder team is altogether different from a church board. Our church will never have an official board (it’s not in our by-laws), but we will always have an elder team. Since the nature of this elder team is so different from the selection of a board, we need to look at how the Bible instructs us to choose elders.
Jesus’ Example
When Jesus selected leaders, He ignored every popular leadership model of His day (and ours). Jesus made disciples out of men who were untrained and who did not carry a great deal of influence. In His original group of disciples, you won’t find prominent politicians or wealthy donors or famous athletes or brilliant strategists or celebrity endorsements or even a theology professor.
Jesus looked for humble people who had a genuine zeal for God – regardless of their background. Jesus looked for people with potential and passion. He often used unpolished people who were willing to be shaped and molded into His image. Jesus chose from the ranks of faithful workers and not necessarily from the ranks of professional clergy.
As the son of a diesel mechanic and an elementary school teacher, I’m glad that Jesus often uses unpolished people in the leadership of His church. I don’t come from the world of academia or from a family filled with clergy members. I grew up spending time in the shop with my dad and grading papers at night with my mom. I went to Bible college (and I think Biblical education for the pastoral staff is important), but I don’t come from the ranks of professional clergy. In fact, I’m the only Stafford currently serving in the pastorate.
In the Bible, Jesus often chose people from unlikely backgrounds. After spending some time with Him, these people (in the Bible) began to display a remarkable, Holy Spirit powered ability in the ministry. Jesus’ band of disciples quickly rose from humble beginnings, as fishermen and tax collectors, to emerge as spiritual leaders who truly changed the world.
Nothing influences the church more than its leaders and the most influential leaders at Canyon is the elder team.
Today (like always) there is a tremendous need for godly leadership in the local church.
The church needs men to lead who are known by their integrity, who understand some theology and who are authentically living out their beliefs in both the home and in the marketplace.
The church needs men to serve the church like a shepherd serves his flock.
The church needs men who are willing to step up and teach and lead and protect the people of God while taking care of the spiritual needs of the local congregation.
Canyon Bible Fellowship is the name of the network of like-minded church we are associated with. The Canyon Fellowship is in the business of starting new churches. As they are establishing new works, they are looking for men who are godly, biblical shepherds.
The elder team at Canyon is looking to the scriptures as its guide and not to a marketing manual.
We are more interested in building up a family of God than in building a large religious corporation.
The pastors and elders at Canyon are not managers or corporate heads, but shepherds and servants and equippers.
Our goal is not to build a building and gather a crowd, but to make disciples.
Church leadership is important to God – Acts 20:28-38, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4.
It is apparent that God believes the issue of church leadership is of the utmost importance because it is addressed four times in the New Testament. Each time, the scriptures go into the matter of leadership in great detail. To put it in perspective, there is more written in the Bible about church leadership than there is about either church government structure or about how to run a worship service.
In all of the scriptures used to describe leaders, one sticks out to me to be most like the situation we find here in the Verde Valley. So this morning, I will be focusing our teaching around the leadership passage listed in Titus chapter 1.
Background
Titus was a gifted man who was one of Paul’s co-workers. Like Timothy, Titus worked closely with Paul as Paul was strengthening the existing church and establishing new churches all throughout the Roman Empire. Titus was given a special assignment to go to Crete to establish new elders.
Crete is an island just south of Greece. It is not totally clear in the Bible how the church got started on the island of Crete. There are two possible explanations:
In Acts 2:11, it says that Cretans were present on the day of Pentecost. Perhaps some who came to know Jesus as their Savior that day, returned home to Crete and began to tell others about Jesus. (This scenario is most likely)
Some Bible scholars think the Paul may have briefly visited Crete after his Roman imprisonment in AD 62 and started a small church there himself. (Less likely, but possible)
Either way, there was a small group of believers there in Crete, but they were struggling. They did not have clear leadership in the church and false teachers were beginning to move in. Here’s why:
Crete was the mythological birthplace of the Greek god Zeus.
It was the backdrop for many of the legends regarding the half-bull, half-human monster named Minotaur.
The Cretan culture was also deeply immersed in the worship of the emperor, claiming that the emperor was the universal Savior.
The absence of Elders in these church made them weak and susceptible to doctrinal error. They were in urgent need of direction, discipline and discipleship. The letter to Titus was never intended to be private. Paul was using Crete as a model and the book of Titus was an open letter so we could see how to establish new biblical leadership in church plants.
Church leadership structures are defined in the Bible – Titus 1:5-9.
When Canyon began to plant churches, the principles in Titus were one of the models that we tried to learn from.
In Crete, the church got started, but needed leadership. Paul sent Titus, who was an elder-qualified man, to Crete to find and train other elder-qualified men to lead the local church.
In Cottonwood, Canyon Verde began with a handful of believers, but they also needed leadership. Canyon PV sent me and my family to Cottonwood. As an elder-qualified man, my task was to establish a new church and find other local elder-qualified men to help lead it. Until we found those men, Canyon PV provided our church with a temporary elder team.
It is not a perfect parallel, but it is similar enough to make these verses in Titus highly applicable to this season of our church plant here in Cottonwood. In Titus chapter 1, after Paul makes some formal introductions, he begins to outline Titus’ task in verse 5. Verse 5 says, “5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.”
Elders are appointed – Titus 1:5.
Titus’ first order of business and his top priority was to appoint qualified elders to every church plant on the island. The way that Paul put a church “into order” was to establish an elder team. Notice the word “appoint.” “…appoint elders in every town…”
In the Greek, it would be the same word used if a government official appointed a judge or a local governor. Notice it does not say to “ordain” or to “elect” elders, but to “appoint” them. Here are two reasons why I think that is significant:
As the senior pastor of this church, I went through a lengthy training and ordination process before I took over this pulpit. An elder is not necessarily the senior pastor. There does not need to be a lengthy ordination process for a man to serve on an elder team. As we will see, the Bible gives a different set of criteria for elders.
Elders should be appointed by other Biblically qualified elders. While the input of God’s people in the selection of an elder team should be considered, the responsibility of who is appointed to that team lies best in the hands of godly men who have all the details and who can prayerfully consider each appointment.
So what exactly was Titus looking for in an elder and what kind of men should serve on Canyon’s elder team? The church’s leadership should uphold the highest moral standards in all aspect of life. To expect any less might unnecessarily tarnish the churches reputation. Paul writes that Titus should look for men who are, “6 …above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.”
Elders must have a good reputation – Titus 1:6, 1 Timothy 3:4-6.
The appointment of an elder begins with an overarching qualification that they are “above reproach.” An elder is a man whose life is worth copying. He has a good reputation in the community and is known for character and integrity. That character begins at home.
The next trait is that he is “the husband of one wife.” In other words, he is not a polygamist nor is he unfaithful to his wife. The Greek can literally be translated to say that he is a “one woman man.” An elder is required to be 100% committed to his wife and to have a marriage worth emulating.
MacArthur says that “An elder must have an unsullied, lifelong reputation for devotion to his spouse and to sexual purity.”
6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination
There are three reasons why the ESV translation stating his “his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination,” is probably not as good as the King James translation that says, “having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”
The Greek word translated as “believing” (Pistis) is often translated other places in the New Testament as “faithful,” “trustworthy,” or “dutiful.”
Even the best parent cannot guarantee that his children will become Christians. A decision for Christ is not up to the father, but it is a decision a child need to make for themselves. Salvation is a supernatural act of God, not simply the result of good parenting.
The most compelling reason: The comparison in the text is not between believing and unbelieving children, but between obedient children and unruly children.
Paul, in his letter to Timothy, puts it more clearly when he wrote that an elder should, “ 4 …manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” (1 Tim 3:4-5)
One commentator put it this way, “We are not necessarily looking at the belief and actions of one child, but the character of a family as a whole…, our assessment is to be based on observations of children’s conduct and convictions over time, not isolated statements or actions.”
For this reason, it has taken us two years to identify a couple of elder qualified men. The elders in PV often say, “time and truth walk hand-in-hand,” meaning that you have to watch a person’s behavior over a long period of time before you jump to conclusions about their character.
Paul warns in 1 Timothy 3:6 that a person placed into a leadership role too soon may “become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.” J. Oswald Sanders wrote that “the story of the church and it’s mission is filled with examples of failed leaders who were appointed too soon.” So the elders at Canyon are cautious and careful with each appointment to the elder team.
At this point in the text, Paul changes the term Elder to overseer. These terms are interchangeable in the scripture but one refers to position and the other more to function.
What it their title? Elder…
What do they do? Oversee the church.
The text says, “7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach…”
Elders must be godly – Titus 1:7.
The word “steward” refers to a manager or administrator who have been entrusted with someone else’s property. On occasion, I’ve referred to Canyon Verde as my church to the elders in PV and they have been quick to correct my thinking. Here’s why: this is not my church. This is the Lord’s church. As an elder, I am caring for important things that belong uniquely to the Lord:
I’m caring for His children. As a undershepherd under the Chief Shepherd, my role is to make sure you are being discipled well
I’m caring for His Truth. As a teacher of the Word, I’m to be extremely careful as I handle the scriptures so that I communicate them clearly and retain their truth.
In God’s house, faithfulness is required in every part of life. That means the examination of potential elders extends past their public appearances and into their personal lives. Look at verse 7 again, “ 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain…” Paul list off four behaviors that are unfitting for elders on a team:
Arrogance: Arrogant, overbearing men don’t work well on a team and don’t play well with others. They have no business being elders.
Temper: Quick tempers are characteristic of false teachers and cult leaders (not of elders). Men with hot tempers tend to force their will on others instead of leading them. They can be a divisive presence in a church rather than uniting people together in the pursuit of Jesus.
Drunks: People who cannot use self-control when it comes to alcohol certainly cannot be trusted with the oversight of something as important as God’s church and the protection of God’s Word.
Greedy: Greed has no place in the life of a growing disciple. Men whose wealth is in heaven and who hold the Lord as their most treasured possession begin to develop a loose touch on the temporary things of this world. Generosity is a mark of a growing disciple and of a proper leader, not greed.[Parenthesis: One hallmark of this local church have been its generosity. I am constantly blown away by your outpouring of love through your giving to the Lord. I believe that one evidence that a church is healthy and growing is their generosity]
Verse 8 continues without a break in the sentence to help us understand the definition of “blameless conduct.” Paul says, “8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.”
Hospitality in the Roman culture was not just throwing a good party. It was often a matter of life and death. Because of their faith, Christians were being forced from their homes and fired from their jobs. They often had no one to turn to except for the church.
Material goods were in short supply in those days, so hospitality often meant living in uncomfortable, dangerous and sacrificial ways for the sake of the gospel. Hospitality was far from entertainment but involved opening up homes for the greater purposes of other people’s needs in the church. Loving what is good is closely associated with hospitality because it involved putting other people’s need above your own.
“Self-Controlled,” “Holy” and “disciplined” are all different ways of describing a person who is fully in-control of their body and fully submitted to the leading of the Lord.
Life Application
Paul’s description of a blameless person’s life is extensive and it’s not impossible. The ability to live an upright life is given to all Christians at the moment of conversion, but Paul is not shy about requiring leaders in the church to act in a respectable way within the community they serve.
These truths have implication for every person here whether or not you ever serve on an elder team:
Godliness is not just for elders. When God’s Word describes the characteristics of an upright man, it is describing the ongoing lifestyle the Holy Spirit is trying to produce in every believer. Through the power of the Spirit, every person here is capable of living a life that God can use powerfully in his kingdom (whether or not you ever serve as an elder)
When you are looking for a church, look for a church with leadership that exemplifies these characteristics. It is difficult to grow past the spiritual maturity level of the leaders at your church.
Pray for your church leaders. When a leader falls, it hurts a lot of people. Pray for our new elder team that God would guard their integrity.
Next week, in part two of this series, I’ll teach on the three fold duty of elders in the church of doctrine, discipline and direction.
Prayer:
Lord I pray for the new leadership of this, Your church. Lord, this list of qualification can seem over whelming without Your Spirit’s power.
Empower these men to be above reproach in every aspect of their lives.
Empower your church to submit to the elders You’ve called here for this season.
Grow each one of us so that we might more clearly emulate the character of Your Son.
Grow this church not just in size, but in-depth so that together we might be led into an ever deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you for this church and the opportunity we all have to grow as disciples in this congregation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Teaching Outline
Nothing influences the church more than its leaders and the most influential leaders at Canyon is the elder team.
Church leadership is important to God – Acts 20:28-38, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4
Church leadership structures are defined in the Bible – Titus 1:5-9
Elders are appointed – Titus 1:5
Elders must have a good reputation – Titus 1:6, 1 Timothy 3:4-6
Elders must be godly – Titus 1:7
Application
Godliness is not just for elders.
Look for a church with leadership that exemplifies these characteristics.
Pray for your church leaders.
Church Wide Letter
Biblical leadership is critical for a church to remain healthy and for it to actively produce disciples. We are entering an exciting season in the life of our church as we celebrate the appointment of new elders at Canyon Verde.
This week, we are beginning a three week series leading up to our very first elder installation service. It is important that every person who considers Canyon to be their church home to be in attendance the next three Sundays. During these services we’ll be talking about the importance of Biblical eldership.
Then, on January 17th, we will be joined by two of the elders from Canyon PV and we’ll be installing our first elder team. These are exciting days for Canyon Verde as we continue to pursue Jesus as His disciples. See you on Sunday!
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