Church Leadership Empowers the Church

This blog is part seven of a ten-part series on the church.  Today we are going to dig deeper into the topic of church leadership and also try to answer the question many ask, “can women hold these offices?”

Summing up church leadership according to Scripture, the heavy responsibility of caring for the overall need of God’s local churches and protecting the church from false teaching from within and without, and keeping order among the body, is similar to the responsibility parents are given to care for their children, and husbands their wives. In the same way, serving to guide and elevate others and help them to be the best that they can be with what they have been given. They empower the church; they are not the power.

Roll of Elder/Overseer

The “leader’s” (elders and overseer’s) purpose, is to help the church BE HEALTHY IN THE FAITH and protect them from myths and commands of people who reject the truth. They must be able to give exhortation in healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it.

The position of elder/overseer is not just a committee that decides how much to pay a pastor, or what color carpet to install. It is a position of SPIRITUAL leadership and protection.

Who can be Elder?

As the Greek reveals, the overseer/elder is a supervisor who manages the public affairs (of the church) and administers justice. This is a job given to men who qualify and desire to serve in this way, knowing that choosing to serve in such a way comes with self-sacrifice and many responsibilities, yet along with rewards if one serves faithfully as intended, and severe consequences if one does not.

Church Leaders are Servants

It is no light undertaking and not a matter of just filling a “position.” It should be a man who will sacrifice himself to keep an eye on God’s flock (just like a man deciding to get married and care for his wife.) The focus is upon the responsibility for caring for others, not on self or on being “over” people.

In reality, as a servant, you are under all of the people you serve. The idea of being “over” them is like a mother hen being over her chicks to protect them, or an eagle’s big wings over its eaglets, not “over” them as in being superior.

Husband of One Wife

I have heard these verses about elders and overseers to be twisted for the sake of women’s rights.  The verse says, “husband of one wife.” It is stating a fact, not talking in general about being a spouse. The verse is defining the elder as a husband, while making the main point of the verse, who has only ONE wife.

The Greek word “husband,” used in Titus 1:6 and 1 Timothy 3:2, means, “a male human being; a man, husband.”  It is “a reference to sex, and so to distinguish a man from a woman.” https://biblehub.com/greek/435.htm  It is not saying it could be a man OR a woman just because the point is about faithfulness and having just one husband or wife.

Church Leaders Have Obedient Children

We know that the Apostle Paul said, if possible, you should remain single so your total focus could be on ministry (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). If to suggest, in order to twist the passage, that an elder must be married, then Paul’s advice is nullified too.

Many go on to say, in order to twist the passage further, it must then mean that the elder must not only be married but must then have children. They say if to take the “husband” part literally, because it says that his children must not be rebellious, then you must assume that they must have children.

It is a matter of fact, IF you have children, they must be obedient. The scripture is not saying that you must have children. Again, the point was not in having children, but that if he did, they should be obedient. Some take so far to say it would have to mean then that there must be multiple children, and so if you just had one child then you couldn’t be an elder.

All of this nonsense and attempt to twist what is said to make it say what you want, must be stopped.

The High Standard of Church Leadership 

As we saw previously, there are very high standards for these leadership positions, and if to serve, you must meet all the requirements. The list is not a buffet to pick and choose from. Then, if you meet the qualifications to be an elder or overseer, you must desire to serve as well. It is not an easy job and it demands much self-sacrifice and humility, always looking out for the best interest of the other brothers and sisters. That is why Hebrews 13:17 says to the church, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. Let them do this with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.”

Teamwork (Unity) Between the Church and Its Leadership

The appointed leadership in the church has great responsibilities, but the church itself does as well. They should try to make the job easier for their elders and overseers as they too serve alongside the leadership with their gifts and ministries. The church is one body, united by one spirit, with one purpose, which is to keep unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). The church is strengthened as it attains unity in knowledge of the son of God, and this results in being a mature believer in Messiah, which results in a healthy and strong church.

In part eight we will address the gift of pastoring and continue the discussion on women, this time in the role of pastor.