The Holy Scripture informs us of the responsibility and the duty of the elders in the Church. Of Paul and Barnabas we read: “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” (Acts 14:23) Those men, who were ordained of God and used to establish local fellowships under the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit ordained the elders in the local church. Paul writes to his co-worker in Christ: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.” (Tit. 1:5)

In the older translations, the word ‘bishop’ is used, which has the same meaning as elder or overseer. According to the Bible, a bishop is an elder responsible for a local assembly. A local church doesn’t necessarily have one elder, “Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons (elders or overseers).”(Phil. 1:1)

The elders take care of the spiritual part in the local church and the deacons look after the external matters. As two of the seven men in Acts 6 responsible for the welfare of the people were later blessed of the Lord in a special way, so is it possible that every member in the Body of Christ can be used of God in his specific place.

In 1 Timothy 3:1, we read: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of an elder (bishop), he desireth a good work…” Such a man must be apt to teach and comply with all scriptural requirements for that office. “Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Tim. 5:17) This word should be taken seriously and put into practice, as it is part of God’s holy Word. People say so easy, “I love the prophet,” but at the same time find it difficult to recognise a God-ordained ministry in a local church. The Bible does not say that an apostle, prophet or evangelist should be esteemed of double honour, but it does say so about an elder. A local church can only be blessed of God, if the members are thankful for a God-ordained ministry. God has taken special care of the elders, as they are so easily attacked. “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witness.” (1 Tim. 5:19)

How carelessly we say things in our days! If an accusation is brought up, there must be at least two or three witnesses, wholly independent of one another, to testify. If they matter discussed beforehand, they cannot be considered separate witnesses. In such a case they have formed a plot and show their motives and wrong objectives.

Paul admonishes his co-worker in Christ: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of hands of the presbytery” – elders (1 Tim. 4: 13-14).

The elders in a local church also have another responsibility: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over Him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14)

Today a one-man system is practised. People have long since deviated from the biblical guidelines. If we want the true blessings of Almighty God and the promises fulfilled, we must do things according to the Word. The Scripture does not teach that the believers of a local assembly should call an evangelist, prophet or apostle to pray for them, but that should be done by the elders. Paul, as a true man of God, was aware of that direct responsibility for the local Churches: “from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.” (Acts 20:17) It seems very strange that Paul called upon the elders and not the apostles, prophets and teachers. To the elders, he also had a very solemn warning: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.” (v. 28)

We cannot ignore the guidelines given for the Church of Jesus Christ as recorded in the holy Word of God. Peter writes: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind…” (1. Pet. 5,1-2)

From this we see that even the great apostle considered himself to be an elder. He was also a pastor because Jesus Christ said to him: “Feed My sheep! Feed My lambs!” He did not only hold one of the five offices, he also had a responsibility in the local church. Peter did not only travel from place to place, he also had his church home. Any minister who has not proven himself in a local church will never be a blessing to any other congregation. An elder is to remain in a local church, but a man holding one of the five offices, even a pastor, is not bound to a local church, but can move from place to place, as his ministry is to be beneficial to the whole Body of Christ.

The Holy Scripture informs us of the responsibility and the duty of the elders in the Church. Of Paul and Barnabas we read: “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” (Acts 14:23) Those men, who were ordained of God and used to establish local fellowships under the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit ordained the elders in the local church. Paul writes to his co-worker in Christ: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.” (Tit. 1:5) 

In the older translations, the word ‘bishop’ is used, which has the same meaning as elder or overseer. According to the Bible, a bishop is an elder responsible for a local assembly. A local church doesn’t necessarily have one elder, “Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons (elders or overseers).”  (Phil. 1:1)

The elders take care of the spiritual part in the local church and the deacons look after the external matters. As two of the seven men in Acts 6 responsible for the welfare of the people were later blessed of the Lord in a special way, so is it possible that every member in the Body of Christ can be used of God in his specific place.

In 1 Timothy 3:1, we read: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of an elder (bishop), he desireth a good work…” Such a man must be apt to teach and comply with all scriptural requirements for that office. “Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Tim. 5:17) This word should be taken seriously and put into practice, as it is part of God’s holy Word. People say so easy, “I love the prophet,” but at the same time find it difficult to recognise a God-ordained ministry in a local church. The Bible does not say that an apostle, prophet or evangelist should be esteemed of double honour, but it does say so about an elder. A local church can only be blessed of God, if the members are thankful for a God-ordained ministry. God has taken special care of the elders, as they are so easily attacked. “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witness.” (1 Tim. 5:19)

How carelessly we say things in our days! If an accusation is brought up, there must be at least two or three witnesses, wholly independent of one another, to testify. If they matter discussed beforehand, they cannot be considered separate witnesses. In such a case they have formed a plot and show their motives and wrong objectives.

Paul admonishes his co-worker in Christ: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of hands of the presbytery” – elders (1 Tim. 4: 13-14). 

The elders in a local church also have another responsibility: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over Him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14)

Today a one-man system is practised. People have long since deviated from the biblical guidelines. If we want the true blessings of Almighty God and the promises fulfilled, we must do things according to the Word. The Scripture does not teach that the believers of a local assembly should call an evangelist, prophet or apostle to pray for them, but that should be done by the elders. Paul, as a true man of God, was aware of that direct responsibility for the local Churches: “from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.” (Acts 20:17) It seems very strange that Paul called upon the elders and not the apostles, prophets and teachers. To the elders, he also had a very solemn warning: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.” (v. 28)

We cannot ignore the guidelines given for the Church of Jesus Christ as recorded in the holy Word of God. Peter writes: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind…” (1. Pet. 5,1-2)

From this we see that even the great apostle considered himself to be an elder. He was also a pastor because Jesus Christ said to him: “Feed My sheep! Feed My lambs!” He did not only hold one of the five offices, he also had a responsibility in the local church. Peter did not only travel from place to place, he also had his church home. Any minister who has not proven himself in a local church will never be a blessing to any other congregation. An elder is to remain in a local church, but a man holding one of the five offices, even a pastor, is not bound to a local church, but can move from place to place, as his ministry is to be beneficial to the whole Body of Christ.