Training Prospective Elders 1

Part 1 of a two part series given at the BER "Making Plurality Work" Conference.
Speaker: Alexander Strauch
Visit our website at www.BiblicalEldership.com

[@patrickzulu3100]

Powerful word 😢

[@user-ry4yk3gz6p]

Thank you for sharing your very much appreciated Bible teaching on eldership in the Church - we are in the process of same with again clear challenging teaching from God’s Word …..

[@jasonfrederick1258]

In my humbled view this is a mark of the Christian character....the ability to work humbly together without feelings of superiority or inferiority. We hardly can see it as we are so individualistic in our outlook. Where this principle is faithfully applied the benefits are tremendous on the characters of the elders and the general church body...it works a "salvation"that cannot be overemphasized. Be blessed my brother as you reveal God's truth.

[@jasonfrederick1258]

Very very instructive.

[@BiblicalEldershipResources]

Thank you.

[@williambrewer]

Forgive me if you mention elsewhere, but do you think single, never married, men are eligible for the oversight or must they be married? My opinion would that they need not be married. Paul was not married nor was Christ Jesus the Chief Shepherd (granted in a category of his own).

[@mchristr]

Faithfulness, with a knowledge of the Scriptures are required. Marriage seems to be optional.

[@ianaustin4422]

I've thought a lot about this issue and I've come to the conclusion that one is not required to be married or have kids in order to serve as an Elder or Deacon. What convinced me of this was a careful reading of 1 Cor. 7. In verse 7 Paul says "I wish all were as I myself am..." Meaning he wishes every one was single. Now we also know that Paul wanted some people to be overseers because he told Timothy and Titus to appoint men as overseers. So if being married was a requirement for Eldership then Paul would not want everyone to be single because then no one could be an Elder or Deacon. Therefore if Paul wants everyone to be single like him and he also wants some to be overseers then it follows that someone can be single while holding the position of Elder or Deacon.

[@AlanCanon2222]

@@ianaustin4422 Except that the pastoral epistles (Timothy and Titus) are now considered pseudoepigraphical, i.e., forgeries, by most New Testament scholars. Paul didn't write them, and we don't know who did.