Frank

Amos, I am not quite sure what your objection to my view on elders as leaders is about. In my own study of the NT texts having to do with leaders in the church, not only titles but also their qualifications and functions, I came to the conclusion that “elder” designates the maturity and wisdom of the male and female leaders of the house churches; that “overseer” (episkopos) and “minister” (diakonos) describe the primary ways in which they function as leaders. Do you hold a different view regarding the relationship between bishops, elders, and deacons, and that is why you object?

Now I know that Roman Catholics and Episcopalians regard episkopoi (“bishops, overseers”) and presbyteroi (“presbyters, elders”) as different offices, with bishops being over elders, and then “deacons” (diakonoi) being under the elders. But I believe that this hierarchical view is a corrupted third century church tradition, not the teaching of the NT itself. And regarding Paul’s commands to both Titus and Timothy, the problems in Ephesus and Crete were due in large part to “fallen elders,” both men and women, who had to be replaced by other qualified elders who could be trusted to uphold Apostolic patterns of sound doctrine and godly living.

Therefore, as regards replacing defective leadership with qualified leadership, in the main, I agree with Gordon Fee: “Paul delegates Timothy, and apparently later Tychicus, to straighten out the mess in Ephesus created by false teachers, who in my view were elders who had gone astray. Timothy is not the ‘pastor’; he is there in Paul’s place, exercising Paul’s authority. But he is to replace the fallen elders with new ones who will care for the church and teach when Timothy is gone (1 Tim. 5:17-22; 2 Tim. 2:2; 4:9). The elders in the local churches seem to have been composed of both episkopoi (overseers) and diakonoi (deacons), who probably had different tasks; but from a distance there is little certainty as to what they were (except that episkopoi were to be ‘capable teachers,’ 1 Tim. 3:2” (“Laos and Leadership under the New Covenant,” LISTENING TO THE SPIRIT IN THE TEXT, p.141) However, on the basis of Phil. 1:1b, which is an anartharous construct, which means the verse can be rendered, “To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus, together with the overseers who minister among you…,” I would not make such a rigid distinction between overseers and elders as might be suggested by Fee’s comment. But I’m not going to be dogmatic about it.

Are we to obey elders, if they are both qualified and if they fulfill the role the Lord Jesus gave them in the church? Well, what does the Scripture say? Here are the pertinent texts:
1. “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thess. 5:12-13).
2. “You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it” (1 Cor. 16:15-16).
3. “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Heb. 13:17).
4. “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and witness of Christ’s sufferings who will also share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;…not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders” (1 Pet. 5:1-5).

Now, if elders meet the qualifications that Paul and Peter lay down for those who would so serve in the church; are gifted and called by the Spirit, and recognized by the other elders and the congregation to be both fit and truly called to this ministry; and if they fulfill their role by bringing younger Christians to maturity, acknowledge their gifting and calling, and then train them to be competent ministers of Christ; should we hold them in the highest regard, yield to their authority as sheperds, and follow their lead as they follow Christ? Well, Amos, on the basis of all this, what would you say our proper response to the elders should be?