The key word over the next twelve months is this; flexibility.  

On Sunday, 9/18/2022, we voted to make a historic change in the life of our church, to move to the elder-led model of church governance.  With that change - comes change.  The goal of the provisional elder team and the deacon team over the next twelve months is to ensure that the balance of the changes to our method goes smoothly.  While smoothness is our goal, any change brings discomfort – that is why we are taking this next step in our process as thoughtfully and slowly as we can while still being on mission for Jesus in Hopkinsville.

Our big request from the church is this; be flexible as we work through the changes.  It’s not going to be business as usual; we might not even have all the answers at first, so be flexible and patient.  Ideally, by this time next year, our provisional elder team will be a full elder team, and all of our processes, vision, and teams will be moving in the same direction with the same goals!

God Bless,

The Provision Elder Team!

(Starts Q4 2022)

Building the Provisional Elder Team

1. Self-Nomination

• 1 Timothy 3:1“one who has aspiration to the office”  
• He aspires to the role of being an elder, bishop, overseer, pastor, and shepherd. This does not exclude the possibility that he is sought out and urged to be an elder. But no pressure should be used that would result in an unwilling, half-hearted service.

2. Self-qualification (1-2 weeks)

• Once a man self-nominates, Pastor Todd will have them begin by completing a worksheet related to the qualifications found in Titus and Timothy.  This worksheet will be shared only with Pastor Todd, kept confidential, to determine the next steps with the elder candidate.
• Agreement after study of BFM.

3. Examination & Discipleship (6-12 months)

• Study the book: Elders – Jeremy Rinnie
• Study the book: Disciplines of a Godly Man – Kent Hughes
• Discuss Essential Leadership Doctrines

4. Examination & Integration 

• Once Pastor Todd and the elder candidate agree they are ready, they will be integrated into the existing elder team as a non-voting, overseeing member.  This allows the other elders to determine fit and provide an opportunity for further examination.
• Unanimous Approval of the elder team is required for presentation to the church for an official vote.

5. Presentation (Immediate)

• To church for a vote

6. Ordination (2-3 Weeks Post Vote)

(Now through January)

• This process can take up to 3 months to do well.  We will determine who is interested in pursuing the elder role, and those who want to commit to serving on both teams for a time are welcome to do so.  Those who remain on the deacon team will work with the provisional elder team to determine roles & responsibilities going forward.

 (1st Quarter 2023)

• The provisional elder team will partner with the deacon team to determine the roles & responsibilities of each team. (See the roles & responsibilities of Deacons below for more information.)

(1st Quarter 2023)

The Deacon team will then work through a training process with Pastor Todd about the biblical role of Deacons and how this team will operate in partnership with the elder team.

 (1st Quarter 2023)

• The Provisional elder team will develop a 10-year vision for the church.  This vision will then be updated in 2027 for another 10 years.
• This is a second priority after elder discipleship and development.

(1st Quarter 2023)

• The Provisional elder team will review the existing bylaws and make recommended edits to be shared with the ByLaws team.  Once both teams are in agreement, the changes will be presented to the church for affirmation.

(2nd Quarter 2023)

• The provisional elder team & deacon team will review existing teams and determine the best way forward for each. Many teams will continue, others will be sunset, and others will have the work incorporated into the Deacons or Elder team.

(From 9Marks)

• Elders are to shepherd the flock by authoritative biblical teaching and oversight (1 Tim. 3:2; 1 Pet 5:2).
• Deacons are to care for the physical and fiscal needs of the church, to create unity in the body, and to support the work of the pastors and elders. The word “deacon” means servant, and the roots of the office seem to lie in the need for a group of people to care for the physical needs of the church.
• The deacons do their work, in other words, so that the elders can devote themselves to the ministry of the word, prayer, and oversight (Acts 6:1-6; Acts 20). This means:
• The elders and deacons are not like two houses of legislature, who work together to govern the church. Deacons don’t provide oversight over the whole church and its spiritual well-being. The elders do.
• The deacons then serve the church by carrying out the vision of the elders. They may be charged with administrative oversight over a particular area of the church’s life, but they are given the charge in order to follow the general instruction and guidance of the elders.

Who should be a deacon? (From 9Marks)

The only passage that mentions the qualifications for deacons is 1 Timothy 3:8–13. In this passage, Paul gives an official but not an exhaustive list of the requirements for deacons.

The similarities of the qualifications for deacons and elders/overseers in 1 Timothy 3 are striking. Like the qualifications for elders, 

• a deacon must not be an addict (v. 3,), 
• not greedy for dishonest gain (v. 3), 
• blameless (v. 2; Titus 1:6), 
• the husband of one wife (v. 2), and an able manager of his children and household (vv. 4–5). 
• Furthermore, the focus of the qualifications is the moral character of the person who is to fill the office: a deacon must be mature and above reproach. The main difference between an elder and a deacon is a difference of gifts and calling, not character.

Paul identifies nine qualifications for deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-12:

• Dignified (v. 8): This term normally refers to something that is honorable, respectable, esteemed, or worthy, and is closely related to “respectable,” which is given as a qualification for elders (1 Tim. 3:2).
• Not double-tongued (v. 8): Those who are double-tongued say one thing to certain people but then say something else to others, or say one thing but mean another. They are two-faced and insincere. Their words cannot be trusted, so they lack credibility.
• Not addicted to much wine (v. 8): A man is disqualified for the office of deacon if he is addicted to wine or other strong drink. Such a person lacks self-control and is undisciplined.
• Not greedy for dishonest gain (v. 8): If a person is a lover of money, he is not qualified to be a deacon, especially since deacons often handle financial matters for the church.
• Sound in faith and life (v. 9): Paul also indicates that a deacon must “hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” The phrase “the mystery of the faith” is simply one way Paul speaks of the gospel (cf. 1 Tim. 3:16). Consequently, this statement refers to the need for deacons to hold firm to the true gospel without wavering. Yet this qualification does not merely involve one’s beliefs, for he must also hold these beliefs “with a clear conscience.” That is, the behavior of a deacon must be consistent with his beliefs.
• Blameless (v. 10): Paul writes that deacons must “be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless” (v. 10). “Blameless” is a general term referring to a person’s overall character. Although Paul does not specify what type of testing is to take place, at a minimum, the candidate’s personal background, reputation, and theological positions should be examined. Moreover, the congregation should not only examine a potential deacon’s moral, spiritual, and doctrinal maturity, but should also consider the person’s track record of service in the church.
• Godly wife (v. 11): It is debated whether verse 11 refers to a deacon’s wife or to a deaconess. For the sake of this discussion, we will assume the verse is speaking about the qualifications of a deacon’s wife. According to Paul, deacons’ wives must “be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things” (v. 11). Like her husband, the wife must be dignified or respectable. Secondly, she must not be a slanderer or a person who goes around spreading gossip. A deacon’s wife must also be sober-minded or temperate. That is, she must be able to make good judgments and must not be involved in things that might hinder such judgment. Finally, she must be “faithful in all things” (cf. 1 Tim. 5:10). This is a general requirement that functions similarly to the requirement for elders to be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6) and for deacons to be “blameless” (1 Tim. 3:10).
• Husband of one wife (v. 12): The best interpretation of this difficult phrase is to understand it as referring to the faithfulness of a husband toward his wife. He must be a “one-woman man.” That is, there must be no other woman in his life to whom he relates in an intimate way either emotionally or physically.
• Manage children and household well (v. 12): A deacon must be the spiritual leader of his wife and children.

In general, if a moral qualification is listed for elders but not for deacons, that qualification still applies to deacons. The same goes for those qualifications listed for deacons but not for elders. For example, a deacon should not be double-tongued (v. 8, ESV). Paul does not explicitly say this about elders, but no doubt it applies to elders since Paul has said that elders must be “above reproach,” which would include this prohibition.

Still, we should observe the differences in the qualifications since they either signify a trait that is particularly fitting for the office-holder in order to accomplish his duties, or is something that was a problem in the location to which Paul writes (in this case, Ephesus). This should be more clear as we turn to considering a deacon’s responsibilities.

(From 9Marks)

What are some duties that deacons might be responsible for today? They could be responsible for anything that’s not related to teaching and shepherding the church. Such duties might include: (at FBC, this is not yet an exhaustive list)

• Facilities: The deacons could be responsible for managing the church property. This would include making sure the place of worship is prepared for the worship service, cleaning up, or running the sound system.
• Benevolence: Similar to what took place in Acts 6:1–6 with the daily distribution to the widows, the deacons may be involved in administrating funds or other assistance to the needy.
• Finances: While the elders should probably oversee the financial business of the church (Acts 11:30), it may be best left to the deacons to handle the day-to-day matters. This would include collecting and counting the offering, keeping records, and so on.
• Logistics: Deacons should be available to help in variety of ways so that the elders are able to concentrate on teaching and shepherding the church.

Whereas the Bible charges elders with the tasks of teaching and leading the church, deacons’ role is more service-oriented. That is, they are to care for the physical or temporal concerns of the church. By handling such matters, deacons free up the elders to focus on shepherding the spiritual needs of the congregation.

Yet even though deacons are not the congregation’s spiritual leaders, their character is of utmost importance, which is why deacons should be examined and held to the biblical qualifications laid down in 1 Timothy 3.

The New Testament describes elders as men worthy of Christlike imitation. Church members should “consider the outcome of their [leaders’] life and imitate their faith” (Heb 13:7). Likewise, the apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians: “We beseech you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thess 5:12). Paul also tells Timothy to “pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching” (1 Tim 4:16).

Why all this focus on elders and their character? Because in the church, God’s glory is displayed and God’s people are edified through qualified elders. For that to happen, godly character is essential. Pastors aren’t perfect men, but they should be holy men (James 3:2). 

1. An elder’s character is a non-negotiable.

A survey of texts on eldership reveal the primacy of character for the office (1 Tim 3; Titus 1; 1 Pet 5; Acts 20:18–35; 2 Tim 2:22–26). Pastors should widely and consistently possess Christian qualities:

• Sexually/maritally faithful
• Good manager of household
• Humble
• Gentle
• Peaceable
• Reasonable
• Sober-minded
• Financially responsible
• Hospitable
• Self-controlled
• Upright in character
• Above reproach
• Spiritually mature
• Respectable
• Exemplary in Christian living
• Scripture recognizes no elder who has significant holes in his holiness.

2. An elder’s character is a perpetual qualification.

Here’s what I mean: these qualifications aren’t merely a threshold a man has to meet upon entering the office. It’s not enough for a man to have been qualified for eldership at some point in the past; elders must be qualified in the present. Elders should be examples to the flock (1 Pt 5:3), resisting and repenting of sin.

3. An elder’s character must be distinguished between what’s essential and what’s desirable.

Every elder has character deficiencies at some level. The question is whether these deficiencies are extensive enough to prove that he is unfit for the pastoral office. If what’s essential isn’t distinguished from what’s desirable, then we circumvent God’s design for elders to be ordinary Christian men who exude exemplary Christian conduct and a gift for teaching. For example, a church might desire an older elder. But we know from 1 Timothy 4:12 that church leaders don’t have to be a certain age. What’s essential, however, is that a church leader—whatever age he might be—should “set an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, and in purity.”

Similarly, if what’s desirable isn’t distinguished from what’s essential, then we may be affirming men who aren’t actually qualified. Later in 1 Timothy 4 , Paul writes that we should “exhort [an older man] as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters in all purity.” Essential to pastoring is being spiritually mature enough to be able to address various church members in various stages of life with a godly, pastoral temperament. It takes wisdom to distinguish the difference between essential and desirable.

4. An elder’s character will be assailed with great temptation.

That which is essential in the life of the church will be targeted by Satan to disrupt. The evil one and his minions specifically and perhaps especially tempt elders. Evil forces will bring temptations to give up and give in, to compromise and relativize. Men who aspire to the office need to be aware of this, and to prepare beforehand by pursuing maturity by God’s grace.

5. An elder’s character is embedded with a stricter judgment (James 3:1–2).

God gives grace to aspiring elders such that Paul can call aspiring to the pastorate “noble” (1 Tim 3:1). At the same time, elders should be sobered by this warning from James: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). That stricter judgment can be explained by the fact that elders can be a major source of stumbling for Christians because of their influence.

6. An elder’s character must not be compartmentalized.

Charles Spurgeon said it well: “True ministers are always ministers.” The qualifications are meant to be consulted, evaluated, and prayed through regularly. We must not neglect any of the biblical qualifications, however minor our struggle may be.

J. C. Ryle helps us: “Nothing darkens the eyes of the mind so much, and deadens the conscience so surely, as an allowed sin. It may be a little one, but it is not the less dangerous for all that. A small leak will sink a great ship, and a small spark will kindle a great fire, and a little allowed sin in like manner will ruin an immortal soul. Take my advice, and never spare a little sin.”

7. An elder’s character must be evident in the home.

What a tragedy for the elder to be benefiting the church spiritually but neglecting his family. We need to be reminded, as David Mathis has written, “Our families are our first pastorates.” Paul in 1 Timothy 3:4–5 warns against men being occupied with the affairs of the church to the exclusion of their own family.

8. An elder’s character must be refined through correction.

One means by which elders stay qualified is the sanctifying effect of godly critique from family members, church members, and other elders. There should be an atmosphere of transparency, gentleness, love, humility, and openness on an elder board. It’s healthy for elders to welcome feedback from one another and to have confidence that they can confront each other in love without fearing ongoing relational tension.

9. An elder’s character should be advanced in sexual purity and humility.

No small amount of pastoral counseling and shepherding is helping members with sexual sin. Being a “one-woman man” cannot be compromised. Sexual sin will infringe upon every aspect of ministry—qualification, teaching, and counseling. Therefore, an elder ought to be advanced in his sexual purity, as well as his humility, which will enable him to pursue all the other qualifications by grace.

10. An elder’s character will amplify or drown the voice of a ministry.

Spurgeon is worth repeating: “Our character must be more persuasive than our speech.” Elders are constantly preaching and teaching—often with words, always with character.

We must realize that character isn’t only necessary for ministry; character is itself a ministry.

(from 9Marks)

Here’s the short answer from the apostle Peter: “I exhort the elders among you: shepherd God’s flock” (1 Pet. 5:2; see also Jn. 21:15-16 and Acts 20:28). Elders serve the Good Shepherd by providing his local flocks with spiritual oversight. Elders feed, lead, protect, and nurture church members like shepherds do with sheep.

FOUR PRIMARY DUTIES

Here are four duties that are central to the elder’s job description. While this list is not exhaustive, I believe if lay elders devoted themselves to these four things, they would excel as shepherds.

1. Teach

An elder must be “an able teacher” (1 Tim. 3:2; see 5:17). He must hold “to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and refute those who contradict it” (Tit. 1:9). Jesus’ under-shepherds feed Jesus’ sheep with Jesus’ word.

If you’re an elder, find venues for teaching the Bible regularly. Teach a Sunday school class, lead a home group, give a lesson to the youth group, or study Scripture with a member over coffee. And if you’re offered a chance to preach, take it.

Further, tune in to the church’s overall teaching ministry. Keep a finger on the pulse of what’s being taught through congregational singing or in the Sunday school curriculum. Listen closely when members talk about what they’re reading and be alert for rotten food in their spiritual diet.

Finally, remember that teaching includes training others to perpetuate the church’s teaching ministry. As Paul said to Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). So bring along an apprentice teacher whenever you can.

2. Lead

Just as shepherds lead their flocks, so elders lead local congregations. The biblical writers also call elders “overseers,” a title that highlights their role as leaders (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:5, 7). Hebrews instructs Christians to “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account” (Heb. 13:17).

Elders, be brave and lead your church. Don’t hide among the baggage like King Saul. When you see challenges in your church, face them proactively and plot a course forward.

Courageous leadership might involve reaching out to a frustrated member who’s stopped attending, or confronting an unrepentant member through church discipline. Or it could mean wrestling through staffing strategies, budget challenges, or important policies that affect the spiritual identity of the congregation.

As you lead, don’t lose sight of the destination. The goal isn’t to lead a church to become an efficient organization, as important as that may be. Rather, elders should lead church members toward maturity in Christ. Jesus gave teaching shepherds to the church  “to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness” (Eph. 4:12-13).

Elders bring the flock to green pastures and still waters when they help members know Jesus more and increasingly reflect his glory together.

3. Model

Most importantly, elders lead by example. Shepherd the church “not [by] lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3). Not surprisingly, the New Testament lists of elder qualifications focus predominantly on character (1 Tim. 3:1-7, Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). An elder’s most basic job is to say “Imitate me as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).

The mandate to model maturity carries two critical implications. First, modeling means you must guard your godliness: “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching” (1 Tim. 4:16). Continue to live close to the Lord, nurture your wife and children well, resist sin, and love people. Open your life to the loving accountability of the other elders. Modeling maturity is a team project.

That leads to a second implication: modeling requires elders to be among the people. It only works if people see you up close. So open your life to church members. Invite them into your home, your hobbies, and your ministry. People need a firsthand experience of how you handle stress, relate to your wife, respond to difficult people, and humbly admit when you blow it.

4. Pray

Finally, elders should take up the apostolic shepherding mantle and say, “we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry” (Acts 6:4). Ultimately elders are powerless in themselves to mature anyone in Christ; only the Holy Spirit can do that through God’s Word. The sooner an elder realizes this, the sooner he will hit his knees and plead for a continual work of grace among church members, as well as in his own life.

So if you’re a lay elder (or a paid elder!), strive to be a man of prayer. Build regular prayer into your daily rhythms. Pray over your church’s membership rolls during the commute or while you’re walking the dog. Carve out time as an elder board for concerted prayer. And when you’re talking to a church member, be sure to stop and pray for her right then and there.

SHEPHERD LIKE JESUS

Maybe we could sum up an elder’s job description this way: shepherd the church members like Jesus shepherds his disciples.

Like Jesus, make teaching central to your ministry, and make Jesus and the gospel the primary content of your teaching. In every decision, lead your people toward knowing and trusting Jesus. Let them see the character of Jesus exemplified in your life. And just as Jesus often turned aside to pray, so you as an elder should join Jesus in interceding for his people.

The under-shepherds of Jesus are at their best when they reflect Jesus, the Chief Shepherd.

(From 9Marks)