Emerging Elders

Session 1: Do We Really Need Elders?

Without Leadership The People Are Confused!!

Terms/Definitions

Elders, Pastors, Bishops = same function Presbyter = elder Poimenas = shepherd, pastor Episkopos = bishop

Evangelists Apostle = missionary, one sent Prophet = speaks the word, preacher, voice

of God, vision caster Ministry (diakonos) = concept of broker,

steward, administrator; rather than servant Minister, deacon, deaconess

Church Elders Bishop

Attention Organizational Visit, confrontation

Shepherd Develop members faith Guidance Protection

Ephesians 4:11-16 Develop to maturity Acts 20:17-35 Holy Spirit placed as overseers

Give an account to the chief-shepherd Shepherds always had to present a sheep part

as accountability

Model for Eldering

God

LeadershipBishop Christ Pastor

Elders

Church

World

Problem

• We have churches without elders– Churches need shepherding– Evangelists need to be in the community

• Tension between elders and preachers (Who’s in Charge?)

• Are our preachers training leaders? Will we let them?• Theological understanding of what elders are

supposed to do• Most elders are appointed rather than trained

Why Elder Development?

Membership

Leadership

Why Develop Elders?

Membership

Leadership

Why Elder Development?

Timeline

45-46 AD Nile floods in Alexandria Grain shortage in Rome by fall Jubilee year in Jerusalem

Acts 11:27 Agabus prophesies famine 47 AD Famine in Jerusalem Acts 11:30 Paul and Barnabas with

relief 47AD-50AD Paul 2 trips

Salamis to Paphos is 112 or 145 days 50-52AD Paul at Corinth

Ephesians 4:11-16

He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ

Ephesians 4:11-16

…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the

fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children

Titus 1:5

The reason I left you in Crete was that you might correct what is lacking and appoint elders in every city even as I directed you to do.

What Type of Training Have We Used?

• Farming, Agriculture• Education• Business• Team Ministry• Need a Theological Model

Do We Need Elders?

• Elders were a key part of infant congregations• Elders empower the ministers to focus on

outreach• Elders can shepherd ministers to use their gifts• Elders can develop members, families, and

people struggling with sin• Elders can help the church become

missional/incarnational

Emerging Elders