Elders | Blind Man's Fancy

Why Your Church Should Have Elders (Part 3)

June 23, 2015June 24, 2015 B.J. MaxwellChurch Life, Pastoral Ministry

Parts 1 and 2 introduced and briefly defended from Scripture that local church leadership is best entrusted to a plurality of qualified men who, though gifted differently, are equal in authority and responsibility. Both the biblical vocabulary and pattern indicate the local church is best led by elders (a.k.a. overseers, bishops, pastors-shepherds) rather than solo pastors or other pastoral hierarchies. A church without elders is no less a church, but she should […]

Why Your Church Should Have Elders (Part 2)

June 22, 2015June 23, 2015 B.J. MaxwellBiblical Meditations, Church Life

The New Testament teaches and demonstrates local church leadership should be entrusted to a plurality of qualified men who, though gifted differently, are equal in authority and responsibility. The local church is most healthy when she is led by elders who defend and teach sound doctrine, and encourage gospel progress through careful pastoral oversight. As introduced in Part 1, until a local church installs a plural eldership it is lacking. It […]

Pastoral Accountability

October 20, 2008 B.J. MaxwellUncategorized

Over the last couple of months at our church we’ve been examining the biblical, historical and practical defense for having a plurality of elders (pastors) in a local church. Trusting God to convince and convict us rightly, we hope to commit ourselves to biblical church polity over the next year. Among some of the practical benefits of a plurality of elders I submitted that it best provides accountability and support […]