Series: Elders Meeting

November 3, 2012

Christian Standard

Biblical Qualities of an Elder (Part 2)

By James Riley Estep Jr. With blamelessness, the center piece of our puzzle, in place, what other pieces fill out the portrait of a spiritual leader? After reviewing the lists in parallel, the other four major pieces come to light: Being “blameless” before God, others, family, and self.   Blameless Before God How would you assess your relationship with God? This piece is best reflected in several qualities of an elder. Peter expresses this when he describes that an elder (shepherd) must be capable of being affirmed by the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). An elder must have theological blamelessness

November 2, 2012

Christian Standard

Biblical Qualities of an Elder (Part 1)

By James Riley Estep Jr. The New Testament qualifications for elders are like pieces in a puzzle. When we put them together we see a beautiful picture of God”s ideal for what an elder should be. I like puzzles. At first, there is chaos. 200, 500, 1,000 pieces scattered on the tabletop; but then it begins to take shape, drawing a portrait that is revealed one piece at a time. Everyone has a puzzle-solving strategy. Maybe it is to find the edges or corners first, or to focus on the central image. Whatever the strategy, its goal is to give

September 18, 2012

Christian Standard

Have a Good Trip . . . I Mean, Meeting!

By James Riley Estep Jr. My family and I enjoy taking trips. We”ve become rather good at preparing for the trip, traveling together, having fun, and capturing the memories. Trips and travel are a lot like meetings. In fact, meetings could learn a lot from family trips. Perhaps most important to consider is this: who”s driving? Elders” meetings are typically driven by the chairman. His role is to oversee and administrate every aspect of the journey, from preparation to the return to the real world in which we serve. Meetings have one driver, the chairman.   Where Are We Going?

August 9, 2012

Christian Standard

Producing the Next Generation of Elders

By John Ashenfelter How long do we want Christ”s churches to last? God built the church to last forever. But local congregations do not last unless Jesus is the cornerstone. To last, the leaders from generation to generation must be committed to and submissive to Jesus, his leadership, and his mission. Local congregations do not last without leaders who are submissive to the Word of God and to his Spirit. One characteristic of such leaders is their devotion to reproducing leaders with this commitment and submission. Churches are always just one generation away from disappearing. With the church”s future in

July 8, 2012

Christian Standard

How a Good Team Is Getting Better

By Barton Shaw This is my sixth year serving as an elder in our church, Eastview Christian Church, Normal, Illinois, and I can honestly say it is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles I have. Over the years, I have had the pleasure to serve with 14 other men””all of them godly and devoted Christ followers whom I deeply respect. Though we are united in a common love for the church, it probably comes as no surprise that we are a collection of men from different stages of life with varied careers, temperaments, and perspectives. This is a

May 24, 2012

Christian Standard

Elders: A Key to Growth in the New Church

By Jim Tune In my previous article on elders and submission, I suggested that church planters may be hesitant to install elders due to a misunderstanding of biblical authority. We”ve become accustomed to thinking about abuse and power in the same sentence. We have so many poor models of leadership around us today, it is easy to cringe when words like submission, authority, and rule come up. But a new church plant can provide a unique opportunity to create a workable and biblical model unhindered by any existing and entrenched system. At Churchill Meadows we followed an intentional pathway””one embarked

May 2, 2012

Christian Standard

Elders, Submission, and the Rebel in Me!

By Jim Tune With so many poor models of leadership around us today, we may cringe when words like submission, authority, and rule come up. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” With that line in the final chapter of Animal Farm, George Orwell delivered his critique of Karl Marx and the government of the Soviet Union. We know the story: animals rise up, a barnyard revolt is launched, and the animals displace the human owners of the farm and begin to run the farm for their own benefit. It was a paradise run by

March 30, 2012

Christian Standard

Delivering the Message

By Gary L. Johnson The United States Postal Service is struggling””and so is the church. Can we see any similarities in their problems? The United States Postal Service is losing billions of dollars and faces possible bankruptcy. Losses for the last two years alone exceed $13 billion. To survive, the USPS will lay off postal workers, close post offices, and increase postal rates. Next-day delivery will become a thing of the past, and it may take as long as nine days for your favorite magazine to be delivered. Without a doubt, the USPS has been one of our nation”s most

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