Articles for tag: Elder Selection

January 29, 2019

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Pastoral Transitions & Succession

The ‘Package Deal’: How to Choose a New Church Leader and His Wife

By Melissa Brandes After many months, the search committee finally zeroes in on their top choice for pastor. The formal interview goes very well. He seems a perfect fit. “Trial sermon” Sunday arrives. He preaches a solid biblical message with a great application. Later that afternoon, church leaders’ spouses take the potential pastor’s wife out for coffee while the men go boating on a lake. That evening, an elder asks his wife about the candidate’s spouse, but she hesitates. “She’s interesting,” the elder’s wife finally says, but not enthusiastically. “I guess she’s pleasant enough. Honestly I just don’t know her

May 24, 2012

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Eldership

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

October 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Leadership

Commonsense Suggestions About Elders

By Chuck Sackett “A Parable of Two Churches“ (a sidebar) is my attempt to capture the past 37 years of observations and experiences. I”ve been privileged to be the preacher in three very different congregations. And while serving as a Bible college and seminary professor, I worked in various capacities with dozens of congregations. What follows are practical suggestions for how congregations can have healthy, effective elderships. These are simply reminders of the obvious. I”ve seen them work in a variety of settings, expressed in various ways, ending with varied results. Every church I”ve seen believes it is doing church

February 8, 2009

Gary L. Johnson

Church Leadership Eldership

How Our Church Uses Elder Governance

Gary L. Johnson describes how Elder Governance helped The Creek create a healthier church structure by focusing elders on policy, pastoral care, doctrine, and prayer.

December 10, 2008

Mark A. Taylor

Church Leadership Eldership

A Picture of the Elders in Our Churches, Part One: posted 12/10/2008

Mark A. Taylor reports results from Christian Standard’s Elders Survey, highlighting how churches select elders, how often elders meet, and the continuing need for shepherding support.

November 16, 2008

Darrel Rowland

Church Leadership Eldership

Should the Minister Be One of the Elders?

Darrel Rowland explores whether ministers should serve as elders, highlighting church leaders who value trust, accountability, biblical eldership, and healthy elder-minister relationships.

September 28, 2008

Chuck Sackett

Church Leadership Eldership

A Man with Faithful Eyes

Chuck Sackett explores how one congregation evaluated elder candidates with past marital and sexual failures through biblical study, careful process, repentance, and demonstrated faithfulness.

September 11, 2005

Eddie Lowen

Church Leadership Eldership

Re-Respect Your Elders

Volunteer elders often face misunderstanding and criticism. Eddie Lowen urges churches to reject disrespect, uphold biblical qualifications, and use thoughtful selection practices so elders can lead with integrity and joy.