Articles for tag: Elder

November 16, 2008

By Darrel Rowland With apologies to Judy Collins, we could say that Ernie Graf and Jim Sloderbeck have looked at church from both sides now. Their unique perspective comes because both were veteran elders and both now serve on their church”s ministerial staff. Graf is minister of administration for Northside Christian Church near Akron, Ohio. He majored in accounting and has a degree in business administration, which he used for 35 years in the private sector. When Northside created the administrative post in 2003, he took early retirement and joined the staff. Sloderbeck has been executive pastor of Heritage Christian

November 16, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Eldership

What Elders Don”t Understand About Ministers

By Darrel Lowland 1. Most ministers are unequipped for management and economics. 2. Ministers need support to be successful. 3. It is the elder”s role to make the church and minister successful. 4. A minister has a vision for the church, and the elders must support that vision or get it changed lovingly. 5. The minister has problems just like everyone else. 6. Ministers are trained to “be in charge.” 7. A compliment from an elder means more than one from someone else. “”Bob Russell (retired), Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY Primarily, what elders (probably) don”t understand about ministers

November 16, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Eldership

What Ministers Don’t Understand About Elders

By Darrel Lowland 1. That elders have a full life outside of the church. 2. That elders have a totally different reference point for issues. 3. That on many matters elders have a lot to contribute. 4. That most elders are ignorant of the Word. 5. That elders don”t understand their job or their role. 6. That many elders are in over their heads. 7. That elders have outside pressures affecting their role as elders. 8. That being an elder is a leadership position often without opportunities to lead. 9. That elders want the minister to open up and tell

September 24, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Eldership

A Simple Survey by, for, and About Elders

By Mark A. Taylor What”s the state of elders in our churches? That”s the question I”m supposed to answer in a workshop at the Indianapolis Congress of Elders October 18. I plan to remind them of helpful ideas contained in many Year of the Elder articles we”ve published so far this year. But I”d like to ask you, our readers, to help me draw an accurate picture. How do you feel about the service of the elders in your congregation? Feel free to answer if you”re an elder, or part of the church”s paid staff, or some other member. Please

May 18, 2008

Christian Standard

Worship Worship & Prayer

Tune Up the E-String

By John A. Snyder Â I"ll never forget a session of the North American Christian Convention held in Indianapolis a number of years ago. The speaker was the senior minister of a large and growing congregation in the Indianapolis area. In his message he said, "The E-string on my violin is evangelism."Â That line has stuck with me through the years. What does the church need today? What will get the church moving and growing? We need to tune up the E-string. We need to make the main thing (winning the lost) the main thing. There are people in every

January 28, 2007

Robert Kitchen

Church & Ministry Church Staff

The Parsonage: Whose House Is This?

Parsonages can blur boundaries and create “not exactly” living arrangements that strain privacy, expectations, and maintenance responsibilities. This article explains the financial downsides for ministers and offers practical alternatives churches can consider.