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Biblical Pattern for Church
Leaders
Pr. Lucas Ribeiro
Union Church of Rio de Janeiro
Church Leadership
The Call to Lead the Church
This small paper was put together with the intention to instruct the church about the Biblical pattern for its leadership.
But as we walk together through some key passages of the Bible , may the Lord grant us the understanding of what it is to lead His church in any capacity. Therefore I will be expounding some basic concepts about this issue.
A good definition for church officers is: “ A church officer is someone who has been publicly recognized as having the right and responsibility to perform certain functions for the benefit of the whole church”
There are basically two kinds of offices in the church: elders and deacons and deaconesses, and we will see the difference between them. It doesn’t matter how you cut it, if anyone is in position of leadership in the church, being responsible for its oversight and spiritual guidance the Bible calls him a servant leader. Although every denomination, and various churches, have their own tradition and different forms of government, they all must abide by an overarching guiding rule given by the Bible when it comes to church leadership.
Is any one form of church government to be preferred over other? As long as they follow Biblical principles, the answer is no.
Let me succinctly guide you through the Biblical sources from where we learn about these matters.
God has always appointed leaders over His people since the days of the Old Testament, to lead them and to feed them with His word. “Elders” were a leading body among the Israelites since the time of the books of Moses (the Pentateuch). We find them making political decisions (2 Samuel 5:3; 2 Samuel 17:4,15), advising the king in later history (1 Kings 20:7) as well as representing the people concerning spiritual matters (Exodus 7:17:5-6, 24:1,9; Exodus 24:14; Leviticus 4:15; Numbers 11:16,24-25; etc.).
The New Testament pattern for church leadership is found in these verses:
Acts 14:23”And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed."
Titus 1:5”For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee
Titus 1:7 "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;"
Acts 20:17”And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church."
Acts 20:28”Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers , to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."
1 Timothy 5:17”Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine."
Philippians 1:1”Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:"
1 Peter 5:1 "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder , and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
" 1 Peter 5:2 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
" 1 Peter 5:3 "Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock "
Ephesians 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists and some, pastors and teachers;"
Hebrews 13:7 "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation."
 Lets think together now about these verses:From these verses we see the elders are
1. to feed the church guard the flock
2. rule the church;
3. tend the flock watch over their souls.
4. The members, of which the minister is one, are to be submissive to the elders,
5. but the elders are not to "lord over them".
6. The Elders are to lead by example.
* You’ll always see that the Bible speaks about “Elders”, meaning plurality of leaders.
The Bible teaches a leadership consisting of a plurality of elders , along with a group of deacons, who serve as servants of the church.
But that it is not contrary to this plurality of elders to have one of these elders serving in the major “pastoral” role. I believe that God calls some as “pastor/teachers” (even as He called some to be missionaries in Acts 13) and gives them as gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:11). Thus, a church may have many elders but not all elders are called to serve in the pastoral role.
In the New Testament there are two Greek words that are used interchangeably to describe church leaders. The word “presbuteros” is usually rendered “elder,” while the word episkopos is usually rendered “bishop” or “overseer
Who are the deacons and where is the difference between deacosn and elders?
The Bible also uses a different term, “Diakonos”, from which we have the word deacon:
“1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1).
”Who are they? Are they second class leaders in the church? No, although there is no clear specification of their function .Throughout the Bible we see them managing the church´s fund, having administrative responsibilities and visiting the sick. What about women? Are there deaconesses?
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, .. for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well" (Romans 16:1-2 RSV)
The Bible is very clear: in Acts 6 the apostles told the people to chose them from among the church. Deacons and Elders should be chosen carefully by the church according to 1 Timothy.
Deacons are mentioned very clearly in Philippians 1. The term used is “ diakonos” which is the ordinary word for servant, but according to Grundem there is no specification of their function .
Donald Macleod in his book” Priorities for the church” says something that is woth noticing:
“ Eldership has become a shibboleth( differential) in many churches which have recently discovered the reformed faith. Indeed, it has a badge of orthodoxy and some brethren have succumbed to the temptation to push the issue beyond what their churches will bear. This is a tragic mistake. If we have elders under another name ( deacons!), let us be content. Itr is the ministry itself that matters, not the designation”
Qualifications of elders and deacons
In choosing the leadership of your church, you just don’t want volunteers; they must meet Biblical requirements listed below;
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Biblical Qualification(s)
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Office
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Scriptural Reference(s)
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Must be Above Reproach (blameless)
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6 / 1Tim. 3:9-10
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Must be The Husband Of One Wife
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6 / 1Tim. 3:12
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Must be Temperate (sober minded)
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7 / 1Tim. 3:8
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Must be Prudent (self-controlled)
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8
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Must be Respectable
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:2 / 1Tim. 3:8
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Must be Hospitable
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:2; Titus
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Must be Able To Teach
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:2; 5:17; Titus 1:9
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Not Addicted to Wine (drunkenness)
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7 / 1Tim. 3:8
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Not Pugnacious (violent), but Gentle
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7
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Not Quarrelsome (uncontentious)
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:3
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Not A Lover Of Money (not greedy)
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:3
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Manages His Own Household Well
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:4 / 1Tim. 3:12
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His Children Obey Him
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:4-5; Titus 1:6 / 1Tim. 3:12
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Not A Recent Convert
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:6
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A Good Reputation With Outsiders
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Elder
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1Tim. 3:7
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Does Not Pursue Dishonest Gain
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:8 / Titus 1:7
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Not Two-Tongued (must be sincere)
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Deacon
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1Tim. 3:8
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Must Have Children Who Believe
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Elder
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Titus 1:6
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Not Overbearing
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Elder
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Titus 1:7
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Not Quick-Tempered
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Elder
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Titus 1:7
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Loves What Is Good
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Elder
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Titus 1:8
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Must Be Upright, Holy
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Elder
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Titus 1:8
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Must Be Disciplined
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Elder
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Titus 1:8
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Must Be Tested
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Deacon
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1Tim. 3:10
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Likewise…Wives Must be Dignified
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:11
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Wives Must Not be Malicious Gossips
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:11
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Wives Must be Temperate
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:11
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Wives Must be Faithful in All Things
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Elder / Deacon
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1Tim. 3:11
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Explanation of each qualification:
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1.Must be Above Reproach
(blameless)
literally means, “not able to be taken hold of.”This qualification relates to having a good reputation. In a way, this is a summary statement of the rest of the qualifications. When a Christian applies the principles of God’s Word, and desires to deepen his relationship with Christ, the result will be a lifestyle that could be described as being above reproach. Character flows from values and faith. When we establish a sincere faith in Christ, godly values blossom and character deepens. Obviously, a shepherd leader must have an excellent reputation, if he is to have credibility with the flock of God.
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2.Must be The Husband Of One Wife
(1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6) The Greek words, which we translate as “the husband of one wife,” speak to the subject of fidelity in marriage, not marital status. Directly rendered, the Greek phrase says “a one woman man.” If married, the elder must be absolutely committed to his wife.
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3.Must be Temperate (sober minded)
“Temperate” refers to a person’s orientation toward life. It speaks of a man who lives a
balanced life, not prone to extremism
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4.Must be Prudent (self-controlled)
An elder must use sound judgment. This soundness of judgment grows out of a humble view of himself and the recognition of Christ’s all sufficiency. The tendency to make poor judgments, or unwise decisions, is the opposite of prudence and sensibility.
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6.Must be Hospitable
The elder should have neither a cynical disposition, nor a closed attitude toward people, when a person is hospitable, he will keep his life, home, and heart open to others. A loner has no place in spiritual leadership, nor does a person who prefers projects over people. Whether introvert or extrovert, the elder must be people-oriented.
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7.Must be Able To Teach
These closely aligned characteristics refer to a person’s ability and desire to learn, in order that they may teach others the truths of God’s Word. Two of the major assignments of eldership are feeding and protecting the flock. To accomplish these tasks, the elders must have a great respect for God’s Word, a proficient comprehension of its truths, and a genuine commitment to the disciplined study of the Scriptures. This enables the elders to instruct God’s people in biblical truths and encourage them to apply these principles to daily life. There is an alarming number of teachers and preachers today whose message is anything but biblical. Unfortunately, the use of media has made these heresies readily available to undiscerning Christians. The elders must also have a strong comprehension of doctrine so they can protect the flock from these ravenous wolves, who would destroy them if they were not protected.
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8.Not Addicted to Wine (drunkenness)
This characteristic sets down the absolute prohibition of drunkenness in an elder’s life. We must also remember what the Scripture teaches in Romans 14:21and 1 Corinthians 10:31
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9.Not Pugnacious (violent), but Gentle
An elder must not be quick-tempered. The tendency to strike out in bursts of anger would destroy the elder’s ability to maintain credibility with the flock. Furthermore, an elder is to protect the church from people who are pugnacious. GENTLE. (1 Tim. 3:3) A gentle person is non-combative, kind, and patient. Elders, as well as all believers in Christ, are told to be gentle with a number of different kinds of people. For example, we must be gentle to those without Christ, according to Titus 3:2,3. We must be kind and patient towards the carnal Christian. Gentleness is to be expressed to all other Christians as well. This characteristic will not always demand the strict letter of the law. The elder must know when to offer mercy, because strict justice may be inappropriate due to its generality.
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10.Not Quarrelsome (uncontentious)
Not debating, selfish, or sinfully jealous. Contentiousness reveals insecurity and bitterness, which should not exist in the leader’s life. Such a person may do significant harm to the flock.
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11.Not A Lover Of Money (not greedy)
The Bible teaches us a great deal about the appropriate and inappropriate use of, and desire for, money.
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12.Manages His Own Household Well
“Ruling” refers to the way a man provides leadership for his family. It is possible for a man to be morally qualified for eldership, but disqualified by his lack of leadership in his home. We must remember that there are two issues at work in each home. First, there is the quality of leadership that is offered. Secondly, there is the willingness to follow the leadership that is given. The elder must be committed to the task of being a good steward of his household. Household leadership is an important qualification for elders because the church is more of a family than a business.
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13.His Children Obey Him
The elder’s children must bring honor to their parents. This demonstrates that the elder, and his wife, have encouraged order and loving discipline in their home. However, these principles do not suggest that the elder must raise “perfect” children. To require such a standard would ender no father qualified for eldership. A man who has raised, or is raising, children who love the Lord, will also have the ability to encourage holiness among the rest of God’s children.
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14.Not A Recent Convert
The elder cannot be a new convert. Spiritual maturity is of greatest importance, due to the spiritual responsibilities elders face.
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15.A Good Reputation With Outsiders
The term “outside the church” refers to unbelievers. People who do business, play sports or take part in other activities with a potential elder must think highly of him.
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16.Does Not Pursue Dishonest Gain
Not covetous or greedy: All three of the passages I cited refer in some way to greediness for money and/or covetousness. Men who are covetous or preoccupied with the trappings of this world can be tempted to accept bribes, give favor to the rich, or exert unlawful power for their own gain.
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17.Not Two-Tongued (must be sincere)
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18.Must Have Children Who Believe
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19.Not arrogant
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20.Not Quick-Tempered
This is a very important qualification for a spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders must be slow to anger. The reason for this qualification is obvious. We destroy our testimony when we allow ourselves to become angry quickly. Furthermore, James 1:20 says that our anger cannot accomplish the will of God.
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21.Loves What Is Good
An elder must be a man who is devoted to what is good and right. The opposite of this trait would be the person who makes decisions based upon what is popular and expedient.
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22.Must Be Upright, Holy
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23.Must Be Disciplined
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24.Must Be Tested
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25.Likewise…Wives Must be
Dignified
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26.Wives Must Not be Malicious
Gossips
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27.Wives Must be Temperate
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28.Wives Must be Faithful in all Things
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Duties of an Elder1
As you consider a man for the position of elder, evaluate him in light of these six essential duties which characterize a good shepherd:
1. Pastoral intimacy
An elder must develop the relationships that under-gird all other ministry toward individual members.
(John 10:11, 14)
2. Pastoral tutelage
An elder must provide personal biblical instruction for increasing character, skills, knowledge, faith, love, and enthusiasm.
(Acts 20:20, 27; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 4:1-2 Titus 3:1-2, 8)
3. Pastoral guidance
An elder must offer objective biblical directionthrough conflicts, reversals of life, distortions in thinking, and difficult decisions for those under his care.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
4. Pastoral consolation
An elder must give spiritual comfort during trials.
(2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Thessalonians 5:14)
5. Pastoral guardianship
An elder must watch out for the enemy's assaults on the weakness of the sheep. He must warn the sheep of danger and discipline them when they become rebellious.
(Acts 20:28-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Hebrews 13:17)
6. Pastoral intercession
An elder must pray with and for those entrusted to him.
(1 Samuel 12:23; Romans 1:9; Ephesians 1:15-21; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12)
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1 A more complete treatment of these six duties can be found in Restoring Pastoral Ministry, in the chapter entitled "The Cure of Souls," by Jim Elliff (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2001) p. 147ff.
Appendix:
Union Church of Rio de Janeiro
We have a Six Guiding Purpose Statements:
1-Worship: To worship God and bring more people into His kingdom by spreading His Word.
2-Growth: To grow together as a house of prayer for the community
3-Hospitality: To be a warm and friendly church
4-Participation: To evoke commitment by all members, in the ministries and activities of the church.
5-Styles: We want to reflect the interdenominational nature of the church by integrating different styles of worship.
6-Spiritual Leadership: To develop Godly leadership in the church.
What we believe
We believe in Jesus Christ our savior whose example we seek sincerely to follow.
We believe in the Holy Spirit through whom God seeks to reveal Himself to men and guide them into truth.
We believe that the Holy Scriptures reveal to us God, and we accept them as a basis of our faith.
We believe in the Church Universal and we declare ourselves a part of that church.
(The Constitution of Union Church of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-Article II , Articles of Faith)
Our actual format of leadership is as follows, in terms of Biblical praxis:
The Board responds to the congregation
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Quotes from famous theologians:
“The character and effectiveness of any church is directly related to the quality of its leadership. That's why the Bible stresses the importance of qualified church leadership and delineates specific standards for evaluating those who would serve in that sacred position. Failure to adhere to those standards has caused many of the problems that churches throughout the world currently face.”
John MacArthur
“A primary emphasis of the New Testament is on the qualifications of elders. It is insufficient to have men merely appointed to assume the title of elders. They must be qualified to govern, as demonstrated in the scriptural criteria for officers.”
Kevin Reed
“Scripture does not explicitly command one specific system of choosing church officers; it would be most wise to have a system whereby the entire church has a significant role in the selection and recognition of the officers of the church”
Wayne Grunden
Leadership in the church #2
Leaders, in the Biblical sense, must make their aim to develop persons rather than dictate plans. We are not bureaucrats of the faith, we are servants of servants Ephesians 4:12 tells that leaders exist “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”.That doesn’t mean that we don’t have a vision, or a goal as church, we do, but we realize that it doesn’t matter how good the vision is, if the people are not being instructed in the word of God, if we are not striving to build up the people of our church, maturing them in their walk with Christ , we will have a beautiful vision with no soul the leadership, therefore, is not an imposition upon the fellowship but an expansion of it.
Here is one good summary :
" every Church has power given them from Christ for their better well-being, to choose to themselves suitable persons into the office of Elders and Deacons, being qualified according to the Word, as those which Christ has appointed in his Testament, for the feeding, governing serving, and building up of his Church"
The question that is probably popping up in your minds is this: what is the difference between elders and deacons? Does the Bible make any distinction between them? The answer is yes, the Greek noun that describes what a “diakonos” does is “diakonia” and has a broad meaning. Wayne Grunden says: “Deacons are mentioned clearly on Philippians 1, but there is no specification of their function other that they are different from the bishops ( elders).. they seem to have had some responsibility in caring for the finances of the church, since they had to be people who were “not greedy for gain” and they may also have ministered to the physical needs of those in the church if I was to make a distinction between elders and deacons it would be that deacons seem to more of a servant-leaders while elders are teaching-leaders.
Because elders are held to the qualification “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2) while deacons are not.
So, the responsibilities of a deacon will vary greatly depending on the form of church government. All that the Bible specifically states concerning their responsibilities is that they are to be servant-leaders.
Let me sum up here some general characteristics of leaders in the church:
1) They need to be thick-skinned
One thing is for sure: if you begin to lead others you will be criticized.
Paul said in “Am I seeking the favor of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men I should not be a servant of Christ Galatians 1:10." If criticism disables us, we will never make it as spiritual leaders.
2) they need to be motivated
Spiritual leaders know how to "redeem the time" (Eph. 5:16). But in the end we should say: "I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10).
John MacArthur once said that if there is negative personnel in his church’s staff, he would fire him or her If he could not fire him, he would pay him to stay home negative people are infectious, they can, in one fell swoop, destroy the work of years by acid criticism
3) A leader must be considerate
"Conduct yourself wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, to know how it is necessary to answer each one." Colossians 4:5 and 6
We must remember that leaders are aiming to change hearts, not just to get jobs done. Therefore, alienating people unnecessarily is self-defeating.
4) Finally, a leader must be a visionary
Leaders are led by dreams, and they are able to risk something, by faith, and get out of the comfort zone this is a rare gift – to see the sovereign power of God in the midst of seemingly overwhelming opposition.
“0, how we need people who will devote just five minutes a week to dream of what might possibly be” (John Piper)
It is tragic when age makes a man jaded, or cynical instead of increasingly creative. Every new church, every new ministry, and every endeavor, is the result of someone having a vision and taking steps of faith .
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