Elder Issues in Context: Work of Oversight

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Elder Issues in Context Work of Oversight

• Avon Heights Church
• August 2009

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Review

• elder
• proven fathers who lead, teach, judge
• overseer and shepherd
• watching out for what is needed
• providing what is needed
• work compared to other Christians
• same in nature different in degree

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Review

• work is preaching and teaching
• the how of leading, teaching, and exercising
  judgment
• teacher? or manager of teachers?
• able to teach (didaktiko,j didaktikos)
• role of fatherhood
• explicit instruction of scripture

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Issues regarding the elders work

• What authority do overseers have?
• What is relationship of overseers to the church
  (or preacher)?
• What should one do in the absence of overseers?

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Authority of Elders

• no authority mere examples?
• how appointed to be an example?
• Acts 1423 Titus 15
• how account for obey and rule?
• 1 Thess. 512-13 Heb. 1317

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1 Thessalonians 512-13

• But we request of you, brethren, that you
  appreciate those who diligently labor among you,
  and rule over you in the Lord and give you
  instruction, and that you esteem them very highly
  in love because of their work. Live in peace with
  one another.

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Hebrews 1317

• Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they
  keep watch over your souls as those who will give
  an account. Let them do this with joy and not
  with grief, for this would be unprofitable for
  you.

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Authority of Elders

• no authority mere examples?
• how appointed to be an example?
• Acts 1423 Titus 15
• how account for obey and rule?
• 1 Thess. 512-13 Heb. 1317
• benevolent pontificating dictators?
• how is this not lording it over?
• 1 Pet. 53

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1 Peter 51-3

• Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your
  fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of
  Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is
  to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among
  you, exercising oversight not under compulsion,
  but voluntarily, according to the will of God
  and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness nor
  yet as lording it over those allotted to your
  charge, but being examples to the flock.

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Notes on 1 Peter 52-3

• primary contrast not under compulsion, but
  willingly
• two conduits of compulsion
• money not for sordid gain
• power not lording it over
• two manifestations of willingness
• eagerness but with eagerness
• example but being examples

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Notes on lording it over

• not permitted in the kingdom of God (Matt.
  2025-28 Mark 1042-45)
• to be the slave-owner (not the slave)
• impose ones will on the unwilling
• like an unclean spirit (Acts 1916)
• like an invading, occupying foreign army (Num.
  2124 3222, 29)
• like sin (Ps. 1913 119133)

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Authority of Elders

• authority of Truth
• matters of absolute right and wrong
• same authority any Christian has and must submit
  his conscience to
• commitment of others to defer
• spiritual matters of judgment
• no such commitment to any preacher
• the bread-and-butter of elder authority

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Authority of Elders

• no authority at all
• judgments without spiritual relevance
• nothing specially equips or authorizes elders to
  make non-spiritual decisions
• alternate decision-making required
• deference to one with expertise
• majority vote when all else is equal

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Responsibility of church to elders

• congregations, as well as elders, must meet
  certain qualifications
• if unwilling to defer, dont lie
• appoint men known, trusted, loved
• only appoint those above reproach
• honor, obey, and defer
• 1 Thess. 512-13 Heb. 1317

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Responsibility of church to elders

• be careful in ones accusations
• Do not receive an accusation against an elder
  except on the basis of two or three witnesses.
  (1 Tim. 519)
• NOT a special protection for elders (Deut. 1915
  Matt. 1815-20)
• reminder not to forget normal rules

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Responsibility of church to elders

• financial support
• The elders who rule well are to be considered
  worthy of double honor, especially those who work
  hard at preaching and teaching. For Scripture
  says, You shall not muzzle the ox while he is
  threshing, and The laborer is worthy of his
  wages. (1 Tim 517-18)
• Money was an obvious temptation for some elders
  (1 Pet. 52-3 Acts 2033-35)

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Relation of elders and preacher

• employers over the employee?
• ministry of the word (right and wrong) submits
  itself to no man (1 Tim. 520)
• pawns of the preacher?
• elders are also preachers, with added benefit of
  congregational deference
• fellow-workers for the Lord!

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What to do without elders?

• NOT Majority Rule
• the vote is 8 to 6 so we win
• NOT Minority Rule
• tyranny of cantankerous nay-sayer
• But Maturity Rule
• lesser maturity defers to greater
• consensus even when some disagree

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