Educational

1. LEADERSHIP
Part 4
QUALIFICATIONS and
ROLES OF CHURCH
ELDERS

2. 1.The ordination of Paul
2.The Leadership positions of
Elders and Deacons
3.Called to Service and Not
Authority
4.Bible Rule to Be Regarded in
The Selection of Leaders
RECAP OF YESTERDAY’S LESSON
-The Church and It’s Work-

3. {5T 617.1}
Selection of Leaders
…It would be well for all our ministers to give heed to these
words and not to hurry men into office without due
consideration and much prayer that God would designate by
His Holy Spirit whom He will accept. Said the inspired apostle:
"Lay hands suddenly on no man." In some of our churches the
work of organizing and of ordaining elders has been
premature; the Bible rule has been disregarded, and
consequently grievous trouble has been brought upon the
church. There should not be so great haste in electing leaders
as to ordain men who are in no way fitted for the responsible
work--men who need to be converted, elevated, ennobled,
and refined before they can serve the cause of God in any
capacity.
Don’t Ordain in Haste

4. {4T 406.3}
In many places we meet men who have
been hurried into responsible positions as
elders of the church when they are not
qualified for such a position. They have not
proper government over themselves. Their
influence is not good. The church is in
trouble continually in consequence of the
defective character of the leader. Hands
have been laid too suddenly upon these
men.
Don’t Ordain in Haste

5. -Lessons from The Reformation pg 142-
Christian liberty is loving service, and loving
service is Christian liberty.....he who can best
serve the most people is the greatest, and in the
nature of things, just by virtue of that grace, he is
chief....the grace willingly to serve most people,
the grace to be most cheerfully at everybody’s
call, is the badge of greatness, the
certificate of chieftancy, and this
is the primary and highest
qualification for the
office of elder or deacon..
Willing Service

6. QUALIFICATIONS OF
CHURCH OFFICERS
• Elders
• Deacons
1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-7

7. {1T 692.1}
The qualifications of a bishop, or of an
elder or deacon, are, to be "blameless,
as the steward of God; not self-willed,
not soon angry, not given to wine, no
striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a
lover of hospitality, a lover of good men,
sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast
the faithful word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince
the gainsayers."
QUALIFICATIONS

8. 1) Blameless -One whose life is so fully
conformed to the rules of right that no
one can justly lay blame upon him, or find
fault with him
2) Husband of one wife -He shall not have
more than one wife
3) Vigilant -attentive to discover and avoid
danger
4) Sober –Sound,well-regulated mind and
self-controlled.
QUALIFICATIONS
A.T. Jones-THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES Vol 14 pg 535-536
(August 24, 1888)

9. 5) Of good behavior -One who will so
conduct himself as to "dignify," and "be an
honor to" the position to which he is called;
not exalting nor magnifying himself, but
exalting his calling and magnifying his office
6) Given to hospitality - One who receives
and entertains strangers, with kindness and
without reward
7) Apt to teach -Skillful in the word of
knowledge so that he may instruct in truth
8) Not given to wine - One who does not
drink the fermented juice of the grape.

10. 9) No striker -Not one who is contentious,
or given to reproaches
10) Not greedy of filthy lucre -Not a lover
of money, not covetous or stingy, but
generous
11) Not a brawler -Not disposed to fight,
not quarrelsome or contentious; not a
complainer, nor one who scolds.
12) But patient -Reasonable, fair, kind,
gentle, yielding
13) One that ruleth well his own house
-For if a man know not how to rule his own
house, how shall he take care of the church
of God?"

11. 14) Not a novice -Not a new convert, not
one newly come to the faith
15) -Moreover he must have a good report
of them that are without -The church must
have a care for the opinion of those who
are outside of the church
16) Not self willed -Not governed by his
own will
17) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of
good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
holding fast the faithful word as he hath
been taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince the
gainsayers." Titus 1:8, 9.

12. WHO
HAS
SUCH
QUALIFICATIONS
???

13. It is very likely that many, as they have read
the foregoing, have said within themselves,
"Where can such a man be found?" Well, he
ought to be found in every church in the land.
He ought to be found in the very church to
which you belong. He ought, in fact, to be
found in yourself. These are the qualifications
which the word of God requires that there
shall be in the officers of the church…
QUALIFICATIONS IN EACH MEMBER
A.T. Jones-THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES Vol 14 pg 536 (August
24, 1888)

14. …The officers of the church are to be chosen
from among the membership of the church.
Therefore these are the qualifications, these are
the virtues, which the word of God requires
shall be found in every member of the church. If
these qualifications are not found there, then
whose fault is it? It is your own fault. And if such
persons as are here required are not found in
the church, then whose fault is that? It is still
the fault of the individual members. For every
member of the church of God is required by the
word of God to be just such a person as is
described in these scriptures.

15. ROLES OF CHURCH
ELDERS

16. Elder
- Is Hebrew
- Signify the dignity of the
office
Bishop
- Is Greek Language
- Signify its duties
ELDER / BISHOP

17. Presbyter
- Simply means ‘one who is older than
another’ since it was the elderly stable
men that were chosen (1 Tim 4:14)
Episkopos
- Epi=‘upon’, ‘one who watches’, ‘a
lookout man on a watch tower’ and
Skopos =a military term literally ‘one
set upon a high place to watch and look
about’
PRESBYTER / EPISKOPOS

18. 1) FEEDING AND WATCHING THE FLOCK
Acts 20:17,28
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders
of the church...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 Peter 5:2-4
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; Neither as being lords over
God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when
the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away.

19. {AA 525.2}
Addressing the church elders regarding their responsibilities as
undershepherds of Christ's flock, the apostle wrote:...Those who
occupy the position of undershepherds are to exercise a watchful
diligence over the Lord's flock. This is not to be a dictatorial
vigilance, but one that tends to encourage and strengthen and
uplift. Ministry means more than sermonizing; it means earnest,
personal labor. The church on earth is composed of erring men
and women, who need patient, painstaking effort that they may
be trained and disciplined to work with acceptance in this life,
and in the future life to be crowned with glory and immortality.
Pastors are needed--faithful shepherds--who will not flatter
God's people, nor treat them harshly, but who will feed them
with the bread of life--men who in their lives feel daily the
converting power of the Holy Spirit and who cherish a strong,
unselfish love toward those for whom they labor.
The Spirit of Prophecy
uses these words
interchangiably. They
mean the same thing

20. CHARACTERISTIC OF A GOOD SHEPHERD
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep.
1 Samuel 17:34
And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and
there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of
his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his
beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the
lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one
of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
John 10:12-13
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The
hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the
sheep.

21. 1 Timothy 4:6,11,12
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these
things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus
Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of
good doctrine, whereunto thou hast
attained...These things command and teach...Let
no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example
of the believers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Colossians 1:28
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching
every man in all wisdom; that we may present
every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
2) GIVING FAITHFUL WARNINGS

22. {AA 527.1}
…There is tactful work for the
undershepherd to do as he is called
to meet alienation, bitterness, envy,
and jealousy in the church, and he
will need to labor in the spirit of
Christ to set things in order.
Faithful warnings are to be given,
sins rebuked, wrongs made right, not
only by the minister's work in the
pulpit, but by personal labor.
Giving Faithful Warnings

23. {AA 527.2}
The spirit of the true shepherd is one of self-
forgetfulness. He loses sight of self in order
that he may work the works of God. By the
preaching of the word and by personal ministry
in the homes of the people, he learns their
needs, their sorrows, their trials; and, co-
operating with the great Burden Bearer, he
shares their afflictions, comforts their
distresses, relieves their soul hunger, and wins
their hearts to God. In this work the minister is
attended by the angels of heaven, and he
himself is instructed and enlightened in the truth
that maketh wise unto salvation.
3) PERSONAL MINISTRY IN THE HOME

24. {TM 306.3}
Elders of churches, do your
duty. Labor from home to
home, that the flock of God
shall not be remiss in this
great matter, which involves
such a blessing or such a
curse.
Personal Ministry in the Home

25. Matthew 18:12-14
How think ye? if a man have an hundred
sheep, and one of them be gone astray,
doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and
goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that
which is gone astray? And if so be that he
find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth
more of that sheep, than of the ninety and
nine which went not astray. Even so it is not
the will of your Father which is in heaven,
that one of these little ones should perish
4) LOOKING AFTER THE WEAK AND
STRAYING ONES

26. {CSW 161.1}
What is the reason that there are many
found in our churches who are not settled,
rooted, and grounded in the truth? Why are
there found in the church those who walk in
darkness and have no light, whose
testimonies are halfhearted, cold, and full
of complaint? Why are there those whose
feet seem ready to stray into by and
forbidden paths, who always have a pitiful
tale to tell of temptation and defeat?...
Looking After the Weak and Straying Ones

27. {CSW 161.1} Cont…
…Have the members of the church felt their
responsibility? Have the elders and deacons of the
church looked after the weak and straying ones?
And have they realized that the wavering are in
danger of losing their souls? Have you tried both
by precept and example to plant the feet of the
straying on the eternal Rock? Have Sabbath school
teachers and officers realized that they have a
work to do in leading the feet of the young into
safe paths, and that they should count every
selfish interest as nothing, that they may be
winners of souls for the Master? There is a
decided need of reformation in every branch of
the work.
Looking After the Weak and Straying Ones

28. James 5:14
Is any sick among you? let
him call for the elders of
the church; and let them
pray over him, anointing
him with oil in the name
of the Lord:
5) PRAYING FOR THE SICK

29. {MM 16.3}
I understand the text in James is to be
carried out when a person is sick upon his
bed, if he calls for the elders of the
church, and they carry out the directions in
James, anointing the sick with oil in the
name of the Lord, praying over him the
prayer of faith. We read, "The prayer of
faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall
raise him up; and if he have committed sins,
they shall be forgiven him." It cannot be
our duty to call for the elders of the
church for every little ailment we have…
Praying For The Sick

30. {MM 16.3} Cont…
..for this would be putting a task upon the elders.
If all should do this, their time would be fully
employed, they could do nothing else; but the Lord
gives us the privilege of seeking Him individually in
earnest prayer, or unburdening our souls to Him,
keeping nothing from Him who has invited us,
"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-
laden, and I will give you rest." Oh, how grateful
we should be that Jesus is willing and able to bear
all our infirmities and strengthen and heal all our
diseases if it will be for our good and for His
glory. Some died in the days of Christ and in the
days of the apostles because the Lord knew just
what was best for them.--Letter 35, 1890.
Praying For The Sick

31. {CS 106.3}
It is the duty of the elders and officers of
the church to instruct the people on this
important matter, and to set things in
order…..Those who hold positions of trust in
the church should not be negligent, but they
should see that the members are faithful in
performing this duty...Let the elders and
officers of the church follow the direction of
the Sacred Word, and urge upon their
members the necessity of faithfulness in the
payment of pledges, tithes, and offerings.
6) INSTRUCTING ON IMPORTANCE OF
TITHES AND OFFERINGS

32. ROLES OF CHURCH
DEACONS

33. Deacon
- Is Greek Word
- Signify a Waiter, Attendant
or Servant
DEACON

34. Acts 6:3
Wherefore, brethren, look
ye out among you seven men
of honest report, full of the
Holy Ghost and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over
this business.
1) LOOKING AFTER THE TEMPORAL AND
FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH

35. {AA 89.2}
The appointment of the seven to take
the oversight of special lines of work,
proved a great blessing to the church.
These officers gave careful
consideration to individual needs as well
as to the general financial interests of
the church, and by their prudent
management and their godly example
they were an important aid to their
fellow officers in binding together the
various interests of the church into a
united whole.

36. The Signs of the Times vol.14 pg 552 (August 24,
1888) A.T. Jones
…The very purpose, therefore, of the choosing of
deacons was that they should have charge of the
temporal matters of the church. In short, they are
properly the treasurers of the church, and the sooner
we as a people reach the place where we shall have
the deacons filling the office of
treasurers the sooner we shall be in
harmony with Scripture order on
that point…
1) LOOKING AFTER THE TEMPORAL AND
FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH

37. Acts 6:8
And Stephen, full of
faith and power, did
great wonders and
miracles among the
people.
2) TEACHING

38. {Story of Redemption PG 260.1}
The church accordingly selected seven men full of
faith and the wisdom of the Spirit of God, to attend
to the business pertaining to the cause. Stephen was
chosen first; he was a Jew by birth and religion, but
spoke the Greek language, and was conversant with
the customs and manners of the Greeks. He was
therefore considered the most proper person to
stand at the head and have supervision of the
disbursement of the funds appropriated to the
widows, orphans, and the worthy poor. This
selection met the minds of all, and the
dissatisfaction and murmuring were quieted….

39. {Story of Redemption PG 260.1}
….The seven chosen men were solemnly set apart for
their duties by prayer and the laying on of hands.
Those who were thus ordained were not thereby
excluded from teaching the faith. On the contrary, it
is recorded that "Stephen, full of faith and power,
did great wonders and miracles among the people."
They were fully qualified to instruct in the truth.
They were also men of calm judgment and
discretion, well calculated to deal with difficult cases
of trial, of murmuring or jealousy....It is necessary
that the same order and system should be
maintained in the church now as in the days of the
apostles…

40. In order to preserve purity,
unity, and strength in the Body
and also to ensure Success in
fulfilling its Commission, the
Church MUST flee to Gospel
Order as illustrated in the Word
of God.
May God bless us all.
AMEN