Whats that about?- Eldership

Hi everyone!

If you’ve been at a church for a while, or even if you are very new to church; the idea that we have leaders probably isn’t very strange. Even in secular life, leaders are very important; just look at how many football managers have been sacked recently… leadership clearly matters to people.

Leaders of churches face many of the challenges of leaders in other areas, but they are also ultimately under God, the chief shepherd (rev 7:15-17), the king above all kings (1 Tim 6: 15).

At Kings our leaders are called elders, they are a group of men who God has specifically gifted to lead the church. They’ve grown into eldership and will be the first to admit they are still growing in their role. They encourage one another and complement each others gifts in order that they might serve the church as God would wish.

Women do lead within the church, but just like in childbirth, men and women have been given different roles by God. The birthing process is not an issue of equality, because both sexes are equal, but is an issue of role, as is eldership. We see this written in Genesis 1:27, Titus chapter 1 verse 6 says an elder “must be blameless, the husband of but one wife and … not open to the charge of being wild an disobedient”. Chapter 2 verse 5 goes on to say that women should “love their hubands and children, be self controlled, busy at home, kind and be subject to their husbands…”

Reading this from a culturally western perspective it is easy to wince at the word “subject”. But Godly submission is not the abuse western culture often assumes. The nature of men and womens relationship is mirrored in God himself; Father, Son and Spirit, all different yet all equal. Though equal to the Father, Jesus nonetheless willingly submitted to Him for the furthering of His Kingdom. Jesus “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage, rather, he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil 2: 6-7) Jesus servant-like submission to the Father saved us!

At Kings we long to see the Kingdom advancing, people coming to know God. As leadership is so important to this, we hold onto what the bible has said about it tightly. When the church is full of men and women living out their God given roles the Kingdom will advance. When elders lead churches with servant hearts, submitting to God’s direction, the Kingdom will advance.

This is the last “what is that about?!” I hope they have been helpful; especially for those of you just getting to know the church. I had struggles with these issues myself when I came to Kings so I hope you’ll talk to your small group leaders or to me if you are having similar difficulties!

Hope first weeks (or second weeks for NUCA guys) have gone well. Look out for more posts and emails over the term.

Dan