Elder Form For Church In Phoenix
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FAQ
Congregational churches observe the office of elder. Early congregationalist standards held a fourfold view of ecclesiastical offices: pastor, teacher, ruling elder, and deacon. In this view, pastor, techer, and ruling elder are all types of elder.
Today, men and women are called to be church elders. Their age doesn't matter as much as their life experience, wisdom, and desire to serve God and the church's people.
The single, overarching qualification of which the rest are supportive is that he is to be “above reproach.” That is, he must be a leader who cannot be accused of anything sinful because he has a sustained reputation for blamelessness.
Nevertheless, in essence, there is no real distinction between the pastor and the elders except time. That time is usually there so the pastor can devote himself to the teaching ministry of the church. However, the elders collectively remain responsible for the teaching ministry of the church.
The appointment is the congregation's recognition or affirmation that a prospective elder possesses the biblical qualifications found in 1 Tim. –7 and Titus –9. It is the acknowledgment, “This man is biblically qualified and evidently a gift of Christ to our church” (Eph. ).
However, in an elder-led system the elders make decisions that are approved or denied by the congregation through a congregational vote. In an elder-rule church no congregational approval is needed in order for the elders to make a decision within the sphere of authority God has granted them (see Question #5).
At what age is a person considered elderly? ing to the World Health Organization, aging is commonly measured by chronological age. As a convention, a person over age 65 is often referred to as elderly. This is also the age when most people retire and start receiving a pension.
An elder and a deacon are both given leadership roles to build up the body of Christ. Today, both men and women can be elders in most churches. Also, there is no specific age when someone can be ordained as an elder.
Elders are essential to a church because their ministry includes an emphasis on protecting the people by using the word to refute those who would harm them. Again, this is something that all Christians can do, but Christ has seen to it that there's no question of who must do this.