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In the New Testament church, elders were appointed to lead in their congregations. Paul in I Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 5-9 gives instructions for identifying and appointing "elders in every town." Following this example, individual churches of Christ choose from among their numbers men who demonstrate the qualities described in the two passages above, and appoint them as their elders. Each church and its group of elders is independent of a central organization, diocese, presbytery, or synod and is autonomous. Following is a portion of a document used by the elders at the Mt. Hope Church of Christ to evaluate their calling periodically:
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20: 28)
I. Keep watch over yourself (As an individual)
• Maintain a deep personal relationship with the Lord
• Personal prayer and study, fasting, retreats, etc.
• Maintain exemplary lives (1 Tim 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Pet 5:1-4)
• Maintain family health
• Maintain reputation in the community
• Maintain a personal ministry to others
• Pray with others, share the powerful things God is doing, counsel with others
• Visit those who are sick
• Develop mentoring relationships with potential leaders
• Commit to growth in ability to shepherd
• Perform periodic self-evaluation
II. Keep watch over yourselves (As part of the body of elders)
• Attend and participate in regular and special elders’ meetings
• Periodically take on responsibility of chairing meetings
• (Expectations, responsibilities for meetings need to be addressed)
• Communicate regularly to the congregation
• Lead shepherds’ prayers on Sunday mornings
• Elders’ forum (Held annually…)
• Help perform periodic assessment of the eldership as a group
• Cooperate in team building efforts with elders
• Evaluate and support church staff
• Oversee the work of the deacons
III. Be shepherds of the church of God (As a leader of this body of believers)
• Oversee the health and functioning of the church as a whole
• Keep track of those members for whom you have accepted responsibility
• Seek to bring back those who have wandered
• Facilitate scriptural mediation between members (Using Mt 18:15-17 as a model)
• Have people into your home
• Welcome new families and facilitate their incorporation into the body
• Teach individuals, groups and classes as situations allow
• Help perform periodic assessment of the congregation as a whole
• Defend the church against false teaching
• Help develop a vision for the future of the church
Knowing that it is often difficult to find good men to desire serving as elders, and also knowing that many elders assume their roles with little idea of what being an elder is all about, the Mt. Hope elders established an Elder Mentoree program two years ago. The process began by surveying the men in the congregation and developing a list of men who have shown the qualities of spirituality and leadership as described in I Timothy and Titus. Once this list was developed, a group of men was contacted and brought to a meeting with their wives to hear the program explained to them.
Seven men were selected and agreed to become part of the training process, which included having one of the elders as a mentor and spending individual time with him at meals out and in the home, as well as being invited to elders' meetings to see first-hand what goes on in the meetings. Since the beginnning of 2002, the mentorees served as the core of the Pulpit Minister Search Committee and also the Transition Team, which planned the move from 4th & Forest to Mt. Hope Road. Six mentorees remained in the program.
In the spring of 2003 the mentorees began meeting with the elders in regular elders' meetings, as well as in special question-and-answer sessions, which also included the elders' and mentorees' wives. Mentorees attended elders' meetings for several months, to get a sense of what the elders do. The elders believed that this first-hand experience and personal mentoring would result in several men being appointed as elders in the future, men who will know the work of the elders before they assume the role.
And indeed, in December of 2003, five men were appointed as elders: David Jones, Bruce Moss, Steve Sloan, Kent Taylor, and Barry Williamson.
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