The Lord Jesus, who had compassion for the people “because they were as sheep without a shepherd,” set the example.
Elders are men who love and serve the Lord Jesus and His church. They probably have the most difficult and the most important work in the world. They certainly face some of the strongest spiritual conflict. What makes a good elder? The list could be long, including things like experience, wisdom, godly speech, humility, a servant heart, and the willingness to work hard. But elders are also ordinary men who face the same temptations, challenges, and opportunities in life as the rest of us. One quality that makes them effective is the ability to make good choices, also known as setting good priorities in life. There are many areas where an elder must establish and maintain proper priorities. Let’s think about four of them.
The Priority of First Place for the Head
The earliest spiritual leaders in the church were the apostles who had been chosen by the Lord Himself. It is clear from Acts 6 that amidst a rapidly expanding work in Jerusalem, they devoted serious time to the Word of God (v.2). In other words, they spent regular and substantial time with the risen Lord, the living Word. Inevitably, growth brings new challenges; and, in time, the apostles became aware of a problem in the church. We don’t need to explore the details, but we can guess that the situation had the potential not only to harm the work, but also to force the apostles to become administrators in order to maintain peace.
As good leaders, they were unwilling to part with their time around the Lord. In other words, quality time with the Head of the church took priority over church problems. Is this true for us? There are reasons why the choice is not an easy one. Spending time with the Lord seems like a luxury when pressing church business calls. Shouldn’t we deal with the problem first and then return to fellowship with the Lord?
If we think about our daily quiet time, we’ll realize that this does not work. There will always be more problems than we can solve, and the adversary will use these to keep us from spending time with the Lord. This was the great lesson Martha learned (see Luke 10:38-42). So then, elders must make the difficult decision to give the first fruits of their time to the Lord, and then take up the problems of the flock. Amazingly, we’ll find that the problems will all be solved as He leads us in addressing them with the wisdom and power we gain from spending time with Him.
Does experience bear this out? Several years ago, when elders were recognized in the assembly where we fellowship, a decision was made to begin every leadership meeting with substantial time in the Scriptures and prayer. Looking back over the years, we can testify with joy that problems have been dealt with, and harmony preserved, in a remarkable way as the Head of the church has blessed this decision. We have lost no time; in fact, we have gained it!
The Priority of Care for the One Another
In Acts 20:28, Paul begins his instructions to the elders of the church at Ephesus with a warning to take heed. The order is significant: “Take heed therefore, unto yourselves and to all the flock of God….” An immediate question might be: “Haven’t we been taught to think of others first?” True. But which “others”? After spending time with the Lord, the next priority of elders is one another, sometimes referred to as the “oversight.” Let us get this truth firmly in our minds. Work among God’s people is all about relationships, and elders will never have credibility as shepherds if they cannot care for one another. Yet many elder groups are far too busy in “the work” to build and maintain the kind of team that becomes a model for the church.
There are a number of reasons for this and some are noble. Elders are often humble men who just don’t think of themselves. An old saying goes: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” and elders usually don’t squeak; they just bear the load and the hurts. But the Lord told his disciples: “Come apart into a desert place and rest awhile” (Mk. 6:31). Note this did not refer to a private rest at home, but a rest together from the work. Some do not see the need for team building, and in some places the team is not even identified. But in the earliest church, the record is clear that the apostles continually worked with one accord, even when the majority of believers were scattered by persecution (Acts 8:1).
Such team care need not be prying or time-consuming. Sharing honestly about the joys and constraints of life such as, the family, the job, and one’s health, accompanied by some prayer and expressions of love and support, can go a long way toward building a leadership that functions “with one accord” from the heart.
The Priority of Shepherd Work
Both Paul and Peter instructed church elders to feed or shepherd the flock of God. The word they used is the verb form of “pastor” or “shepherd.” They knew that people are like sheep and need to be tended, protected, and cared for. Perhaps because of the misuse of the word “pastor” in Christendom today, some assemblies have rejected the word and neglected crucial pastoral duties. The result can be elders who are more like administrators than shepherds: teaching and preaching with a heavy involvement in decision making.
The Lord Jesus, who had compassion for the people “because they were as sheep not having a shepherd,” (Mk. 6:34) set the example. When gathered in the upper room, He had many things to say to His own, but before He taught them, He washed their feet. Every elder can ponder this lesson. There is something in our nature that would rather exercise authority by making decisions in the church than to wash the dusty feet of the saints! Yet the flock will grow much more by being loved and served than by being controlled.
Without question, there are many decisions to make, and the affairs of the church cannot be neglected. Here is a wonderful opportunity for elders to disciple young believers. Commit some of that administrative work of the church to them, and use the time gained for visiting the flock and laboring in the Word and prayer together as elders. The priority of caring for people will pay large dividends in the growth and blessing of the work.
God’s Crown, Not the World’s
What in the world will give a man the strength to make such sacrifices? Nothing. The answer lies in another world entirely. Like Abraham, the elder has his eye set on the heavenly country where the Chief Shepherd has gone to make preparation. He will come again with His reward (Rev. 22:12), and for elders there will be the crown of glory that does not fade (1 Pet. 5:4).
Great wealth, or fame, or mighty positions in the corporate world may endure for a time, but they will fade. Before very long, it will all be gone, and the humble work done in caring for the Lord’s sheep will be brought to light. The anticipation of His “Well done!” can give strength to go on when the way seems hopeless. Remember, He is not looking for success as measured by this world, but for faithfulness.
So let us take up the work and make the hard choices; to spend time with the Head before tackling the problems of the church; to patiently strengthen each other before urging unity among the flock; to seek out and practice true shepherd’s work; and to willingly forego the crowns of this world as we do the work of the next. Maranatha!
The anticipation of [our Lord’s] “Well done!” can give strength to go on when the way seems hopeless.