Building and Maintaining a Biblical Eldership in Your Church

Reformation,  or the principle of  applying  the SOLA SCRIPTURA principle  to  our church life,  has led our church  among many other  matters to  embrace the principle of  having  a plurality of elders  in the church  in 2003. Since  that time we have been working  consistently on   a biblical  and practical philosophy  of church eldership. 

We are  a congregationally governed Reformed Baptist  Church, adhering to the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, and therefore the principle of eldership  is worked out in this context. 

A biblical eldership is crucial to the health  and growth  of a  true church. Biblical shepherds  are a blessing to the church. False shepherds by contrast  become a  burden  to the church.  

I thought that I would share  our Eldership Goals with you, and encourage you and your church  not to grow  weary in the holy duty of shepherding God's people in  a manner that pleases God.    

ELDERSHIP GOALS AT EASTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

1. To develop a Team Pastoral Ministry in the church

· Because we see this as the biblical model

· Because we need to hold each other accountable

· Because we need corporate wisdom to shepherd God’s flock

Acts 13:1; 14:23; 15:35 20:17,28 ; 1 Cor. 16;15,16 ; 1 Thess. 5:12,13; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 5:17; Tit. 1:5; Hebr. 13:7,17,24; 1 Pet. 5:1

2. To be men who are faithful shepherds of the flock 

Acts 20:2 ; 1 Pet. 5:2,3

3. To help the church understand its mission through consistent teaching  and living by

· Loving God [Worship] Mk.12:29,30 ; Deut. 6:4,5

· Loving one another [Fellowship] Mk. 12:30; Lev. 19:18

· Loving a lost world [Missions & Evangelism] Mk. 12:31 ; Matt. 28;20ff

4. To faithfully pray for the church in accordance with the biblical mandate

· We covenant to support our weekly prayer meeting as often as is possible.  1 Thess. 5:17 ; Eph. 6:18 

· We covenant to meet together on one other evening a week (Monday night) for prayer, consultation, visitation, or as otherwise agreed. Col 4:12; Acts 20:20

5. To uphold the doctrinal purity and godliness of the church through:

· Helping our people to examine themselves in the light of God’s Word.  2 Cor. 13:5

· Helping our people to have a relationship with the Triune God, by 

•     Loving God and walking with God.  Gen. 4:21;6:9
•     Obeying Christ  Jn. 14:23 
•      Keeping in step with the Spirit. Gal. 5: 25

· Ourselves maintaining our fellowship with God as we would expect of our people. Acts 20:28 ; 1 Pet. 5:2,3

· Defending the church against doctrinal heresy and wolves. Acts 20:29-31

· Maintaining a high standard of preparation in all our leading and teaching 1 Tim. 4:15,16

6. To maintain an ethos of pastoral care in the congregation through

· Genuine warmth, compassion and care, displayed to our congregation. 1 Pet. 5: 2,3

· Visitation of our people in their homes and to have them in our homes (hospitality) as often as is desirable, realistic and possible. Acts 20:20 ; 1 Pet. 4:9 ; Rom. 12:13

· By fostering a culture of encouragement, and by encouraging our membership to do the same. 

    1 Thess. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:2

· By decisively dealing with sin among us. Matt. 18:15 – 20; Gal. 6:1ff

· Always endeavoring to speak the truth in love. Eph. 4:15

7. The relationships within the eldership need to be guarded at all times:

· By maintaining the attitude of Christ . Phil. 2:1- 5

· By protecting each other’s integrity. In this process we will not allow any accusation against a       fellow elder until proven guilty. Sin among the elders demands public rebuke. 1 Tim. 5:19,20

· By genuine displays of friendship towards each other. 1 Pet. 1:22; 4:8

· By maintaining godly relationships with our wives and our children and through setting godly examples in our own homes. 1 Tim. 3:4 ; Tit. 1:6

· By agreeing that we would all be of the same mind before placing matters and decisions before the church Phil. 2:5; 1 Cor. 1:10





[1] First adopted in 2003