05.03.10
Elder Board and Elder Body... Not the Same Animal
Being chosen to serve as an elder is a great honor. It is also an overwhelming responsibility. Think about it… the final word on any church issue is in the hands of the elders. Decisions made by the elders affect the lives and spiritual health of every person who are part of a local church. Conclusions that will bring the church closer to or further away from being a biblically functioning community are in the hands of a select group of leaders, individuals responsible for eldering.
When peering through the lens of experience, it is obvious that an elder board and an elder body are not the same animal. There are enormous differences in the two.
An elder board is, in most instances, chosen by a vote of the people.An elder body, in most instances, is chosen by mature church leaders who have lived and understand the vital role and complexities of elder leadership.(Acts 14:23)
An elder board utilizes business/organizational principles and practices to manage the church.An elder body systematically seeks out biblical principles and practices then utilizes them in the protection and oversight of Jesus’ bride, the church.
An elder board asks the question, what will the majority think of our decision? An elder body asks the question, what is God directing us to do in this situation?
An elder board tends to go to the latest leadership book when the answer to a difficult question is not found in the Constitution and By-Laws of the church. An elder body goes to their knees in prayer seeking God’s direction when the answer to a difficult question is not vividly revealed in Scripture.
An elder board works hard to “keep the right people happy.” An elder body will do what’s right even if it means some prominent individuals leave to join another congregation.
An elder board sees themselves as the supervisor of the senior pastor. An elder body sees themselves as confidants, co-laborers, and trusted friends of the senior pastor.
An elder board tends to suck the life out of senior leadership through unnecessary scrutiny and an unwillingness to consider methodological modification. An elder body encourages senior leadership to freely seek God’s direction and to continually pursue new methods that will aid the church in being missional.
An elder board separates themselves from the staff and tends to analyze the staff member’s work from a distance oftentimes asking for revision without understanding. An elder body partners with church staff seeing them as co-laborers with a different but vital responsibility and trusts them to carry out the ministry they are called to do.
An elder board slowly and, in most instances, unintentionally leads their church away from God’s rule.Each individual making up an elder body painstakingly and purposefully lives under God’s authority and makes decisions acknowledging that they are not seeking their own bidding but that they are in quest of God’s will for Jesus’ church.
An elder board and an elder body are not the same animal. One of these animals eats away at the organism Christ died for, keeping her from the freedom and joy that Jesus’ offers His body, the church. This group is known for rules and regulations, They keep those who are the church from experiencing the ride of their lives. The other breathes life into those who make up her ranks. This elder type pursues and brings nourishment from God to her constituency. These elders exhibit the exuberance of those who don’t just know about Jesus but know Him personally. They are on the ride of their lives and are inviting everyone else to discover the thrill of it themselves.
The decision to be either an elder board or an elder body will determine how close to “God’s rule” the church will be.
A personal note from the author of this article… If you are an elder and have been gracious enough to read this, please don’t get caught up in semantics. The term your church uses may be “elder board” but you may function as an “elder body.” Fantastic! Your church may use the term “elder body” but you may function as an “elder board” or you may be the elder board described in this article. Pray for and do whatever it takes to change the elder paradigm your church currently embraces.
Bottom line… A church governed by a godly elder body with a passion for creating a biblically functioning community is the route to right conclusions, transformational community, courageous decision making, and healthy and flourishing church leadership.
I love your distinctions here, and plan to pass along your link to our elder 'board', which does ultimately seek to act like an elder 'body'. Thank you for your encouragement that we are headed in the right direction!