Where have all the Elders Gone?
Like an ill-equipped father, churches are led by elders who are always around but never present. The question is “Where have all the elders gone?”
Even in churches that aim to make the congregation feel smaller to foster community and faithfulness, elders remain inaccessible. If you need to reach an elder for pastoral care or simply get to know your leaders, their information is conveniently missing from the church's website. To be clear, Elders are pastors. They are the shepherds of the church. We have traded this role of shepherding for executive function.
How can an elder fulfill his biblical calling if he is unknown and unreachable by the members? Is he really an elder?
Key Responsibilities for Eldership. (not exhaustive)
Elders are to provide pastoral care by applying scripture to the souls of the members. (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; John 21:15-17)
Elders are to watch over the spiritual health of members by protecting, offering direction, and correction for those who lose their way. (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12)
Elders are to teach scripture clearly and accurately, privately and/or publicly. (1 Timothy 3:2; Acts 20:20; 2 Timothy 2:24)
Elders are to guard sound doctrine and correct false doctrine. (Titus 1:9; Acts 20:29-30; Jude 3-4)
Elders are to model Godly character by living an exemplary life before the members. (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–8; 1 Peter 5:3)
Elders are to pray with and care for those in sickness, suffering, and sin. (James 5:14–16; Acts 6:4; Colossians 1:9
Are your elders performing these roles in your church gatherings or in private meetings? Do you know who your elders are? Could you ask them to exercise these roles if you wanted to?
Most people have never seen or met their elders. They would at least have to jump through hoops to get a meeting with one. Do you understand the seriousness of the problem? Elders are not successful businessmen. They are shepherds of the flock. They are to steer the church in theology and practice. They are to call people to walk in the will of God. They are to lay a hand on a shoulder and pray over their people. They are to anchor God's promises in the hearts and minds of their congregation. They are to visit your family in the hospital. They are to exemplify both moral character and concern for the lost, the poor, the widows, the orphans, and prisoners.
How can they do any of this behind an iron curtain? Where are your elders? Can you find them? Can you name them? Can you tell others what they are like? These are the men guiding your church. How can they perform the responsibilities of an elder if no one knows them?
If you and your spouse need pastoral guidance, is your first reaction to contact an elder or a private practice counselor? Where have all the elders gone?
The popular trend is to outsource pastoral care to private practice clinicians rather than have the elders offer biblical guidance. Why do our elders shrink back from their responsibilities?
Let's put it another way. What would happen if you put a group of your favorite pastors in charge of your business? If they were in charge of making the most difficult decisions at your company? Would that business fail or succeed? Why would we then trade the role of a shepherd for that of an executive-functioning leader? There is no pastor in them.
By the way, there is no such thing as an executive elder. Did you see executive functions in the list above? If you are an elder and your primary function is to make organizational decisions, you are a false elder.
Vacate your seat and make room for a shepherd. Turn in your resignation at the next elder meeting. You have been operating under a false title.
Your church depends on pastors to lead the church. To stare down the cultural lies that plague the church with no hope in false promises. If you are an organizational elder, you need to either start shaparding or vacate your seat. Your title is a false title.
Another area of lack from eldership is the small group. The number one discipleship tool in evangelicalism outside Sunday services is the small-group model. This is the number one way people are being discipled in churches in America. An elder rarely oversees this program. There is seldom any involvement by an elder in training community group leaders. Community group leaders are almost always volunteers. In other words, the praying, pastoring, teaching, correcting, serving, and involvement in the life of the church are happening at least two positions removed from any approved elder. How could this go wrong?
So I ask again, where are your elders? If you go to a church and you don't know your elders or don't have access to them. Go to your church's website. If you see a list of elders and their pictures, but no way to contact them, I want you to post your church in the comments. Call your pastor and kindly hold them accountable to the biblical role of eldership. Don't be a jerk. Be gracious but firm. The church we want for our children depends on who is leading our church today. Do it. Call your church leadership to be accountable to the Scriptures.
If they say they like to filter elder requests through a receptionist, then they are functioning like an agency, qualifying the work, and you are the gig.