We are placed into a certain category by other people. The Lord’s church is often put into the category of “Christianity”. The religious world has only a few distinctions: Christianity, Jewish, Muslim and a few others. Do you realize that there are at least 4,000 different versions of “Christianity” as it is known by the world. However, God has only designated one church. A difference between the church for which Jesus died and the rest of the religious world is how the church is organized.
Jesus is the Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18, 1 Timothy 4:10, Luke 6:46). As you read this article, you may be thinking: “We all understand this fact.” While this is true, let me be crystal clear. No person, anywhere on this earth is the Head of the church. To follow a person in an office like Pope, Elder, Bishop, Pastor, Minister, Father, Sister or any other title handed out as the authority to change anything the Lord has commanded. The church is Jesus’ body and that body only has one head. In biology, if a body has more than one head, it is physically mutated. If that same body has no head, it is dead. The church is alive and well with the same head it has had for about 2,000 years.
The group of men appointed to oversee the local congregations of the Lord’s church are called: Elders, Pastors, Bishops, Overseers, Shepherds or Presbyters. All of these names are found in the Bible (1 Timothy 3:1-2, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 5:4, 2 John 1, 1 Timothy 5:1). These men are required by God to lead us, as the flock of God. We, as the flock, are required to follow these leaders (Hebrews 13:7,17). The job of the Eldership is to set a proper pattern: lead, feed, guard, and correct (James 5:19-20, Titus 1:9-11, 1 Peter 5:2-3, Acts 20:28). These Elders are also a group of men who have been ordained by the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 3, Acts 14:13-28,Titus 1:5).
It is so very important for us to know and understand the role of the Shepherds as we understand how the Lord’s church is organized. When we understand the role of the Eldership, we see the Divine wisdom in having a group of strong men who will stand behind the Cross and defend the Truth of God’s Word at all cost. May God continue to bless our Eldership and their work…
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