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The Church

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 17, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 38.

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The Church

By R. A. Underwood

Instruction Pertaining to the Duties and Responsibilities of Officers and Members

Duties and Responsibilities of a Church Elder

In order to understand the responsibilities that rest upon an elder of the church, it is important to understand the mission of the church.
Christ’s church on earth is the visible agent by which the knowledge of the principles of the government of God and the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ are to be upheld and presented to the world. Matt. 5: 14; 2 Cor. 4: 6, 7; 1 Tim. 3: 15. Christ said to the members of his church, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” Matt. 5: 13. Salt has the quality of penetrating, preserving, seasoning, cleansing, cooling, stimulating, and producing thirst. All these elements are combined in the symbol used by Christ to represent his church. Again, the church on earth is represented by the human body with Christ the invisible head. Eph. 1: 20-23. The church is also represented by an organized army, with its officers in command under Christ. 2 Tim. 2: 3, 4; 4: 7; Eph. 6: 10-18. “The battle waging between the two armies [led by Christ and Satan] is as real as those fought by the armies of this world, and on the issue of the spiritual conflict, eternal destinies depend.”—“Mount of Blessing.” The church is represented by a flock of sheep, with Christ as the Chief Shepherd, and his ministers and the officers of the church as the under-shepherds who are to care for and feed the flock. John 10: 11-14; Acts 20: 28; 1 Peter 5: 2-4.
With these brief statements as to the object of the church, let us read the inspired instruction as to the qualifications and duties of an elder:—
“If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” Titus 1: 6-9. “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” 1 Tim. 3: 2-7.
A careful study of the qualifications of an elder of the church and the responsibilities he is under to God and to his brethren, will lead no man who senses these responsibilities to seek such an office. A man with proper understanding of the responsibility resting upon one in this position will naturally consider himself unfitted for the position. Let us briefly notice some of the qualifications mentioned:—
1. BLAMELESS.—Without fault, not meriting censure. Ps. 4: 3.
2. A STEWARD OF GOD.—One entrusted with the oversight and management of the household, or church of God. Eph. 2: 19-22.
3. NOT GREEDY OF FILTHY LUCRE, NOR COVETOUS.—A selfish, avaricious, penurious man is utterly unfitted for such a position. Ex. 18: 21; Ps. 10: 3; 1 Tim. 6: 10, 11.
4. A LOVER OF HOSPITALITY.—To be disposed to entertain guests and strangers with generous kindness, is an essential qualification of an elder. “This entertaining strangers at a venture is not agreeable. If they knew that all who sought to share their bounty were worthy, then they might be induced to do something in this direction. But there is virtue in venturing something. Perchance we may entertain angels.”—Mrs. E. G. White.
5. A LOVER OF GOOD MEN.—By beholding we become changed. It is a law of association that we are affected for good or evil by the company we keep.
6. NOT SELF-WILLED.—A headstrong, obstinate, stubborn person should never be chosen to such office. The elder must consider the wishes and opinions of others as well as his own.
7. NOT SOON ANGRY.—A person easily irritated, excited, impassioned, can not hold the respect and confidence of the people. One must be able to govern himself if he leads others in self-control.
8. ONE WHO RULES WELL HIS OWN HOUSE.—The children of an elder should be in subjection with all gravity. One may possess many traits that are desirable in an elder, yet if he fails in this, he is seriously crippled. The man who is justly accused of having an unruly, disorderly, or riotous family is shorn of his strength as an elder. “The family of the one suggested for office should be considered. Are they in subjection? Can the man rule his own house with honor? What character have his children? Will they do honor to the father’s influence? If he has no tact, wisdom, power, or godliness at home, in managing his own family, it is safe to conclude that the same defects will be carried into the church, and the same unsanctified management will be seen there. It will be far better to criticize the man before he is put into office than afterward; better to pray and counsel before taking the decisive step, than to labor to correct the consequences of a wrong move.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, page 618.
9. HAVING A GOOD REPORT.—The person who has a bad reputation in the community (it may be because of his conduct prior to his conversion) should not be selected to bear responsibilities in the church, at least until he has shown his former associates that he is a converted man.
10. HOLDING FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD.—It is of the greatest importance to the prosperity of the church that the elder be “sound in faith.” It is not enough that the elder keep the Sabbath; he should be a thorough believer in the third angel’s message in all its parts,—a converted man, a man of prayer and faith. Such a person will show by example his interest in our missions, Sabbath-schools, the meetings of the church, and will support the cause by faithfully paying tithes and making offerings according to his ability.
11. APT TO TEACH.—To fill the office of elder acceptably, one must have some ability in imparting knowledge to others. To be apt to teach implies that he is ready, quick, prompt, “instant in season, out of season.” He should know when to speak, and when to be silent.
“In some churches the leader has not the right qualifications to educate the members of the church to be workers. Tact and judgment have not been used to keep up a living interest in the work of God. The leader is slow and tedious; he talks too much and prays too long in public; he has not that living connection with God which would give him a fresh experience.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, page 618.
12. VIGILANT.—He must be attentive to discover and avoid danger, on the alert and watchful. It is the duty of the elder to visit the entire membership of his church, if within reasonable distance. He should see that all take our periodicals, as far as consistent. He should know the spiritual condition of all the church, and by every consistent means possible help to strengthen the weak and faltering.
13. NOT A NOVICE.—Not one newly come to the faith. “There should not be so great haste in electing leaders as to ordain men who are in no way fitted for the responsible work,—men who need to be converted, elevated, ennobled, and refined, before they can serve the cause of God in any capacity.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, page 617.
14. SOBER, JUST, HOLY, TEMPERATE.—To be temperate in speech, and in eating and drinking; to be just and merciful to all; to act with long-suffering when duty may make it necessary to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, is a high attainment, reached only by the help of Christ. To be holy and blameless is the high calling and responsibility of the elder. With fear and trembling he may inquire, “Who is sufficient for these things?” It is only by the grace of God that any man can fill this holy office acceptably.
The blessed assurance that our Lord will give grace and “shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” is one among many of the promises of God which the elders of our churches may fully experience day by day. R. A. UNDERWOOD.