tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post2773059399859412145..comments2023-06-09T12:46:12.932-04:00Comments on The Voice Of One Crying Out In Suburbia: Repost: What is the right number of elders?Arthur Sidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848508095612688493noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-66385848800271641642012-03-11T13:26:14.935-04:002012-03-11T13:26:14.935-04:00An excellent article.
However I believe a major fa...An excellent article.<br />However I believe a major false doctrine of all churches is that elders are only elders by appointment of the officialdom. Those who are not appointed therefore remain apparently powerless and sit in the pews as a passive audience. <br />Just imagine what it would be like if all the mature members of a church functioned in their anointing! Why can't they?<br /><br />The belief that all mature men SHOULD BE appointed to eldership, is approaching the truth. It is obviously far better than the usual methodology of only 2 or 3 elders, but still misses the truth. Biblical truth makes it clear that all spiritually mature men ARE already elders, for that is what the word means. The false notion that only officialdom can create elders, only serves to block the flow of anointing, not release it. <br /><br />In opposition to my comments, Titus1 obviously comes to mind, where Paul commands them to ordain elders in every church. However a simple but accurate read will show that Paul never, ever, called anyone to be appointed into being an elder.<br />On the contrary Paul, was actually calling certain EXISTING ELDERS to be appointed as OVERSEERS, which is a very different theology indeed.<br /><br />With great care, consider this imaginary example. <br />A denominational council meeting decides to reinvigorate its ministry with the children. It sends a circular to all the local churches. <br />"For the new work of the children's ministry it is decided that IN ALL THE CONGREGATIONS WE MUST APPOINT WOMEN. These ministers should be.......etc."<br /><br />A simple question needs to be asked here. IS THE COUNCIL APPOINTING PEOPLE TO BECOME WOMEN? Or is the council perhaps appointing women to become ministers to the children.<br /><br />If the latter is correct, then we should also ask why we presume that Paul is appointing anyone to become an elder. It denied the text, and denies the following verse where it describes the requirements of an overseer, not the requirements of an elder. <br />Simply put, nobody could become an overseer unless he was a mature respected member of the church. An elder.<br />The way people read Titus defies the normal way we would read such a text! It also defies all the other uses of the word elder in scripture. An elder is a mature or older person, and cannot be achieved by mere appointment. It is a state we grow into.<br /><br />We earthlings have a standard way we always organise institutions. We do it hierarchically, we appoint a CEO and then construct various ranks beneath him. <br />Hierarchy permits commands to flow downwards, and information to flow upwards. When we read the bible we simply project our tree of knowledge comprehension into it. <br />This hierarchical system will always be necessary until we find a CEO, who has a hotline to his every member, and is also omniscient. <br />Ah yes, of course we already have that don't we. <br />Sadly, like Israel, we continue to demand of God, "Give us a king, like the nations (organisations etc) around us.Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06930926204253834236noreply@blogger.com