The Election
October 22, 2000
Dear Friends:
Well, it is election time again. At my ecclesia, we are voting for our new serving brethren.
Did you think I meant some other election?
Every year about this time we vote for the serving brethren who are to manage the affairs of the ecclesia for the next 12 months.
In Biblical days these men were appointed (the AV uses the word “ordained” which means appointed). In other words, the apostles or someone commissioned by the apostles (Tit. 1:5) went to different cities and sought out qualified individuals to guide the ecclesia. “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2,3)
Perhaps we fail to grasp sometimes the importance of these brethren in the ecclesia. The Scriptural analogy is that an ecclesia without good serving brethren is like a flock of sheep without shepherds. The likelihood of a flock of sheep staying together, going in the right direction and simply surviving without shepherds is virtually impossible. It is not a role to be taken lightly.
Serving brethren are the Biblical equivalent of “bishops” and “elders.” In addition to being willing, the qualifications of these fellows are outlined in 1 Tim. 3:2-7. They must be: 1) above reproach, 2) the husband of but one wife, 3) temperate, 4) self-controlled, 5) respectable, 6) hospitable, 7) able to teach, 8) not given to drunkenness, 9) gentle, 10) not quarrelsome, 11) not a lover of money 12) manage his own family well 13) not be a recent convert, 14) have a good reputation with outsiders. These qualifications are not optional, but mandated. One characterisitc disqualifies an otherwise qualified elder!
The stringency of these qualifications puts severe limits on those who can serve. It is interesting to note that similar requirements are held for ALL the brethren in various parts of the Bible. However the key difference being that these men actually are doing all of these things consistently. Because of the importance of these qualifications, it is probably unwise to designate a specific number of managing brethren because you may not have enough brethren that fulfill the requirements and therefore will appoint someone unqualified.
If we do have men that meet these requirements, most people will readily submit to their leadership. If we do not submit, it is either because we have made poor appointments or we are unruly ourselves. Perhaps if we do get a bad board it is because we put our own list of requirements in place for these brethren rather than the Biblical requirements. Does our list include any of these? 1) Good speaker, 2) relative, 3) friend of mine, 4) well read, 5) think they will represent my point of view 6) they want to be on the board, 7) they have been on the board before and we don’t want to hurt their feelings….. We could go on.
These men had to have these qualifications listed above because they were to be examples. Also, they had to have these qualifications because they represented God to the ecclesia. These qualities are God’s qualities!
In a democracy, men are voted in office to represent a constituency. In other words, you vote for the guy who you think best represents your ideals and interests. The man who goes to represent you should vote the way you want him to vote or next time you will vote for someone else. It is not this way in the ecclesia. The elders are supposed to represent God to the ecclesia and not represent a certain constituency in the ecclesia. In the ecclesia, the idea is more theocracy than democracy.
No matter how these men are chosen, their qualifications are unchanging. It is an important decision that requires thought, prayer and integrity.
Have a great week!
