Notes on looking for a Biblical Church part 9

Notes on looking for a Biblical Church part 9
To start this series, go here.
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9. Biblical leadership: Men only as elders/deacons with the pastor just being another elder, equal with the rest but with the spiritual gift of pastor.

I am so tired of those who proclaim that there are many Biblical forms of Church leadership and all are valid.  But take a census and I bet 9 out of 10 do not have Biblical elders as the leaders of the church.  I think one reason is that they can then have women in spiritual leadership, acting as elders but not having the name.  This feminist box contains more than just woman leadership roles in the church, and once brought into the church, won’t show itself for maybe years in the future.  I have sadly seen it happen first hand.  More on this later.

I also think the people want to have a say in the direction of the church, the “democratic Baptist” structure of leadership, so they have committees and boards and commissions filled with elected  people, many of whom serve out of guilt that they need to “do something for God”, whether they are gifted or not, or even want to or not.   Many of these are elected because of positions they fill in their secular jobs, and so, of course, we need to have Mr. Jones on the trustee board because he is an accountant or runs a bank or works at a brokerage firm.  Or Sue, who is a principal at an elementary school, so she would be perfect to run the children’s programming.  But, just maybe, the most appropriate qualified person for the job could just well be Bob, a humble school custodian or store clerk who is less likely to bring the world’s business  mentality into the decision-making process. He is more likely to ask, “What does God want us to do with the money/property/church calendar?  Let’s seek His Face in this in prayer” instead of acting “prudently” by hoarding or spending on “bigger and better”.

If elders are deeply spiritual people who are mature in their walk with God and humble in their talents and gifts, then the future of the church can be safely entrusted into their hands.  If people don’t trust them for this, then they should have not be appointed in the first place.  If there aren’t any qualified men to be elders, then it says something about the atmosphere of that church.  If the pastor himself is not a deeply spiritual man, he will not likely draw spiritually minded men into leadership.  If indeed he is and there are few to be found for the position of elder at his church, he needs get busy and start training men, teaching them, discipling them, mentoring them so they become who they need to be, to take over his position at any time.  What a concept! But with all the tasks a pastor is asked to fill these days, including keeping consumers happy, he has no time for the real work of the ministry:  reproducing himself in others to become leaders so they can do the same.