Elders: Shepherd and Servants

Most church members don't arrive Sunday morning wondering who approved the sermon series or Sunday School classes, shaped the ministry's direction and calendar, or vetted the church's partnerships in the community. But week after week, faithful elders do exactly that, all for the health of Christ's body and the glory of His name.

At First Free, our Elder Board seeks to shepherd the congregation through teaching, prayer, oversight, and pastoral care. They strive to lead not from above but from among us—listening, discerning, and serving with the hope that the whole body might grow in faith, love, and obedience to Christ.

Much of their ministry goes unseen, but its fruit touches every corner of church life.

Biblical Foundation for Shepherd Leadership

Eldership isn't a modern invention or organizational convenience—it's God's design for His church. From the earliest days, elders were appointed in every congregation (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5), charged with shepherding God's flock (1 Peter 5:1–4), teaching sound doctrine (Titus 1:9), guarding against false teaching (Acts 20:28–31), and modeling Christlike character (Hebrews 13:7).

The New Testament uses three interconnected terms to describe this singular office. Elder (presbuteros) emphasizes spiritual maturity. Overseer (episkopos) highlights leadership and protective care. Pastor (poimen) captures the heart of the calling: tending, guiding, feeding, and protecting Christ's sheep.

These aren't separate roles but facets of one sacred trust—to serve as under-shepherds of Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, leading His people with His authority and for His glory.

The Nature of Elder Ministry

At First Free, elders serve in teams and on rotation as elected by the membership, ensuring shared leadership and careful stewardship. Recognizing their complete dependence on Christ's wisdom and strength, they humbly carry responsibilities that reflect both the breadth and depth of pastoral care.

Through teaching and doctrinal oversight, elders work to ensure that biblical truth is faithfully proclaimed and protected, seeking to guard against error while nurturing spiritual growth. In prayer and spiritual care, they endeavor to pray for the sick and suffering (James 5:14–15), intercede for the congregation, and provide counsel rooted in Scripture.

The shepherding work continues through visitation, discipleship, and personal care as elders strive to know their people and tend to their spiritual needs. They seek to guard the spiritual well-being and unity of the body, addressing conflict with grace and truth as best they can. When necessary, elders work to lovingly pursue the wandering and labor toward genuine restoration.

Beyond individual care, they prayerfully seek to guide major decisions, participate in staff development, and help keep the church's mission clear. Throughout the New Testament, we see elders functioning as a plurality: a team of shepherds who lead together under Christ. This shared structure provides mutual accountability, wise counsel, and the opportunity for diverse gifts to strengthen the whole body.

Why Faithful Eldership Matters

Like any family, Christ's church needs wise, loving, trustworthy leadership. When elders serve faithfully, the church has the opportunity to flourish. Believers can be spiritually nourished, doctrinally grounded, relationally cared for, and lovingly corrected when needed. The body has the potential to grow in unity, maturity, and Christlikeness (Ephesians 4:11–16).

This leadership is never about power or prestige; it's about stewardship and service. Elders don't rule over the flock but seek to lead by example, carrying the weight of responsibility while endeavoring to walk humbly before God and His people.

Our Congregational Context

As a church in the Evangelical Free Church of America, First Free holds to a congregational form of government. This means the final authority under Christ rests with the congregation itself, expressed through our General Assembly. Our elders lead and direct the ministry of the church, but they do not rule in a heavy-handed or unilateral way. Instead, they guide with humility, accountability, and in partnership with the congregation's trust and affirmation.

They remain accountable: to Christ above all, but also to fellow elders and the congregation they strive to serve.

The High Calling of Elder Qualification

Scripture makes clear that not every man should serve as an elder. The calling requires spiritual maturity and character development that can only come through Christ's transforming work.

According to 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9, elders must demonstrate character above reproach—self-controlled, sober-minded, respectable, and gentle men whose lives consistently reflect gospel transformation, albeit imperfectly. They must show relational faithfulness as men who are faithful in marriage (if married), loving fathers (if they have children), hospitable to others, and well-regarded even by non-Christians.

Spiritual maturity is essential. They must be able to teach, not recent converts, grounded in Scripture, and recognized by others as walking closely with Christ. Their hearts must be marked not by violence, greed, or quarrelsomeness, but by gentleness and sacrificial love.

In our EFCA context, elders must also affirm our Statement of Faith and our church's doctrinal commitments.

Elders are not perfect. They are broken people who desperately need Christ's grace daily. They don't claim special wisdom or spiritual superiority. Rather, they are fellow pilgrims who have been entrusted with shepherding responsibilities, seeking to lean entirely on Christ's strength and the Holy Spirit's guidance. Their qualification isn't sinlessness but faithful reliance upon Christ—men who are growing in Christ and recognized by others as striving to walk humbly with their God.

Our Response as the Church Family

Hebrews 13:17 calls us to respect and follow our spiritual leaders, not because they're flawless, but because they "keep watch over your souls as those who must give account." We're also urged to make their work joyful, not burdensome.

Elders serve faithfully, knowing they will answer to Christ for their stewardship. They need our prayers as they seek wisdom beyond their own understanding and strength beyond their natural capacity.

Please pray regularly for our elders as they carry this sacred trust. And ask God whether He might be preparing others in our midst for this work—men of character, wisdom, and humble dependence on Christ. When you see spiritual maturity, humble wisdom, and shepherd-hearted love in a man's life, perhaps God is preparing him for this calling that requires complete dependence on Christ.

Under-Shepherds of the Good Shepherd

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). Today He continues caring for His flock through faithful under-shepherds—men who know their weakness and daily seek to depend on His strength as they serve in His name.

Our elders aren't spiritual giants or perfect leaders. They are fellow believers who have been called to shepherd God's people while clinging to the same gospel grace that sustains us all. They strive to lead not from a position of superiority but from humble recognition that Christ alone is the true Shepherd.

Let's honor them through prayer, learn from their example of seeking to depend on Christ, and thank God for providing shepherds who endeavor to point us always to the Good Shepherd Himself.

This article is part of an ongoing series exploring biblical leadership in Christ's church. May it deepen our understanding, strengthen our prayers, and help us all serve one another in love.

Originally prepared by Kevin Labby during his ministry at First Evangelical Free Church of McKeesport. Used with permission.