Number one, Effective church elders spend time with God every day. Mark 3:14 states,
"And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach."
What an amazing Bible passage. The apostles were set apart by Jesus so that they might spend time with him. The King James version says, "that they should be with him." I like how the J.B Phillips translations renders Mark 3:14:
"He appointed a band of twelve to be his companions, whom he could send out to preach."
As a church elder, called and ordained by God, Jesus also has called you to be his companion. Take time every day to spend time with God. Spend time with God in Bible study and in Prayer. God will be for it, and the Devil will be against it. Place it into your calendar each day. Don't miss that daily appointment with God.
Number two, If you are going to be an effective church elder you must not only spend time with God, but also spend time with people. 1 Peter 5:1-4 states:
"The elders which are among you I exhort ...
Feed the flock of God which is among you ... being examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
Just like a church pastor, a church elder is also a shepherd. A shepherd feeds and looks after the sheep. In fact, he smells like sheep because he spends time with the sheep. Sheep get dirty and smelly. Do you smell like sheep? Are your hands dirty? Are you visiting and aware of the needs of your church and its members? Are you praying with the members and visitors of the church? To be an effective church elder, spend time with God's sheep, His people, in ministry and prayer.
Set apart time during the week, or at the very minimum on Saturdays as the people come to the church, to welcome them, get to know them and to pray with them on the church's premises. You will be more effective in reaching people's hearts.
And finally, to be an effective church elder you must preach the Gospel. Paul, speaking to his young protege Timothy, a church elder, said in 1 Timothy 4:1-2:
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."
As a church elder, you have been called to preach the gospel. When Jesus called the twelve disciples he ordained them to be with him as his companions, so that they might go out with power and authority to preach the gospel.
In past years, our beloved Seventh-day Adventist Church would ordain Conference Treasurers so that they would have the title of Elder and Pastor so and so as a conference church treasurer. The problem was that those conference treasurers who were ordained as pastors, were not preaching at all.
Biblically, ordination is solely for the purpose of preaching. No one in the Bible was ever ordained just to give them the title of pastor or elder. Ordination was for the purpose of preaching the Gospel.
You also have been called, chosen, and commissioned by God to preach. All of God's biddings are also His enablings. He will make you into a wonderfully gifted preacher if you will just place your life in God's hands. Spend your time preaching to people through Bible studies, sermons, weeks of prayer, visiting shut-ins, anointing the sick, etc. Just do it! The more you do it, the better you will become. God will bless your efforts.
Three principles to follow to be an effective church elder. First, spend time with God. Second, spend time with God's people. Third, spend your time preaching. Follow these principles in your ministry today, and you will be a Great Blessing to God and to the Church as a church elder.
- Pastor Sal Garcia
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