The denominational world has a great misunderstanding of elders in the Lord’s church.  I indicated in last night’s blog that in the New Testament, there was always a plurality of elders in local churches that had them (Acts 14:23; 17:20, etc.).  These elders only had authority over the flock that was among them (1 Peter 5:2).

In denominational churches, we see the opposite of what we read about in the Bible.  Churches have one pastor, or, at the very least, they will have a head pastor with other pastors serving as his assistants.  Furthermore, they have taken the term “bishop” and made a special office of it.  A bishop in most denominational churches has authority over several churches in a particular area or district.  These are things you do not read about in God’s word and that should be problematic to anyone who is a member of a denominational church.

Another issue that is found in churches today is that pastors do not have to meet the qualifications Paul set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1; thus, they have unqualified elders who are displeasing to God.  This would include having pastors who are women.

The Bible does not change with culture.  In this country, it is now very popular to say that women have equal authority as men in the church.  We are told that to teach anything else is misogynistic and that the only reason that women have not been allowed to be preachers and pastors in the church is because power-hungry men have been holding them back.  We are even told that Paul’s teachings were born out of the chauvinistic mentality that prevailed in his day.

First, we must acknowledge that whatever Paul taught, he did so by the inspiration of the Spirit, not because of any cultural leanings.  The Bible says that all scriptural is given by the inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and that includes Paul’s teachings since it is referred to as scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16).  Since Paul’s written words constituted scripture, they were a part of God’s word (1 Thessalonians 2:13).  His commandments, as outlined in his writings, were the commandments of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:37).  What did Paul command concerning women in the church?  Here it is.

1 Timothy 2:11–12 (ESV)
¹¹ Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. ¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

These words are simple and easy to understand.  As long as the Lord’s church stands, they will never change. The denominational churches of the day might ignore, deny, or somehow twist them, but honest hearts can read them and understand them immediately.  Women are not to exercise authority over men in the church and that makes it impossible for them to be pastors.

Given Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 2:11-12, we are not surprised to find in the qualifications of elders that an elder must be the husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2).  Again, how can a woman be the husband of one wife?  Denominational churches ignore this altogether.  Not only do they allow women to be pastors, who obviously do not meet this qualification, but they also allow men who are not even married to be pastors as well.

An elder in the Lord’s church must not only be married, but he must have faithful children (1 Timothy 3:4-5; Titus 1:6).  These are just a couple of the qualifications of being an elder in a local church.  Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 to get all of the qualifications that they must have.

Paul said that if any aspires to the office of an overseer, he desires a noble task (1 Timothy 3:1).  We need good men to serve as elders in local churches.  A local church is only scripturally organized when it is made up of elders, deacons, and saints (Philippians 1:1), but the men must qualify.  When they do not, it does more damage to the church than good, and the church itself is unsound.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.