We continue our examination of the qualifications necessary for those who serve as elders in the Lord's church.

An Elder Must be Apt to Teach. "...sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach." {1 Timothy 3:2} The Greek word used here is didaktikon; it is defined as "apt to teaching, apt and skillful in teaching" (Thayer's, pg.425); "Skilled in teaching" (Vine's). The expression means the man must be capable and able as a teacher-one who, by reason of knowledge, is qualified to instruct others. Webster defines the word apt as "fit, suitable, appropriate, liable, having a usual tendency, inclined, ready, quick and able." We must realize that this qualification is relative; no two teachers have equal ability or the same type of presentation. Some may be better at teaching privately then publicly. A man does not have to be a pulpit scholar to be qualified? He simply must be able to TEACH God's word-the place is not mentioned.

How much does an elder need to develop his skills in this area? "Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain." {Titus 1:9-11} By doing this the elder can encourage the teaching of sound doctrine and convict those who oppose that same teaching.

"An elder must have an accurate and comprehensive knowledge of the Bible in general to teach others-to convey the principles and work of a Christian to all-either publicly or privately, according to his talents and abilities." (H.E. Phillips, pg. 166) Elders need this ability to help them carry out their work. "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." {Acts 20:28}

An Elder Must Have a Good Report Among Outsiders. "Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.." {1 Timothy 3:7} (NKJV); "good testimony" (ASV); "and he must have a good reputation with those outside the church." (NASV); "He must moreover have a good reputation with the non-Christian public." (Moffatt). Elders must have a good report of those who are not members of the Lord's church, as well as those who are. Reputations of men who serve as elders must be taken seriously. "A testifying...testimony...in an ethical sense, of testimony concerning one's character" (Thayer); "witness, evidence, and testimony" (Vine's).

Other qualifications deal with how the congregation views a brother who is a candidate for the eldership. However, this qualification goes beyond to capture the thinking of outsiders who know him and speak well of his character. He must be a man who is well-spoken of in the community-one whose character is good and honorable. Reputation is defined as "the character commonly ascribed to a person or thing; one's reputed character" (Webster). He must be right in all of his dealings with others. Why this qualification? It's difficult enough to reach those in the world. How much more difficult would it be if one of the church leaders has a bad reputation among those in the local community? A man who is known for his dishonest business dealings, whose word must be taken with a grain of salt, or who has questionable habits is not qualified to be an elder. This is not a question of popularity; it is an honest assessment of his character.

An Elder Must Not Be a Novice. "Not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil" {1 Timothy 3:6}; "not a new convert" (NASV); "He must not be a convert newly baptized" (NEB). The Greek word Neophutos means "Newly-planted...a new convert, neophyte...(one who has recently become a Christian)" (Thayer); "Of one who by inexperience is unfitted to act as a bishop or overseer in a church" (W.E. Vine Expos. Dictionary of NT Words). The meaning is clear; a bishop cannot be a man who is new to Christianity. He must neither be a beginner at Christianity, or at the common experiences of life. The very nature of an elder's work suggests he must have experience. The eldership is not a place for on-the-job training. How could a young, immature man face and overcome the problems with which elders must deal?

This qualification directly relates to the elder's ability to be "apt to teach" discussed earlier. Please consider Hebrews 5:12-14. The time required for a particular brother to grow from a novice into a mature Christian must pass in order for him to be qualified. No doubt, the length of time will vary with each individual. The word elder carries with it the idea of age and experience. Paul explained God's reasoning, "lest he be lifted up with pride and fall into the condemnation of the devil," the same condemnation into which Satan fell. But, be careful about placing an exact AGE on this qualification. A man is or is not a novice because of his knowledge and experience-not necessarily the number of years he's been on this earth.

An Elder Must Not Be Self-Willed. "For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed..." {Titus 1:7}; "He must not be overbearing" (NEB); "He must not be arrogant" (RSV). The Greek word authades is defined as "self-pleasing, self-willed, arrogant; headstrong; stubborn" (Thayer); "Denotes one who, dominated by self-interest, and inconsiderate of others, arrogantly asserts his own will" (Vine). One who is presumptuous, arrogant, and demanding for selfish reasons should not be appointed an elder. The same is true of one who wants and demands his own way in every matter, regardless of the outcome, and of one who considers himself before others. This qualification applies to matters of judgment, not to matters concerning the faith.

The word elders is plural. What happens when one elder is unwilling to yield his own will in matters of judgment? There is confusion and division in the eldership! Elders are to be considerate and respectful of the rights of others in the flock. A self-willed elder will have everyone bowing to his direction, because if they don't, nothing will be accomplished. The result could be a dictatorship. This trait can easily be detected by watching how a man deals with other people. All elders must be firm and stern in their dealings regarding Scriptural matters. It is imperative that they not be this way in matters of personal judgment and preference.

Allow me to relate an example that perfectly explains this characteristic. The local church where I was a member was discussing how to accomplish a particular work (which had nothing to do with doctrine). The two elders had different suggestions about how to go forward, so one of them agreed to go along with the other's thinking, though he thought another way would be better. The elder who had the different suggestion worked the hardest to ensure the success of the suggestion that was put into place.

We will continue this in the next article.