The elders, if present, are the decision-makers for the congregation. In the absence of elders a group composed of each and every male member serves as the decision-making body of their respective congregation. The only congregations that have a scriptural right to exist without elders are those who don’t have more than one man who is qualified to serve in that position. There are some additional questions that need to be discussed concerning elders or bishops of the Lord’s church.

Yes. They have been given authority to act as the overseers of the congregation that they serve (Acts 20:28 and I Peter 5:1-2). As most building contractors have an overseer on the site, a person in charge. All of the workers listen to him; however, he does not decide how the building will be built. His only job is to demand that the building be built exactly as the contractor’s blue prints specify.

All of God’s specifications were given unto the world through the apostles and prophets as recorded in the New Testament (John 14:25-26; John 16:12-15; Acts 20:26-27; I Corinthians 2:7-16; and Ephesians 3:1-5). So the books of the New Testament, written by God’s chosen ones, are God’s one and only set of blue prints.

Since elders have only been given overseeing authority and inasmuch as God forbids either man or angel to change those blue prints (Galatians 1:6-9 and Revelation 22:18-19), they have restrictions. The authority of the bishops, just as the authority of the building contractor’s overseers, is to see that all activities of the congregation being overseen, are in compliance with God’s blue prints.

All the elders are called bishops (Titus 1:5-7 and Acts 20:28). As already proven there is to be a plurality of bishops (elders) in each congregation of the church where there are qualified men to serve (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17; Titus 1:4-7; and Philippians 1:1). Each group is authorized to oversee the activities of the one congregation in which they are members. This means that there are no chief bishops, each group has as much authority as the others, but not more or less.

Anyone asked to provide scriptural proof that God has given overseeing authority to the elders may cite Acts 20:28 and I Peter 5:1-2. However if they use these two scriptures, they must realize that they grant oversight only of the involvement of the one congregation they serve. Elders of one congregation may not oversee a work being done by churches of Christ. This is why the scriptures show us congregations sending money to support those who were preaching the gospel (Philippians 1:3-4; Philippians 4:15-16; and II Corinthians 11:8). This is also why one can find references of one congregation sending money to one needy congregation (Acts 11:27-30 and I Corinthians 16:1-3. We don’t find scriptural justification for one or more than one congregation sending money to a sponsoring congregation for those in need. In fact, the expression "sponsoring congregation" cannot be found anywhere in the body of the scriptures. Why? From the beginning there were no elders who were overseeing anything being done by the churches of Christ, they were restricted solely to their immediate, autonomous congregation. Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:1-2 and Colossians 3:17 each restrict the bishops to the things pertaining only to their congregations. (Colossians 3:17 and Galatians 1:11-12) forbid one and all religious activities which are not authorized by the teachings of Jesus.

As already discussed they are to serve as the decision-making body for the one congregation over which they have been made overseers. One elder is no elder. They are to feed (teach) the flock (Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:1-4; and Ephesians 4:11-12). Elders are also told to tend the flock (I Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 13:17; and I Timothy 3:5). They are to stop the mouths of false teachers (Titus 1:9-11 and Acts 20:28) by showing that which they (the false teachers) are teaching is not what the scriptures say (Matthew 13:24-30 and Titus 1:9).

Elders are to keep the church free of leaven (Matthew 18:15-17; II Thessalonians 3:6; and I Corinthians 5). Along with this, elders must insure that the gospel is taught to unbelievers (Ephesians 4:11-12; II Corinthians 11:8; and Philippians 4:15-16). The charge or responsibility of an elder is a serious, solemn duty.

Yes! (Hebrews 13:17) It is not the responsibility or duty of a member to follow or do things asked of them by the elders that are not in accordance with the scriptures (Acts 5:27-29).

The term elder is synonymous with bishops (Titus 1:5-7; Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28; and Philippians 1:1), shepherds (I Peter 5:1-4), pastors (Ephesians 4:11-12), and presbyters (I Timothy 4:14).

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