God’s plan for local congregations included qualified men serving in a capacity of oversight over the group. These men are identified as “elders” (Acts 20:17), “overseers” (20:28), and “shepherds” (cf. 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2-3).
Early on, not every New Testament congregation had elders. On two different occasions, men were sent to various congregations to identify and “appoint” men to that position in the local churches.
Paul and Barnabas: “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23).
Timothy: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Titus 1:5).
The fact that congregations existed prior to having men serving as elders shows that it is not unscriptural for a congregation to exist without them. In fact, though it can only be conjecture, it may be that the church in Corinth did not have elders at the time of Paul’s letters to them. There is no mention of them, nor any instructions to them regarding dealing with the problems in the congregation. (In fact, one of the reasons that the Corinthians may have had so much division and confusion in their assemblies is because of a lack of leadership).
That is not to say that it is God’s intent for congregations to exist without elders. While it happens (and is all too common in our day), I can think of only four reasons why a congregation would exist without the leadership that God intends for His people in a local work.
The first reason is that found in the verses previously cited. No instructions had yet been given to appoint men. It can be assumed that the churches where Paul, Barnabas and Timothy visited were more than willing to serve under men when the appointments were given.
Second, it may be that there are not a plurality of men qualified to serve. God does not want just anyone appointed to serve as an elder. Men who serve are given that honor only when they are qualified by the Holy Spirit. These qualification are listed in 1 Timothy 5, and Titus 1.
Third, it may be that a man who is qualified does not desire the work, cf. 1 Timothy 3:1. We might discuss whether such a man has the right attitude, and will please God. We might say that his lack of desire for the work is in itself a lack of qualification. But, there is no indication that any man was compelled to serve, against his own will.
Fourth, it may be that a congregation refuses to appoint and submit to the authority of elders. This could come because of an unwillingness in principle to submit to another. (This is obviously a sin). It may be that qualified men are excluded from consideration because of either a misunderstanding of the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy and Titus, or because some have established other qualifications in addition to the ones God supplied.
There are two truths to note here. First, a man must be qualified to serve. Second, men do not have the right to establish a higher standard than does God. Men are not perfect. A qualified man, who still isn’t quite good enough for us to be satisfied, is a lost resource. God would not be pleased by such an outcome.
So, what should happen when a congregation exists that does not have elders? First, the congregation should examine the men to see if any are qualified to serve. Second, if less than two men are qualified, efforts should be put into place that will bring men to the point of being qualified. Third, the work of the congregation must be done, regardless of the dearth of scripturally qualified men to oversee that work.
It is wrong to think, since we don’t have elders, someone has to be in charge! This is patently false. No man has the the right to usurp an authority that is not given them by God. When a young evangelist, I was asked if I thought I should be given any such oversight, seeing that elders were not present. I was adamant in my denial. A 28 year old man has no business making decisions for the church, even in the absence of elders.
I feel the same at age (almost) 59. I don’t have the right to oversight unless I am appointed to serve as an elder. Without elders, no man or group of men have the right to oversee a congregation.
Business (men’s) meetings are not oversight! They are an expedient for doing the work that God has given us to do. In the absence of elders, oversight is lacking. All we can do is seek a consensus, or unified thought, to coordinate the work that is authorized by God Himself. Paul refers to it as all speaking “the same thing” and that there are “no divisions” among us, and that we are “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). To the Philippians he wrote, “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind… Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:2,4).
This is so very hard. Which is precisely why every congregation needs to have qualified men serving as elders!
