What is the purpose of elders in the church today?

Sincerely,
Office Assessor

Dear Office Assessor,

Elders are the overseers of the church; they have the oversight of the local congregation (1 Tim 3:1 – ‘bishop’ means ‘one that oversees’).  Elders also go by the name ‘pastor’ or ‘shepherd’ because they take care of the flock of God (1 Pet 5:2).  Every church has its own elders (Acts 14:23), and every congregation must have more than one elder.  Any church that only has one pastor isn’t following the pattern found in the New Testament.  Pastors never govern alone.

Elders keep watch over the souls of those in the church, watching out for those who are wavering, strengthening the weak, etc.  They will give account to God for how they watched over the local church (Heb 13:17).  Not just anyone can be an elder.  1 Tim 3:1-7 and Tit 1:5-9 give the qualifications for elders.  Elders are older men who have proven themselves qualified to guide the church in a faithful manner.

The eldership of a church protects it from division, false teachers, and other various trials.  They are in charge of the church’s finances, class programs, preaching, and anything else that pertains to the local church.  Their job is to make sure that the church is faithfully adhering to the Bible and nothing else.

I am an African American; I say this because I recently took a history class and found out that Christianity was used as one of the means of not only imposing slavery, but justifying it.  As someone who was brought up in the church, this has really disturbed me.  So I went to the Bible and began reading the laws of slavery in Leviticus 25, and there was also a particular verse in Colossians 3:22 which implies that slavery was not condoned by God but not frowned upon either.  Funny enough, all of my years being in the church, I have never heard any of these passages mentioned... I have two questions:

Where does God stand when it comes to slavery?  How come it is not allowed anymore if the Bible does not discourage it?

Sincerely,
Loosing Faith

Dear Loosing Faith,

Unfortunately, many horrendous things have been done in the name of Christ… but that doesn’t make them right.  God does address slavery in the Bible.  He makes it clear that it is better when people are free; freedom is what God desires for all men (1 Cor 7:21).  However, God also deals with how people can live in a world where slavery does exist… hence, verses like Col 3:22.  Slavery was, and is, a reality in many parts of the world, a reality that doesn’t go away once people become christians.  How a slave should behave toward their master is a down-to-earth, practical, moral question for many, many people.  The fact that we Americans don’t have to deal with such dilemmas anymore is a blessing indeed.

Okay!  This might sound odd, but I have what you would call a gift from God!  And a verrry strong one at that!  I know I could use it for evil or pagan works, but I don’t play with the dark side, nor do I want to, so how can I progress my gift without crossing the line?  And, yes, I know it might sound crazzzzzy to you, but it’s really cool, the thing I can do.

Sincerely,
Gifted

Dear Gifted,

Everyone has gifts and talents given to them from God (Ps 139:14, 1 Cor 12:13-19).  However, it sounds like you are talking about a miraculous gift.  If that is the case, your belief (no matter how sincere) is wrong.  The abilities to perform miracles, prophesy, etc. have long since ceased.  When the perfect Bible was completed, miraculous abilities ceased to be necessary (1 Cor 13:9-10).  We recommend you read “I Dreamed A Dream…”.

Whatever natural gifts and talents God gives us, we must use to glorify Him (1 Cor 10:31).  We do this through study (2 Tim 2:15), zealous enthusiasm (Jhn 4:24), obedience (Jhn 15:14), and growth of character (1 Pet 2:2).

I have been living with my boyfriend for three years and having sex.  I’m getting very into Jesus and God’s will for me!  I have cut him off, and he’s not taking it well.  How can I explain to him that part of changing my life is following God’s Word?

Sincerely,
Becoming Chaste

Dear Becoming Chaste,

If you are going to serve Christ, you have to commit yourself to living by His standards.  You can show your boyfriend verses like Jhn 15:14 and Eccl 12:13 to explain this concept to him.  However, regardless of your boyfriend’s reaction, you need to move out and set up proper Biblical barriers.  Your decision to serve God must always supersede all other relationships (Matt 10:37).  You are doing a great job of making the difficult decisions to start a new life.  We recommend you read, “What Must I Do To Be Saved” to further your journey of obedience to God’s Word.

You mention that divorce is a sin.  I know the Bible states that God hates divorce, and one is only able to remarry if their spouse committed adultery; however, I do not find in Scripture that divorce is a sin.  Don't get me wrong (as I am not advocating divorce), but if one divorces for any other reason, it doesn't seem sinful, but that person would need to remain unmarried.  What scripture are you using to determine that it is indeed a sin?

Sincerely,
Pin The Sin

Dear Pin The Sin,

Divorce is allowed when fornication has taken place (Matt 19:9).  Divorce for the wrong reasons is a sin.  Since God only permits divorce in the case of sexual immorality – by default, all other divorces are sinful.  However, it is permitted for a couple to legally separate if they cannot live in harmony with one another (1 Cor 7:10-11).