Why Elder Affirmations?

1 Timothy

Every year, the members of Faith Bible Church examine and affirm the biblical qualifications and godly character of our Elders and Deacons.

Before I came to Faith Bible Church, I had been involved in several denominations and had never seen a process like Elder affirmations before. I’d seen congregational voting, behind-the-scenes committees of important people, or a single pastor running the show.

But as I saw Faith’s devotion to following the plain teaching of Scripture in every area of life and ministry, I began to look more closely at what it says about church leadership. Clearly, the Apostles were committed to establishing the leadership of qualified Elders.

That’s the key word: qualified. I Timothy 3 says eldership is a “noble task,” and the list of qualifications is extensive: “above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”

That’s not even the whole list, and other passages like Titus 1 list further qualifications. Deacons, while the list is slightly shorter, are also held to very high standards.

Holding our leaders to these standards is a way to keep up a good reputation in the community. But these standards aren’t from the outside world; they are from Christ our head. His Lordship means the church should be self-evaluating, self-correcting, and self-policing by the power of His Word and the Holy Spirit.

With those standards in mind, here are a few reasons you should submit your thoughtful affirmation survey each year when the link is sent out.

It motivates us to know our leaders.

In order to affirm Elders and Deacons, we need to know them. If you can’t check the box next to ANY of the people in that survey, maybe you need to take steps to reach out. If you’re regularly serving in any ministry of Faith, you’re going to get to know an Elder, probably several. If you are regularly attending Faith, you’re probably being served in some way by a Deacon.

It offers our leaders encouragement.

Our Elders and Deacons are human. They have weaknesses and blind spots, and oftentimes they need feedback to know how they’re doing in shepherding us. When we see them doing well, we should tell them.

We all need affirmation from people who will observe us closely and confirm that we are on the right track and growing in godliness. And we all need people who will say something when they see us veering from the biblical path.

It provides an accountability structure.

Affirmations give us a chance to reflect on what we’ve seen in our leaders. If we have observed items of concern in comparing them to those high standards, this is an opportunity to pursue the process of discipline outlined in Matthew 18, starting with speaking to them privately.

This structure is given to all of us for our edification and for the reputation of the Gospel. If problems are brewing in our leadership, it is better to pursue and deal with them biblically than to react to them once they’ve gotten out of control and publicly disgraced the Gospel.

We’ve seen many leaders, Christian and otherwise, who have fallen because their fame and influence grew beyond the reach of accountability. In essence, they were “too big to fail” – and their fall was great indeed.

It reminds us to pray.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 says, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”

As we look down the list of leaders and leaders-in-training, we can remember and lift up those God has commissioned with keeping our community peaceful, godly, and dignified. God wants to hear and answer those prayers.

Lynn Yount

Lynn and her husband, Doug, lead a Growth Group. Lynn serves as a writer and editor for Living Faith magazine and other church communications.

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