Slides from workshop done at Equipping the Saints held at Princeton Theological Seminary.

1. Equipping the Saints
January 10, 2015

4. Elder
What society thinks I do What my church thinks I do What my family thinks I do
What I thought I would do What I think I do What I really do

5. The “Call”
• From God
• Discerned by you
• Confirmed by
the community

6. Elders
• Πρεσβύτερος …
presbuteros
• Ruling Elder and
Teaching Elder
• Teaching Elder “shall in
all things be committed
to teaching the faith
and equipping the
saints for the work of
ministry.” [G-2.0501]

7. Ruling Elder
“Ruling elders are so named
not because they ‘lord it over’
the congregation (Matt.
20:25), but because they are
chosen by the congregation
to discern and measure its
fidelity to the Word of God,
and to strengthen and
nurture its faith and life.” [G-
2.0301]

8. “Ruling elders, together with teaching
elders, exercise leadership, government,
spiritual discernment, and discipline and
have responsibilities for the life of a
congregation as well as the whole
church …” [G-2.0301]

9. What can teaching elders do that
ruling elders can’t?

10. 1 Kings 3:1-14
1. How do you suppose Solomon feels about being King
from this reading? How does this compare to how you
feel about being an Elder?
2. What does Solomon ask God for? Why do you suppose
this is more important than wealth or fame or a long
life?
3. What is God’s response? From what you know about
Solomon, did God follow through and grant these
promises?
4. What questions do you have?
5. What other thoughts do you wish to share?

11. “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I
can lead your people well, discerning the difference
between good and evil. For who on their own is
capable of leading your glorious people?”

12. Is leadership in the
church inherently
different from
leadership in
business or civic
settings? Why or
why not?

13. Rowboat or
Sailboat?

14. “In many ways, sailing is just as hard as rowing.
The difference is that rowers are confined to
the power they can generate themselves;
sailors learn to let the boundless power of the
wind move them where they need to go.”

15. Spiritual Leader
S P I R I T U A L
“one whose way of
life is centered in a
relationship to the
God revealed in
Jesus Christ.”
L E A D E R
“leads others to seek
and do God’s will”
S P I R I T U A L L E A D E R
“implies movement
and change”

16. Authority
1. Christ …
“Christ calls the Church into being, giving it all that is necessary for its
mission in the world, for its sanctification, and for its service to God.
Christ is present with the Church in both Spirit and Word. Christ alone
rules, calls, teaches, and uses the Church has he wills.” [F-1.0202]
2. Church
3. Character of Leader
• Trustworthiness
• Honesty
• Puts the Church ahead of own preferences
• Good intentions
• Competence
• Humility

17. Change in the
Church
• Birth of post-*-ism
• Change is non-incremental
• Church no longer the
center of culture (end of
“Christendom”)
• Need “adaptive” solutions

18. Great Spiritual
Awakening
• Christianity is fastest
growing faith in the
world.
• North America is
largest mission field.
• Many Americans have
a strong desire to
grow spiritually.

19. A New Kind of
Elder/Leader
• Character
• Spiritual Life
and Practices
• Leadership
Skills/Abilities

20. Character
• Love of Christ
• Passionate Sense of Call
• Authenticity
• Self-Aware
• Courageous
• Trusting and
Trustworthy
• Competent and
Comprehensive

21. Spiritual Life &
Practices
• Spiritual Disciplines
• Personal health and
balance
• Christ-like living
• Life-Long Learner
• Effectively
communicates
personal faith

22. Skills & Abilities
• discern and communicate
God’s vision
• interpret and lead change
• manage conflict effectively
• help members grow spiritually
• identify, develop, and support
other leaders
• develop team leadership
• develop the congregation to
be a missional outpost
• reach the un-churched
• lead a person to faith
• effectively navigate the world
of technology

23. “God must have had a lot of confidence
in you to put you on the planet at just
this time. It was his sovereign decision to
insert you onto planet earth during a
time of huge transition. It takes
incredible faith to lead during hinge
points of history.”
McNeal, Reggie (2009-07-14). The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church (J-B
Leadership Network Series) (p. 120). John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition.

24. “The future belongs to those who
prepare for it, not those who plan for it.”
McNeal, Reggie (2009-07-14). The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church (J-B
Leadership Network Series) (p. 119). John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition.

25. What to Expect
• More Spiritual
Growth
• More
Responsibility
• More Challenges
• More Fulfillment

26. How to Prepare
• “With Me”
principle
• Ask/Question
• Study/Learn
• Commissioned
Ruling Elder?