Biblical Eldership

In his magisterial epistle to the Hebrews, the inspired author writes, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls…” (Hebrews 13:17). This study is about those who keep watch over the souls of the Lord’s people –those who both Paul and Peter directly exhorted to shepherd the flock of God: (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). This study is about the church elders.
Regrettably a great deal of misunderstanding and indifference has surrounded this important subject. From an expository viewpoint, very little has been written on church elders. Although some writers have attempted to explain the doctrine of church eldership through small booklets, journal articles, or chapters within books, there is critical need for a full-length, in-depth study that expounds all Scripture on the subject. In my twenty plus years as a Christian I have never done a study like this from start to finish. The author of the book this study is based on believes no other book has been written in the English which fully expounds all New Testament passages regarding church elders, which is hardly believable when one considers the amount of explicit biblical teaching on this topic. Hopefully, this study, which is based on this book will not only fulfill a need for exposition, but will inspire others to search the vast treasure of God’s Word. Precious truths, no doubt, still await discovery. Let us start by looking at the six major aims of this study.