Day 11: Thursday 28th March pray for eldership team

In Acts 24:23 the bible says ‘Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
 
As a church we believe that the spiritual life of the church is led by groups of elders
 
This is a very specific role in the church and as succinctly as I can they the following responsibilities
 

• Caring for the spiritual life of the church, keeping the church true to God.

 

• The church’s teaching and doctrine

 

• They hold the responsibility for the vision and direction of the church

 

• Discipline and protecting the flock from spiritual wolves

If you have more questions or want a longer explanation please come and talk to me :) 
 
Currently we are in the process of building an eldership team and a group of our men are going up once a month to an exploring eldership course in Ambleside.
 
As you can see this is a huge responsibility and calling on someone’s life and this group is currently seeking God whether this role sits with their calling or gifting.
 
This is a great video by Terry Virgo talking about appointing elders: https://vimeo.com/24831315
 
Please pray for this group of guys and our church, that God will make all things clear and he will speak to them and move in their lives.
 
Also pray for me as I pray, work and guide this process through. As it is possibly one of the most important things I do in my present role as singular elder of our church.
 
Finally, please also pray for me as I lead Community Church Blackburn as its elder and that I heed the advice Andy Parr gave me. “Lean heavily on God, be gentle and humble, seek to be full of grace and love, be merciful and forgiving and you will be God’s man” Andy Parr 25th April 2017  

Helpful Bible Verses
 
1 Timothy 3
 
This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honourable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.  He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
 
A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
 
1 Peter 5:1-4
 
Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
 
Titus 1:9
 
holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
 
Hebrews 13:17
 
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.