Elders - Men of Maturity and Experience

by Jim Pounders

The second in the series of sermons on elders talked about the word which is translated “elder, older man, or ambassador”. It refers to someone with experience and maturity. This is a man who is trusted because of his life—a life that is seen by observing in him the attributes that Paul gave to Timothy and Titus.
1. He has experience in relationships. And this is observed by the way he treats his family. He is the husband of one wife, or as the Scripture says literally, he is a “one wife husband.” He is
observed to be faithful to one woman, loving and considerate. He is dependable and worthy of trust.
He also in his relationships has children who treat him “with proper respect” and are not “wild or disobedient”. What’s the point in talking about family relationships? “If anyone does not know
how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” ( I Timothy 3:5)
2. He is above reproach or to use other words in Scripture, he is holy, disciplined, self-controlled and has a good reputation with outsiders. The truth is that no one is absolutely blameless. As the Psalmist said, “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins…who could
stand?” Oh but this is a man who has done battle with Satan and has overcome. You can tell by the whole of his life that he has been victorious over sin, and that he considers Jesus to be the Lord of the way he lives.
3. He is able to teach. Specifically Paul says, “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who
oppose it.” This is a man who doesn’t just get his Bible knowledge from the preacher on Sunday morning. He takes God seriously and is one who “studies to show himself approved unto God”. He is not a casual student. He is a man of the Word. And what he has learned he is able to teach—either publicly or one on one—or both. This is a man of experience who leads and whom people want to follow.