111 Who Selects Leaders in the Church?
- Who really selects church leaders— the elders, the preacher, or the congregation?
- If the apostles trusted the whole church to pick the first special servants, why do so many elders today hand-pick their own replacements?
- Does your church follow the Bible’s pattern… or just the tradition that feels safest for those already in power?
- What if the Holy Spirit works through the entire church to identify elders and deacons, not just through the current leadership?
- “Leaders select leaders” sounds efficient— but is it actually biblical?
When it’s time to add to the group of elders or deacons, who makes the selection? I’ve observed at least three ways:
- Elders select men they believe would do the best work and submit the list to the church for evaluation.
- Elders ask the church to make suggestions, but make the final decision as to those selected.
- The church selects. The elders or preachers ordain.
A few years ago, I noticed there was a difference in the act of selecting and appointing leaders in the church. I’d always thought of those as the same thing. Who’s to select leaders in the church? Notice what the Bible tells us about this.
Paul told the elders at Ephesus that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers. The word, made, means “to assign someone to a particular task, function, or role—‘to appoint, to designate’ ”.
It’s my understanding that the Holy Spirit makes elders by converting, instructing, and maturing men to be the leaders God wants them to be, and by giving Christians the qualities to look for when selecting these men to serve in leadership positions.
I find passages telling me preachers appointed elders. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in churches they established on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:23). The word means “to formally appoint or assign someone to a particular task.”
Paul left Titus in Crete to appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5). The word there means “to assign to someone a position of authority over others —‘to put in charge of, to appoint, to designate’ ” Nothing is said in these verses about who selected the elders. Paul, Barnabas, and Titus appointed men as elders.
In Exodus 18:25, we read, “Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people.” But, when we get to Deuteronomy chapter 1, Moses tells us how he chose to choose leaders. Moses was speaking to “all Israel” (Deuteronomy 1:1). Moses said to all Israel, “Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.’ And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good’ ” (Deuteronomy 1:13, 14). Moses said, “You (all Israel) choose. I’ll appoint.”
In Acts 6, when the apostles said they couldn’t leave their tasks in the ministry of the word and prayer, they told the multitude to seek out seven men to serve the widows. The multitude chose. The apostles appointed.
If any leaders should’ve been smart enough and wise enough to pick the best men to be appointed, it seems those whom the Lord selected, taught, and trained should’ve been the best selectors.
However, the apostles told Christians in Jerusalem, “You seek out men. We’ll appoint.” The multitude chose. The apostles appointed. The apostles oversaw the process. They set the structure. But the multitude selected. The apostles appointed.
The scriptures I’ve found instructing or giving examples of elders selecting elders or deacons:
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The principle of the group selecting leaders, not leaders selecting leaders, isn’t a modern idea.
It’s found in Deuteronomy 1. The apostles and the church in Acts 6 practiced it.
Notice these quotes from J. W. McGarvey in his book, A Treatise on the Eldership, printed in 1870:
We have only one example on record, in which we are distinctly told what part was taken by the congregation, and what by the ordaining officers. This is the case of the seven deacons of the church in Jerusalem. The Apostles called together “the multitude of the disciples,” and said, “Look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” Acts vi: 2, 3. The selection, then, was made by the multitude, and the appointment by the apostles. The distinction made between these two terms should not be overlooked. The term appoint is sometimes understood as including the selection, but in the style of the apostles it means merely induction into office, and is distinguished from the selection which precedes it.
Now, in the case of the Elders in the churches of Lycaonia and Pisidia, it is said that Paul and Barnabas “ordained them”; or, to express it more accurately, “appointed them.” Acts xiv: 23. The word here rendered appoint (cheirotoneo) is not the one so rendered in Acts vi: 3; but in such a connection its current meaning is about the same. The part performed by the apostles in this case being the same as in the case of the deacons, it is fair to presume that the part performed by the people was also the same, and that Luke fails to mention it because, having previously stated the process of selecting one class of church officers, he could presume that his readers would understand that the same process was observed in the present instance. Indeed, the nature of the case is such that we would of necessity so understand it, unless expressly informed that the process was different (pages 71, 72).
I’ve seen this process implemented several times. It’s encouraging to see a congregation taught and trusted to understand the Bible and apply its principles with wisdom given by God, making wise selections according to the teaching and examples in scripture.
Here are procedures some congregations have used in this process:
Men must receive several nominations to be considered. In the example, the number is ten. This prevents many frivolous or unfounded suggestions.
There are questions for those considering and being considered to ponder to evaluate themselves. The answers are be available for members of the congregation to see and question if they have concerns.
The wife also provides information and an evaluation of her husband. I suggest an interview with the wife without her husband. Some women don’t wanna be the wife of an elder. If they don’t get to talk it out before he’s appointed, they may act it out after he’s appointed. It’s better to learn this before an unwilling wife’s husband is appointed as an elder.
When someone has a question or objection to a nominee, the concern is addressed first to the person, not the selection committee. Some churches have “legalized gossip” for two weeks during the appointment process: “If anyone has a scriptural objection, write it, sign your name, and hand it to one of the elders. We will not reveal the person who had the objection.” That isn’t Biblical (Matthew 18:15).
Pagans have better rules than that.
Festus said in Acts 25:16:
To them I answered, “It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.”
Individual elders participate in this process just as other members of the congregation. He can submit suggestions of men to serve. If an elder has an objection or question about a nominee being selected, he talks directly to the man, just as any other Christian. If there’s no resolution in this conversation, he takes with him one or two more—usually members of the selection committee. The elders don’t call the man in question in and say, “We’ve considered and prayed about this. The elders don’t believe that you are ready to serve at this time— maybe in the future.”
The church selects. The leaders ordain.
There’s an affirmation procedure. Not only did we not find anything wrong with this man, but we also saw in him godly characteristics, leading us to declare that we want him to be a shepherd and a leader. The nominees and the search committee decide on the percentage of people who must affirm for the man to serve.
What biblical principles have you seen in selecting and appointing leaders?
A Treatise on the Eldership: https://amzn.to/4eir6il
