Eldership Formation Series. Episode 1 The Role of Elders at Glow

Welcome to the Eldership Formation Series — I’m so glad you’re here.

If you're listening to this, it means you're either entering a season of discernment around eldership, or you’ve been invited to explore what it means to carry spiritual oversight within Glow Church.

Over this series, we’ll walk through the role, qualifications, and posture of an elder — not just as a title, but as a calling.

Transcript

Welcome to the Eldership Formation Series — I’m so glad you’re here.
If you're listening to this, it means you're either entering a season of discernment around eldership, or you’ve been invited to explore what it means to carry spiritual oversight within Glow Church.
Over this series, we’ll walk through the role, qualifications, and posture of an elder — not just as a title, but as a calling.
And we begin right here, in Episode 1: The Role of Elders at Glow.

SECTION 1: WHAT IS AN ELDER, REALLY?
Let’s start with a simple but essential question:
 What exactly is an elder?
In the New Testament, elders were spiritual leaders — not board members — but shepherds.
 They were men and women of maturity, faith, and integrity who provided spiritual care, protection, and oversight for the local church.
At Glow, eldership is not about position — it’s about posture.
 It’s not about power — it’s about spiritual weight, carried with humility and wisdom.
Our elders aren’t here to run the church. That’s the role of our pastors, our senior leadership, and our operational leads.
But elders are here to:
Support the Lead Pastors


Help carry spiritual discernment


Uphold biblical values


Provide covering in prayer, wisdom, and relational presence


This is a spiritual role — not a functional one.
 And it’s more about what you carry behind the scenes than what anyone sees in public.

SECTION 2: THE ROLE OF ELDERS AT GLOW
Here’s how we define eldership in our context:
The primary role of Elders at Glow is to provide accountability and support for the Lead Pastors.
That might sound simple — but it’s significant.
It means you’re close enough to our pastors to care for them…
 Faithful enough to speak truth when needed…
 And spiritually mature enough to carry things privately that others may never know about.
As an elder, you’re also present for:
Praying with people in moments of need or discernment


Offering input in staff challenges when asked


Supporting healthy marriages and households


Encouraging spiritual alignment between our UK location and the global eldership network


And helping hold the senior pastors accountable to the calling God has placed on them


You’re not overseeing the church in a corporate sense.
 You’re anchoring it spiritually — like ballast in the bottom of the boat.
And that quiet weight you carry… matters more than you think.

SECTION 3: THE POSTURE OF AN ELDER 
Let’s talk about posture.
The best elders are not loud. They’re not attention-seeking.
 They’re steady. Present. Prayerful. Spiritually alert.
You may not have all the answers — that’s okay.
 But you carry a spirit of wisdom.
 You know when to speak and when to pray.
 You don’t get pulled into politics, pressure, or hype.
Instead, you ask:
Is this aligned with the Word?


Is this building the Church?


How can I support and strengthen the leaders God has placed here?


Your words carry weight because your life carries consistency.
Elders aren’t spiritual referees.
 They’re relational protectors — of people, of vision, and of culture.

SECTION 4: THIS ISN’T ABOUT STATUS — IT’S ABOUT SERVICE 
Finally, eldership is not a badge of seniority.
 It’s not a reward for loyalty or time served.
 And it’s certainly not a platform.
It’s a ministry of covering, of care, of counsel.
Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:
“Acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.”
That’s the kind of elder we want — one who cares, one who speaks truth in love, one who strengthens what God is doing in the house.
This is a role for those who:
Carry prayer with purpose


Speak rarely, but wisely


Listen deeply


And live lives worth imitating



CLOSING & REFLECTIONS
So here’s your reflection for this week:
What draws you to eldership — and what sobers you about it?
 Are you called to carry the weight… not just hold the title?
Take some time to pray, journal, and reflect on those two questions.
You’re not signing up for a task.
 You’re discerning whether God is entrusting you with a spiritual responsibility for others.
Thanks for taking this seriously.
 In Episode 2, we’ll walk through the biblical qualifications for elders, and what integrity and maturity really look like in everyday life.
See you then.