And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts 14:23
A missionary was relating to us the details of his work in a city where the work was very new. A nice number of souls had been saved as a result of the Gospel outreach, and the new Christians were gathering frequently to study the Word of God and to receive teaching from the missionaries. As it became increasingly evident that an Assembly should be planted in that place, the missionaries realized that they would need to identify men among the new believers who could develop into elders. They met with each of the men to determine their level of spiritual development, their knowledge of the Scriptures, and their desire to serve the Lord and His people. The missionary told us this was not an easy task, as Paul and Barnabas would have discovered in our text. But it was a necessary step that is part of God’s purpose for each Assembly.
One of the great principles of God’s New Testament Assemblies is the autonomy of each Assembly. This autonomy means that every local Assembly is responsible before the Lord for its own affairs, including the conducting of meetings, the spiritual welfare of the members, and any disciplinary actions that are needed. There are no regional or national oversight organizations that keep all local assemblies in line with each other; Scripture does not support such overarching authority, regardless of what the dear Exclusive brethren practice. Most Assemblies that have been functioning for years experience a change in oversight over time, as elders age, die, or move away, and as younger men develop and mature into leadership roles. But when new Assemblies are planted, elders must be identified ‘from scratch’, requiring great wisdom on the part of the missionaries or preachers involved. This must be a matter of much prayer.
As an apostle, Paul would have had discernment and direction not available to us today. Although not formally acknowledged as an apostle, Barnabas would also have the benefit of experience and God’s leading. Even so, these great men would not have taken the task of ordaining elders lightly. Our text speaks of prayer and fasting. The recognition of elders today should also be a matter of much prayer and calling on God for wisdom. Whether this involves identifying elders for a new Assembly or identifying new elders for an existing Assembly, this is extremely important.
Our Assemblies are only as strong as their elders. Pray for God to raise up and maintain men worthy of the responsibility. -Jim MacIntosh