What do Elders (Pastors) do?: Part 1

A pastor approaches his responsibilities with many different experiences, abilities, and priorities. No two pastors are alike, and, at the same time, each pastor stands holding the same Bible. If you look across the churches, their commonalities exceed their differences, though they are led by different men. Each church is filled with various needs and congregations that reflect their heritage, culture, and geography. There are older congregations that require more physical care and younger congregations that need more training. There are singles, families, urban areas, rural locations, different overseers and yet, the same Bible. Therefore, given these differences, let’s look at the same Bible and list some tasks that rest on the office of elder.

In no particular order of priority, but in category we will outline shepherding, overseeing, and disciple-making. Those categories will be helpful to outline tasks/care, but they equally overlap in function. Disciple-making might seem odd, but at the basis, each believer is called to make disciples. Therefore, this is linked with the office and personal commission from the Lord.

We will take these three categories (shepherd, oversee, disciple-making) in three separate blogs. Here is part one.

Shepherding

Guide the members through counsel and care

Every elder is called to be among the flock (1 Peter 5) and to shepherd the flock of God. Shepherds guide sheep in leading them with great care. Pastors should look for ways to provide wisdom and care to lead people toward Christ. People of all ages need direction and truth from the Word to move through this world.

Ephesians 4:11–14

[11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,[12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,[13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,[14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Pastors provide truth for guidance in life to avoid error and live a godly life. An elder’s work in guidance provides pathways for the Spirit to unify the church. Not that the Spirit is waiting on pastors, but He is working through pastoral guidance to bring people together in maturity.

Guard the members from error or self-harm

Every pastor has the chance to care for the sheep in protecting them from false teaching/teachers and self-harm in the form of sin. A pastor does this first by understanding the gospel in knowledge and devotion.

1 Timothy 6:20–21

[20] O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” [21] for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. 

Pastors guard the gospel (deposit entrusted) and avoid babbling/contradictions. From their gospel integrity, they help members avoid false teachers (Matthew 7). Additionally, they provide gospel clarity to eliminate petty disagreements.

Philippians 1:9–11

[9] And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,[10] so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,[11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Pastors follow the example of Paul to pray that the church (here the church of Phillipi) pursues what is blameless and approves what is excellent. Praying is part of the work in guarding the saints as the pastor pursues gospel purity.

Grazing the flock on the truth of God’s Word

Among all of the character qualifications of elders is the mention of rightly handling the Word of truth. Every elder must teach the Word well (Paul encourages Timothy to do it) not only in a pulpit, but in smaller groups, disciple-making, and counseling.

Colossians 1:25–26

[25] of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,[26] the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Making the Word fully known ensures people see God well and respond to Him in obedience. The Word of God is our revelation of God and how to live according to His kingdom. Elders must teach the Word well and provide care by making the Word clear.

John 21:15–17

[15] When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”[16] He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”[17] He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Good shepherds feed the sheep in love for God and their members.

-Pastor John Richardson