Text: Acts 19:1-10 When Paul came to Ephesus, he found twelve men that would be part of the beginning of the church in that city. There are some lessons we can learn from this account – we will consider a few of them here. Disciples of John When we first read “disciples,” we might assume these […]
Appointing and Working with Elders
Text: Acts 20:28 Once men have developed to the point that they are qualified to be elders, what comes next? Elders must be appointed. Then the congregation must work under their oversight. How does this work? And what about a congregation without qualified men to serve as elders? The Appointment of Elders The preacher’s role […]
The Other Qualifications for Elders
Text: 1 Timothy 3:4-5 Most of the qualifications for elders have to do with their character. However, there are other qualifications regarding his family, ability, and personal history. We will consider these other qualifications in this lesson. His Family He Must Be the Husband of One Wife (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6) Verb tense is […]
The Character Qualifications for Elders
Text: 1 Timothy 3:2-3; Titus 1:6-9 If we are to develop, identify, and appoint elders, we must know the qualifications for elders that God has given. Most of the qualifications have to do with the elder’s character – traits that all Christians should possess. In studying these, it is not just about someone else (elders or […]
One Another
Text: Romans 12:4-5 Paul told the saints in Rome that they were “members one of another.” They were part of the same body, which should lead them to act in a certain way toward each another. In this lesson, we will consider what Paul told the Christians in Rome about this. How they were to treat […]
The Needed Work of Elders
Text: Acts 14:23 As Paul returned from his first preaching tour, he and Barnabas visited the churches that had been established (Acts 14:21-23). As they visited, they “appointed elders…in every church.” In this example, we see that a church having elders should be a priority. This lesson will focus on the needed work of elders […]