Text: 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9 Elders play a vital role in God’s plan for the church. But we cannot appoint just anyone – they must be qualified. This lesson will examine the qualifications for elders. “An Overseer, Then, Must Be…” (1 Timothy 3:2; cf. Titus 1:7) These are not optional – an unqualified man […]
July 4, 2016
Examining the New Testament Passages About Elders
Text: Acts 14:23 When considering elders, we need to examine what the New Testament says about them. This lesson will focus on passages that speak about elders. The next lessons will look more closely at the qualifications for elders and the relationship between elders and the church. Acts 11:29-30 Elders are responsible to oversee the work […]
May 30, 2016
Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel
Text: Ezekiel 34:1-7 This passage contains a prophecy against “the shepherds of Israel.” They failed to fulfill their role in leading the people by taking advantage of them and only looking out for themselves. The most obvious parallel to “shepherds” would be to elders shepherding the Lord’s church. However, there are applications for all of us. We […]
May 23, 2016
What Christians Need to Know About the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Text: 1 John 4:1 It is good for Christians to have at least a basic understanding of what others believe in order to be better equipped to teach the truth and defend against error. This lesson will highlight some notable beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and explain how these are contrary to the Scriptures. God/Jehovah Jehovah’s Witnesses […]
April 18, 2016
The Lord’s Church
Text: Matthew 16:18 This is the first in a series of lessons about different churches. There are many different churches in the religious world. We need to know why they are different and why that is important. In this lesson, we will look at the church that Jesus established – the one shown to us […]
November 16, 2015
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 […]
November 9, 2015
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 […]
