Today's readings are Deuteronomy 1.1-18 and Matthew 5.1-20.
What Moses lays out for us today in our reading from Deuteronomy is strikingly similar to the idea of elders laid out in the New Testament. In fact, if we look at the use of the term "elder" throughout the Bible, we find that there are leaders in every age, both in Judaism and in Christianity, called elders, detailed with the same kind of responsibilities. they are to guard the Scriptures, nurture people in God's Word, give wise counsel, and judge between people in conflict.
It strikes me that very often that role has been restricted to "professional clergy." Yet throughout history we see examples of godly men taking their responsibilities seriously, whether they are on the payroll of a religious organization or not. I can think of innumerable men I would trust implicitly to search the Scripture responsibly, to look at what others have said about it, to take matters seriously and fairly, and to judge in a dispute. Many of those men are pastors. Many are not. Yet all of them are biblically qualified to be elders in every sense of the word.
Yes, we want to raise up leaders in the Church. Yes, we value a trained clergy who have time to devote themselves fully to the Word of God, to prayer, and to visiting their flocks with Christ's care. But we also want to raise up other leaders who live out different callings for their economic life alongside the calling they have to serving as elders, shepherding the flock they are with. These people need even more of the time and effort that pastors can provide, as the pastor is the one providing his elders with the kind of discipleship and training he received through years of seminary study and which he cultivates in hours of study time each week, knowing that the lay elders don't have that luxury. It's a big job, but it's one our Lord has given us. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.
What Moses lays out for us today in our reading from Deuteronomy is strikingly similar to the idea of elders laid out in the New Testament. In fact, if we look at the use of the term "elder" throughout the Bible, we find that there are leaders in every age, both in Judaism and in Christianity, called elders, detailed with the same kind of responsibilities. they are to guard the Scriptures, nurture people in God's Word, give wise counsel, and judge between people in conflict.
It strikes me that very often that role has been restricted to "professional clergy." Yet throughout history we see examples of godly men taking their responsibilities seriously, whether they are on the payroll of a religious organization or not. I can think of innumerable men I would trust implicitly to search the Scripture responsibly, to look at what others have said about it, to take matters seriously and fairly, and to judge in a dispute. Many of those men are pastors. Many are not. Yet all of them are biblically qualified to be elders in every sense of the word.
Yes, we want to raise up leaders in the Church. Yes, we value a trained clergy who have time to devote themselves fully to the Word of God, to prayer, and to visiting their flocks with Christ's care. But we also want to raise up other leaders who live out different callings for their economic life alongside the calling they have to serving as elders, shepherding the flock they are with. These people need even more of the time and effort that pastors can provide, as the pastor is the one providing his elders with the kind of discipleship and training he received through years of seminary study and which he cultivates in hours of study time each week, knowing that the lay elders don't have that luxury. It's a big job, but it's one our Lord has given us. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.
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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com
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