Elders Oversee the Making of Disciples

"...those who will give an account..." (Hebrews 13:17)

When Christ gave the command to make disciples, He most certainly had the elders in mind. Although the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 was given to the Apostles, who would first preach the gospel, first plant churches and complete the writings of the Bible, the baton of leadership would inevitably be passed to elders. If anyone must adhere to the command to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you," it is elders.

We see examples of the progression of church leadership from the Apostles to elders in the book of Acts. As churches were established, elders were appointed in every church. "And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed." (Acts 14:23) When a dispute arose in the church because the gospel was being distorted by the false teachers, elders were included in the council. (Acts 15:6) They were likely included, not only to be involved in the discussion but to be further trained as leaders in their ministry to the church.

This leadership was spoken of by Paul when he gathered the elders together at Ephesus. "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." (Acts 20:28) Slowly but surely, leadership of God's church passed from the Apostles to elders.

As Paul's ministry came to a close, he wrote the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim, 2 Tim, Titus) as a final encouragement and exhortation to those who would now lead the flock.

And we have the testimony of Paul in Ephesians 4:11 where he plainly states that elders were given by God to the church "...to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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,
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."

Given that the baton of spiritual leadership was passed to elders (who would one day give an account for their leadership [Hebrews 13:17]), it follows then that they would oversee the carrying out of Christ's command to the church to make disciples. It is impossible to believe that they would not lead this process. In teaching, in behavior and in leadership, elders (under the authority of Christ and through the working of the Holy Spirt) guide the church in the path of making disciples.

Elders then must imitate Paul, who saw to it that Timothy was ready for the role God gave him. Writing to Timothy, Paul declared, "You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra-which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me." (2 Timothy 3:10) Timothy, indeed had become a "young man" in the faith (1 John 2:14), a mature disciple because of Paul's teaching and example. Elders should do likewise today.

They must insure that those whom they shepherd become mature disciples, ones that have the attributes of disciples given by our Lord. In obedience to Christ, they must be devoted to this calling, understanding that unless mature disciples are being produced within their flock, then they are not carrying out the commission God gave to the church.

This will require examination by the elder of the ministries within the church. He should be prayerfully looking at the condition of his flock, seeing if in fact disciples, the kind Jesus describes in the gospels, are being made. If the flock in his care are not maturing in doctrine and are not exhibiting the attributes of biblical disciples (a redundant phrase), then he must be willing to submit what he does to the word of God for examination.

Every elder overseeing the flock of God has the duty and calling to see that disciples are being made in the church, who are taught to observe all that Christ commanded. If he is not concerned with this, then he is not serving in obedience to Christ and it is unlikely that disciples are being made. If this is the case, he must repent and press on in obedience to Christ.

Christ gave the command to make disciples and only the kind He defined in His word. Elders, as shepherds over His flock are responsible for seeing that it happens.