Growing into Christ (5)

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you… Titus 1.5

The Elder and His Work
David Dickson (1821-1885)
“The eldership, under some form or other, is absolutely necessary for a healthy and useful Church. The Wesleyans have adopted it largely in the form of class-leaders. Many Baptist and Congregational churches expect their deacons to do the elders’ work. And many intelligent Episcopalians desire to have lay agency formally sanctioned in their churches.”

Dickson was not a stodgy Presbyterian. He understood that the work of shepherding – equipping God’s people for lives of ministry – was more important than what you call it. A shepherd by any other name is still a shepherd. The primary work of elders is to shepherd the flock of God, and if your church prefers some other name, so be it. But don’t let the work of shepherding fall by the way side. Paul indicated that a church is not quite “in order” until it has shepherds functioning in their proper roles. God is a God of order (1 Cor. 14.40), and He has prescribed the kind of order He intends to use in helping His people grow into Christ and live as His witnesses. If you’re not following God’s order for equipping the saints, then how can you expect to realize God’s promised results – disciples who live as witnesses for Christ?

Paul seemed to think that a church was not quite “in order” until it had shepherds. Why do you suppose he thought this? Would you describe your church as “in order”? Explain.

If Men Will Pray
Paul explicitly declared that men everywhere should lift holy hands in prayer, so that the Gospel could flourish (1 Tim. 2.1-8). So how is it with the men of your church? Are they men of prayer? Do they take no rest, and give God no rest, seeking Him in prayer? Men at Prayer provides resources for you to use in enlisting, equipping, and encouraging your men for prayer. Watch this brief video, then begin developing a strategy for leading the men of your church to take their place on the wall, seeking the Lord for revival, renewal, and awakening in our day. If you need helping thinking this through, or you’d like to talk about this effort, send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations are from David Dickson, The Elder and His Work (Dallas: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1990).