I want to consider a church member’s responsibility to hold elders accountable. The first area concerns what they teach, and the second area involves how they live (and lead). Paul’s exhortation to Timothy comes to mind to frame this up: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Finally, I’ll conclude by remembering the precious commodity of trust in a healthy congregation.

In elder-led congregational polity, church members have a number of important responsibilities; two main areas converge in the responsibility to guard the gospel. We guard the content of the gospel by ensuring that right doctrine is being preached. And we guard the testimony of the gospel by ensuring that church members believe the right gospel and demonstrate right living.

We understand that much of this is accomplished through membership and church discipline. But how does this apply when considering elders? There are common questions that arise here. How should you as a church member think about holding your pastors accountable? Further, what about church discipline for elders? Is this process different than it is for other church members? At the same time church members are called to honor, love, and respect their elders (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 5:1). The Scriptures even call members to obey and submit to their elders’ teaching and leadership (Hebrews 13:17).

How can a church member faithfully do their job amid this complexity of responsibility?

In this post, I want to consider a church member’s responsibility to hold elders accountable. The first area concerns what they teach, and the second area involves how they live (and lead). Paul’s exhortation to Timothy comes to mind to frame this up: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Finally, I’ll conclude by remembering the precious commodity of trust in a healthy congregation.

Watch Their Life

Prior to becoming an elder, a man must be assessed to ensure he is able to meet the requirements of Scripture. These specific qualifications are found in a few different passages (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4). When considering moral qualifications we notice they are surprisingly ordinary. In fact, apart from the stipulation that elders are “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2), the qualifications are largely made up of what is expected of all mature Christians. An elder’s life is to be characterized by maturity. The fact that they are to be above reproach (v.2) communicates not the need for perfection but for a mature progress in godliness that is free from ongoing sins that would undermine his ministry.

Watching must be clarified. It would be an unhealthy context if church members felt commissioned to serve as investigators, deputized to walk behind their elders and look for potential reasons to remove them. This is not the type of watching the Bible commands. Instead, the context for watching is built into the community life of the church whereby members learn and are instructed by the manner of life of their elders.

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7)

There are many other examples where the leader’s life is to serve as an example for the rest of the church (1 Peter 5:3 especially; but also: 1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:7,9). It is a benefit for the church member to spend time with their shepherds so they can watch, learn, and emulate.

In a previous post I wrote about what to do if the elder is not meeting biblical qualifications. But for now, it’s important to have this category in place and its corresponding biblical emphasis. Keep an eye on your elders’ lives. It’s a tool for your own growth.

Keep an eye on your elders’ lives. It’s a tool for your own growth.

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