Ruling elders ought to visibly and actively participate in the leadership of public worship, the church’s most important weekly activity. When ruling elders call the congregation to worship, lead prayers and confessions, read scripture, and assist in the administration of the sacraments the people are reminded that they have several pastors, not just one. Ruling elders do not preach (the most important part of worship), but their leadership of most other parts of the service can remind the people that there is more to worship than the sermon and that there are more shepherds to serve and lead them than the senior pastor.   

Concepts of representation and visibility often come up in social and political discussions about equity, inclusion, fairness, or justice. These concepts can be wrongly or unwisely imported into the church, a spiritual body with her own ethics, processes, standards, and constitution. Yet there is a pressing need to pursue and prioritize a certain kind of representation and visibility in the church precisely because the church is a society with a particular polity.

The last several years have seen a growing appreciation and promotion of ruling elder involvement in the Presbyterian Church in America. Articles have been written and organizations have been formed to encourage, aid, and inform ruling elders who desire to attend and serve in the higher courts of the church. More and more ruling elders are learning to act as shepherds in their local churches and are being disabused of notions that they are little more than directors on corporate-type boards. For all this progress, there is yet another part of church ministry in which all ruling elders ought to be ready to assist—leadership of corporate worship. Representation and visibility are two reasons they ought to embrace this role. Let me try to explain.

What Is Representation In Presbyterian Church Government?

Presbyterian polity (and PCA polity in particular) strikes a wonderful balance between top-down clericalism and bottom-up congregational anarchy. The biblical middle way is that of rule and service by elders (presbyters) of two classes (ruling and teaching), all of whom are elected by (not imposed upon) the members of the church. Teaching elders are also accountable to and approved by the regional presbytery—not just the local session and congregation—for even greater accountability. Ruling elders, like teaching elders, represent and embody Christ’s provision for his church as part of the “ministry of men.” They are part of the “delivery system” for Gospel benefits. We read of this in the preface to the PCA Book of Church Order:

It belongs to His Majesty from His throne of glory to rule and teach the Church through His Word and Spirit by the ministry of men; thus mediately exercising His own authority and enforcing His own laws, unto the edification and establishment of His Kingdom.

Elders represent Christ as they rule and teach, speaking and judging for him. Though they do this mediately, not immediately, and fallibly, not infallibly, they still represent Christ to the church as ordained leaders. Ruling elders, being chosen from the local church, represent the membership of the local church in the courts of the church and ensure that the church members have a voice and advocate. (1)

Representation In Worship First Reflects The Object of Our Worship

So it is because of who they represent (both Christ and the people) that ruling elders ought to visibly and actively participate in the leadership of public worship, the church’s most important weekly activity. When ruling elders call the congregation to worship, lead prayers and confessions, read scripture, and assist in the administration of the sacraments the people are reminded that they have several pastors, not just one. Ruling elders do not preach (the most important part of worship), but their leadership of most other parts of the service can remind the people that there is more to worship than the sermon and that there are more shepherds to serve and lead them than the senior pastor.

Not surprisingly, there is a type of representation and inclusion displayed in some PCA churches that seems to be influenced more by social and political trends than by high esteem for the officers of the church. It’s not hard to find PCA worship services where unordained members or staff lead many elements of worship, including calls to worship, invocations, confessions of faith and sin, words of absolution or pardon, pastoral prayers, and scripture readings.

Read More