Thanks for your response to my question.  However, I was trying to get a
grasp on the nature of the "rule" elders are supposed to be exercising.  For
example, we have elders who call folks who do not show up for church service
(called the covenant renewal service at our church, but that is another
issue) and accuse them of sin.  This is disturbing to me.  Please, members
of the list, I need your wise counsel and thoughts here.
spb

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	James W. Allen [SMTP:jallen@...]
> Sent:	Thursday, January 29, 2004 1:58 PM
> To:	soundofgrace@...
> Subject:	[soundofgrace] Ruling Elders
> 
> The idea of a "ruling elder" comes from 1 Timothy, where Paul says that
> elders "who rule well" are worthy of double honor, especially those who
> work
> hard at preaching and teaching.
> 
> Some read the last phrase as inferring that there are some elders who do
> not
> preach and teach, otherwise why would Paul say that those who do are
> entitled to special honor? Therefore, an elder who is not engaged in
> preaching or teaching is a "ruling elder," having authority but not
> teaching.
> 
> Of course, all elders are "able to teach," but not all elders teach at all
> times, so the distinction does have a practical aspect.
> 
> Most Baptists who have elders do not use this distinction, I believe. In
> our
> church, we saw all elders as being equal, but as having different roles.
> All
> elders "ruled," but some elders did not teach at some times (after all,
> not
> everyone can teach all the time).
> 
> James W. Allen
> jallen@...
> 
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