Original source: https://cbtseminary.org

Part 1:

We distribute a book as a Seminary that I helped to write and edit many years ago.  It is entitled, In Defense of Parity. In that short volume, I with a few other men defend the notion (which many of us hold as Reformed Baptists) that there is no official distinction to be made between the different elders of the church.  In other words, such a view of parity says that biblically all elders are pastors and all pastors are elders.  This view is based on what seems to me to be an indisputable exegetical reality.  That reality is that in the Bible the three words presbuteros, episkopos, and poimein refer to the same office in the church.  This is a little confusing because each of these three Greek words has both an older and a newer.  Presbuteros is translated presbyter in older English and elder in newer English.  Episkopos is translated in older English as bishop and as overseer in newer English.  Poimeinis translated pastor in older English but shepherd in newer English.  Parity simply asserts that all these words refer to the identical office in the church.

But to repeat myself, I am not going to spend a lot of time defending that conclusion or implication of the parity of the eldership and the equivalence of the terms shepherd, elder, and overseer with regard to referencing the same office in the church. The reason is that this conclusion is the assumption or presupposition of these blog posts rather than their thrust or focus.  Here I want to speak of my growing conviction over the years that the parity of the eldership needs to be balanced by the biblical teaching regarding the diversity of the eldership.

Part 2:

A few years ago a friend of mine mistakenly affirmed that I believed in the absolute parity of the eldership.  I informed him, and let me now inform all of my readers, that I emphatically do not believe in such a view of parity.  I believe, in fact, in three different kinds of diversity within the elders of the church.  I will argue that there is diversity of spiritual gift, financial support, and actual influence.  I believe that these three areas of diversity are much more than theoretical in their significance.  They have important practical applications with regard to how the eldership and the church does its holy business.

The diversity of elders is clearly taught in the Scriptures.  It is not, as we have seen, a diversity with regard to office, authority, or title.  But in what, then, does this diversity in the eldership consist? It consists, as I said, in a diversity of spiritual gift, financial support, and actual influence.

Consider, first, the diversity of spiritual gift.

Both the Bible and experience show that elders may have greatly varying gifts.  To think through this matter systematically, let me ask you to consider several things. First, the New Testament emphasizes the sovereignty of God in imparting those gifts.  1 Corinthians 12:11 affirms: “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

Second, the New Testament also emphasizes (and in the same passage) the variety of spiritual gifts which the Spirit in His sovereignty imparts, and the variation given to different members of the body of Christ.  1 Corinthians 12:4-7 says: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”  This same emphasis is found in Romans 12:3-7 and 1 Pet. 4:10-11.  What is true of the gifts of the Spirit to the church in general is, of course, true for the elders of the church as well.  Here too there is variety of gift according to the sovereignty of the Spirit.

Third, there are several different gifts that are important specifically for the eldership.  Romans 12:7-8 names the gifts of teaching, exhorting, and leading.  1 Corinthians 12:28 mentions the gifts of teaching and administration.  1 Peter 4:11 mentions the gift of speaking.  But once more we must remember that God gives these spiritual gifts in varying degrees.  The parable of Jesus emphasizes this in Matthew 25:14-15.  The varying degrees of gift given to Christians and especially to ministers is also taught in Ephesians 4:7-11.  What these passages clearly teach, church history and our own experience confirm. Great diversity exists in the mix and measure of spiritual gifts given to pastor-teachers.

Now this reality has very important practical implications.  For one thing, this means that the qualifications for the eldership should not be measured in terms of the gifts of the outstanding preacher-pastor that we admire so much.  There may be lesser degrees of gift which still qualify a man for the eldership.  Similarly, we must also not limit the exercise of the highly gifted pastor by insisting on an artificial equality in the public ministry of the Word in the church.  Equality of office does not mean equality in opportunities for public ministry in the church.  This should make us accept men of more slender gifts as true elders, but also makes us feel that no artificial equality needs to be implemented in the public ministry of the church.

Part 3:

In our last post we looked at the reality that there is a diversity of spiritual gifts in true elders.  I commented that this has important practical implications for the church and its elders.  But there is also diversity in other respects, specifically there is diversity of financial support.

The New Testament teaches that there is diversity in the matter of financial support.  Some elders may be fully supported by the church.  Other elders may work at another vocation to support themselves.  Let it be emphasized that this diversity is not the product of human sinfulness.  It is ecclesiastically lawful for it to be so.  The key text here is, of course, 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

Two questions must be answered with regard to this passage.  First, what is double honor? Second, to whom is such double honor to be given?

(1)       What is double honor?

Double honor in 1 Timothy 5:17 means generous financial support.  How do we know this?  Double honor in the context of 1 Timothy 5:17 is contrasted with the honor to be given to widows.  Without any doubt this honor for widows consists in financial support (1 Tim. 5:3, 4, 8, 16).  Widows are, then, to be honored, while well-ruling elders are to be given double honor—the generous financial support necessary to comfortably support a man in a leadership position who may also have a wife and children.

The financial character of this honor is confirmed by verse 18.  Here Paul cites the same Old Testament text that he used in 1 Corinthians 9:9 to teach that ministers of the gospel should live of the gospel or be generously, financially supported.  He also cites a saying of the Lord that in both Matt. 10:10 and Luke 10:7 had to do with the financial support of those who preach the gospel.

The term, double, used here is not intended literally.  It is used figuratively in the New Testament to refer to a large or generous portion of something (Matthew 23:15; Rev. 18:6).  Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”Revelation 18:6 “Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.”

In accord with its usage in the New Testament, then, double here simply means or denotes that this financial support is to be ample or generous.  The generosity with which elders should be financially supported is confirmed by the parallel passages (Galatians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 9:14).

(2)       To whom is such double honor to be given?

This financial support of the elders—according to the Apostle Paul—is not to be indiscriminately divided among or necessarily given to all elders.  Notice how the passage speaks of this matter.  Timothy and the church at Ephesus under his leadership are to focus that financial support on the elders who rule well. Among those who rule well financial support is especially to be given to those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

I think of this passage as viewing the eldership in terms of three concentric circles.  Financial support is focused on the innermost circle, may extend to the next circle outward, but does not extend to all elders in general.

The measure of a man’s spiritual gifts in ruling and especially teaching and preaching (as well as his experience, maturity, diligence, and godliness) is related to the matter of financial support.  Of course, the church’s ability may in some cases prevent the church from doing all it should do with regard to the financial support of elders.  In such cases the priorities set by 1 Timothy 5:17 should govern the distribution of financial support to elders.

We may draw from all this a clear conclusion.  The Scriptures could not be more clear that there is diversity with regard to the financial support of elders.

Let me state plainly that voting a man in as a pastor or elder does not mean that the church has any necessary commitment to support that man financially.  Nor does it mean that they are committed to financially supporting that man at the level that they may be supporting pastors already.  Practically, all this means that a separate act of the church from the election of a pastor may be appropriate or even necessary to grant a pastor financial support.  1 Timothy 5:17 makes very clear that some elders or pastors may not be financially supported at all.  This is, then, a different issue than recognizing that a man is a qualified elder.

Part 4:

We have looked at the reality that there is diversity of spiritual giftedness in true elders and that there is also diversity of financial support.  In this post a third area of diversity among the elders will be our focus.  With regard to biblical eldership, there is also the diversity of actual influence.

It is also clear that there may be great diversity in a man’s actual influence as a Christian minister.  This was certainly true even of the highest office in Christ’s church—the office of Apostle.  Paul labored more than all the Apostles.  He had, thus, a proportionately greater influence (1 Cor. 15:10).  It also seems clear that Peter exercised a greater influence than many of the other Apostles (Matt. 16:18; Acts 1:15; 2:14, 38; 3:1).

What is true of the extraordinary office of Apostle certainly must be true of the ordinary office of the pastor or elder.  The sovereignty of God in the work of salvation and the differing gifts the Spirit gives lead to differing degrees of influence for good in Christ’s church.  Of course, once more church history and Christian experience demonstrate that this is true.

The New Testament, then, teaches the plurality, the parity, and the diversity of elders in the eldership of the local church.  It is in light of these three principles that the eldership of every local church ought to be organized.  The distribution of responsibilities and ministries must be guided by each of these three principles.  The diversity of gift, influence and support must not disguise the parity of official authority belonging to each elder.  The parity and plurality of the elders should not suppress the implications of the diversity of elders in the distribution of the responsibilities and ministries in the church.  Parity of office does not require an artificial equality in the distribution of ministry or financial support.  Rather, the sovereignty of Christ in giving a diversity of gifts should be acknowledged in such matters.

One great implication of the diversity of the eldership as we have seen it in this blog series is that part of the calling of a pastor is giving the man who is to be called a clear job description.  This is especially true where the man is not to be the first or sole supported pastor of a church.  Of course, the Bible provides every elder such a job description in its explanation of the duties of the office.  These duties, however, will vary in their proportion and their weight depending on his particular gifts and specific responsibilities.  His ability to fulfill such duties will also be dependent on the time he can devote to such responsibilities.  In turn this will be dependent on whether and to what extent he is financially supported.

To re-emphasize my main point:  all of this requires that the elder-to-be must be provided a clear idea or specific, job description of the particular duties he is called to fulfill as an elder.  This is necessary in order to help a conscientious man make a responsible decision to accept the position being offered to him.  This is also necessary in order to assure that hopes are not raised by the call to the eldership which are false or unrealistic.

Part 5:

In this last post I want simply to collect a number of practical thoughts which flow out of a biblical view of the plurality, parity, and diversity of the eldership.

1.) See in the diversity, parity, and plurality of the eldership the glory of the one, supreme, and almighty Shepherd of the church!  I argue here in the same way that the Epistle to the Hebrews argues.  Cf. Hebrews 7:19-28.  Just as the limited duration and plurality of levitical priests pointed forward to the one, everlasting priest after the order of Melchizedek, so also the plurality of human pastors, the parity of human elders, and the diversity of human elders points up to the glory of the Chief Shepherd of the church.  He alone can make us perfect in every good work to do His will working in us that which is well-pleasing in God’s sight.

2.) Look not to any human pastor for everything you need.  Do not limit yourself to one pastor’s gifts or teaching.  Do not virtually say I am of Apollos! or I am of Peter! or I am of Paul!  Such a posture is both limiting to your growth and potentially divisive.  Do not look finally to any limited, human pastor, but to the unlimited Christ and His unlimited grace.

3.) Observe the constant need for humility and the perpetual danger of pride in connection with the vocation to which pastors are called.  Thankfully, I have not spent a lot of time in the typical pastors’ fraternals, but I have heard enough about such fraternals to know that they are often characterized by boasting and one-up-manship on the part of those named as Christ’s under-shepherds.  I will also confess to you that I often feel the green monster of envy rising in my own heart and need to thrust the sword of the Spirit through that monster. But equally debilitating to the minister is another monster.  The twin of the green monster of envy is the black monster of discouragement about my lack of usefulness which rises in my heart.  That monster sucks the zeal and desire to labor earnestly for Christ out of my soul.  It says to the pastors’ soul, “It will not do any good to preach.  They will not listen.  You will do no good.  You have never done any good.”  I think this black monster is also born of pride like the green monster.  What will slay both these monsters is deep humility before Christ, the seeking of grace from Christ, and the determination to simply do what Christ has called us to do to the best of our ability.

4.) Be careful not to impose on the eldership your limited, human ideas and structures.  The study of the church and the various views of the eldership that have developed in it is cluttered with views of the eldership which are simply too limiting.  What views am I talking about?  There is the notion that you can have only one pastor in a church.  There is the notion that you can have only one bishop in a church.  There is the notion that you must have a senior pastor who hires and fires the other so-called pastors.  There is the notion that you can have only one supported pastor.  There is the notion that you can impose on the eldership the cookie-cutter view which says that there are only two kinds of elders:  teaching elders and ruling elders. There are other sorts of defective views as well.  Some who get a hold of the biblical vision for the parity and equality of elders go to extremes as well.  Since all elders are equal, then all must have equal profile in the church.  They must all preach or teach or lead equally.  They must be supported equally.  Others who hold the parity of the eldership actually conclude that no elders at all should be financially supported.  Perhaps this was the extreme which Paul was combatting in 1 Timothy 5:17. Others conclude that only missionaries or traveling evangelists should be supported, but not ordinary elders.  All of these views are based on a one-sided and imbalanced view of the eldership which takes one part of the biblical teaching to an extreme and ends up denying other aspects of the biblical teaching.  We must hold together the plurality, the parity, and the diversity of the eldership!

5.) Make sure your church is a good steward of the gifts of its elders. One of the saddest things about the limiting views which I just listed in the previous observation is that often it means that some elders’ gifts are not fully utilized in the church.  Or it means that some men who should be elders are not even recognized by the church.  Or it means that to exercise their God-given gifts men are forced to leave their church to find a place of ministry.  If only there had been in the church a biblical vision for the eldership, if only there had not been the humanly limited views of the eldership that prevail in so many places, the church might have been blessed and God’s kingdom advanced.  But no!  The limited views of the eldership dictated by human wisdom had to be honored; and God’s blessing on the church through gifted men was lost.