Category Archives: Elders

Advice to a New Elder: A Few Starting Points, Part 1

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Jay F Guin

Pray. We all sometimes get too busy to pray as we should, and this is always a mistake. Make the time. There’s always one elder who just loves to stop the conversation and insist that everyone stop to pray. He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice to a New Elder, Elders, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Advice to a New Elder: Introduction

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Jay F Guin

I’ve been on leave of absence from the elders at my church for about 2 years. For health reasons. I’m doing better, but I’m still a long way from being able to carry on a full shepherding role. A friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice to a New Elder, Elders, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Getting Rid of a Bad Elder (Revised)

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Jay F Guin

I get emails — Hi Jay, I’ve read some of your articles and recently read one about elders firing their minister. My husband was once fired from a position, and it was a mess. And as we have moved on … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Elders, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Church 2.0: Part 10.13: Selecting Elders, Part 2

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Jay F Guin

The job descriptions in the titles Next, some of the most helpful instructions for what an elder should look like are found in the titles given the position: elder, overseer, and shepherd. An “elder” was the ancient world’s equivalent of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Church 2.0, Ecclesiology, Elders, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Church 2.0: Part 10.12: Selecting Elders, Part 1

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Jay F Guin

When I mention “elders” in a Church of Christ forum, I immediately receive a negative reaction, as though all elders in the Churches of Christ are just awful. There’s a desperate unhappiness within many of our congregations regarding whom we’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Church 2.0, Ecclesiology, Elders, Uncategorized | 30 Comments

On the Spirit’s Ordination of Elders

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Jay F Guin

 I have a new article up at Wineskins: On the Spirit’s Ordination of Elders.

Posted in Elders, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Further on Elders (“The People Demand a King”)

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Jay F Guin

There is this theory that elders with positional authority are the equivalent of a king — and God is opposed to our having a king. (1Sa 8:6a NET)  But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elders, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Further on Elders (The Authority of Preachers)

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Jay F Guin

The argument is being made more and more frequently that the preacher has authority to ordain elders because Timothy and Titus had the authority to ordain elders. Maybe. But we really have to approach these questions with the greatest of humility … Continue reading →

Posted in Elders, Uncategorized | 25 Comments

Further on Elders (On Moralistic Therapeutic Deism)

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Jay F Guin

Some time ago, I posted a series on Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD), a term coined by Christian Smith, who wrote Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, with Melinda Lundquist. Smith and Lundquist found that most Christian American … Continue reading →

Posted in Elders, Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Further on Elders (Getting Rid of Bad Elders: Cure, Part 2)

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Jay F Guin

A church has a good eldership, except one elder really doesn’t belong. He should never have been ordained. Experience shows that he really doesn’t have the qualities of a shepherd/overseer/elder and the giftedness from the Spirit for the task. Most … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Elders, Elders, Uncategorized | 4 Comments