About 16 to 17 biblical texts speak to the doctrine of a biblical ecclesiology. The following texts all reference the early church having multiple elders within one geographical assembly of saints:
*Acts 11:30
*Acts 14:23
*Acts 15:4,6
*Acts 15:22-23
*Acts 16:4
*Acts 20:17
*Acts 21:18
*Philippains 1:1
*1Tim. 4:14
*1 Tim. 5:17
*Titus 1:5
*James 5:14
*1 Peter 5:1
In examining the life of Adam, and all of those who have the Adamic nature (which is all of us), I am seeing a pattern. I've met many men who are still doing exactly what Adam did.
Adam was not strong enough to say no to Eve. Thus, by his sin he plunged the whole human race into depravity at the moment that he disobeyed God's command in the garden. In theology we call this the federal and natural headship doctrine (see Romans 5:12). Adam (which in the Hebrew is the name for mankind) represented mankind and inside of Adam was all of mankind to come. He failed to ask for help when approached by Eve in the time of temptation.
I suppose Adam, like any man, struggled with how to tell his closest and ONLY neighbor in love "no". In reality he actually failed to call upon God for strength and thus by his failure he ruined all of us. Of course, we were seminally present in him and had we been there we too would have done the very same thing. If we would have done anything different then surely God would have placed us there.
But I see the pattern of Adam replayed over and over in the lives of men who are married. One man came to me and admitted such. He said to me: "I am afraid of my wife. I'm afraid of loosing her if I stand up to her and do not give her what she wants I just want her to be happy."
I took him to 1 Cor. 7:33 where the Bible says: "But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided." He read this and saw it as a reality in his own life. Over time he began to lean on the strength of the elders when he had to make a tough decision. He grew in his strength. It was not easy but he had a team of men standing behind him, encouraging him, and holding him accountable.
In another case a man in the fellowship had a very strong willed woman who basically led the home. In teaching and counseling he realized he had to step up to the plate to be the man and leader of the home. Yet his wife was so stubborn it took not only him but numerous elders(and some ladies in support of the men) to help turn the tables and the balance back to the correct side. I recall in one conversation where an elder told the man and wife that until he stood up to his wife she would not respect him. She agreed and actually admitted she longed for the day when she would not be able to push him around.
I've heard it said that sin is like weights over you. Sometimes a man alone cannot lift the weight off of him by himself. He may have over him a weight of 300 lbs and only have the strength to overcome 225lbs of resistance. He may need other brothers around him to gain that extra 75lbs of strength to be able to lift the weight and carry it.
It appears to me that a godly group of elders (plural) who are over the people under their care is one of the best ways in which men can have the guidance and strength needed to take the headship role in the home, especially if he has a large family.
Like Adam, when men venture out alone, as Adam did, experience seems to show that men will sometimes either be a dictator or a passive follower instead of a biblically balanced leader.
But if a man can find a team of men, a plural set of godly leaders to bond with, to look up to for guidance and strength in love and truth he may have a much better chance of turning the balance of the scales back towards being the faithful head of the home. A plurality of overssers in the church seems to be one of the best ways in which husbands can learn, grow, and receive the time and attention needed to be molded into the image of Christ, which in turn will flow into the home and unto the wives.
There seems to be great wisdom in God giving to each church a plural body of elders (overseers) in order that men may grow up in maturity. Maybe if more new church plants and more existing churches would embrace a plural body of mature overseers who rule in love and truth over the body more men could be discipled into being mature elders over the home and then in the church and then in the community.
Maybe this is one solution to some of the marital problems. We claim there is a lack of men to lead the home. This is often true. But maybe this is so because we sometimes have embraced a weak model of church government where one man tries to rule or where the rulers actually have no authority because the people control the leadership. Maybe if we give the reigns of authority back to a plural set of godly, competent, mature, doctrinally stable men (elders) then they can disciple men in the home to become good elders over their sheep (their family). Of course, I would not suggest this is the only answer to raise up strong men, but it sure does seem like one of the methods used in Scripture that has been lost in some fellowships today. Maybe if more returned to it more problems in marriages could be resolved and handled from the collective wisdom of the eldership.
Dr. Keith Allen
*Acts 11:30
*Acts 14:23
*Acts 15:4,6
*Acts 15:22-23
*Acts 16:4
*Acts 20:17
*Acts 21:18
*Philippains 1:1
*1Tim. 4:14
*1 Tim. 5:17
*Titus 1:5
*James 5:14
*1 Peter 5:1
In examining the life of Adam, and all of those who have the Adamic nature (which is all of us), I am seeing a pattern. I've met many men who are still doing exactly what Adam did.
Adam was not strong enough to say no to Eve. Thus, by his sin he plunged the whole human race into depravity at the moment that he disobeyed God's command in the garden. In theology we call this the federal and natural headship doctrine (see Romans 5:12). Adam (which in the Hebrew is the name for mankind) represented mankind and inside of Adam was all of mankind to come. He failed to ask for help when approached by Eve in the time of temptation.
I suppose Adam, like any man, struggled with how to tell his closest and ONLY neighbor in love "no". In reality he actually failed to call upon God for strength and thus by his failure he ruined all of us. Of course, we were seminally present in him and had we been there we too would have done the very same thing. If we would have done anything different then surely God would have placed us there.
But I see the pattern of Adam replayed over and over in the lives of men who are married. One man came to me and admitted such. He said to me: "I am afraid of my wife. I'm afraid of loosing her if I stand up to her and do not give her what she wants I just want her to be happy."
I took him to 1 Cor. 7:33 where the Bible says: "But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided." He read this and saw it as a reality in his own life. Over time he began to lean on the strength of the elders when he had to make a tough decision. He grew in his strength. It was not easy but he had a team of men standing behind him, encouraging him, and holding him accountable.
In another case a man in the fellowship had a very strong willed woman who basically led the home. In teaching and counseling he realized he had to step up to the plate to be the man and leader of the home. Yet his wife was so stubborn it took not only him but numerous elders(and some ladies in support of the men) to help turn the tables and the balance back to the correct side. I recall in one conversation where an elder told the man and wife that until he stood up to his wife she would not respect him. She agreed and actually admitted she longed for the day when she would not be able to push him around.
I've heard it said that sin is like weights over you. Sometimes a man alone cannot lift the weight off of him by himself. He may have over him a weight of 300 lbs and only have the strength to overcome 225lbs of resistance. He may need other brothers around him to gain that extra 75lbs of strength to be able to lift the weight and carry it.
It appears to me that a godly group of elders (plural) who are over the people under their care is one of the best ways in which men can have the guidance and strength needed to take the headship role in the home, especially if he has a large family.
Like Adam, when men venture out alone, as Adam did, experience seems to show that men will sometimes either be a dictator or a passive follower instead of a biblically balanced leader.
But if a man can find a team of men, a plural set of godly leaders to bond with, to look up to for guidance and strength in love and truth he may have a much better chance of turning the balance of the scales back towards being the faithful head of the home. A plurality of overssers in the church seems to be one of the best ways in which husbands can learn, grow, and receive the time and attention needed to be molded into the image of Christ, which in turn will flow into the home and unto the wives.
There seems to be great wisdom in God giving to each church a plural body of elders (overseers) in order that men may grow up in maturity. Maybe if more new church plants and more existing churches would embrace a plural body of mature overseers who rule in love and truth over the body more men could be discipled into being mature elders over the home and then in the church and then in the community.
Maybe this is one solution to some of the marital problems. We claim there is a lack of men to lead the home. This is often true. But maybe this is so because we sometimes have embraced a weak model of church government where one man tries to rule or where the rulers actually have no authority because the people control the leadership. Maybe if we give the reigns of authority back to a plural set of godly, competent, mature, doctrinally stable men (elders) then they can disciple men in the home to become good elders over their sheep (their family). Of course, I would not suggest this is the only answer to raise up strong men, but it sure does seem like one of the methods used in Scripture that has been lost in some fellowships today. Maybe if more returned to it more problems in marriages could be resolved and handled from the collective wisdom of the eldership.
Dr. Keith Allen
