A Biblical Job Description For An Elder

In the Bible several terms are used for the office of elder. These terms are used interchangeably. They are Elder, Overseer (also transliterated Bishop) and Shepherd (also transliterated as Pastor).

Elders is the descriptive of the qualification. They must be older. An example is in Acts 20:17 “From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.”

Overseers (or Bishop) is descriptive of the role. Notice that when ever it refers to Elders overseeing it is always via the role of a shepherd. An example is Acts 20:28 “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” And again in 1 Peter 5:1-2 “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers” They would oversee people not programs, saints not services, delegation not details.

Shepherds (pastor) is descriptive of role as well. It is the direct analogy of who an Elder is to be. Acts 20:28 says, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." And 1 Peter 5:1-2 says, “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care...”

Therefore, the only people referred to as shepherds or pastors in the church are the elders. Many people today will call the preacher or minister the "pastor." That is Biblically incorrect. The preacher in the Bible is called the evangelist. The elders are the pastors and must meet the qualifications of elders and overseers listed in 1 Timothy and Titus. Click here to learn more

What does a shepherd/Overseer do?

1. Feeds the flock

Preach and Teach
Acts 6:3-4 “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
1 Timothy 5:17 “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”
1 Timothy 3:2 “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach”

Equip the saints for service (teaching and training)
Ephesians 4:11-12 “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

2. Help those who are sick

Visit with and pray for the physically and spiritually sick
James 5:14 “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

Encourage with sound doctrine
Titus 1:9 “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”

3. Guide the overall direction of the flock

Leading by example not micromanagement
1 Peter 5:3 “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
Acts 6:2 "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”
Acts 6:3-4 “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

Be willing servant leaders who oversee people’s spiritual lives
1 Peter 5:2-3 "serving as overseers— not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve"

4. Protect from predators

Oversee to guard the flock from false teachers and distorted truth
Acts 20:28-31 “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!”
Titus 1:9 “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”

Help decide difficult issues that the flock can’t work out on their own.
Acts 15:2 “This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.”
Acts 15:6 “The apostles and elders met to consider this question.”

5. Delegate to others various roles within the flock

Ordain and appoint evangelists and deacons according to qualification
1 Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”
Acts 6:6 “They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.”

Periodically review the ministry of those they ordained
Acts 15:4 “When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.”