The Requisites Prior To The Journey: Elders
“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
Brothers,
Thank you for expressing an interest in becoming an Elder at Doxa Church. The Scriptures highlight the importance of this office [1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-7]. It's a good thing to aspire to be a Shepherd of the Church of Jesus Christ. Before we go any further into this journey, we need to examine a few things. Take a look at the list provided.
Do you believe that you meet the 1 Timothy 3 requirements of an Elder/Pastor?
As a reminder, this is how it reads:
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
1 Timothy 3:1–7
Do you have a strong sense of calling to Shepherd in the church and do others see that in you?
Have you read through the entire Bible at least once in the last three years?
Do you understand there's an emphasis for the Elder on shepherding, not decision-making? An Elders'primary job is to actively shepherd the people of Doxa.
Have you read Doxa's Statement of Faith? Do you 100% agree with it?
Are you willing to volunteer roughly 8-10 hours a week at Doxa Church? (Don't let this scare you too much, it involves things you may already be doing like actively leading in a Doxa Community, shepherding other leaders, being fully present before and after some weekend gatherings, and attending Elder meetings as needed.)
Have you been a Covenant Member in good standing for at least one year?
Gather: Faithful to gather on the Lord’s Day.
Scatter: Faithful to scatter for mission within the context of home, vocation, and a Doxa Community.
Do you belong to a Doxa Community?
Serve: Faithful to serve within the life of Doxa Church.
Are you serving in the life of the church already? (Leading a DC is a good example.)
Give: Faithful to live generously in all areas of life — time, talent, and treasure.
Have you been contributing financially to Doxa Church, regularly, sacrificially, and joyfully for at least one year? (Please understand that for those desiring Eldership, we do check the records).
Are you prepared to read 10,000 pages or more over the length of the Eldership candidacy?
Are you prepared to fill out a highly detailed application that will poke into your theology, practice, personal life and faith, family, marriage, your past, and your future? It's an intrusive application because the office of the Elder is a high calling in the church. Additionally, your wife will also fill out a questionnaire about you and a few questions about herself.
Have you read the short or full version of "Biblical Eldership: Restoring The Eldership To Its Rightful Place In The Church" by Alexander Strauch? This book lays out our understanding of the Shepherding Elder in the church.
I understand this is a long list. And that's because the calling to be a Shepherd of the church is serious. This is just a taste of the development process. It will be rigorous and robust. Some people find that they desire to step deeper into Doxa but do not quite fit the profile of an Elder for one reason or another. This is perfectly fine and appropriate. There are many other ways to serve in the life of the church. I'd be more than happy to help you discover that. If you checked every box here in the affirmative, let’s set up a meeting! You can do that by emailing my admin.
Soli Deo Gloria,
