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Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Neee. Definition of Elders, Their Main Responsibilities, and Details of Their Leadership The following quotes from the writings of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee help to define the eldership in a local church, point out their main responsibilities, and cover a number of details of their leadership: Ignatius wrongly taught that an overseer, or a bishop, is higher than an elder. In Acts 20, however, Paul called the elders in the church in Ephesus bishops, or overseers (vv. 17, 28). The Greek word episkopos can be translated overseer or bishop. Epi means over and skopos means seer. The term elder denotes a person of maturity, while the term bishop, or overseer, denotes the responsibility and function of an elder. The responsibility and function of an elder is to oversee the church. (Witness Lee, History of the Church, 8) At first, the bishops, or overseers, were the elders, and they were always plural in number. Later, a bishop from among the elders was appointed. Still later, the bishops began to oversee not only the church in their own locality but churches in several localities. The elders, however, continued to oversee one local church. As a result, the elders and the overseers became two separate classes! Originally, the overseers and the elders were one and the same group of people, but later, an elder was chosen from among all the elders to be a bishop. One elder bore the title of bishop, while the rest remained as elders but were no longer called overseers. The bishop was considered to be an elder of the elders; he presided over the other elders and ruled over the church in that locality. Still later, these bishops expanded their authority and began to cover other localities. Gradually, the condition of the church changed. [There was a gradual negative change in the condition of local church administration.] (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 3, Vol. 50, 793-794) An elder does not monopolize everything in the church. The works of the elders are: (1) managing the administrative affairs of the church, taking the lead in receiving the saints, making arrangements for the meetings, and collecting offerings; and (2) caring for the local believers, preaching regularly to the congregation, and nurturing the brothers and sisters spiritually. Administration and preaching are the main responsibilities of the elders. According to 1 Timothy 5:17 there are two kinds of elders. One kind takes the lead in the church. The other kind not only takes the lead in the church, but labors in the word and teaching. The regular preaching and shepherding work in a local church belongs to the elders; they are not the work of the apostles. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 42, 509) There is also a boundary between the churches. True, all the local churches are in the Lord, and they should all fellowship with one another and do their best to help each other. But once a problem occurs, there is still the need to clearly draw the boundary. You must distinguish clearly whether a matter belongs to one local church or to another local church. Some elders are too good in their hearts. They feel that since they are not far from a church in their suburbs, they should help the other church, and they go ahead and make decisions for that church! This may be done out of a good heart, but often it damages matters. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 143) We have previously spoken of three directions in the management of the church into which the elders are to lead the brothers and sisters. The first is the gospel. The second is the perfecting, and the third is the service. The more the brothers and sisters are properly led, the more they should know how to preach the gospel, how to grow spiritually, and how to serve in a living and strong way. We can judge whether or not a local church has been properly managed by these three aspects. Suppose the brothers and sisters are properly trained in the gospel preaching, and there are different degrees of spiritual condition among them, some being newly saved and some beginning to be helped along; some are passing through their crisis of consecration, some are quite mature and know the cross and the resurrection, and some know the church and see the Body. You should be very happy if you see something like this. The church in this place has been quite perfected in life already. Moreover, if the service is somewhat living, strong, regulated, and effective, you can be sure that the management in this church is quite strong. If a local church is indifferent to the gospel, not well-defined in its spiritual condition, and mundane in its service, such a church is surely lacking in management. In helping the brothers and sisters, and in managing the church, we have to keep these three directions as our goal all the time. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 227-228) | ||||