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Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Neef. Characteristics, Virtues, and Qualities of Elders Needless to say, there are a number of characteristics and virtues that qualify a brother to be an elder in a local church. Watchman Nee and Witness Lee expound on some of the most important ones: Titus 1 speaks of basic qualifications of an elder—self-control and submission. A lawless person can never execute the law, and a rebellious person can never make others submissive. An elder must exercise strict self-control. A common trait among many people is the lack of discipline. Hence, in appointing elders, we have to select those who are particularly exercised in self-control. God appoints the elders to manage the church. As such, they must be submissive and must exercise self-control. They must set their hearts to be a pattern to all in everything. God never appoints a person who loves to be the first among others (like Diotrephes) to be an elder. The elders are the highest deputy authority in a local church. For this reason they must be men with self-control. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 3, Vol. 47, 299) First Timothy 3:4-5 speaks of another basic qualification of an elder—he must be able to manage his own house. Managing one’s house does not refer to managing one’s parents or wife, but it refers mainly to managing one’s children. An elder has to teach his children to walk soberly and to be obedient in all things. A man must first be a good father before he can be an elder. He must first be an authority at home before he can be an elder in the church. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 3, Vol. 47, 299-300) 1 Timothy 3:4 One who 1manages well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity 1 Timothy 3:41 This is proof that one is qualified to take the oversight of a local church. (Witness Lee, Footnotes, 978) Eldership and overseership are two designated names for the same office. An elder refers to the person, while an overseer refers to the function of such a person. Moreover, in the Bible, elders are always plural in number. There is never just one elder, because it is necessary for the spirits of two to three persons to receive the same leading in order to be assured that what they are doing is right. Individualism is not a scriptural principle, and it easily leads to errors. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 22, 20) The responsibility of the eldership in the church should be borne in plurality. The responsibility of the eldership in the church life should be taken care of by at least three persons. In a local church, there should not be less than three elders. Actually, the more elders the better. The eldership is a matter of plurality. (Witness Lee, Eldership (3), 96) The Bible shows us that in every church the elders should be plural in number. A church cannot have one elder only. If there is only one elder in a local church, the condition is abnormal and absolutely unscriptural. Regardless how young a church is, there should be at least two or three elders. For the sake of coordination, the elders must be plural in number. If an individual handles everything, bears everything, and deals with everything, it is as if he is but singing solos. However, the administration of the church is not a solo, but rather a chorus in a play. Therefore, the elders must coordinate together. Whenever the coordination is missing among the elders, they will become worthless. The worth of the elders depends upon their coordination. For this reason, the elders must be plural in number. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 113) The building of the church is a matter of the coordination of the saints, but if the elders within a church cannot coordinate together, how can they help the brothers and sisters to coordinate? Therefore, the building and the coordination in the church are entirely in the hands of its elders, and they are dependent upon them. Moreover, the elders must be the initiators and the examples in the building of the church. If there is no real building and coordination among the elders, there will be no initiators of the building up and the coordination of the church. In other words, there cannot be a beginning, and there is no way for the matter to be realized. Hence, for the sake of the building of the church, the elders must be the model and example of coordination. This model and example is the initiator in a local church. Only by this way can the few elders in a practical way build up and coordinate the saints together. They can do this because there is a model seen in them already. Spontaneously, they can take the saints on in this way of coordination and building. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 114) It is not enough for an elder to be capable on one point, in one area, or with one part only; elders have to be capable in everything. The elders must be able to think, to endeavor, to oversee, to foresee, and to achieve. They must be able to protect, to resist, and to build. There is the need for them to be all-inclusive in their ability. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 115) From our experience, we have found that the elders have to be capable in everything. Yet, in many areas we have fallen short. For this reason, we have to see that the elders must be coordinated, because no one person is capable in everything. A member cannot be capable in everything; only the body is capable in everything. The eyes can only see. The ears can only hear. The hands can only work, and the feet can only walk. There is no way for a member to be capable in everything. Any brother or sister can only have that little bit of gift that he or she has; he or she cannot be capable in everything. Even the apostle Paul had to admit that he could not do Peter’s work, or James’ work, or John’s. Although Paul was a multi-talented apostle, and although he was gifted in many ways, he was very weak in areas other than his specialties. He could not replace the specialty of Peter, nor that of John. When the elders in the church see the need to be capable in everything, immediately they will realize the need of coordination. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 115-116) | ||||