Encouraging Elders

Encouraging Elders
Hebrews 13:17 instructs us to “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

What does it look like to bring the elders joy in their role as an elder? Below are three practical ways seen in God’s Word:

1. Pray for them (Eph. 6:18, Col. 4:3, 1 Thess. 5:25, 2 Thess. 3:1): Multiple times in his letters Paul asks for prayer from those he is writing to, prayer for both his personal needs and his ministry. Elders need the prayers of those in the congregation, prayers for their personal lives and families and jobs, and also their role as an elder of the church. One way to greatly encourage an elder is to ask him how you can be praying for him.
2. Promote unity (Philippians 2:1-4, 1 Peter 5:5): One of the main tactics used by Satan to destroy unity is preventing or tearing apart healthy relationships within the church. What ways are you tempted to take offense or gossip or hold onto bitterness or not participate in particular expressions of community (i.e. shepherding group, Sunday school, etc.)? To engage in any of these things is to directly or indirectly promote dis-unity. A great source of joy to the elders is seeing the congregation humbly engage one another in relationally healthy ways.
3. Use your gifts to serve (Eph. 4:11-12): One of the roles of leaders who have been given to the church by the Lord is to help equip others to use their gifts to serve and minister to others. Every single follower of Christ has been gifted in unique ways and is intended to be actively using their gifts. When we operate in our spiritual gifts it brings great joy to us and to others and to the elders. Are you serving somewhere somehow right now? If you need some help in discovering where and how you can serve, please talk to an elder or church staff.