I read in the minutes that someone recommended the men establish some relevant guidelines/procedures concerning the desired term of an elder, a possible re-qualification process and any other relevant conditions which the men may wish to impose.
As you know Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had different views of the Constitution. Jefferson thought the federal government could do only what the Constitution permits while Hamilton thought the federal government could do whatever the Constitution did not expressly prohibit.
With reference to the bible historically the Church of Christ has come down on Jefferson's side in that the church can do only what the bible permits. Other churches have adopted Hamilton's thoughts that the church can do anything the bible does not expressly prohibit thus we have infant baptism and plural marriage thanks to Martin Luther and others.
Historically the plea of preachers in the church of Christ has been, "we speak where the Bible speaks and we are silent where the Bible is silent."
The bible expressly tells us the church had elders but nowhere does the bible tell us how to get rid of those elders. The bible does not provide for term limits of elders.
How about Matthew 18;15-17 as a template for correcting and removing members including members who happen to be elders or deacons?
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
http://alumcave.blogspot.com/
"Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe."
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