Are Elders Necessary Today?

The church of Christ has long believed itself to be the lone example of the church established on Pentecost. When we look at our history we see a different reality. A group of Presbyterians with a Baptist here or there disgruntled over the practices of their respective churches wanting to use only the bible. The Church of Christ prides itself on following New Testament practices and in some situations it makes first-century conveniences modern day law.

 

We use as an example to require giving to pay the bills of the congregation the collection intended to help the poor saints in Jerusalem. The collection today has little to do with helping anyone other than ourselves. Sure some goes to missions and some goes to benevolence but for the most part it is spent on us. There is no example in the bible for what we do today but we accept it because we want to.

 

Acts 14:19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

These were all young or new converts, and yet among them the apostles appointed persons to watch over and instruct the rest but what purpose do they serve today?

When elders were appointed in the New Testament the congregations did not have preachers, educated in biblical studies. On a practical level what purpose do elders serve today?

 

We have four elders.

 

1 lives and works in a different country;

1 lives in a different county;

1 lives in a different city;

1 spends most of the week at the other side of the state.

The preacher lives in a different city.

 

Whatever you concluded as the purpose of elders can individuals living and working as listed above fulfill such purposes? If so, no problem; if not whom are we kidding when we consider ourselves an example of the New Testament church?