Church taking new direction to a Plurality of Elders

Our church leadership has been discussing change our church from a "one pastor" (me) to a scriptural plurality of elders in leading the church. So for 2 months some of the men in our church have been meeting once a week and discussing the role of Biblical eldership in the church. I emphasize Biblical eldership, as I believe the majority of churches with elders are NOT Biblical Elders.


We also have had Pastor Tim teaching for a couple months in 1 Timothy verse by verse. We are now up to "Biblical Qualifications for an Elder," and today he covered 1 Timothy 3:1, 2a. Plus we also quickly looked at Elders in Titus 1:5-9 and I Peter 5:1-3, and in Acts 20:17-38. Then for the next month or so we are going to look at I Tim. 3, Titus and I Peter and cover every qualification for an Elder. This, of course, will prepare and give our church the understanding of what the Bible says on Eldership. Personally, while this is bound to cause some adjustments and changes in our church and in my responsibilities in the church, I am actually looking forward to the change and believe it is a Biblical one.

A great book of this subject is: Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch (at http://www.amazon.com/ for only $12.99)

I also was used of God to help a friend in town who had a heart transplant over 4 years ago. Before his heart transplant he was the best pool player in our town and the surrounding area. Well, 4 years later, while confined to a wheelchair, he is the best in town again. He sometimes stands for an occasional shot, though he doesn't have much strength, so most of the time he is in a wheelchair. Long story short, being in a wheelchair wasn't enough of a restriction to some and wanted to add some ridiculous additional rules for him ( I personally think in an attempt to take him out of dominating pool in our town EVEN FROM A WHEELCHAIR). They even took a vote on it! The pool board voted (I believe, 4-2) that he could play just as he always has in the wheelchair and on occasion standing with no additional restrictions (like the wheelchair wasn't enough). So I'm happy that's over and my friend can continue playing the way he has been. Ironically, I subsitute for teams when they are short a player, and whose team do you think I playing against that night (out of 16 teams), but my wheelchair friend's team. As usual (but not always), he beat me from his wheelchair - LOL! My ministry to pool players is: http://www.christianpoolplayers.com/

That's enough blogging for today :-)