The Purpose and Responsibility of Elders and Deacons to The Flock

Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order
the things that are wanting, and ordain in every city, as I had appointed
thee:
And this from Matthew Henry Concise Commentary: Tit 1:5-9
The character and qualification of pastors, here called elders and
bishops, agree with what the apostle wrote to Timothy. Being such bishops
and overseers of the flock, to be examples to them, and God's stewards to
take care of the affairs of his household, there is great reason that they
should be blameless. What they are not to be, is plainly shown, as well as
what they are to be, as servants of Christ, and able ministers of the letter
and practice of the gospel. And here are described the spirit and practice
becoming such as should be examples of good works.

The leaders of a flock have a great responsibility to protect the flock. To

protect the flock from heresy, and strange doctrine. John 10:10 The thief
cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. In the end the
leaders are held responsible to God for how they shepherd His Flock. John
21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He
saith unto him, Feed my sheep. The leaders of a Church should be an
example to the flock in both word and dead. The majority of the
congregation will always follow the direction, or path set by the Elders and
Deacons. The leaders of the Church should have the highest ethical
standards as a testimony to both the flock and the world. This includes the
paying of Taxes in a timely fashion. The Elders should exhibit a high
standard in their business practices as an example to the world. The Elders
in a leadership role have the most authority in the direction the church will
take concerning doctrine, and the shepherding of the flock. The deacons
are closest to the flock, and exert a great influence on members of the
flock in presenting the message of the Gospel. For all the reasons stated
above very few of the members of any church rise up to the qualifications
to be an officer in the Church. Elders should not lord it over their members,
or walk around thinking they are any better than anyone else in the flock.
Mar 10:42-45 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know
that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship
over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall
it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your
minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many. Luke 22:25-26 And he said unto
them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that
exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be
so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he
that is chief, as he that doth serve. And This From 1Pe 5:2-4 Feed the flock
of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being
lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the
chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth
not away.
It is hard for any one of us to be humble toward another human being.
We all would like to be a “winner” in the eyes of our fellow man. In The eyes
of the world the winner is always looked up to, and the loser looked down
upon. Yet as Christians we recognize that all of us are lost apart from the
Salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come
to seek and to save that which was lost. No where is it stated that the
leaders of a church have to be wealthy, or a Lawyer, or a Professional as a
qualification to be an Elder or Deacon. Again From MHCC “Being such
bishops and overseers of the flock, to be examples to them, and God's
stewards to take care of the affairs of his household, there is great reason
that they should be blameless. What they are not to be, is plainly shown, as
well as what they are to be, as servants of Christ, and able ministers of the
letter and practice of the gospel.” When problems develop in a church the
responsibility leads straight to the people who are the officers of a church.
The way matters are handled by the leaders is a testimony to the World of
what they really believe. The old adage actions speak louder than words
holds true for those who call themselves ruling elders. When deals are
hidden from the congregation, and money changes hands how does this
glorify God.? When a church starts to be more concerned about money and
prestige than to Glorify God then the message has changed. When leaders
start to exhibit the traits of a cult as stated here: “They do this by speaking
contrary to sound doctrine and lifting themselves to an authoritarian
position by abusing Scripture. They use portions of the truth as a platform
for their own unique doctrine. If they have no respect for God’s word, they
will certainly have no respect for his children, they too will be abused. Paul
said, “I did not abuse my authority in the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:18).”
When people are banned from church property with out the due course of
the Law exhibited by the heathen, then how are they dealing with God's
children properly.? The message of Salvation has nothing to do with money,
or the accumulation of power. The message believed by the disciples of
Christ to the present day says nothing about the power of this world, but
instead that God Sent His Son to die in Our Place. We were all destined to
spend an Eternity in Hell, for we cannot save ourselves from Judgment as
payment for the sins we commit in this life. John 3:16 For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.

My hope is that the new Coral Ridge will stand by the doctrines of the
Westminster Confession of Faith, and the doctrines preached over the past
49 Years. 1 It was never the change in the Pastor the opposition was upset
with, but the change in the message preached by Rev. Tchvidjian. "There
has been a very vocal minority that has, from the very beginning, opposed
my leadership because I was not Dr. Kennedy," 2 The next complaint was
the way any opposition was handled by the Ruling Elders. The use of
intimidation, the twisting of facts, and “They will not entertain and
challenges by questions though they may acknowledge a concern of what
you are seeing. They feign compassion and response to individual needs
when they are really more concerned of the whole congregation.” They are
more concerned about legitimizing the path they want the church to take.
In the end we are all responsible to God for the way we conduct ourselves
in this world. The message we proclaim, and the way we treat our fellow
members. I would hope that the leaders of the new Coral Ridge
Presbyterian church would exercise the traits of leadership expressed in
Titus 1:5-9.

Arnold F. Silva Romans 1:16-17