1. Rev 2:4-5
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first.”

3. Shepherds of God’s Flock
What Is An Elder?

4. Apostles They Were the First Leaders of the Church.
They Were Responsible For Shepherding All Churches.
Their Leadership Position Was Temporary

5. What Happened As Churches Were Established?
Acts 14:23 “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

6. What Happened As Churches Were Established?
Acts 15:2 “And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.”

7. What Happened As Churches Were Established?
Acts 20:17 “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.”

8. What Happened As Churches Were Established?
Titus 1:5
“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.”

9. God’s Pattern For Leadership Is To Appoint Elders.
God Did Not Replace The Apostles, But Appointed Elders In Each Church.
To Have A Church With No Elders Because of Qualification Issues Is Not Unscriptural (Acts 13).
What Would You Think of a Church That Has Not Had Elders for 10 Years?

10. ELDERS Deacons Bishops Pastors Evangelists
Eph 4:11
Phil 1:1

11. The Term Elder
Elder = A Man of Maturity, Experience, and Wisdom.
Acts 11:30, 14:23, 1 Tim. 5:17
In Ancient Times A Teenager or Man In His 20s Would Never Be Referred To By This Term (1 Tim. 3:6).
Elder

12. Bishop What Does An Elder Do?
Overseer = The Responsibility To Watch Over The Congregation.
Episkopos = Bishop
Acts 20:28; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:5-7
Bishop

13. Shepherd What Does An Elder Do?
Pastor = The Responsibility To Shepherd The Congregation.
Poimaino = Pastor = Shepherd
Acts 20:28; 1 Peter. 5:1ff; Eph. 4:11
A Spiritual Shepherd
Shepherd

14. Elder Overseer Pastor Acts 20:28
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God.”
Elder
Overseer
Pastor

15. Elder Overseer Pastor 1 Peter 5:2
“Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness.”
Elder
Overseer
Pastor