While everyone who is a member of the body bears responsibility for ministering to the other members, the Holy Spirit chooses some men to bear special responsibility for the welfare of the church at the local level. That place of responsibility is called “the office of a bishop.” (1 Timothy 3:1) The first verse of the letter to the Philippians affords a glimpse of the relationship God has ordained for the church: “to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” There was not simply a bishop, there were bishops and they were not in responsibility over an area primarily, but in a particular church. (See Acts 14:23)

In Acts 20:17, we see Paul, who “sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.” He exhorted them: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28) The elders of the church, charged to feed the flock, are here addressed by the apostle Paul as “overseers.” The word in Greek is episkopos, from which the English word “bishop” comes. This same Greek word is translated “bishop” in 1 Timothy 3:1 and Titus 1:7. In the New Testament, the three words (bishop, elder, overseer) refer to the same office in the local church.

An eldership is a position of honor, but it is not an honorary one, and only an individual who meets a high Scriptural standard may rightly attain to it. As described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, an elder must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, self-controlled, hospitable, able to teach, not given to much wine, not violent but gentle, not a lover of money, a good father who is obeyed and respected by his children. He must not be a recent convert. He should have a good reputation in the community. He must be honest, a lover of good, upright, holy, disciplined, and sound and knowledgeable in doctrine. In sum, right in all things in the sight of God and man.

In each local church, there is always more than one elder, as all of the references to them in the Scriptures show. Theirs is a joint ministry. Together, they teach and lead (or “rule”) the church. They “take heed to” and “feed the flock of God” – not as lords or masters, but as servants. (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:2,3) “They watch for your souls.” (Hebrews 13:17)

Thus, the local church never is under one-man rule. (The only example of one-man rule is described in John’s third letter, and he condemned it.)

Elders, as we see from Acts 20 and from 1 Timothy and Titus, are chosen by the Holy Spirit and ordained by one or more of those ministers who are given to the church at large. (Acts 14:23) In the New Testament, elders were not elected by the local church. For example, Paul charged Titus to appoint and ordain elders in every city. (Titus 1:5)

The qualifications for deacons – the Greek means simply those who serve – are as high as for elders (see 1 Timothy and Titus). It appears (from Acts 6) that the church members chose the deacons to care for the practical affairs of the church, and then the elders prayed for them.

It should also be noted that Phoebe, a deaconess in the church at Cenchrea, was highly commended by Paul in Romans 16:1,2.