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Ruling elders?

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SURE HAS ITS QUIRKS. Why else are lawyers disbarred and clergy defrocked, but cowboys aren’t deranged or dry cleaners depressed?

Sometimes words with different meanings that are spelled or sound alike trip us up. In golf the goal of putting is putting the ball in the hole. No dentist gives a plaque for the most plaque. A performer standing with her beau may wear a bow and take a bow, but probably not while shooting a bow and arrow from the bow of a boat or the bough of a tree.

Which brings us to ruling elders: Are they rulers … or are they, um, rulers?

I used to think the main job of ruling elders was to be in charge, to rule over the people. Then I learned that the rule in mind here is more like a measuring stick. The job of ruling elders is to make sure the life of the congregation measures up to the standard of the gospel of grace, resulting in lives of faithful obedience to God. Ruling elders are humble servants of the Lord, using their gifts of leadership, spiritual discernment, administration, prayer and faith to provide oversight for the total spiritual life of the congregation.

This can get confusing when congregations see the church as a representative democracy; they elect ruling elders to represent a certain constituency — the youth, the women’s association, the choir. In this approach, the main job of ruling elders is to represent their group, to advance a particular viewpoint, to express their opinions.

Certainly democracy is not a bad way to govern. But what if the church of Jesus Christ is not a pure representative democracy, but something more like a theocratic autocracy, or theocracy — meaning there is one Lord ruling over all?

When the Apostles’ Creed affirms Jesus “ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead” — that’s not “quick” as in “catch me if you can.” Here, “quick” is an old-fashioned word meaning “alive.” That Christ will come to judge the living and the dead means he alone is sovereign — and our job is to listen to him, to follow his lead.

This can also mess with what is often one of our Presbyterian sacred cows: Robert’s Rules of Order. Presbyterians are notorious for doing things “decently and in order.” Generally when we make decisions, first we debate, then we vote, and in the end the majority rules.

Now, I’m not exactly suggesting we do things indecently and out of order! The good thing about Robert’s Rules is it helps us listen to each other; everybody gets heard. But sometimes we need to stop and very deliberately listen to The Unseen One Who Rules Over All. Because the thing is, when it comes to ruling in the right way, the majority does not bat a thousand. Sure, sometimes the majority understands what God is up to or wants what God wants. But sometimes we have no idea what God is up to … or we just want what we want when we want it.

So the job of ruling elders is not simply to represent others or figure out what everyone wants. Ruling elders are called to discern the mind of Christ. To listen for what God is saying. To determine how the Lord is directing. To follow Jesus Christ who alone is head of the church and Lord of the world.

This means a session meeting is never quite business-as-usual, but more like worship — for the mind of Christ can be discerned only in community by humble, receptive hearts that are filled with the Holy Spirit and molded by prayer.

(And yes, when the elders take on this role … they’re on a roll!)

Heidi Husted ArmstrongHEIDI HUSTED ARMSTRONG serves as an interim pastor in the Pacific Northwest.

 

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