Elders and deacons are the two formal leadership offices of the New Testament church. Elders focus on teaching, pastoral care, and spiritual governance; deacons focus on practical service and administrative support. Their character requirements are similar, but their gifts and callings differ. This seven-chapter guide covers the biblical foundation of church leadership, the character qualifications of elders, the threefold mission of elders (shepherding · teaching · governing), the role and character of deacons, the partnership between elders and deacons, models of church governance, and the identification, development, and accountability of leaders. Originally prepared as companion study material for the "Bible Trove Challenge — Level 3: Serving and Equipping," it is now published in the Articles section.
Speaker: Pastor Bond · Scripture: 提前3:1-13;彼前5:1-4;徒6:1-7
Pastor Bond · May 2026 · Compiled with Claude's assistance · Bible Trove Challenge "Serving and Equipping Series," Part 8
💡 This guide is the companion study material for Level 3 — "Serving and Equipping" — of the Bible Trove Challenge. After reading, we encourage you to head over to the Challenge and work through the questions to reinforce what you have learned. The question bank includes a rich selection of case studies and scenario-based questions!
Learning Objectives: Trace the development of church leadership from the Old Testament to the New Testament, understand the biblical principle of distributed governance, and recognize how the offices of elder and deacon were established.
Exodus 18:13-26 records how Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, observed Moses sitting alone to judge the people from morning until evening and warned him: "This thing that you do is not good… you will surely wear away." Jethro advised Moses to appoint leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens to share the burden — difficult cases would be brought to Moses, while the leaders at each level would handle smaller matters on the spot. This passage establishes a foundational principle: placing all leadership responsibility on one person is neither wise nor sustainable; a layered, distributed model of governance reflects God's intention.
In Numbers 11:16-17, God himself instructed Moses to gather seventy elders and promised to "take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them." Leadership authority and capacity come from God's Spirit — God actively distributes gifts to equip those he has chosen to govern. In the Old Testament, elders were recognized leaders and representatives of the people (Exod 24:1, 9), participating in covenant-making, major decisions, and the governance of community life.
The elders of the New Testament church carry forward the Old Testament tradition of elders as governing representatives, but in Christ they are entrusted with a richer mission. In Acts, Paul appointed elders in each church (Acts 14:23), using the same term inherited from the Old Testament. Yet the role of New Testament elders is fuller: they are not only to govern but also to shepherd the flock (1 Pet 5:1-4) and hold firm to sound teaching (Titus 1:9).
Acts 6:1-7 records how the office of deacon came into being. As the church grew, the Hellenistic Jewish widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, and complaints arose. The apostles responded: "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables." They asked the congregation to select seven men "of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom" to oversee this work, while the apostles devoted themselves to "prayer and the ministry of the word."
This passage establishes the prototype for two distinct service roles in the church — teaching and pastoral care on the one hand, and practical service on the other. The outcome was encouraging: "The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7).
In Philippians 1:1, Paul greets "all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons" — the plural forms indicate that the church at Philippi had multiple overseers (elders) and multiple deacons. This is one of the clearest New Testament passages showing the church's threefold structure: the whole congregation together with the two formal leadership offices of overseers and deacons. First Timothy 3:1-13 then provides a systematic account of the character qualifications for both offices.
Learning Objectives: Grasp the core content of the elder qualification lists in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, understand the principle that "character takes priority over competence," and identify common distortions in church practice.
The first qualification listed for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3:2 is that he must be "without reproach." This is the heading that governs the entire list. The Greek word (anepilemptos) means "not able to be seized upon" — it describes a candidate whose life contains no moral failing that could be legitimately and publicly charged against him. It does not demand sinless perfection; rather, it requires that he be able to withstand scrutiny in three spheres: family, society, and church. Every specific character quality that follows is an unpacking of what it means to be "above reproach."
Paul's list spans multiple areas of life. Faithfulness in marriage — "the husband of one wife" — the shared understanding is that an elder must be above reproach in his marriage relationship. Inner self-discipline — "temperate, sensible, modest" — pointing to a clear mind, wise judgment, an ordered life, and the ability to govern his own emotions and desires. Ability to teach — "able to teach" is a requirement unique to elders (it does not appear in the deacon list), reflecting the elder's core mission of teaching sound doctrine in the church. Attitude toward others — "given to hospitality," "gentle," "not quarrelsome" — demonstrating generous openness toward others and a spirit of gentleness. Behavioral boundaries — "not given to wine," "not violent," "not greedy for money" — establishing clear lines of conduct.
First Timothy 3:4-5 says: "one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; (but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)" Paul's logic is that the family is the truest testing ground of a leader's character — whether a person leads his family with love and wisdom reveals whether he can shepherd the church. It is very difficult to maintain a false front at home, and so family life exposes who a person truly is.
First Timothy 3:7 requires that an elder "must have a good testimony from those who are outside." Character is tested not only within the church but equally in the workplace and in society. A brother who behaves dishonestly in his professional life, however gifted a teacher he may be, is not yet suitable to serve as an elder. First Timothy 3:6 warns that "not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil" — being given leadership responsibility too early can breed pride, and spiritual maturity requires time and the refining work of experience.
Churches sometimes unconsciously adopt worldly criteria when selecting leaders: placing weight on financial success and professional achievement (assuming that successful people make good leaders), or favoring eloquence and academic credentials (while neglecting the observation of everyday character). Yet Paul's qualification list is centered on character and life — the question it asks is "what kind of person is he?" not "what can he accomplish?" First Samuel 16:7 reminds us: "For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart."
Learning Objectives: Understand the unity of the three titles elder, overseer, and pastor/shepherd, and grasp the specific responsibilities of elders in the three dimensions of shepherding, teaching, and governing.
Acts 20:17 records that Paul summoned the "elders" of the church at Ephesus; in verse 28 he calls them "overseers" and charges them to "shepherd" the assembly of God. The same group of people is simultaneously called elders, overseers, and shepherds — demonstrating that these three titles describe different facets of a single office: "elder" emphasizes spiritual maturity and dignity of standing; "overseer" emphasizes the responsibility of watching over and managing; "shepherd/pastor" emphasizes the mission of feeding and protecting the flock.
First Peter 5:2-3 is the most concentrated description of the elder's shepherding mission: "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you… not by compulsion, but voluntarily; not for dishonest gain, but willingly; neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock." Peter highlights three contrasts — willingly rather than under compulsion, eagerly rather than for financial gain, as examples rather than as lords.
In John 10:11-14, Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd: "I know my own, and I'm known by my own." Elders, as Christ's "under-shepherds," are to follow this pattern — shepherding is not only a pulpit ministry but includes the day-to-day care and personal attention given to the flock. An elder who preaches but never visits lacks one of the most basic qualities of a shepherd.
Titus 1:9 requires that an elder "hold to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him." The teaching responsibility has two inseparable dimensions: building up — nourishing and edifying believers with sound doctrine; defending — identifying and refuting teaching that departs from the truth. In Acts 20:28-31, Paul warns the elders to guard against "fierce wolves" and those who "speak perverse things" — protecting doctrinal integrity is a responsibility elders cannot set aside.
Second Timothy 2:2 also reveals the generational dimension of teaching: elders are not only to proclaim the truth themselves but to identify and develop "faithful men who will be able to teach others also" — passing on the truth they have received to the next generation.
The New Testament church consistently practiced governance by a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23 — "appointed elders for them in every assembly," using the plural). The wisdom of plural eldership lies in this: collective decisions are more thorough than those made by one person alone (Prov 11:14 — "in the multitude of counselors there is safety"); mutual accountability and checks on power prevent the concentration of authority; and complementary gifts make pastoral care more complete.
First Timothy 5:17 says, "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching." The elder's office encompasses both governing and teaching, and those who labor especially in preaching and teaching are particularly worthy of the church's honor and support. Hebrews 13:17 confirms the elders' authority from the congregation's perspective: "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account."
Learning Objectives: Understand the essential nature of the deacon (diakonos) as a servant, grasp the character requirements for deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, and recognize the distinct and honorable value of the diaconal office.
The Greek word diakonos, translated "deacon," carries the basic meaning of "servant" or "one who serves," emphasizing a posture of humble service in meeting practical needs. Jesus himself used this word to define the identity of his disciples: "Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant (diakonos)" (Mark 10:43). The essential nature of the deacon's role is not that of an administrator or an assistant pastor, but of one who, with a servant's heart, takes on the practical work of the church.
First Timothy 3:8 lists four foundational character requirements for deacons: dignified — conduct that is honorable and fitting; not double-tongued — honest and consistent in speech, not saying different things to different people; not addicted to much wine — a life of self-control; not greedy for money — financial integrity and uprightness. These four qualities cover four dimensions: behavior, speech, self-discipline, and the handling of money.
First Timothy 3:9 further requires that deacons "hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." While deacons are not required to have the gift of teaching, they must be sound and stable in their faith. First Timothy 3:10 establishes the principle of a testing period: "Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blameless."
Drawing on the precedent of Acts 6:1-6 — overseeing the daily distribution of food — the deacon's sphere of service encompasses the various practical tasks of church life: financial management, purchasing, facility care, mercy ministry, and logistical coordination. By handling the day-to-day affairs and practical needs of the church, deacons free elders to give focused attention to the core pastoral mission of prayer, preaching, and teaching.
When deacons encounter theological questions in the course of their service that lie beyond their area of expertise, the wise approach is to first offer care and presence (which is precisely the deacon's strength), and then refer the person to an elder for deeper doctrinal guidance. This reflects a spirit of collaborative partnership, not a confession of inadequacy.
Some deacons feel that they are "just doing odd jobs with no spiritual value." But 1 Timothy 3:13 affirms: "For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." Setting up chairs, adjusting the sound system, and buying refreshments may seem ordinary, but these are precisely the acts of service that allow the church's gatherings to run smoothly. Deacons are indispensable members of the body of Christ, and the office itself is honorable.
In Romans 16:1, Paul refers to Phoebe as a diakonos of the church at Cenchreae, indicating that women played a significant role in diaconal service in the New Testament church.
Learning Objectives: Understand the essential nature of the elder-deacon relationship as one of complementary gifts and unified partnership, learn healthy patterns of collaborative ministry, and recognize the basic governance framework of the church.
First Corinthians 12:4-6 says, "Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord." Though elders and deacons differ in gifts and office, both are given by God and complement one another in the same Spirit. There is no such thing as a "higher gift" and a "lower gift" — the elder's gifts of teaching and pastoral care and the deacon's gifts of service and administration are mutually necessary in the body of the church.
Ephesians 4:11-12 reveals the ultimate purpose for which leaders exist: "for the equipping of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ." Both elders and deacons should be devoted to equipping the congregation for ministry, rather than doing everything themselves. The mission of leaders is to enable the whole church to "do the work of serving."
The relationship between deacons and elders is not one of absolute subordination to a superior, but of mutual respect and cooperation between different gifts and callings. Deacons support the elders' pastoral mission through practical service; elders provide spiritual direction for the deacons' service goals. The two are complementary, not hierarchical.
Healthy partnership requires balance between two extremes: elders should not micromanage every aspect of the deacons' sphere (this scatters their energy away from teaching and pastoral care, and diminishes the deacons' space to serve), but neither should they be entirely uninvolved (elders bear responsibility for the overall health of the church). When disagreements arise, both parties should communicate their reasons and concerns fully, and together seek the best course of action within the framework of the church's overall mission priorities.
Three major models of church governance have developed throughout Christian history, each finding some basis in Scripture. Episcopalianism (as in the Anglican tradition) has bishops overseeing multiple churches within a region; the biblical basis includes Paul's commissioning of Timothy and Titus to exercise oversight beyond a single congregation. Presbyterianism (as in Reformed and Presbyterian churches) has a plurality of elders governing collectively, with churches connected through presbyteries and assemblies; the biblical basis includes Acts 14:23 and the pattern of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. Congregationalism (as in Baptist churches) gives the congregation the final vote on major decisions while recognizing the spiritual leadership of elders; the biblical basis includes Acts 6:3-5, where the congregation participates in selecting the deacons.
The core difference among these models lies in how decision-making authority is distributed across different levels, but all three recognize elders and deacons as the basic leadership structure.
Learning Objectives: Learn to identify potential leaders according to biblical standards, understand the developmental pathway from observation to mentoring to testing, and grasp the mechanisms for holding leaders accountable.
In Mark 10:42-45, Jesus establishes the foundational criterion: the leader who is truly after God's heart is not someone who seeks power and position, but someone willing to give themselves in service to others with a servant's heart. Second Timothy 2:2 provides a concrete standard: "faithful" — reliable in character, consistent in word and deed, responsible to commitments; "able to teach others" — not only understanding the truth personally, but able to pass it on to others. Notably, Paul makes no mention of academic credentials, age, or social standing. Leaders are discovered and identified through faithful service.
First Timothy 3:1 affirms that "if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work." The desire to serve is a legitimate motivation — but the key word is "good work," not "good position," emphasizing the work of service rather than power or status.
The heart of the observation period is examining a candidate's character in natural, everyday settings: How does he treat his spouse and children? Does he remain honest and gentle under the pressure of work? How does he handle conflict with others? Luke 16:10 says, "He who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much." Character is most truly revealed in small things.
Jesus' pattern of developing his disciples is the best model for mentoring: he called them "to be with him" (Mark 3:14), taught them in the course of daily life and ministry, and progressively entrusted them with greater responsibility. Applied to the church, this means: through delegating increasingly significant service responsibilities and providing one-on-one guidance, candidates learn and grow in actual ministry while receiving feedback along the way.
First Timothy 3:10 requires that candidates "first be tested, and then let them serve as deacons, if they are blameless." In practice, the testing period involves giving candidates specific, appropriately challenging service tasks — such as leading a Bible study group, helping to manage a ministry budget, or sitting in on elder meetings — and then observing their character and competence throughout the process. First Timothy 5:22 further warns, "Lay hands hastily on no one." If someone of inadequate character is appointed hastily and later causes harm through their failures, those who appointed them bear a measure of responsibility.
First Timothy 5:19-20 establishes two parallel principles: on one hand, "against an elder, receive no accusation except at the mouth of two or three witnesses" — protecting elders from false charges; on the other hand, "those who sin, reprove in the sight of all" — there must be no covering up of genuine failures by elders. When an elder faces a serious character issue, the elder body should first speak with him privately, honestly, and caringly — helping him face the problem and seek restoration. If the situation is serious or he is unwilling to acknowledge it, suspension from office may need to be considered in order to protect the church.
Learning Objectives: Recognize common challenges in church leadership structures, learn strategies for transitioning from a solo-pastor model to a plurality of elders, and explore how teaching tools can support the equipping of leaders.
Many Chinese-heritage churches have long operated under a solo-pastor model — all teaching, pastoral care, and administration carried by one pastor alone. While this is a common reality in the early stages of a church's life, it should not become a permanent arrangement. The strategy for transition is to identify brothers within the existing congregation who are spiritually mature and gifted in pastoral care and teaching, and through intentional development and testing, gradually appoint them as elders. This is a gradual process that does not need to happen all at once, but it does require a clear direction and a plan.
Some brothers who are spiritually mature and passionate about pastoral care hesitate to take on the role of elder because they hold full-time jobs: "I don't have time to prepare sermons." However, the elder's teaching responsibility is not limited to preaching from the pulpit — it also includes one-on-one discipleship, leading Bible studies, and providing doctrinal guidance in specific pastoral situations. With the support of structured biblical teaching tools to assist in systematic knowledge transfer, a bi-vocational brother is fully capable of fulfilling the teaching responsibilities of an elder while maintaining his regular employment. Teaching tools can assist with systematic knowledge transfer, but the elder's personalized guidance, doctrinal discernment, and contextually sensitive responses remain irreplaceable.
One common form of role confusion is elders who only do administration and never shepherd — reducing the elder's role to approving budgets and managing facilities, which is essentially treating elders as deacons. Another form is elders who insist on doing everything themselves — not trusting the deacons, handling everything from preaching to buying refreshments, which scatters their energy away from their core mission and diminishes the deacons' space to serve. The healthy pattern is each person serving according to their gifts: elders focused on teaching, shepherding, and governing; deacons focused on practical service; with mutual trust and cooperation between them.
When a church consists of multiple congregations or home groups, a shared elder council can be formed to serve all the congregations — providing doctrinal standards (ensuring consistency of teaching), training support (sharing resources and experience), and conflict mediation (handling difficult pastoral situations), while respecting the autonomy of each congregation in its day-to-day pastoral life. This resembles the relationship between the church at Antioch and the church at Jerusalem (Acts 11:22-26) — a serving connection rather than a controlling jurisdiction.
Elders and deacons are two precious gifts God has given to the church — elders like shepherds, guiding, feeding, and protecting the flock; deacons like stewards, keeping God's household running with order, warmth, and care. Their gifts differ, but their mission is one: to build up the body of Christ and help the church grow in love.
Paul's most fundamental requirement for both offices is not competence or credentials, but character and life. What God values is "what kind of person he is" — a life above reproach, faithfulness in marriage, a clear conscience, and a willing and joyful heart of service. May every brother and sister called into these offices continue to grow in Christ, and with a servant's heart shepherd the flock that God has entrusted to them. "When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn't fade away." (1 Pet 5:4)
📝 Time to take the quiz! Now that you have finished this guide, head over to the Bible Trove Challenge — Level 3: "Serving and Equipping" — to work through the corresponding questions and consolidate what you have learned. You will find a rich selection of case studies and real-life scenario questions to help you turn knowledge into genuine wisdom for ministry. Go for it!