Let’s start with some definitions:
Under-Shepherd, Elder, Bishop, Overseer; they go by many names. However, the office is the same.
The Greek word for “Overseer” is the same word used for Elders and Pastors. So first things first; Overseers are essentially Pastors, perhaps without a seminary degree and/or ordination. We see them used interchangeably many times in the New Testament.
Grandview’s Constitution defines our Overseers in this way: “men of the church who exhibit a Christlike life and set an example for others. They shall show their commitment to this church through regular church attendance and involvement in ministry.”
The office of the Overseer is one of nobility (1 Tim. 3:1), and it is not filled out of compulsion, but willingly and voluntarily. (1 Peter 5:2)
The duties of the Overseers require them to devote much time to prayer and the study of God’s Word.
They are the church’s sole authoritative interpreter of Scripture. (Titus 2)
They are the shepherds and caregivers of the church. (1 Peter 5:2)
They are the guardians of the church (Acts 20:28, Titus 1:9), protecting her from wolves and false teachers.
They are teachers of sound doctrine. (Titus 2)
They are the stewards of the church (Acts 20:28, Titus 1:7), whom God obtained with His own blood.
They keep watch over our souls. (Hebrews 13:17)
Overseers are to be above reproach and respectable. (1 Tim. 3:2)
If their lives are not characterized by the standards God has set forth in His Word, they must answer to Him. (1 Peter 5:4)
At times, they will undergo fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12), be accused by insubordinate members, empty talkers and deceivers (Titus 1:10), and they will be reviled.
Other times, they may be called out for real infractions and transgressions. But this should not happen in public. Bringing it before the entire church is Jesus’ last step in confronting sin (Matt. 18:15-17).
*Read through 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-5 for more complete lists of Overseer qualifications.
Beyond what Overseers are called to do for us, maybe we can focus on what we can do for them. After all, if church life is all about what we get out of it, our focus is not where Christ desires.
We ought to consider how we can be helpful to the leaders of our church.
Here are some important, practical ways to love our Overseers.
Pray for them.
We are blessed with the extraordinary gift of prayer. In fact, prayer is a necessity to Christian living. “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing” . Many times throughout the Scriptures, we see people praying for others. Jesus models this practice in John 17:9. More to the point of this article, we see this practice as the church prays for the blessing of her selected leaders in Acts 6:6. It is right and biblical to practice praying for one another. In fact, this is a way for us to show love. And aren’t we called to love each other?
When Jesus was asked what the greatest command is, he responded with not one, but two commands: “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…soul…mind…strength…and you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). What connects these two greatest commands is love. One love is a vertical love (for God), and the other is a horizontal love (for others). However, we are able to show our vertical love by our horizontal love. Our love for God may be seen in our love for others. John says it well; “If anyone says ‘I love God’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen…whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:19-21). Love the Overseers by practicing faithful prayer for them. They are your brothers in Christ.
2. Show them Respect.
In Paul’s Pastoral Epistle to Timothy, he declares that anyone seeking to fill the office of Overseer desires a noble task. This almost feels like an understatement. Overseers at Grandview are responsible for the care of the church, oversight of spiritual issues, oversight of ministries, and oversight of finances; each with a surplus of addition responsibilities. They devote countless hours each month to meetings, prayer, studying the Word, teaching, discipling, training, and caring for individual members in the church.
All of this voluntary work falls ON TOP of their full-time work and home lives. They take seriously the responsibilities of protecting the church from flawed doctrine and false teaching so that we would not be led astray. They are instrumental in guarding our souls from the unquenchable fire. A noble task, indeed. God desires for His church to love and respect those appointed to lead it. He knows the weight of their duties. And He knows all too well the wanton flame of human nature to disregard authority (see Genesis 3 through Revelation 22!). He calls us to be submissive and to respect the authority He put in place.
3. Show them Grace.
Overseers are men. Men are human. Humans aren’t perfect. There will be times when you disagree with them. And there will be times when they will be wrong. With all the responsibilities listed above, how can we expect them to get it right every time? Think about where you are serving in the church (assuming you do serve in the church. It is what we are called to do). Are you put under that amount of pressure? Do you fall under public scrutiny? Do you feel the weight of failing God and His church when you make a mistake? Do you feel a brokenness over failed ideas and wayward members? They do. I know this to be true because I am in the meetings, the text message groups, the emails, etc. Now I want you to answer this question: where is Christ in your life if you can’t show others grace? This one cuts me to the core. Looking past the mistakes and into the heart of their intent is paramount.
Mercy is a subset of grace. Both revolve around kindness and compassion, but mercy carries with it the idea of withholding punishment. Jesus said “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7), implying that those who refuse to show mercy will not be shown mercy. It’s similar to the concept of forgiveness. “If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:15). This is a serious priority in our faith community. It is a determining factor in a person’s eternal destination. We are to rightly exercise grace and forgiveness to our brothers and sisters, and that includes our Overseers. When you are free and clear of sin, you can cast the first stone.
4. Bring them Joy.
My favorite verse involving those who have taken on the office of Overseer is actually about those that they oversee. Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you”. Obey, submit, and let them watch over us with joy! What a selfless and loving act our Overseers carry out in keeping watch over us! The least we can do for them is to not grieve them. It’s easier to carry out your duties when joy is involved. You probably don’t perform well when someone is making life difficult for you, either. So let’s refrain from being insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, dissenters, dividers, puffed up people craving controversy (1 Tim 6 & Titus 1). That’s the Devil’s work, don’t be his tool.
Let’s come alongside our Overseers and love them with prayer, respect, grace, and joy for the glory of God in the body of Christ! Amen? (And you respond with “Amen!”)
Dave, Layne, Chris, and Dennis; Thank you for your faithful love of Christ and His church. May your countless hours of prayer for and service to our church family earn you the unfading crown of glory. I am eternally blessed to serve alongside you.
Blessings,
Associate Pastor Joel Sadler
