Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Your elder is a family man
Your elder needs to be a strong family man. He has a healthy marriage. I think there are a number of reasons why this is healthy. One is that you have a strong spiritual voice from his wife. I know there are elders that insist their wives know nothing of elder business. I think that thinking is rarely heard anymore. And in truth, I never really knew many elders that kept things from their wife. Healthy marriages talk things thru. I am convinced that tho you may think in terms of having elders, you in reality have in some sense elder couples.
A healthy marriage protects your elder. His wife will be one of the older women actively involved in teaching younger women. They will do spiritual marriage counseling together. Many women in the church will come first to an elder's wife for advice and counsel.
One of the characteristics of an elder is to be hospitable. They have open lives and open homes. You are welcome. They share life. And you cannot do that without a wife that is fully bought in to her husband being an elder.
An elder's children are to be believers/faithful. Again, not perfect but believers. Paul even explains why in his letter to Timothy. If he cannot manage his family, how can he manage the church. So you get a glimpse of how a man would shepherd the church by seeing how he shepherds his family.
So you want an elder that has a healthy marriage and that has worked to guide his children to follow Jesus.
He and his wife serve as strong examples for your marriage. They will give good advice for raising children.
So when choosing an elder, look for a good man with a strong family and who knows the Bible.
He will lead you right into heaven.
