Question: Can an elder retire?
Answer: The Bible does not say that an elder can retire. Just as a husband and father cannot retire, neither can an elder retire, for these are all matters of life. Furthermore, our real usefulness begins at eighty. Moses’ began to be used by the Lord at eighty (Exo. 7:7). However, because there are always several elders in a church, the older ones do not need to overly exert themselves, for the younger elders can bear the practical burdens. The older ones do not have much physical strength or energy, but their experiences are valuable and greatly needed. Brother Watchman Nee once told me that it is a great loss when the old saints pass away. He said that the recovery needs many saints to live beyond eighty years of age, because we need their testimonies concerning their experiences in life. We need to take care of our physical health so that we can live longer for the sake of the church.
It is dangerous for an elder to leave the eldership. We should either enter the eldership for life or not enter at all. We must look to the Lord to make us willing to continue serving in this function at any cost. The thought of retirement is somewhat natural. The older we are, the more positive we should be about our service. This does not mean that we should do more, but it is a great help in any situation if we will speak of our experiences. There are several overseers in each church, and the older and younger ones have different portions. Nothing can replace the lessons learned from experiences. These are the riches of the church.
Question: What is the best way to carry out an apprenticeship for the eldership?
Answer: We must be careful not to do this quickly. We need to do all such things in the church continually but gradually. When brothers are first brought into the meetings of the elders as apprentices, they should only observe to learn. Occasionally, the elders may ask them to do something. Learning in an apprenticeship does not come mainly from teaching and instruction but from observation.
Question: How do we cultivate the proper aspiration for the overseership?
Answer: First Timothy 3:1 indicates that it is good to aspire to the overseership. This means that for the future of a local church several brothers in the church should have the aspiration that one day they could bear the responsibility of the eldership. This aspiration is different from ambition. Although we need to cultivate the proper aspiration for the eldership, we must condemn ambition. The older elders should bear the responsibility to pray, “Lord, raise up more proper, useful brothers to bear the burden of the church.” Some brothers may be promising and good for the eldership yet lack the aspiration. Therefore, we need to pray for them. The proper aspiration comes mainly from others’ prayer.
Question: In considering a brother for the eldership, should we take into account his reputation before he was saved?
Answer: Whether we did something wrong before we were saved or after, we should make a thorough restitution with all those involved in our life. If a man steals before he is saved, once he becomes a believer, he must make restitution to those from whom he stole. If he does not make restitution and eventually becomes a leading one in the church, others will reproach him.
We need to distinguish slander from reproach. Reproach means that we are criticized because of some sin, error, mistake, or wrongdoing. Slander is when we are falsely accused or ill spoken of simply because we have become a believer or come into the church. If we are criticized for wrongdoings that we have not dealt with, this is reproach, but if we are slandered for following the Lord, this is a good testimony. Those who slander us know deep in their conscience that we are taking the right way. Even if others revile us when we make restitution to them for past offenses, their conscience will bear testimony to them that we are right.
Question: How can an elder who is a father care for his family and also be always available to help the saints?
To be an overseer is difficult. The most helpful thing for children is for their parents to spend time with them. To sit with them, observe what they are doing, and instruct them is the best encouragement to them and prevents them from being idle. Sometimes we need to have free talks with them about wide-ranging subjects. If we do, they will be happy. All children like to learn. The need with our children is endless. The more time we spend with them, the better. We should allow them to join in our daily activities, and we should join them in their activities. However, an elder also needs to be available to help the saints. In order to care for both these needs, we must learn to fellowship with the Lord and follow His leading. What I have shared concerning the eldership are principles. We need the Lord’s leading for specific situations.
We need to be impressed that the eldership is altogether a matter of life. It depends not on what we do but on what we are and how we live. We can retire from doing something, but we cannot retire from what we are. The care for the churches is not a matter of business but a matter of life. Therefore, those who aspire to the eldership need to learn mainly not how to do things but the way to live a life of a high standard. The requirements in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 are altogether related to what we are and to the way we live.