If we read the whole Bible carefully, we can see that God's plan and His purpose are fulfilled in the church. Without the church, God's plan cannot be fulfilled, and God's desire cannot be realized. Hence, we can say that God's plan and His desire hinge upon the church. The Bible also shows us that the focus of the church is the elders. If a local church has no elders, strictly speaking, it is as if there were no church. This can be compared to a country in the world that cannot be considered a nation because there are citizens, but there is no government. In the same principle, it does not matter how many brothers and sisters there are in a locality; if no elders are raised up, they cannot be considered a church. As a nation must have a legitimate government in addition to having citizens, so a church must have elders appointed in addition to having a group of saved saints.
I hope that the brothers and sisters would have a strong feeling concerning this matter. Not only does the Bible say this, but history also testifies to this, and our experience can also attest to it. Wherever there are strong elders, there are strong churches. Wherever there are spiritual elders, there are spiritual churches. Whether a church is strong or weak, spiritual or fleshly, absolutely depends on the elders. Wherever you go, the condition of the elders in that place determines the condition of the church. This is something very real.
Hence, we have to see that the most important group of people in the whole universe is the elders. If there were no church, the universe would be a void; it would be useless to God. The elders are the center of the church. Without the elders, the church would likewise be a void. Hence, the elders are the most important group of people in the universe.
Perhaps some brothers would ask, "Does not the Bible say that the apostles are higher and more important than the elders?" No doubt, the apostles are the ones to raise up the churches. Even the elders in the church are appointed by the apostles. Please remember, however, that the key to the condition in the church does not hinge on the apostles; rather it hinges on the elders. I have the assurance to say that if a local church has strong elders, even if the apostles are a little weak, the church will nevertheless be strong. But if the elders are weak, even if the apostles are strong, the church will still be weak. Whether a church is strong or weak depends directly on the elders.
From the seven epistles in Revelation, you can clearly see the importance of the position of the elders. The beginning of Revelation shows us that in the whole universe God's testimony is the churches in the different localities as His lampstands. The seven lampstands are the seven local churches, shining for God in the universe as His testimony. None of the seven epistles to the churches were written to the apostles. Every one of them was for the messengers of the seven churches. Under normal circumstances, the messengers of the church are the elders of the church. It is true that the different churches are God's lampstands in the different places. Yet when the Lord came to speak, He did not speak directly to the churches; rather He spoke to the messengers of the churches.