An elder's ability of discernment is definitely related to the management of the church. An elder who has no discernment concerning people and things will surely be unable to manage a church. In other words, a person who is muddled cannot manage the church. The person who manages and oversees must be considerably clear in his mind. If you take three as four or four as three, you cannot manage the church. Even if you were to manage it, your management would be a management of confusion. Therefore, either we do not mention church management at all, or if we do, we need to see a basic need, which is the ability of discernment.
An elder's sphere of discernment differs from that of the people of the world. Their sphere of discernment is worldly and materialistic, but the elders' sphere of discernment is spiritual. This is an important principle.
In discerning people and things, the first thing the elders have to determine is whether or not the person or the matter is spiritual. For instance, a brother may suggest something to you as an elder. First, your job is not to discern if the matter is right or wrong, good or bad, but whether or not it is spiritual. The church is not a social organization or a business institution. The church is a spiritual family and a spiritual garden. Business affairs are there only to render some support. The goal of church administration is to nourish and supply every family member with life, so that each one will grow to maturity. Or to put it in another way, this goal is to render every tree in this garden the adequate nourishment and watering, so that each one will grow up. Therefore, everything in the church must be discerned with spiritual insight. Even if some brothers come with suggestions to buy land for a meeting hall, or to build a meeting hall a certain kind of way, the elders must have spiritual discernment. Some brothers may suggest, "We want to send out a notice or an invitation." The elders should first discern if this way of doing things is spiritual. This is a very serious principle.