SEVEN TRAITS OF A GOOD ELDER?

I'm not an elder; never have I been. But I've worked closely with about seven sets in my tenure at Memorial Drive. I have been in countless meetings. While various congregations are plagued and stymied by poor leadership among the elders, I've enjoyed several years of the opposite.

Therefore, I write this post hoping to salute the good guys among us while possibly inspiring some mediocre ones to greater effectiveness as well as efficiency. Here are a few things to consider about the good guys:

• Every one of them learns something pertinent in becoming an elder in which they had been guilty of criticizing elders before they became one. Their understanding deepens.
• Members can find it easy to form major (even stubborn) opinions when they know little of how shallowly they speak.
• Elders spend days and night in tears over those in secret pain as well as those who find it easy to criticize. Their love for both is reflective of The One.
• The good elders are not jealous of one another. There is no power struggle.
• The effective elders refuse to be pigeon-holed in the foyer by a critic. They possess an uncanny courage to direct that dear member to the one with whom they have the problem and allow God to work it out. Too much division among us has been unnecessary because weak elders would not stand up to overbearing and outspoken members.
• The good elders are willing to stand upon their view of the Bible without fear of what other flocks may mistakenly assume or conclude.
• The closer a shepherd is to the cross the more he will be accused of wrong-doing as was the case with The Shepherd. Find it no accident that those in the "religious know" nailed the Chief Elder to the cross as a fake and weak leader. The good elder lives from his cross with neither defense nor complaint.

We are blessed to have the good guys on our side. To the good guys and to those who are becoming to good guys....we salute you!