Elders, Elders, Elders!

 

Having lived for one year now in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, it is my straightforward observation that indigenous Christian churches here tend to be small, relatively feeble, and often lacking in strength of leadership.  Pastors are typically relatively new Christians who are trained in various Bible schools for a year or two, then expected to lead a small congregation whose total monthly tithing is often under $50.  Pastors are often rice farmers who must continue in that work in order for their families to survive.  As far as I am able to ascertain, there is almost no such thing as an elder or deacon in a Cambodian church, at least as we in the West know that term to be defined.

 

Timothy Z. Witmer, in The Shepherd Leader, characterizes the chief functions of “elders” (or “overseers,” or “under-shepherds”) as knowimg, feeding, leading and protecting the flock.  In Cambodia, virtually all of these duties are left at the door of an overburdened pastor who in turn is himself hungry for higher training.  Much such training is in the offing here, yet more needs to be done.

 

While the pastors’ need for training continues to scream for attention, the more fundamental need of the church in Cambodia is for there to be elders – shepherds of the flock.  Without the support of solid and effective shepherds, even a well-trained pastor will likely flounder and the church eventually fail in vitality.

 

Having a core group of elders for our churches in Cambodia would add the following benefits to a healthy church:

-       To take on the biblical functions of elders, in knowing, feeding, leading and protecting the flock.

-       To free the pastor to further his training, to study and to preach the Word of God faithfully.

-       To protect the pastor from unilateral error or sin, in that leadership functions are shared and not held solely by one person.

-       To pray for the pastor and the needs of the congregation

-       To give and receive encouragement as among the elders and the pastor.

-       To hold the pastor accountable in a loving, genuine way.

-       To more easily engage in outreach evangelizing with the help of the congregation.

-       To provide greater organization for the church.

 

This list could be expanded almost limitlessly, but however long the list is, the point is that the burden of leading a church is very significant and should not (biblically or logically) be borne by one person alone, i.e., the pastor!

 

The church in Cambodia (and I dare say in other countries as well) cannot go forward on the back of one overburdened leader!   We need ELDERS! ELDERS! ELDERS!