Set Apart

Romans 1:1    Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.

 

Our church is undergoing the annual search for elders and the Nominations committee is praying and working hard to ensure that they find and locate those whom God has already chosen to be our new elders. It’s a tough process to go through because the responsibility of the congregation’s leadership lies heavily upon the committee’s shoulders. The members of the committee want to get it right, pleasing God with their choices and helping His people at Erin to be blessed with new leadership. It’s a serious business, which is why we should be praying every week whilst the committee is in session.

 

Elders, including pastors who are teaching elders, are chosen to be ‘set apart’ to do God’s holy work in the congregation. They are not ‘set above’ or ‘set aside.’ They are ‘set apart’ to devote the next three years of their lives serving God in special ways. Not everyone is chosen to be an elder because it is a difficult and time-consuming responsibility. It takes a great deal of patience to be an elder. It takes a greater faith commitment to remain an elder. Church politics can make heavy demands on people in key areas of leadership in any church. Elders need to be team players because they will eventually become team leaders in the congregation.

 

Paul was ‘set apart’ by God for a mission that caused him a lot of suffering, trouble and pain. The road that he traveled was very hard to endure and at the end of it he was martyred. Eldership in any church does not bring with it many accolades or medals. And, in these times when churches are scrambling to remain effective, relevant, and strong, good elders who are supportive, sincere, and set on strengthening the congregation become great blessings to God’s Kingdom and His people.

 

So, wherever our churches are located, let’s be encouragers to our elders. They are set apart to do God’s work. With our support, prayers and positive commitment to our churches, they can become all that God plans and wants them to be.

 

Prayer:                        Lord God, we pray that You will bless the current searches that are going on in our congregations as we seek to find those You have chosen to become elders. Grant blessings of discernment and discipleship upon those who are elected and set apart to do Your Holy Work. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.