The Appointment of Elders

Crete was one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean world. Paul left Titus there with a clear purpose: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Titus 1:5).

Titus’ task was to “set in order” what remained unfinished. The Greek term Paul used conveys the idea of straightening what is crooked or setting broken limbs—language borrowed from the medical field (Vincent, vol. 3, p. 333). God intends every congregation to be properly organized, and that includes the selection and appointment of elders. A congregation without elders remains incomplete and lacking.

Many congregations exist without elders, sometimes for understandable reasons. These include a lack of qualified men, frequent membership turnover, division, complacency, contentment with the status quo, or a failure to teach and encourage men to grow toward qualification. While such circumstances may explain the absence of elders, they should never excuse permanent inaction. Every congregation should strive to overcome these obstacles and appoint elders as soon as possible.

The Role of the Congregation in Selecting Elders

Paul reminded the elders of Ephesus, “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). This raises an important question: How does the Holy Spirit make elders?

The New Testament shows that the Holy Spirit works through the local church. In Acts 13:2–4, the church acted under the Spirit’s guidance by fasting, praying, and sending out Barnabas and Saul for their appointed work. In the same way today, when a congregation follows the Spirit’s revealed instructions, identifies men who meet the biblical qualifications, and selects them, those men are elders made by the Holy Spirit.

This pattern is also seen in Acts 6. When the Jerusalem church faced the problem of neglected widows, the apostles instructed the congregation to “seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). The congregation did the selecting because its members were best equipped to recognize qualified men among themselves.

Although elders exercise oversight within the congregation, they do not select their own successors. The eldership is not a self‑perpetuating body. Such a practice would resemble ruling rather than shepherding. Peter warned elders not to act as lords over God’s people but to serve as examples (1 Peter 5:2–3). Elders lead with the consent and confidence of those they serve.

For this reason, an elder who moves to another congregation does not automatically serve as an overseer there. He must again be selected and appointed by that congregation. The church is instructed to “look out from among yourselves.” The congregation should not view the eldership as a closed or exclusive group, nor should current elders resist the selection of additional qualified men. At the same time, elders participate in the selection process as fellow members of the congregation, not as rulers over it.

The Evangelist’s Role in Appointing Elders

Some ask whether Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5 place the selection and appointment of elders solely in the hands of the evangelist. The answer is no. Preachers do not independently select elders. The congregation selects men who meet the qualifications given by the Holy Spirit. Evangelists then appoint those men who have been properly selected.

This distinction between selecting and appointing is clear in Acts 6. The congregation chose the seven men, and the apostles appointed them to their work. In Acts 14:23, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church. Since Barnabas was not an apostle of Christ, this appointment cannot be viewed as an exclusively apostolic function. Paul later instructed Titus, an evangelist, to appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5).

Lexical definitions further clarify the meaning of “appoint.” The term conveys the idea of choosing or confirming men for a specific office and placing them in a position of responsibility. It is the same word used to describe Pharaoh appointing Joseph as governor (Acts 7:10) and the Law appointing high priests (Hebrews 5:1). Titus’ role, therefore, was to set qualified, selected men in place as overseers of the congregation.

Evangelists should observe several important guidelines when appointing elders:

1. They must ensure that the men selected meet all biblical qualifications.
2. They may only appoint men who have been selected by the congregation.
3. They must appoint a plurality of elders unless an eldership already exists.
4. They must never refuse to appoint qualified men.
5. They should not act hastily in the appointment process.

The Seriousness of This Work

The selection and appointment of elders is one of the most serious responsibilities a local congregation faces. It requires careful study, prayer, and thoughtful consideration. Simply selecting men is not enough; those men must also be publicly appointed and recognized so the congregation understands who has been entrusted with spiritual oversight.

— Daniel R. Vess