Dr. Couch, are elders voted on by the congregation or are they appointed by other elders, or the apostles, in the case of the establishing of the NT churches?
ANSWER: Elders are not to be voted on in churches. That is a congregational system that is not biblical. Sheep do not vote on their shepherds; that does not make sense. Some wrongly use Acts 14:23 to try to prove that elders were voted on but this won't fly!
It is the account of Paul and Barnabas who "appointed" elders "in every church, having prayed with fasting, ..." The Greek word is Cheirotoneo that has the word "Hand" ("cheiro") in it, thus leading some to say, "Well, this is the holding up the hand to vote." But those who say that miss the point of how words change and adjust in usage. While the word once meant to raise the hand, we have only two men, Paul and Barnabas, who were deciding on the elders. It would be ludicrous to think that Paul counted 1, 2, 3, and said, "Now Barnabas, raise your hand and vote!" Because two men were doing the selection they were not voting in the normal sense. In fact, the NAS correctly translates the word "to appoint" with the idea of discussing the issue and "selecting" who the elders were to be.
Voting was confined only to wealthy people of the city-states and the Roman senates. The common people did not vote as we would normally think.
So this word changed in meaning by usage. Paul and Barnabas did not vote on elders. They discussed the issue and then appointed those they felt were qualified. This is what is to be done today. Elders select elders. The sheep do not have anything to do with this process. Voting causes competition and division. The selection of wise men by wise men is the biblical way to go!
Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)
