"Now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased" (1 Cor 12:18).

It is the business of every spiritual leader to not only be acquainted with this fact, but to work in absolute harmony with it. I come from a background that emphasized the eldership of the local congregation. Originally, the objective of this emphasis was to avoid the one-man-rule syndrome, which historically has robbed the people of God. It was also conceived to be a "pattern" set forth in Scripture for the church. However, as noble as the original objective may have appeared, the churches fell into another snare. Instead of a one-man-rule, they now had a multi-man- rule. By hard experience, they found that was no more productive than the condition they sought to avoid.

These lessons are provided to confirm the real role of elders, and how it fits into Divine objectives.

Article 1. What God is Doing Through Christ

Article 2. Some Preliminary Conclusions

Article 3. Why We Have Elders

Article 4. How Elders Are Furnished to the Church

Article 5. Defining An Elder

Article 6. Scriptural Terms Provide An Index

Article 7. How Elders Relate to Jesus

Article 8. How Elders Relate to the Body of Christ

Article 9. What Elders Do

Article 10. Selecting Elders and Deacons

Article 11. A Conclusion