GENERAL SUBJECT:
CRUCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CHURCH
Message Ten
The Principle of Discussing Matters in the Elders’ Meeting
Scripture Reading: Exo. 28:29-30; Acts 15:6-22, 28-29
I. The principle of discussing matters in the elders’ meetings is to let the Holy Spirit be the presiding One—Acts 15:6-12, 22, 28; Matt. 18:20:
A. Whenever the elders come together, they need to pray themselves into the spirit; they need to pray their different understandings into the oneness.
B. In the elders’ meeting we should not elect someone to preside over the meeting; if we elect someone, we annul the authority of the Holy Spirit, and the meeting is offensive to the Holy Spirit.
C. When the elders come together, if someone senses the leading within to mention a certain matter that needs a decision, he may mention it; then all may speak forth their feeling so that everyone may seek the Lord’s leading together, according to the example of Acts 15.
II. Learning to follow the Holy Spirit in discussing matters—Col. 1:18; Acts 15:28:
A. The elders should be real priests who have direct contact with God and seek God; their relationship with God should be so intimate that He can tell them His intention at any time—Acts 15:6-7a; James 2:23; Exo. 33:11a.
B. When the elders follow the Holy Spirit in discussing matters, there is neither democracy nor autocracy but a theocracy, that is, the rule of God; God desires that we seek His instruction—Col. 1:18b; Dan. 4:26.
C. In order to be infused with the instruction of God to care for the church, the elders must enter into the reality of “reading the saints,” just as the high priest in the Old Testament read the stones on the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim in the presence of God—Exo. 28:29-30:
1. When the elders come together, they must bear the brothers and sisters on their shoulders, representing strength, and hold them in their heart, representing love—vv. 9-12, 29-30; S.S. 8:6.
2. If the church has a problem and the elders need to see how the church should go on, they should go to God with much prayer; God’s speaking will come to them, telling them what to do and how to do it.
3. The elders need not only the Bible and the Holy Spirit but also the brothers and sisters as the alphabet; They need to read the condition of every brother and sister before God, and know what God wants them to do and what God’s present will is in the church life.
D. Using facts and experiences as references—Acts 15:6-12:
1. The testimony of Peter—vv. 7-11.
2. The testimonies of Barnabas and Paul—v. 12.
E. Making decisions according to the truth in God’s word—vv. 13-22, 28-29:
1. James’s views based upon the truth—vv. 13-21.
2. The decision of the Holy Spirit and the apostles with the elders—vv. 22, 28-29.
