The matter of eldership is not just a matter for those who are elders because—as we saw in the Ephesians passage last week—the whole church—not just the elders, the whole church—grows into maturity through Christ’s gift of leaders, and therefore the whole church—including non-elders—need to understand and be shaped by how Christ has designed his church to function.
When a football manager gives lessons to his team on defence, he doesn’t just tell the defenders, he tells the whole team, and it’s the same in Paul’s letters, the whole church—even children—were told of what it meant to need pastors and teachers—elders—and what was required of them.
And if you’re an unbeliever, or if you’re not a church member, then it’s still worth you listening because this is about Christ and how he cares for his church, there’s no better person that you could hear about, and no better body that you could be urged to be part of.
