Relevant Bible Texts

Elder / Overseer / Bishop / Leader

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).
Love others as God has loved you (John 13:34).
Devote yourself to prayer and the study of the Bible (Acts 6:4).
Exercise church discipline, when appropriate, according to Jesus’ command (Matthew 18:15-18) and Paul’s guidance to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:19-20).
Demonstrate forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22).
As you are going, make disciples, teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20).
Plan and facilitate the observance of water baptism (Acts 2:38).
Plan and facilitate the observance of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
Plan and facilitate congregational worship of God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 4:23-24).
Tend Jesus’ lambs, Shepherd Jesus’ sheep, Tend Jesus’ sheep (John 21:15-17).
Declare the whole counsel of God; do not shrink from the public teaching of Scripture. Do not hold your life dear, finish the course and ministry which you have received from the Lord, and preach the gospel of the grace of God. Be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock; shepherd the church of God, defend the flock from wolves, and resist people who speak perverse and heretical things to draw away the flock. (Acts 20:17-35)
Be flexible in your role, in order to the reach the lost and minister to the flock, for the sake of the Gospel, and so that you may be a fellow partaker of it. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
Demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
Build up the Body of Christ, by equipping the saints for the work of service, through individual and group teaching, discipleship, and special purpose programs, for the purpose of promoting unity of the faith and increasing knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4:12-13).
Seek to be a man above reproach, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, soberminded, gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money, and maintaining marital fidelity (1 Timothy 3:1-3).
Seek to be a mature man of the faith who manages his own household well, keeping your children under control, and maintaining a good reputation in the community (1 Timothy 3:4-7).
Imitate the Apostle Paul in teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and perseverance through persecution and suffering for the benefit, reproof, correction, training in righteousness, and equipping of the Bride of Christ for every good work (2 Tim 3:10-17).
Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction, the Body of Christ (2 Timothy 4:2).
With an enduring sober-mindedness, fulfill your ministry by resisting those who preach and teach according to the desires of the flesh, who tickle people’s ears, and turn away from the truth and turn toward myths (2 Tim 4:3-5).
Love what is good, be sensible, just, and devout, holding firm to the Word of God so that you will be able to exhort sound doctrine and refute those who contradict (Titus 1:8-9).
Avoid controversies and disputes about issues not essential to church function. Defend the flock from those who would divide the Body of Christ (Titus 3:9-10).
Keep watch over the souls of the flock, knowing that you will give an account to God; do this with joy and not with groaning (Hebrews 13:17-19)
Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19).
Guard your tongue and be cautious when teaching (James 3:1-5).
In the footsteps of the Apostle Peter, seek the crown of glory by shepherding the Flock of God, exercising oversight of the deacons and saints, planning and leading church operations, with a willing and eager heart, for the glory of God and the benefit of the church, all the while being an example of wisdom, love, and humility until the Chief Shepherd appears (1 Peter 5:1-4).
Be worthy of the submission of the flock, especially the young men, and do all things with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (1 Peter 5:5).

Relevant Bible Texts

Elder / Overseer / Bishop / Leader

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).

Love others as God has loved you (John 13:34).

Devote yourself to prayer and the study of the Bible (Acts 6:4).

Exercise church discipline, when appropriate, according to Jesus’ command (Matthew 18:15-18) and Paul’s guidance to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:19-20).

Demonstrate forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22).

As you are going, make disciples, teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20).

Plan and facilitate the observance of water baptism (Acts 2:38).

Plan and facilitate the observance of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).

Plan and facilitate congregational worship of God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 4:23-24).

Tend Jesus’ lambs, Shepherd Jesus’ sheep, Tend Jesus’ sheep (John 21:15-17).

Be flexible in your role, in order to the reach the lost and minister to the flock, for the sake of the Gospel, and so that you may be a fellow partaker of it. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).

Demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

Build up the Body of Christ, by equipping the saints for the work of service, through individual and group teaching, discipleship, and special purpose programs, for the purpose of promoting unity of the faith and increasing knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4:12-13).

Seek to be a man above reproach, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, soberminded, gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money, and maintaining marital fidelity (1 Timothy 3:1-3).

Seek to be a mature man of the faith who manages his own household well, keeping your children under control, and maintaining a good reputation in the community (1 Timothy 3:4-7).

Imitate the Apostle Paul in teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and perseverance through persecution and suffering for the benefit, reproof, correction, training in righteousness, and equipping of the Bride of Christ for every good work (2 Tim 3:10-17).

Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction, the Body of Christ (2 Timothy 4:2).

With an enduring sober-mindedness, fulfill your ministry by resisting those who preach and teach according to the desires of the flesh, who tickle people’s ears, and turn away from the truth and turn toward myths (2 Tim 4:3-5).

Love what is good, be sensible, just, and devout, holding firm to the Word of God so that you will be able to exhort sound doctrine and refute those who contradict (Titus 1:8-9).

Avoid controversies and disputes about issues not essential to church function. Defend the flock from those who would divide the Body of Christ (Titus 3:9-10).

Keep watch over the souls of the flock, knowing that you will give an account to God; do this with joy and not with groaning (Hebrews 13:17-19)

Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19).

Guard your tongue and be cautious when teaching (James 3:1-5).

Be worthy of the submission of the flock, especially the young men, and do all things with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (1 Peter 5:5).