The Appointing of Elders
I am delighted to invite you to participate in one of the most important aspects of the health and future of our church, the appointing of Elders.
At Hope, we consider it a joy to be an Elder-led church. We depend upon a plurality of qualified and competent leaders to help us live out our calling in Brunswick and beyond. I believe that our Elder board is one of the greatest assets that we have as a church family. In the troubling times that we live in, I agree with Dr. Howard Hendricks who writes, "The greatest crisis in America is a crisis of leadership, and the greatest crisis of leadership is a crisis of character." When it comes to appointing Elders, the Biblical standards for leadership and character are set very high.
Here is a summary of some of the important qualifications of an Elder:
Maintains a good reputation: "Above reproach" (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6), "Respectable" (1 Timothy 3:2), and "Well thought of by outsiders" (1 Timothy 3:7)
A man who maintains healthy relationships: "The husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6)
Is a leader: “Direct the affairs of the church well” (1 Timothy 5:17), “He must manage his own household well” (1 Timothy 3:4), and “Be shepherds of God’s flock” (1 Peter 5:2)
Displays self-control: “Sober-minded" (1 Timothy 3:2), "Self-controlled" (Titus 1:8), "Not greedy for gain" (Titus 1:7), "Not quick-tempered" (Titus 1:7), "Not quarrelsome" (1 Timothy 3:3), "Not a drunkard" (1 Timothy 3:3), and "Disciplined" (Titus 1:8)
Has strong relational skills: "Gentle" (1 Timothy 3:3), "Upright" (Titus 1:8), "Not quick-tempered" (Titus 1:7), "Not quarrelsome" (1 Timothy 3:3), and "Not arrogant" (Titus 1:7)
Is hospitable and loving: “Hospitable” (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8), and “A lover of good” (Titus 1:8)
Lives with integrity: "Above reproach" (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6), "Being examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:3), "Not greedy for gain" (Titus 1:7), "Upright" (Titus 1:8), "Hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught” (Titus 1:9), and "Holy" (Titus 1:8)
Shows spiritual maturity: "Not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil." (1 Timothy 3:6)
The process of selecting Elders should be a prayerful one, recognizing that God ultimately chooses His leaders. In Acts 20:28, Luke writes, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” The way we prayerfully appoint our Elders therefore requires the Holy Spirit’s leading along with an appropriate vetting and affirmation process by the members of our church family. “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (Acts 14:23 ESV)
As we prepare for 2026, if you have a Hope Church member in mind that you believe meets these qualifications, and whom you would like to place in nomination for Elder, please email me: shawn.brennan@hopebrunswick.org by October 1. Nominees will be considered by our Nominating Committee, who were elected at last year’s annual meeting. Positions will be officially voted on at our annual congregational meeting on Wednesday, November 12.
Thank you for diligently praying for the current and future leadership of Hope Church!
Expectantly,
Shawn
