333 Words - Page 74 of 145

333 WORDS….

Babysitters and elders have some commonality….

Babysitters do not babysit teenagers. Elders do not oversee adults. As sitters are for those requiring sitters, elders are for those requiring elders, not those who do not. A two or three year old evangelical requiring supervision and guidance is added evidence of weakness of the evangelical way.

Both Sally the sitter and Ed the elder are accountable, Sally to parents, Ed to Jesus Christ. Neither is allowed to do his/her thing. Both have been given clear instructions and are expected to follow those guidelines. An elder encumbered by tradition will tend to emphasize those traditions, harming those he has been entrusted to oversee.

Sitters are not on salary. Parents are not obligated to Sally after service has been rendered, free to hire whosoever. Although an elder (or pastor, teacher, etc.) is certainly “worthy of his hire” there is no Bible precedent for being salaried. Such a practice puts everyone in an awkward and unsavory situation as the group becomes the employer and the elder the employee. They become lazy and he becomes obligated and accountable.

The house church that elevates an elder to official authority does so to their harm. That elder will be like grumpy grizzly protecting his turf…. like a well-armed prospector protecting his cabin from bad guys, real or imaginary, lurking in the woods, intent on plundering his gold…. like a snarling guard dog aching for an enemy to climb over the fence.

She is Sally the babysitter, not Babysitter Sally. He is Ed the elder, not Elder Ed, not Pastor Ed, not Reverend Ed.

And babysitters and elders have certain contrasts….

Sally enforces the rules, Ed does not. She has been given authority, he has not. She dictates, he influences.
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Sally the sitter should constantly reference the parents, and never compete for the children’s affection. That would be ultimate betrayal of trust. Ed the elder should constantly reference Christ, and never compete for affection. That would be ultimate betrayal of trust.