False Office of Bishop and Elders

"Real elders are older and wiser men and women"

The words 'bishop' and 'elder' are NOT titles of authority, but rather a description that simply denotes age and experience. Why are we calling young men and women 'elders' and 'bishops' in many of our churches across America? 

I have met some of these  preachers with these 'psuedo' titles of authority who are extremely rude, arrogant and stuck up to say the least. Its a wonder anyone can fit in the same room with them, their ego's are so big,  legends in their own minds.

The word 'elder' and 'bishop' were used interchangeably during the time of Jesus Christ and the early church. The meaning was the same in most cases. These two words were usually in reference to “older” men that sat in the synagogue to help ‘oversee’ the functions of the meetings in the times of Christ and our early forefathers in the faith who went from house to house, "...and they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of hert.  Acts 2:46"

An elder is not a thirty 30 year old! 
An elder is an older person!
Elder means E L D E R LY! 

Come on Brothers and Sisters in Christ....Let's STOP the Madness! 

The arrogance and the emulation that is permeating many hearts in America that pursue and acknowledge a bishop (correct meaning, elder, elderly person) as positions of authority over other churches and ministry gifts, is erroneous! It is ministry madness!! A gateway to self worship and pride. 

How is it possible for a bishop (elderly person) to usurp authority over God’s appointed authority? How is it possible for someone to ‘oversee’ another fellowship when he cannot see? The essence of an overseer is sight. How can one be a bishop or overseer over churches that he spends absolutely no time with? Therefore, he “SEES” nothing!

The office of a bishop that is being promoted in America as one of authority over churches and denominations; is not part of the ministry gifts that Jesus gave in Ephesians Chapter 4 for the perfecting of the saints. He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These offices cannot be appointed by man, though many covet and desire them, they cannot have these offices as in the case of a bishop (overseer of a fellowship). Why is this very important to note? When Paul wrote his pastoral letters to Timothy, he said that if a man desires the office of a bishop, he meant anyone with a desire! As long as they fit the requirements that he gave to Timothy, they could be a bishop, or an overseer of their fellowship. The older men (bishops) were literally overseers, supervisors of the churches that they were in.

As the early church was being established, there were no “pastors” who were rooted and grounded in Christ that could ‘oversee’ the churches as the ‘elders’ or ‘bishops’ could do at that time. They had more experience in life. They were mature. They were older and wiser men that “supervised” the early churches as the Ministry Gifts of Jesus; apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were being set in the earth. These ministry gifts needed time to grow and mature into the knowledge and experience of Christ and His message. Why is this so very important for us to understand in America? Because NO bishop or elder has the right to claim God’s people as “his”! Nor does he have the right to try and usurp authority over delegated authority (apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers) that have been called and anointed by Christ for the perfecting of His saints. There is a huge difference between the two.

Listen to what Paul writes in 1Timothy 3:1-4 “If a man desires the office of a ‘bishop (supervisor or overseer of a fellowship), he desires a good work. A bishop (lower case ‘b’, not a title, but a function) then he must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, nor striker, not greedy for filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;”

A bishop or elder in the infancy stage of the early church was to supervise or oversee what was going on in “a” fellowship; not churches all over the place that he could boast of how many were his. A bishop was "in house" NOT out of the house. Let me say that again, elders and bishops were in the house, NOT out of the house!

Church, we have been deceived in many Christian denominations. We have taken the function of a fellowship supervisor and turned it into a position of "pseudo authority" over God’s people and Christ delegated authority.

Many have become full of pride as they wave this ‘pseudo’ position of authority at God’s people, demanding acknowledgement and allegiance from their peers while provoking others to covet the same. We are destroying one another by emulating and imitating traditions and rituals that are erroneous and have the potential to bring spiritual desolation in our lives. God hates pride and more importantly than this fact, He will not allow anyone to usurp His only begotten Son's power and authority, for He is “The” Bishop of Souls (that is with a capital “B”.) He is the overseer, supervisor, and superintendent of his “global” church. He sees all, and knows all! Glory to God forevermore!