V. The Apostleship and the Eldership

A.The Apostleship Being Universal and Being over the Eldership

The case of Paul and Barnabas, who in Acts 13:1-4 were set apart from their responsibilities in the local church in Antioch and sent out as apostles, exemplifies the universality of the apostleship. In the following excerpt, Witness Lee provides some details of this case and then briefly explains why the apostles are over the elders of a local church.

The apostleship is universal. When Paul and Barnabas were in the church at Antioch they were not apostles, but prophets and teachers (Acts 13:1). However, when they went out to preach the gospel to establish the churches, they were the sent ones. A sent one is simply an apostle. They were prophets and teachers in the local church in Antioch, but by being sent out in the ministry they became apostles to establish the churches.

Since it is the apostles who appoint the elders, the apostles are above the elders (Acts 14:23). Because all the elders in the local churches are established and appointed by the apostles, the apostles are over the elders. (56)

B. The Eldership Being Local and Being under the Apostleship

In the following segment based on 1 Timothy 5:19-20, Witness Lee, again affirms that the elders of a local church are under the apostles who established it. He also outlines the very simple structure of the government of the church.

The eldership is local, and it is under the apostleship. First Timothy 5:19-20 indicates that an accusation against an elder should be made to the apostles. This shows that the elders are under the apostles.

The government of the church is very simple. The apostles go out and preach the gospel to establish the churches. Then they select the more mature believers and appoint them to be elders to shepherd, to take care of, a local church. The elders should take care of the churches according to the apostles’ teaching. Because all the churches are established by the apostles, and the elders are selected and appointed in different localities by the apostles, in taking care of the churches all the elders should take the word of the apostles. (56-57)

C. The Elders Not Lording It over the Believers

All believers, as brothers in Christ, are on the same level (Matt. 23:8-12). Hence, the elders of a local church should not rule over, or lord it over the other believers in that local church. Rather, they should be patterns to the other believers, leading them by example (1 Pet. 5:1-3). Witness Lee declares:

The elders should not lord it over the believers. Instead, they should be patterns, examples, taking the lead to love the Lord, to seek after the truth, to grow in life, and to serve in the church (Matt. 20:25-28; 1 Pet. 5:1-3). They should not think that as elders they are rulers over the believers. This kind of concept is wrong. In Matthew 23:8-12 the Lord Jesus told us that all the believers are on the same level. We all are brothers, including the elders. Among us there should be no lord except one Lord. We only have one Lord and we only have one Leader. This unique Leader, the Lord Jesus, is our Guide, our Instructor, and our Director. The elders are not lords governing the believers; all the elders are still only brothers. They should set themselves up as a pattern, as an example, to take the lead in loving the Lord, in seeking after the truth, in growing in life, in preaching the gospel, and in serving in the churches. This is the right way. (57)

Once again, Witness Lee's unfolding of the Scripture is clear. The apostleship is universal; the eldership is local. The apostles serve the universal church; the elders serve the local church.