The Responsibility of Elders // Acts 20:28–31 // Watermark Community Church

Main message: Elders are an official, Spirit‑appointed office in Jesus’s church charged with stewarding and shepherding the flock; Watermark explains the biblical qualifications, responsibilities, and local processes (including a new elder‑emeritus role) so the congregation is cared for and the priesthood of all believers can flourish.

Key points:

• Elder is an office held by a plurality of men, given by the Holy Spirit, and intended as stewardship of Christ’s church (not ownership).
• The office is reserved for men who remain qualified (per 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1) — above reproach, husband of one wife, able to teach, not a recent convert, self‑controlled, etc.
• The primary responsibility of elders is to shepherd: lead (path & pace), feed (teach Scripture), protect (guard against false teaching and harm), and care (oversight and accountability).
• Watermark’s elder process: identification, notification, validation (including thorough theological responses and interviews), and confirmation by the church; elders also require members to renew membership so care lines are clear.
• To shepherd a large church the elders rely on the priesthood of all believers and four provisions of care (including communal care/small groups and corrective care); they introduced an elder‑emeritus role to keep wisdom while adjusting active office size.
• How you can help: pray for elders by name, thank them, participate in communal care structures, and consider aspiring to be elderlike.

Scriptures mentioned: Acts 20:28–31, 1 Timothy 3:1–7, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5:2, Psalm 23, Colossians 1:18, Revelation 5:9–10, Hebrews 13:17, Romans 12:1