© Cherrydale Bible Church
To Know Christ and To Make Him Known
1905 North Monroe Street
Arlington, VA 22207
Elders and Deacons
Our Leadership
CHERRYDALE                      ​BIBLE CHURCH
Statement of Leadership: The New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers who serve with a variety of gifts and functions.  This is different from the Old Testament pattern which separated believers into clergy and laity.  The Lord Jesus taught His disciples servant leadership and forbade the hierarchical-based leadership common among the Gentiles and Pharisees.  This servant leadership pattern was exemplified in the New Testament through a plurality of elders and deacons.  With Jesus Christ as the Chief Shepherd and Head of the Church, elders and deacons are responsible and dependent on His leading to help them guide and protect the local flock of believers in which they have been placed.  Instead of lording over, they are commanded to lead by example.  Primary responsibilities, especially of elders, include protecting the local flock from false teaching, ensuring the faithful teaching of the Word of God, and the mutual encouragement of all the saints.  Even though we strive to always have a plurality of elders, there will be times when a local assembly may have one or no elders due to unforeseen events such as deaths, job transfers, or the beginning of a new assembly of believers, etc.  Since the elders are simply under-shepherds to the Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, we are assured He will provide guidance to the saints even during such times. In recognizing elders, the Holy Spirit is the One who makes a qualified man an elder/overseer and the local body simply agrees formally or informally.