S4-72 ELDER’S EXHORTATION (Br. John 6-24-23)

The Apostle Paul emphasized the qualifications of a bishop/elder in his epistle to Titus. “An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Rather, he must be hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:6–9). In nearly 50 years of faithful service, no elder has performed his duty more faithfully than Brother John.