What is bringing an accusation against an elder?

[southern]

I am hoping to get some comments on exactly what this passage is teaching:

1 Timothy 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

What would qualify as an accusation? (any accusation if they are in need of rebuke or something more serious)

Would this preclude from every going indvidually (Matthew 18) to an elder? (in the view of the one who answers)

Thanks.

 

[timmopussycat]

Before making any public comment, a godly concern for that elder's reputation (which treats his reputation as if it were our own) will mandate a private discussion with the elder to make sure that you had not misunderstood either his teaching or the incident(s) which prompted your view that a rebuke might be necessary.

In my view, while doctrinal error on the part of an elder should always be queried, yet, since love does cover a multitude of sins, I don't believe that congregants should put their pastor's life under a magnifying glass and search out all errors there. While some errors of life in elders do have to be addressed, particularly if those errors have hurtful consequences either to Christ's honour or individual lives, drawing the line between something requiring discussion and possible rebuke and something that does not is sometimes a grey area and hard to do.