What minimum age should a ruling elder be?

[C. M. Sheffield]

Let's just be careful that, in our not-despising youth, we don't start despising not-youth.

(Does that make ANY sense?)

Too late! If you look at ministry opportunities available in the PCA you will see where they want a 25-35yo, who has earned a Ph.D. in theology from Edinburgh, married with 2.5kids, debtfree, with 10 years post-MDiv experience as an assistant pastor, and 5 years as a senior pastor of a congregation of no less than 1000....he must like kittens and butterflies

Jealous

 

[SemperEruditio]

Let's just be careful that, in our not-despising youth, we don't start despising not-youth.

(Does that make ANY sense?)

Too late! If you look at ministry opportunities available in the PCA you will see where they want a 25-35yo, who has earned a Ph.D. in theology from Edinburgh, married with 2.5kids, debtfree, with 10 years post-MDiv experience as an assistant pastor, and 5 years as a senior pastor of a congregation of no less than 1000....he must like kittens and butterflies

Jealous

Not really....I don't care for kittens.

 

[Joseph Scibbe]

Let's just be careful that, in our not-despising youth, we don't start despising not-youth.

(Does that make ANY sense?)

I totally understand. I think both young and old have a lot to bring to the table. I am sorry if my comments seemed harsh. I probably should have mentioned that an elder group of all young people seems unwise as well.

 

[Edward]

Too late! If you look at ministry opportunities available in the PCA you will see where they want a 25-35yo, who has earned a Ph.D. in theology from Edinburgh, married with 2.5kids, debtfree, with 10 years post-MDiv experience as an assistant pastor, and 5 years as a senior pastor of a congregation of no less than 1000....he must like kittens and butterflies

At least 2, and I think 3, of our assistants have been senior pastors.

 

[raekwon]

I'll tell ya... it was interesting this past weekend for me to examine (as part of a presbytery commission) ruling elder candidates who almost all became Christians before I was born.

 

[Dewi Sant]

What is the minimum age for a ruling elder either official or in your opinion in your denomination? I'm PCA and I have no idea. However, I have heard of some ruling elders I thought might be a little less than elderly....I guess.

Let's go back to the OP and discuss Ruling Elders for a moment: Where in all of this are the needs of God's people met? In small PCA churches a plurality of elders is achieved by 1 TE & 1 RE. Get it? Wink, wink, nod, nod... 2 elders - plural. In fact a plurality does not mean plural in this instance (In my humble opinion), but rather that one position prevails over another by more votes but not by one half. If you take the position that the people have a right to be ruled by a plurality (as I do) then I presume that means 2 RE'S & 1 TE. Or do I presume too much? It's more like having a Board of Deacons of only one man - is it really a board? When calling elders, the people call out men from among themselves. We can't expect perfection, but we might expect willingness - to learn and to grow in service to God's people. What we should not do is relinquish our duty and let the elders pick the elders. Or give us just one because that one is too young and that one is too old. On the other hand, we cannot let the session shirk their duty to train up men and make them ready for the day - should the call come.
Take a church of only 10 families, minister not included. In these busy times a ruling elder can surely oversee & visit his own plus 4 other families. And cannot 2 deacons provide a vital deaconate? I say, train 'em, call 'em & put 'em to work. We're asking them to help & govern, not preach.
But that's just me.

Kris