How Should a Church Handle Accusations Against an Elder?

By Phil A. Newton

Photo by Peter Law: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-praying-in-the-dark-12914661/

Paul instructs the Ephesian church through Timothy: “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Tim. 5:17). But Paul doesn’t think of generous compensation as the only way to respect elders. Following Deuteronomy 17:6, he adds: “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (1 Tim. 5:19).

Paul added this admonition because he knows that, as saved sinners, accusations will arise against elders from members of the congregation. How should we deal with them?

We must refuse to countenance false accusations that spread through the church—against anyone, especially under shepherds of God’s flock.

How to Handle Legitimate Accusations

What happens when accusations against an elder are legitimate? The accusations not concerning illegal matters, such as sexual or physical abuse. Those are beyond the scope of this article.

Elders are sinners—like the rest of the congregation. Yet because of the unique responsibilities entrusted to them, they must vigilantly guard against allowing sins to entrap and tarnish their character. They’re to be exemplary in repentance as a lifestyle. They must seek to be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6).

If an elder persists in sinful practice, church members have a responsibility to guard the church’s unity and witness by following the threefold practice Paul outlines in 1 Timothy 5:19–21.

1. Verify the Accusation

If the accusation proves to be false, fellow members—not just other elders—should reprove the one making the meritless accusation.

That said, elders sometimes fall into patterns of sin that need correction. Paul borrows the sobering template of Deuteronomy 17:6, where Moses gave instructions concerning the evidence necessary in order to apply the death penalty in Israel. So Paul echoes Moses: “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (1 Tim. 5:19).

Why call for more than one witness? Two or more must corroborate the sinful pattern before it’s addressed. Once confirmed, it must be addressed with the aim toward correction.

Though each church will likely have its specific approach, it seems two or three witnesses, along with some elders, will confront the erring elder. Assuming the sin does not immediately disqualify him from office, plans must be established for restoration.

2. Publicly Reprove the Unrepentant Elder

Paul’s language is uncompromising: “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (1 Tim. 5:20). “Persistence in sin” emphasizes willful continuance. Public rebuke comes only when the sinning elder refuses to repent after private confrontation. “The presence of all” implies that the church hears the rebuke, so “the rest may stand in fear.” The latter may point primarily toward the rest of the elders, but certainly affects the sin-consciousness of the entire congregation.

Paul doesn’t specify the elder’s removal upon public rebuke. Bill Mounce suggests that “rebuke” or “reprove” implies a remedial confrontation. Certainly, the goal would be his restoration to full fellowship with Christ and the church. But we must assume his unrepentant spirit blurs the lines of being “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2) and, so long as this is the case, disqualifies him. The elder must be removed from office.

3. Play No Favorites

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality” (1 Tim. 5:21). Here is a twofold application: Don’t short-circuit the process by “taking a side beforehand,” and do nothing partisan.

When a church ignores Paul’s threefold practice—verify the accusation, reprove publicly if he’s unrepentant, and play no favorites—it reveals softness toward sin and preference for personal ease at the expense of Christ’s reputation and glory.

Article excerpt taken from The Gospel Coalition (U.S. Edition). Read the full resource here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-handle-accusations-elder