Every so often, someone asks me, “So, who actually runs the church?” 

It’s a fair question, especially in a world where leadership usually means power, personality, or popularity. At New Life, leadership looks different. We’re not run by a single person, a committee, or a congregational vote on every decision.  

We are elder-led by design and by conviction. 

The people who lead our church are chosen for character, not charisma. They don’t lead above the church, they lead within it, under the authority of Jesus, the Chief Shepherd. 

 

The Biblical Blueprint 

In the New Testament, every local church had elders. Paul told Titus, “Appoint elders in every town so that what was left unfinished might be put into order” (Titus 1:5). Acts 14 says Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders in every church.” Jerusalem had elders. Ephesus had elders. Crete had elders.  

Why? Because God is not a God of chaos. He’s a God of order and care. His design for His church always includes godly shepherds who keep the church healthy, on mission, and centered on Jesus. 

This is important: elders are not a corporate board. They are spiritual shepherds. Their role isn’t to manage an organization but to shepherd a family—to guide, guard, govern, and give. 

 

Guide – Relational Shepherding 

Peter wrote, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you… not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2–3). 

Elders walk with people through seasons of joy and grief. They pray, disciple, and counsel. Their role is to help you make decisions in a way that honors Christ. 

At New Life, our elders know names, not just numbers. They listen, pray with people in the lobby, sit in small groups, and help shepherd the flock one conversation at a time. 

 

Guard – Protective Oversight 

Paul charged the Ephesian elders, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28). 

That’s weighty. The church belongs to Jesus, bought with His blood. Elders are entrusted to guard it—protecting sound doctrine, defending unity, and caring for the health of the Lead Pastor and staff. 

At New Life, our elders protect against mission drift and division. They help ensure we stay biblically faithful, relationally healthy, and spiritually aligned. They’re not watchdogs. They’re shepherds who love the flock enough to step in when something threatens it. 

 

Govern – Organizational Stewardship 

Paul said, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor.” (1 Timothy 5:17). “Rule” here doesn’t mean control. It means oversight. Elders make prayerful, strategic decisions for the good of the whole body. 

To be clear, at New Life, the elders govern together. Authority lies with the team, not any one person. No single elder acts independently unless that elder was given special authority by the elder team to do so. That protects the church from personality-driven leadership and ensures decisions are made through prayer, Scripture, and unity. 

When you see steady, mission-focused leadership at New Life, that’s not luck or accident. It’s a team of elders praying, discerning, and sometimes wrestling through what’s best for God’s people. 

 

Give – Exemplary Sacrifice 

Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders…consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” 

Elders lead by example. They live what they teach. They model generosity, humility, and service. They give financially, serve regularly, and live as spiritual examples for the church to follow. 

In other words, our elders don’t ask anyone to do something they’re not already doing.  

 

A Weight to Carry, Not a Weapon to Wield 

Leadership in the church is never a weapon to wield. It’s a weight to carry. Elders will one day give an account to God for how they shepherded His people (Hebrews 13:17). 

That’s why true spiritual authority is marked by humility. Elders don’t “own” the church. They steward what belongs to Jesus. Their power is expressed through prayer, their influence through integrity. 

When leadership functions this way, the whole church thrives. People can trust authority because it’s anchored in love, not ego. 

When I became New Life’s Lead Pastor, I preached from Exodus 33 at the baton-passing services. It’s where Moses told God, “If Your presence will not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). 

That captures how our elders want to lead. We don’t just want good plans; we want God’s presence. We don’t want to take a single step if He’s not in it. 

Whether it’s a budget, a building, or a family in crisis, our first question isn’t “Does this make sense?” but “Is God in this?” Because if He’s not going with us, we don’t want to go. 

 

A Personal Word on Our Elders and This Process 

I’ve served alongside a lot of teams in ministry, but I want you to know that there’s something special about the elder team at New Life. These men love Jesus deeply. They pray for you by name. They carry the weight of leadership with humility and joy. They guard me, support our staff, and genuinely love this church. 

On November 9th, you’ll see two new elders presented for affirmation. At a multi-campus church our size and growing, the reality is that there’s no way an elder candidate can be personally known by even half of our ministry partners.  

So, I want you to know that we didn’t rush this, and we didn’t want to rely on our own wisdom. These two names were not chosen from a hat or “obvious” in any way. They’re the result of a robust seven-month process filled with prayer, discussion, and intentional time with the men and their families.  

We didn’t ask questions like “Will people know him?” or “Is he the obvious choice?” We asked God one question and did everything we could to hear Him clearly – “God, who do you want on the elder team at New Life Church?” As a result, the elders are excited and 100% unanimous as we present these two new elders to you. 

If you’re a ministry partner, you’re not voting based on your personal relationship with these two men or your desire for a friend to be an elder instead. It’s not a popularity vote. Simply put, our ministry partners’ role is to pray, seek the Lord, and if led, reach out to the elder team. If there’s no disqualifying concern, we invite you to affirm the elders’ recommendation in trust, faith, and unity.  

Because at the end of the day, our goal isn’t to build a great organization. It’s to build a faithful church, rooted in the presence of God, helping our neighbors find and follow Jesus. If the Holy Spirit isn’t leading, none of the rest matters. 

Please pray for all our elders—for wisdom, unity, and endurance. Pray for their marriages and families. Pray that they would lead from a place of peace, not pressure. And as you do, thank God for designing a church where leadership doesn’t rest on one person’s shoulders but is shared by a team of servants following the Chief Shepherd. 

-Pastor Jake