The Kingdom of God: The Source and Site of Eldership

Eldership in the Kingdom of God
Today’s Focus: The Kingdom of God: The Source and Site of Eldership
Scripture: Matthew 28:18; John 16:13-15

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Eldership or the word elder is not a New Testament word or concept. You can find the word elder all the way back in the Old Testament and we will show you this in a subsequent message. But when we look at eldership we must first understand that eldership begins in the Kingdom of God. Why does it begin there? Every elder in the Kingdom of God has been given delegated authority from the Holy Spirit to operate in the gift. If eldership begins in the Kingdom of God then the authority to grant this power comes only from the King. Who is the King of the Kingdom? The Lord Jesus Christ! How do we know?

Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 that “all authority is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth”. So if Jesus has all authority then He is the source of the power in the Kingdom of God and the exclusive one to grant the authority of eldership to certain individuals in the Body of Christ. So the Kingdom of God in the earth is founded and based upon the authority that was given to the Lord Jesus Christ. Very important because eldership has really been misunderstood and people are being abused by what they do not know.

The word kingdom in the Greek is “basilica” and means a foundation of power and rule. Now there seems to be some confusion about the foundation or source of power and rule. In the Roman church (Catholicism) they are founded on the theory, and that is exactly what it is, a theory. The theory is that there are successors to Peter in the apostolic line of succession. Hence the seat of the papacy is called “Saint Peter’s foundation of power and rule”. Now if your foundation is this then you are not founded based upon the Kingdom of God. Peter never claimed to found anything or start anything. Catholicism was birthed from the merge of false god worship (Emperors and caesars) and Christianity. In addition, there is no such thing as apostolic succession in the Word of God. The elder’s right rule and oversee the House of God is based and come from the authority of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.

In a previous message we discussed the structure of power and how it flows in the Kingdom of God. The power flows from the Father to the Son, Jesus Christ, who then imparts the specific grace to the specific person through Holy Spirit to accomplish the Will of God in the Earth. Let me show you this powerful scripture:

John 16:13-15: Howbeit when He (Holy Spirit), the Spirit of Truth, is come, He (Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth: for He (Holy Spirit) shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He (Holy Spirit) shall hear, that shall He (Holy Spirit) speak: and He (Holy Spirit) will shew you things to come. He (Holy Spirit) shall glorify me (Jesus): for He (Holy Spirit) shall receive of mine (Jesus) and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that He (Holy Spirit) shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you.

In this scripture we see the very power structure that I was talking about but we also see the essence of Ambassadorship. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will not speak of Himself, but only that which He hears from the Jesus, that will He speak. What a beautiful picture. So it is Holy Spirit that will lead, guide and teach us the very essence of Ambassadorship and who to listen and follow the Spirit of God.

So to understand the authority and function of the elder one has to understand the structure of the Kingdom of God first. Without understanding how power and authority works in the Kingdom, many are deceived and abused by wolves in sheep’s clothing. The Kingdom of God is the site and the Lord Jesus Christ is the source of authority to the elders.

At Our Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.