Authority Of The Eldership
First, let us notice 1 Pet. 5:2, "Tend the flock of God which is among you exercising the oversight, not of constraint but willingly, according to the will of God nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind." Many times in the New Testament the church is compared to a flock of sheep as in these verses. Here, the elders are referred to as shepherds. The word tend is also translated feed, shepherd. Most people have either seen firsthand or have read about sheep and their shepherds and know how they work together. The shepherds make the decisions. None of this is left to the flock of sheep. The shepherd is in complete command. In another sense the person who owns the sheep can delegate authority to others to care for the sheep and feed them and it is said that the owners feed the sheep although another performs the actual feeding. In other words, the owner has the oversight. I believe that this passage shows without a question that elders (and when this term is used, I mean scriptural elders) have authority in matters of judgment just as the shepherd has over the flock.
Again, let us read Acts 20:28, "Take heed unto yourselves and all the flock in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops (overseers) to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." Again the terms flock and feed are used, to see that they have the necessary scriptural food as also used in 1 Pet. 5:2. But look at the word bishop or overseer. Mr. Thayer says "Superintendent, head or overseer of any christian church." We understand the meaning of the words superintendent, overseer or head when applied to jobs in the world and we know that to whatever they are assigned, they are in complete charge and none of the people working under them have any authority in making company decisions.
It is understood that elders make no legislation concerning the word of God. That has already been legislated, therefore, the elders must only see that it is followed; but in matters of judgment they are the sole authority just as the shepherd is in charge of a flock of sheep, and we also recognize that the authority of elders is confined to the one flock of which they are members. In Acts 14:23, Paul appointed elders in every church. I agree with a statement in brother McGarvey's book, "The Eldership," in which he says, "A true elder will usually make decisions on judgment in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the congregation, and an eldership will know those wishes." However, according to the above scriptures, it would not be necessary in all instances.
In carrying the application of the above scriptures further, they also teach that the eldership has the right and duty to tell the preacher what to preach and to see that he fully covers the topic. This is inherent in feeding the flock. Too many times preachers are permitted and even encouraged to "take the lead" in congregations that have no elders or where the eldership, so called, is not functioning. Then when the preacher moves to a congregation that has elders, it is very hard for him to adjust to working under elders. Later, when told to look for another work, he may try to get the elders "voted out," or start another congregation, usually saying the elders were not qualified anyway, or that they have no authority in matters other than spiritual and hiring and firing is not spiritual and the whole congregation should have a vote in the matter! But you never hear a person question the authority of elders who hired the preacher. I believe the answer to these questions is covered in the above scriptures in the matter of the money of the congregation after it is laid by in store on the first day of the week, the elders have complete charge of how the funds will be used, as overseers.
One other question in the discussion; Can the elders vote on various questions? Webster's definition of vote: vow, wish, will, choice or opinion of a person or persons, expression of judgment. From the very definition, anyone that has ever attended a meeting of the elders, knows that expressions of the above definition take place about every minute or two. Maybe it is not referred to as voting, but that is certainly what it amounts to. Voting is nothing more than an expressed opinion, and certainly would not be out of place. I would think that an eldership evenly divided on a question of opinion would postpone the matter for further study. If a majority of the eldership desires a certain thing in the realm of judgment, I believe that the minority after a discussion should go along with majority and make the decision unanimous, and I believe true elders would do this for the sake of harmony. In matters of scripture, however, where God has legislated, one elder should never give in to anyone and always stand fast. But in this discussion we are dealing with matters of judgment.
— Portales, N. M.