The Bible indicates that elders should be required to make disciples because the very nature of their office involves spiritual reproduction and leadership by example. While elders are often associated with administrative oversight or teaching from a pulpit, the New Testament defines their role through the lens of the Great Commission. An elder who does not make disciples fails to model the primary mission of the church to the congregation they lead.
The Biblical Mandate for Leadership
To understand why elders should be required to make disciples, we must first look at the mandate given to the entire church. In Matthew 28, Jesus commanded His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. This was not a suggestion for a few “super-Christians” but a foundational mission for every believer. If the entire church is called to this task, those who lead the church must naturally embody this mission more than anyone else.
Elders are called to be shepherds of the flock. A shepherd’s job is not merely to keep the sheep in a pen but to lead them to maturity and ensure the health of the next generation. In the context of the local church, this means that an elder’s success is measured by the spiritual growth and reproductive capacity of the people under their care. When leaders stop making disciples, the church becomes a stagnant organization rather than a living, breathing movement.
Leading by Example and Imitation
One of the most frequent commands regarding church leadership is that elders must be examples to the flock. Peter writes specifically to elders, urging them to lead not by coercion or for financial gain, but by being a living model of the Christian life. If an elder is not actively engaged in mentoring (disciple-making), they are effectively telling the congregation that the Great Commission is optional.
“Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.” (1 Peter 5:3)
The New Testament model of leadership is built on the concept of imitation. Paul frequently told his followers to “imitate me as I imitate Christ.” For this to happen, there must be a close, personal relationship between the leader and the learner. This is the essence of making disciples. It requires getting into the “weeds” of someone’s life, sharing the Word of God, and showing them how to follow Jesus in real-time. An elder who only speaks from a distance cannot be easily imitated.
The Requirement of Being Apt to Teach
In the lists of qualifications for elders found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, almost all the requirements relate to character. However, there is one specific skill mentioned: the elder must be “able to teach.” This does not necessarily mean they must be a world-class orator or a Sunday morning preacher. Rather, it means they must be able to handle the Scriptures in a way that helps others grow in their faith.
“He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.” (Titus 1:8-9)
The purpose of this “wholesome teaching” is the edification of the body. In the early church, teaching happened primarily in small, relational contexts. An elder uses their knowledge of the Bible to equip others to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). If an elder has the knowledge but does not use it to personally invest in others, they are burying their talent in the ground. Discipleship is the primary vehicle through which an elder fulfills the requirement to teach.
Addressing the Administrative Misconception
A common misconception in the modern church is that elders function like a corporate Board of Directors. In this model, the elders handle the budget, the buildings, and the “big picture” strategy, while the “professionals” (the pastors) do the actual ministry of making disciples. This is a departure from the biblical pattern. While elders may have oversight responsibilities, these duties are meant to support the spiritual mission, not replace it.
When elders become purely administrative, the church loses its spiritual vitality. The New Testament does not recognize a category of “non-ministering” elders. Every leader is a minister. Every leader is a missionary. If a man is too busy with committee meetings to meet with a younger man for discipleship (which often includes evangelism), his priorities have become misaligned with the New Testament. Elders should be required to make disciples because their primary identity is that of a spiritual father, not a corporate executive.
Multiplication and Church Health
The health of a church is directly tied to its leadership’s commitment to multiplication. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul outlines a five-generation model of discipleship. He tells Timothy to take what he learned and pass it on to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. This chain of mentorship is how the church survives and thrives across centuries.
Elders sit at the head of this chain. If the elders are not making disciples, the chain is broken at the top. This leads to a “leadership vacuum” where the church struggles to find new deacons, elders, or small group leaders because no one is being intentionally trained. By making discipleship a requirement for elders, a church ensures that it is constantly developing the next generation of leaders. This creates a culture of growth and sustainability that honors God.
The Takeaway
Elders should be required to make disciples because leadership in the Kingdom of God is defined by service and reproduction. A biblical elder is more than an administrator; he is a shepherd who leads by example, a teacher who imparts truth, and a father who raises up spiritual children. When elders prioritize the Great Commission in their personal lives, they provide the blueprint for the entire congregation to follow, ensuring the church remains a healthy, multiplying body of believers.
