“Call the Elders”

1. How has Jehovah shown that his sheep are precious to him?

JEHOVAH’S sheep are precious to him. He purchased them with the blood of Jesus and assigned the congregation elders to care for His flock. (Acts 20:28) God wants his sheep to be treated tenderly. Under Christ’s leadership, the elders refresh the sheep and protect them from spiritual danger.​—Isa. 32:1, 2.

2. In whom does Jehovah show special interest? (Ezekiel 34:15, 16)

² Jehovah has deep concern for all his sheep, but he gives special care to those who are suffering. Through the elders, he helps those who are suffering in a spiritual sense. (Read Ezekiel 34:15, 16.) However, he wants us to seek help when we need it. At such times, in addition to our earnest prayers to God for support, we request the assistance of the “shepherds and teachers” in the congregation.​—Eph. 4:11, 12.

3. How can all of us benefit from considering the role of the elders?

³ In this article, we will examine God’s arrangement for us to get spiritual help through the elders. We will answer these questions: When should we ask the elders for help? Why should we do so? And how do they help us? Even if we are not currently experiencing a difficulty, the answers to those questions will increase our appreciation for God’s arrangement and may someday save our life.

WHEN SHOULD WE “CALL THE ELDERS”?

4. Why do we conclude that James 5:14-16, 19, 20 refers to spiritual sickness? (See also pictures.)

⁴ The disciple James introduces the subject of God’s arrangement for spiritual assistance by asking: “Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the elders of the congregation.” (Read James 5:14-16, 19, 20.) The context shows that James is speaking of spiritual sickness. For instance, the sick one is told to call, not a doctor, but the elders. And spiritual sickness is implied because the healing can involve the forgiveness of sins. In some respects, the steps needed to treat spiritual sickness are similar to those needed for physical ailments. When we are physically sick, we visit a doctor, explain our symptoms, and follow his directions. Likewise, when we are spiritually ailing, we should approach an elder, describe our situation, and act on the Scriptural counsel we receive.

5. How can we tell if we are in danger of becoming spiritually sick?

⁵ The arrangement described in James chapter 5 encourages us to approach the elders when we feel that our spiritual health is suffering in any way. How wise it is, though, for us to receive help before we cause serious damage to our friendship with God! We must be honest with ourselves. The Scriptures warn that we can deceive ourselves about our spiritual condition. (Jas. 1:22) Some early Christians in Sardis made this mistake, and Jesus warned them about their spiritual state. (Rev. 3:1, 2) One way we can check our spiritual health is by comparing our enthusiasm for our worship now with how we felt in previous times. (Rev. 2:4, 5) We could ask ourselves: ‘Has my joy for Bible reading and meditation diminished? Has my meeting preparation and attendance become haphazard? Has my zeal for the ministry cooled? Do pleasures or possessions occupy more of my time and thinking?’ If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it could indicate a weakness that if not addressed will likely get worse. If we are unable to remedy the weakness on our own or if it has already led us to violate God’s standards, we should ask the elders for help.

6. What should those who have committed a serious sin do?

⁶ Of course, those who have committed a serious sin, one that could lead to a person’s being removed from the congregation, should approach an elder. (1 Cor. 5:11-13) Any who have succumbed to serious sin need help to repair their relationship with Jehovah. To gain Jehovah’s forgiveness through the ransom, we must display “works that befit repentance.” (Acts 26:20) Those works include approaching the elders if we have committed a serious sin.

7. Who else needs the assistance of the elders?

⁷ The elders not only assist those who have committed a serious sin but also help those who are spiritually weak. (Acts 20:35) For example, you might fear that you are losing your fight against wrong desires. Your struggle might be especially challenging if before you learned the truth you were addicted to drugs, were exposed to pornography, or led an immoral life. You need not face these challenges alone. You can choose to speak to an elder who will listen to your concerns, offer practical counsel, and assure you that you can please Jehovah by refusing to act on wrong desires. (Eccl. 4:12) If you have become discouraged in your struggle, the elders can remind you that this likely shows that you are taking your relationship with Jehovah seriously and are avoiding overconfidence.​—1 Cor. 10:12.

8. In connection with what sort of sins do we not need to approach the elders?

⁸ We do not need to go to the elders for every concern we may have about our spiritual health. For instance, suppose you say something hurtful to a brother or a sister, perhaps even lose your temper. Rather than approach an elder, you could apply Jesus’ counsel about making peace between you and your brother or sister. (Matt. 5:23, 24) You could research the subjects of mildness, patience, and self-control so that you can display those fine qualities more fully in the future. Of course, if you are still unable to solve your problem, you could ask an elder for assistance. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul asked an unnamed brother to help Euodia and Syntyche to resolve their differences, and an elder in your congregation may be able to aid you in the same way.​—Phil. 4:2, 3.

WHY SHOULD WE CALL THE ELDERS?

9. Why should we not let shame stop us from calling the elders? (Proverbs 28:13)

⁹ We need faith and courage to ask for help when we have committed a serious sin or when we feel that we are losing our fight against a personal weakness. We should not let shame hold us back from calling the elders. Why not? By following Jehovah’s arrangement, we show that we trust him and his instructions for keeping us healthy and strong in the faith. We acknowledge that we need his help if we are about to fall. (Ps. 94:18) And if we have sinned, we will receive God’s mercy if we confess and abandon our sins.​—Read Proverbs 28:13.

10. What can happen if we were to try to hide our sins?

¹⁰ In contrast to the blessings we gain by speaking to an elder when we need help, we can make our situation worse if we try to hide our sins. When King David tried to cover up his sins, he suffered spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. (Ps. 32:3-5) Like a physical illness or injury, a spiritual problem often gets worse if we fail to take care of it. Jehovah understands this, so he invites us to “set matters straight” with him through the means he has set up for our spiritual healing.​—Isa. 1:5, 6, 18.

11. How could others be affected if we were to hide serious sins?

¹¹ If we were to hide our serious sin, we could affect others. We could hinder the flow of God’s spirit to the entire congregation and threaten the peace of our brothers and sisters. (Eph. 4:30) Likewise, if we learn that someone else in the congregation has committed a serious sin, we should urge that one to speak to the elders about the matter.a Hiding the serious sin of another person would make us guilty as well. (Lev. 5:1) Our love for Jehovah should move us to come forward and to speak the truth. We thus help to keep the congregation clean and to restore such erring ones to a good relationship with Jehovah.

HOW DO THE ELDERS HELP US?

12. How do the elders help those who are spiritually weak?

¹² The elders are instructed to support those who are spiritually weak. (1 Thess. 5:14) If you have erred, they may ask you discerning questions to ‘draw out’ your inner thoughts and feelings. (Prov. 20:5) You can help them by expressing yourself openly, even if you find this difficult to do because of your culture, your personality, or your embarrassment over the challenge you are facing. Do not be afraid that your words may seem like “wild talk.” (Job 6:3) Instead of quickly drawing a conclusion, the elders will strive to listen carefully and get the whole picture before offering you counsel. (Prov. 18:13) They realize that shepherding the flock takes time, so they do not expect to resolve challenging issues with one discussion.

13. How can the elders help us by means of their prayers and Scriptural guidance? (See also pictures.)

¹³ When you call the elders, they will strive not to add to your sense of guilt. Rather, they will pray in your behalf. You might be pleasantly surprised at the “powerful effect” that their prayers can have. Their assistance also includes “applying oil to [you] in the name of Jehovah.” (Jas. 5:14-16) This “oil” refers to the truth of God’s Word. Through their skillful use of the Bible, the elders can soothe and comfort you, helping you to restore your relationship with Jehovah. (Isa. 57:18) The Scriptural guidance they share can strengthen your resolve to keep doing what is right. Through them, you can hear Jehovah’s voice telling you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”​—Isa. 30:21.

14. According to Galatians 6:1, how do the elders help any who have taken “a false step”? (See also pictures.)

¹⁴ Read Galatians 6:1. A Christian who takes “a false step” is not walking in harmony with God’s righteous standards. The false step could refer to a mistake in judgment or a serious transgression of God’s law. Christian elders, moved by love, “try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness.” The Greek word translated “readjust” can also describe setting a dislocated bone back in place to prevent a permanent disability. Just as a skillful doctor endeavors to set a broken bone with as little pain as possible, the elders focus on healing our spiritual illness without adding to our pain. They are also instructed to “keep an eye on [themselves].” As they help us to straighten our path, elders recognize that they too are imperfect and prone to false steps. Far from showing a superior, self-righteous, or judgmental attitude, they strive to be empathetic.​—1 Pet. 3:8.

15. What might we do if we have a problem?

¹⁵ We can trust our congregation elders. They have been trained to keep our confidential matters private, to base their counsel on the Bible rather than on their own opinions, and to follow through in helping us carry our burdens. (Prov. 11:13; Gal. 6:2) Their personalities and experience vary, but we can feel free to approach any elder to discuss a problem. Of course, we would not go from one elder to another, asking for advice, hoping to find one who will tell us what we want to hear. If we were to do that, we would be like those who would rather have “their ears tickled” than learn the “wholesome teaching” of God’s Word. (2 Tim. 4:3) When we approach an elder about a problem, he may ask us if we have talked with other elders about it and what counsel they gave. And modesty may move him to ask another elder for advice.​—Prov. 13:10.

OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

16. What personal responsibility do we have?

¹⁶ Although the elders keep watch over us as God’s sheep, they do not tell us what to do. We have a personal responsibility to live a life of godly devotion. We must answer to God for our own words and actions. With his support, we can meet the challenge of keeping our integrity. (Rom. 14:12) So rather than dictate a course of action to us, the elders direct attention to God’s thinking as found in his Word. By following their Bible-based counsel, we can train our own “powers of discernment” to make wise decisions.​—Heb. 5:14.

17. What should be our determination?

¹⁷ What a precious privilege we have to be Jehovah’s sheep! Jehovah sent “the fine shepherd,” Jesus, to pay the ransom for us so that we could have the opportunity for everlasting life. (John 10:11) And by means of the elders in the Christian congregation, Jehovah has fulfilled his promise: “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and insight.” (Jer. 3:15) When we are spiritually weak or sick, we should not hesitate to call the elders for their help. May we be determined to benefit fully from Jehovah’s provision of the congregation elders.