The New Testament prescribes that local churches are to be led by teams of men who meet the qualifications outlined in passages such as 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The Bible refers to these men interchangeably by the titles “pastor,” “elder,” and “overseer.”

At Autumn Ridge Community Church, “pastor” refers to men who are paid by the church to hold this office. “Elder” refers to men who voluntarily serve in this capacity. The only distinction between vocational pastors and volunteer elders is capacity – they are equally qualified and lead equally as a team with complementary giftedness and authority.

Walt Sansot