February 2026 (Pastor/Elder/Overseers)

FBC Gallatin,

We’ve started the year diving into the topic of pastors of all things. And I decided to preach this series because we are in the process of nominating a plurality of pastor/elders to consider their life and qualifications, and then to vote to affirm together a plurality of men to pastor us for the first time in FBC Gallatin’s history (all this was decided of course in our December members meeting at the end of 2025)! To be clear, we have had seasons where there were two pastors working here, but we have never formally decided to recognize and call a plurality of elders consisting of both vocational and non-vocational elders to lead us.

The series is titled: “Pastor/Elder/Overseers” because all those terms are synonyms for the same office of pastor. In fact, the Baptist Faith & Message (2000) recently updated its language in 2023 to add the slashes for more clarity to affirm that a pastor is an elder, and that an elder is an overseer, because all these biblical terms are related to the same office.

Here is how the BF&M 2000 puts it now in article 6 on the Church: “…In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its two scriptural offices are that of pastor/elder/overseer and deacon. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

And we are all already aware that deacons are more than one guy serving the church. We typically do not have single deacon churches. But for some odd and unbiblical reason, many Baptist churches have functioned with a single elder instead of a plurality. However, just like a plurality of deacons provide the benefit of having a team of men serving the needs of a congregation, a plurality of elders provides the same kind of benefit of teaching and leading the congregation as a team as well (see my Newsletter on our website from November 2024 for a list of 10 benefits of a plurality of elders).

And as we just saw in our series from Titus 1, Paul does not command Titus to appoint an elder (singular) in each church and town, but elders (plural). See the Word of God yourself for both plurality and qualifications of elders from Titus 1:5-9: “⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— ⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. ⁷ For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. ⁹ He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

I pray that we would all take the nomination and consideration process seriously as we continue to consider not only the qualifications, but also the work and function of elders in this series. So far, we have gone through a message discussing and answering questions on the nomination form to start the series, then we moved on to see sermons on pastor/elder teachers, and pastor elders protectors all in January. Now, in February, we will continue on to see sermons following up on 10 ways elders protect the church from error, as well as sermons on Pastor/elder mentors and pastor/elder leaders going forward. And as you are listening to the sermons, please take note of the elders work and calling, and then fill out nominations for men that you think might serve the church well in these very important areas!  

And in all of this, please pray for me as I study and preach, and pray for all of us as we seek to benefit and grow from the Word of God together!

Sincerely,

Pastor Daniel Pelichowski