Benefits of a plurality of leadership. Can one leader really do it all?

Proper biblical government by elders strengthens the church, and the biblical norm for church leadership is a plurality of elders (Acts 11:30; Acts 14:23; Acts 15:2; Acts 20:17; Tit. 1:5; I Pet. 5:1-2). Furthermore, it is the only pattern for church leadership given in the New Testament. Nowhere in Scripture do we find a local assembly ruled by majority opinion, or by one pastor.

There are tremendous benefits in having a plurality of elders. Multiple elders can provide a lightening of the workload, protect the church by balancing the strengths and weaknesses and promote accountability among the leadership. The task of ruling is not a one-man job. “Ministry” is the work of the whole body of Christ. Ministry is not the work of one person or a team of leaders. All believers have a spiritual gift that God intends for his/her use to service other members of the body. A multiplicity of elders allows an elder to function in the area of his spiritual gift and thus with more gifts in operation by the leadership, more individual needs are met and more effective leadership takes place in the body.