What is with all this talk of governing and authority?
Tell me Jeff are you under the authority of you're elders? It's a simple yes or no.
First off, we need to look at what an elder is. It's more than somebody who's older than you.
An Elder and Deacons as defined by scripture.
1 Timothy 3
1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. 8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Am I under the authority of an Elder?
Hebrews 3:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
1 Peter 5 1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
If an Elder upholds his qualifications for Eldership, then the flock is to submit to
their combined authority. If an elder disqualifies himself then he is not to be followed and his joint authority is stripped from him.
James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Again, if we look at the many churches today, they do not govern by the pattern set forth by Paul. Often you will find that the Preacher functions as monarch having the final say, even when he himself does not qualify as an Elder, let alone a deacon.
But lets say for the sake of argument you could find a church that patterned itself after the examples in the first century, and that which agreed with what Paul and Peter wrote about Elders who would govern a congregation autonomously while being held accountable to the congregation through the basic principals of Christ as set forth... Would you attend?
Ummm... as upright members and as role models of Christ's Church, they are tasked with the overseeing of the members. By very definition alone, yielding our authority to their authority shows authority in and of itself :D