The Responsibility of Elders in the Church of Christ to Provide Global Missional Leadership

This was presented at LeadersConnect at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, on June 18, 2024, by Shawn D. Mathis, PhD.

Introduction

The responsibility of elders in the Church of Christ is traditionally framed in terms of local oversight: shepherding the congregation, guarding doctrine, and ensuring the spiritual well-being of the flock. While these responsibilities remain essential, they are not sufficient in themselves when considered in light of the Church’s foundational mandate. The New Testament presents a mission that is global in scope, comprehensive in intent, and enduring in duration. Consequently, the leadership required to fulfill that mission must also be global in vision and execution.

This study argues that elders are not merely local administrators but are divinely charged with providing global missional leadership. This responsibility is grounded not in modern missional theory but in the language of Scripture itself, especially as revealed through key Greek terms in the Great Commission passages. 

Global and Indigenous Leadership: Distinction and Integration

A fundamental step in understanding this responsibility is distinguishing between global leadership and indigenous leadership.

Global leadership refers to leading organizations or initiatives operating across multinational contexts. It requires navigating cultural diversity, political complexity, and economic variation while fostering collaboration across geographically dispersed teams. Indigenous leadership, by contrast, is rooted in local or regional communities and shaped by the traditions, values, and lived realities of those communities. 

These two forms of leadership are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they are interdependent. Effective missional leadership requires elders to think globally while empowering leadership locally.

The global mission of the Church is realized through indigenous expressions of faith, and indigenous leadership is strengthened through global vision and support.

Both forms of leadership share essential characteristics: cultural intelligence, ethical integrity, adaptability, and a commitment to community well-being. Yet global leadership introduces an additional layer of complexity—requiring coordination across nations, systems, and cultures while maintaining unity in purpose and doctrine. 

Capacity and Capability in Global Missional Leadership

The presentation further clarifies leadership responsibility by distinguishing between capacity and capability.

Capacity is quantitative. It refers to the resources available to the Church—financial support, personnel, infrastructure, and organizational reach. It raises practical questions: How far can the Church go? How many regions can it sustain? What scale of missionary work is possible?

Capability, however, is qualitative. It concerns the ability to perform the mission faithfully and effectively. It asks, "Do elders understand Scripture deeply?" Do they grasp the seriousness of the Great Commission? Are they equipped to lead across cultures and contexts?

This distinction is critical. A church may possess capacity without capability, resulting in ineffective or misguided mission efforts. Conversely, it may possess capability without sufficient capacity, limiting its reach. Faithful global missionary leadership requires both. Together, capacity and capability inform mission readiness.

The Scope of Global Leadership

Global leadership is inherently complex. It involves navigating cultural, political, and economic differences while fostering collaboration and delivering positive outcomes across diverse, geographically dispersed communities. 

For elders, this means that leadership cannot remain narrowly local in perspective. Every local congregation participates in a global body—the church—and every local decision has potential global implications.

The Church’s mission is not a collection of isolated efforts but a unified endeavor composed of many interconnected parts.

Elders must therefore lead with an awareness that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, even as it depends on those parts for its realization.

The Great Commission as a Global Commission

The theological core of this argument is the assertion that the Great Commission is inherently global.

This claim is not merely rhetorical; it is grounded in the specific language of the New Testament.

Luke 24:46–49

In Luke’s account, Jesus declares that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. The Greek verb κηρυχθῆναι (kērychthēnai) means “to be proclaimed” or “to be preached,” emphasizing public announcement. The noun ἔθνη (ethnē) refers to nations or peoples, not merely political entities but distinct ethnic and cultural groups.

Thus, the message is directed outward to all peoples, establishing from the outset that the gospel is not confined to a single group or region. 

Acts 1:8

In Acts, Jesus tells the apostles that they will be his μάρτυρες (martyres), or witnesses—those who testify to what they have seen and heard. Their witness is to extend from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and ultimately to the ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς (eschatou tēs gēs), “the end of the earth.”

The term ἐσχάτου denotes the extreme or farthest limit, while γῆς can refer to land, region, or the inhabited world. The progression in the verse is geographical and expansive, indicating that the mission is designed to move outward continually until it reaches the furthest boundaries of human habitation. 

Mark 16:15–16

Mark’s account intensifies this global emphasis. Jesus commands, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Several Greek terms reinforce the universality of this command:

• Πορευθέντες (poreuthentes): to go, to journey, to move from one place to another
• ἅπαντα (hapanta): all, the whole
• κόσμον (kosmon): the world, the inhabited order
• κηρύξατε (kēryxate): proclaim, preach
• πάσῃ (pasē): the whole considered in its individual parts
• κτίσει (ktisei): creation

Considered together these terms convey a mission that is total in scope.

The gospel is to be carried into the entirety of the inhabited world and proclaimed to every part of creation. There is no implied limitation—geographical, cultural, or social.

Matthew 28:18–20

Matthew provides the most comprehensive formulation of the Great Commission, and the presentation gives particular attention to its Greek terminology.

Jesus begins by asserting that all authority has been given to him. The word ἐξουσία (exousia) refers to delegated authority or rightful jurisdiction. This establishes the foundation of the commission: it is grounded in the universal authority of Christ.

The command to go again uses Πορευθέντες (poreuthentes), indicating movement toward a destination. The connective οὖν (oun), “therefore,” signals that the mission flows directly from Christ’s authority.

At the center is μαθητεύσατε (mathēteusate), “make disciples.” This term goes beyond conversion; it implies training, formation, and development in both belief and practice. The mission is not merely to produce believers but to cultivate disciples.

The phrase “of all nations” again includes ἅπαντα and ἔθνη, emphasizing that all peoples are to be included in the scope of discipleship.

The participles further define the process:

• βαπτίζοντες (baptizontes): baptizing, initiating into covenant life
• διδάσκοντες (didaskontes): teaching, instructing in truth
• τηρεῖν (tērein): to observe, guard, preserve intact

The inclusion of τηρεῖν is especially significant. It suggests not merely learning but safeguarding the teachings of Christ.

Elders, therefore, bear responsibility not only for expansion but for preservation ensuring that doctrine remains intact as the Church grows globally.

Finally, the promise of Christ’s presence extends “to the end of the age.” The terms συντελείας (synteleias), meaning completion or consummation, and αἰῶνος (aiōnos), meaning age or era, indicate that the mission continues until the culmination of history itself. 

Theological Implications of the Greek Text

The cumulative force of these Greek terms establishes several key conclusions:

1. The mission is universal in scope (ἔθνη, κόσμον, πάσῃ κτίσει)
2. The mission is active and outward-moving (Πορευθέντες)
3. The mission involves proclamation (κηρύξατε)
4. The mission requires discipleship and formation (μαθητεύσατε, διδάσκοντες)
5. The mission demands preservation of truth (τηρεῖν)
6. The mission is grounded in Christ’s authority (ἐξουσία)
7. The mission continues until the end of the age (συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος)

These are not incidental linguistic details. They form the exegetical foundation for understanding the Church’s global responsibility.

The Role of Elders in Global Missional Leadership

Within this framework, the responsibility of elders becomes clear.

They must:

• Develop both capacity and capability for global mission
• Equip deacons and ministers within a unified mission framework
• Foster partnerships that extend the Church’s reach
• Ensure doctrinal integrity across expanding contexts
• Lead congregations to think and act globally while remaining locally faithful

The presentation emphasizes that every global endeavor is composed of many local parts. Therefore, elders must lead both globally and locally, recognizing that faithful local leadership contributes to the fulfillment of a global mandate. 

Conclusion

The responsibility of elders in the Church of Christ to provide global missional leadership is not optional, contextual, or secondary. It is rooted in the authority of Christ, revealed in the language of Scripture, and sustained by the promise of his presence.

The Greek text of the Great Commission makes clear that the mission of the Church is directed toward all nations, all creation, and the farthest reaches of the earth. It requires movement, proclamation, discipleship, teaching, and preservation. It continues until the end of the age.

In light of this, elders must lead with a vision that matches the scope of the gospel itself. To do otherwise is not merely a strategic limitation—it is a failure to fully embrace the command of Christ.