In Christianity, an elder is a church leader, but the office does not have the same meaning in every denomination. The term comes from the New Testament word presbyteros, meaning an elder or senior person, and it became important in several forms of church government.
Elders in the New Testament
New Testament writings refer to elders in local Christian communities. They are associated with teaching, pastoral oversight, prayer, discipline, and leadership. The relationship between the terms elder, overseer, and pastor is interpreted differently by Christian traditions.
Presbyterian and Reformed churches
Presbyterian church government is named after the office of elder. Many Presbyterian churches distinguish between teaching elders, commonly ordained ministers, and ruling elders, lay leaders elected to share responsibility for the congregation. Elders participate in church courts or councils beyond the local congregation.
Baptist and evangelical churches
Some Baptist and independent evangelical churches use “elder” for pastors or for a group of leaders who oversee doctrine, pastoral care, and major decisions. Other Baptist churches prefer titles such as pastor and deacon and do not maintain a separate eldership.
Churches that use different terminology
Catholic and Orthodox churches developed the office of priest from the same Greek term presbyteros, but in English they normally use “priest” rather than “elder” for that ordained ministry. Anglican churches similarly speak of priests or presbyters. Methodist churches usually use ministers, pastors, elders, deacons, and bishops according to their own denominational structures.
How elders are chosen
Selection varies widely. Elders may be elected by a congregation, appointed by existing leaders, ordained by a denomination, or recognized after a period of training. Requirements often include Christian maturity, ability to teach, and a reputation for responsible conduct, drawing on New Testament pastoral texts.
Elder, pastor, and bishop
These words cannot be treated as universal ranks. Some churches regard elder and pastor as the same office. Others distinguish them. Churches with episcopal government reserve “bishop” for an office above local presbyters, while some evangelical interpreters argue that New Testament elder and overseer refer to the same local role.
An elder is therefore best understood within the polity of a particular church rather than as one standardized Christian office.
