What is the scriptural procedure for a congregation to appoint qualified men to serve in the roles of elders and deacons? 1st Timothy 3:10 says They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. But the short and simple answer is: the local church is authorized to appoint qualified men as elders and deacons, but there is no exclusive pattern of procedure as to how to do it. There are, however, some guiding principles that should help churches who are ready to proceed in appointing elders and/or deacons.
Acts 14:23 tells us that Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord. In Titus 1:5 Paul commands Titus to appoint elders in every town (Titus was on the island of Crete helping to get the churches organized there). These verses show us the importance of a plurality of elders in the local churches but they don’t give much insight into how churches today should appoint elders. Perhaps the best example we have in the appointment of elders and deacons is found in Acts 6:1-8.
While Acts 6:1-8 is not about appointing elders, it does give us some principles that can be applied to the appointment of elders and deacons. Here, the church in Jerusalem was to look out (literally searching) and pick the men who were of the qualifications mentioned in Acts 6:3. The apostles confirmed the men who were sought out by the church.
While Scripture does not give a direct doctrine on how elders and deacons are to be appointed when they are, the congregation should be extremely involved in the process. Because you cannot lead if nobody will follow. Therefore it is important that the majority of the congregation approve of the men selected to serve and the congregation should be involved in the selection of those men.
The first step of a local church seeking out elders and /or deacons is to carefully look at what God’s Word requires as far as the qualifications of such men (primarily found in the lists of 1 Timothy and Titus). This can be done through a series of sermons and/or Bible classes. Second, the congregation should carefully, prayerfully and wisely search out from among the Body those men who fit the qualifications.
The selection of elders and/or deacons should never be done hastily. It should be a very careful and prayerful process that involves the whole congregation.