Professional athletes have coaches. Why is that? Elite athletes have been playing the sport for years and years, so they know what they need to do. However, we all need someone to push us to get to the next level, as well as to help us stay in our lane. Why do we need leaders? They can see the things we can’t see. Unfortunately, Satan has done a good job of breaking down our respect and reverence for our leaders. Elders are leaders who provide a living example for us of how we are to live. They are not perfect - only Jesus was - but we should focus on what type of leaders we choose. We are responsible for choosing and allowing elders who will hold us accountable, because they are charged with watching over our souls and protecting us and they are accountable to God for how they lead us. We choose how it will be for our elders to lead us - whether it will be joy or sorrow - by how we follow their leadership. Our pride tells us we can do it on our own which causes blind spots. We must allow our elders to push us past what we think we can do. At Sandbox, we have more than one elder because it helps them to watch over each other, to share the work of watching over us, and to keep an eye out for wolves and false prophets. God’s plan requires God’s process. This means we must first submit to the authority of our elders. Then we can move in the community of an Acts 2 church. We also must take seriously the requirements of elders in Titus 1. It is both a great privilege and a great burden to be an elder! Congratulations to Ben and Weston on their ordainment as elders today!