Shepherds and Servants: Elders, Deacons, and the Shape of Healthy Church Leadership

Kevin McKay teaches that authority, when exercised biblically, is one of the clearest reflections of God’s character. Good authority blesses, protects, and gives life; abused authority destroys and lies about God. For this reason, leadership in the church matters deeply.Preaching from 2 Samuel 23 and Acts 6, McKay shows that biblical leadership is defined not by charisma, strategic skill, or innovation, but by faithfulness to the ministry of the Word and prayer, and by service for the good of Christ’s people. In Acts 6 the apostles refuse to fix the church’s problems by themselves; instead they preserve their primary calling—Word and prayer—and raise up deacons to meet physical needs. This protects unity and enables gospel growth.McKay then outlines the work of elders:Gathering the flock—knowing every member and actively guarding them.Word ministry—feeding the church through faithful preaching and teaching.Equipping—training others for ministry so that the whole body grows.Plurality is essential: multiple elders strengthen the church, share burdens, and safeguard discipline.Deacons, meanwhile, serve practical needs, protect unity, and support the elders’ ministry.Biblical leadership, rightly exercised, gives the church a foretaste of God’s good and life-giving authority—and enables God’s people to flourish under Christ, the Chief Shepherd.Pastors & Leaders Conference 2019