“We believe that the Bible uses the term elders to describe church leadership (1 Peter 5:1a, 2a, Acts 20:17- 28, 1 Timothy 3: 1-7, Titus 1:5 - 9).  Furthermore, we see in Scripture that it uses the terms pastors, shepherds, overseers, bishops as synonyms e.g. the Greek term episkopos means overseer or bishop and poimen means pastor or shepherd (So I exhort the elders among you...shepherd the flock of God that is among you... 1 Peter 5:1a, 2a ESV). At Trinity Community Church, our governing structure consists of men that fill the office of elder. The function of the elders is to pastor, shepherd, and oversee which in practice includes caring, preaching, teaching, protecting, defending, leading, governing, comforting and stewarding the church of God which he obtained with his own blood.”