Masato Murai (Pastor Emeritus / [email protected])
John J. H. Lee (Lead Pastor / [email protected])
Grace Toronto Japanese Elders
Grace Toronto Japanese Church is led by John Lee (Teaching Elder), Allan Buist (Ruling Elder), Christo Heiberg (TE), and Varun Rana (RE).
The Apostle Paul outlines the qualification of elders in 1 Tim 3:2-7 (ESV): 2 Therefore, an overseer (elder) must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
And there are two types of elders (1 Tim 5:17): (1) Ruling Elders (RE), and (2) Teaching Elders (TE). The primary function of Teaching Elders–commonly referred to as pastors–is to teach and shepherd the congregation. Administering sacraments (baptism and the Holy Communion) is another primary function of TEs. Ruling Elders govern and shepherd the congregation. Both TEs and REs work together in unity for the congregation.