Those who have already been raised up and are discharging the duties of oversight should watch the lives of young men, with a view to discerning what the Spirit of God is doing in them to prepare for the continuance of such responsibilities. And let younger men seek help from God to live and walk according to the Scriptures, in holiness and righteousness, in absolute devotion to Christ, in separation from the world, so that if the Holy Spirit should give them the privilege of continuing the testimony of an assembly and acting as overseers, they may be ready for recognition by the assembly, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13.
We can be thankful to God for calling and preparing numbers of men for the work of the gospel in this and other lands. But it is from existing assemblies that such are commended to God, Acts 13:1–3; 16:1–3, and commendation is given by those who are stewards of God, caring for the assembly life and testimony, tending the flock, Acts 20:28. It should be borne in mind that these overseeing brethren were formerly young men whom the Lord was preparing for the carrying out of such responsibilities. Let assemblies pray for the raising up of such, especially in days of abounding error and departure from the teaching of the Word of God. The missionary calling may be more attractive than that of an overseer in a local assembly, but those who, being exercised in heart about it, seek to respond to the call and prepare themselves accordingly, will receive present help from the Lord, and reward in the day to come.
There are evidences that here and there God is rasing up young men who are manifesting qualifications for the deeply responsible work of spiritual care of assemblies. This calls for thankfulness, for constant prayer for all such, and for the provision of others. Only thus can the testimony of assemblies on scriptural lines be really effective, through the power of the Holy Spirit.