A conversation on church elders and their responsibilities (Part two)

This is a continuation of the conversation I have been having with my friend about elders. You will find part one posted on 8/3/09. I feel in these two letters that we are getting to the heart of the matter, however. We are given elders as people worthy of being followed for their Christ-like comportment. Should we consider our own conduct as non-elders in the same way as we consider theirs? I don't think so.

In short my friend writes:

...the roles of elders are subject to debate because I don't think the Bible is super specific as to what tasks are their responsibilities. I definitely think they need to be prayer warriors, check on members, continue to live righteously and lead their own families, be available to talk to people/ counsel them. I also think they need to meet as a group and pray and plan the vision of the church, hold the pastors accountable among other things. I think they should oversee the ministries of the church...

...I'm not disagreeing with you in the qualifications. I think it's great that you want to hold people accountable, Evan... I think it is important to ask yourself though if you know the whole story. Have you made an effort to get to know the elders? Or have you invited them over for dinner? Maybe their wives are burnt out with family responsibilities. I bet if you made your desire known to them you would get a different response.

My response to her, in short, is:

Hold with me on this because it is important. It's not my responsibility to get to know the elders. My hospitality is not significant to our argument. They are given as an example for me to follow, not vice versa.

The critical point of my argument stems from the definition of hospitality. In its Greek meaning it describes a great love to entertain guests and especially strangers. It is not loving simply to entertain those you love. Christ extended His wedding feast to strangers on the street after all! What I mean to say is that if a man does not love or entertain strangers he should not even be considered to be an elder! Begging the question, why is it so important for elders to love strangers? Would the church pull in desperate people if the elders who are given as an example for us to follow did not pull those people in themselves?

I'm saying that hospitality is a duty to be fulfilled by many rather than a joy that overflows from a grateful heart. Am I just supposed to assume that strangers are ministered to when I don't even see such love towards the believers? How could I ever be expected to put myself under such a system? Is submitting to the elders not the focus of our discussion?