If you are not familiar with the church of Christ, you might be wondering, "what is an elder?" In the new testament church--the church we read about in the Bible-- elders were appointed in every congregation (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). Elders were, and are, appointed in a plurality within the local congregation; there can never be only one (Acts 14:23; 20:7). Elders are to provide the oversight and leadership of the church at a particular location and are to "feed" the flock (the members) through teaching, instruction, example, etc. (1 Peter 5:1-3). Elders, likewise, have the responsibility of guarding and protecting the flock from false teachers (Acts 20:28-30; Hebrews 13:17). Elders are sometimes referred to as bishops (1 Timothy 3:1), overseers (Acts 20:28), pastors or teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12), and of course, elders (1 Timothy 5:17). Qualifications of elders are listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

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    Larry Powers is a native Tennessean.  In 1966 he married Tereasa Ann Hatchett.  He and his wife have one daughter, Tabitha Mitchell, and one son, Michael Powers.

    Larry served in the US Air Force between 1966-1986 where he began preaching on a part-time basis.  He graduated from the Memphis School of Preaching in 1988 where he complete his graduate-level studies (1991).  In 1991 he also earned his BA from Alabama Christian School of Religion (now Southern Christian University).

    His local and foreign work has taken him to Turrel, Arkansas; Burlison, TN; Martin, TN; Australia; New Zealand; Zambia, Africa; and the Marshall Islands.

    Larry Powers has taught in the Online Academy of Biblical Studies since 2001.