Presbuteros [G: 4245], the word translated "elder," is never used as a noun in the following passages: Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22-23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18; 23:14; 24:1: 25:15; 1 Tim. 5:2, 17, 19; Titus 1:5; Heb. 11:2; James 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1, 5; 2 John 1:1; 3 John 1:1; Rev. 4:4, 10; 5:5-6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; and 19:4. The word is an adjective. Adjectives are words or phrases that name an attribute. They are added to a noun in order to modify it.
"Elders" are merely men who live with spiritual maturity in the faith. An "elder" is not a position, nor is it something you are elected to. You are chosen as an elder because you are known and trusted by everyone (you have nothing to hide), and your life demonstrates spiritual maturity.
"Therefore, I exhort the elders [presbuteros, adjective] among you, as your fellow elder [sumpresbuteros, noun] and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd [poimaino, verb—tend to, take care of] the flock [poimnion, noun] of God among you, exercising oversight [episkopeo, verb] not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording [katakurieuo, verb—control, subjugate, dominate] it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd [archipoimen, noun] appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men [neos, adjective], likewise, be subject to your elders [presbuteros, adjective]; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 1 Peter 5:1-5
Elders (shepherd-teachers) were not to be motivated by fleshly desires, but to walk by the Spirit of God in the love of Jesus. They were to shepherd the flock with the following attitude and mindset:
NOT by constraint or being forced to (by worldly ambition or pride or obligation),
BUT with personal desire out of a love for God, Jesus, and others.
NOT to get any money or personal gain from such service,
BUT with a great passion to give and bless others.
NOT acting as someone better or "holier than thou" among the people,
BUT setting an example for others to follow.
So, what can we learn about these men from the writings of the early Christians?
"The apostles have preached the Gospel to us by the command of the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] by the command of God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both things were done, then, in an orderly way, according to the will of God. Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and confirmed by the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they [the apostles] appointed the first-fruits [of their labours], having first proved [tested] them by the Spirit, to be overseers and servants of those who should afterwards believe. Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning overseers and servants. For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place, "I will appoint their overseers in righteousness, and their servants in faith" [Is. 60:17]." —Clement of Rome
As you can see, biblical elders emerged from within the community life of the congregation they grew up in. There was first a very strong brotherhood in place before elders were selected. This incubation period preceded the selection of elders. Paul established a congregation, left them on their own to the leading of the Holy Spirit for a number of years, and when he returned elders were appointed. This incubation period allowed time for the believers to mature in the faith and for their lives to be known by everyone. They had to be trusted by everyone. They were selected by and in the presence of the entire congregation.
"Our elders are proven [tested] men who obtain their title not by purchase, but by established character." —Tertullian
"As to anyone who teaches principles to live by and molds the characters of others, I ask, "Is he not obligated himself to live by the principles he teaches?" If he himself does not live by them, his teaching is nullified. ...His student will answer him like this, "I cannot practice the things you teach, because they are impossible. You forbid me to be angry. You forbid me to covet. You forbid me to lust. And you forbid me to fear pain and death. This is totally contrary to nature; all living creatures are subject to these emotions. If you are so convinced that it is possible to live contrary to natural impulses, first let me see you practice the things you teach so I will know they are possible." ... How will [the teacher] take away this excuse from the self-willed, unless he teaches them by his example, so they can see with their own eyes that the things he teaches are possible? For this very reason, no one obeys the teachings of the philosophers. Men prefer examples to words, because it is easy to speak—but difficult to act." —Lactantius
"[The elder] should be chosen in the presence of the people under the eyes of all, and should be proved worthy and suitable by public judgment and testimony. ...For a proper ordination, all the neighboring overseers throughout the same province should assemble with the congregation. The overseer should be chosen in the presence of the congregation, since they are intimately familiar with his life and habits." —Cyprian
Episkopos [G: 1984] is the word translated "overseer" (or incorrectly as "bishop" in some translations in order to give support to that denomination's particular proof-text eisegesis and practices). Watchmen (or overseers) were "elders." Both terms are frequently used interchangeably in Scripture and by the early Christians in their writings. Watchmen (shepherd-teachers) were to watch over the flock and look out for wolves who wanted to devour the flock.
Peter and Paul use the terms episkopos (watchman, overseer) and presbuteros (elder) interchangeably, informing these men that they are the ones who will shepherd (poimen) the Congregation of Yahweh.
Paul:
Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the congregation. And when they had come to him, he said to them ... Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:17-18, 28)
Peter:
Therefore, I exhort the elders among you ... shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion, but willingly, according to God... (1 Pet. 5:1-2)
The New Testament teaches that watchmen (overseers) and elders are the same people. The congregations set up by Peter and Paul had multiple watchmen (overseers). However, John the apostle structured his congregations differently, as we can discern from the writings of Ignatius and Polycarp, who were disciples of John. In the second century, John's structure won out. Each congregation had one watchman (overseer) and multiple elders. Despite this, several writings of the early believers still used the terms interchangeably.
"Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, there would be strife on account of the title of the oversight [or watchman]. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. We are of opinion, therefore, that those appointed by them [the apostles], or afterwards by other eminent men, with the consent of the whole Congregation, and who have blamelessly served the flock of Christ in a humble, peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly dismissed from the ministry. For our sin will not be small, if we eject from the oversight those who have blamelessly and holily fulfilled its duties. Blessed are those elders who, having finished their course before now, have obtained a fruitful and perfect departure [from this world]; for they have no fear lest any one deprive them of the place now appointed them. But we see that you have removed some men of excellent behaviour from the ministry, which they fulfilled blamelessly and with honour." —Clement of Rome
Elders were to exemplify a certain kind of life (Acts 20:22-35). Paul shared with these elders the kind of life they were expected to lead, using his life as the example. Only in four of these 13 verses (vv. 28-31) does Paul address elders, and his actual instructions are in only two of those verses. The elders Paul was speaking to in this passage were later rebuked by him in a letter written to Timothy (1 Tim. 5:17-22)! Ephesus already had elders in Acts 20. Roughly 5 years later, Paul instructed Timothy to appoint elders.
"Deacon" is merely a transliteration of the Greek, diakonos [G:1249]. This word is found all over the New Testament and translated as "minister" or "servant," except in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 for some unknown reason. Just as the Greek word poimen [G:4166], which is translated as "shepherd" everywhere else in the New Testament, is falsely translated as "pastor" in Ephesians 4:11. "Pastor" was a term developed by Martin Luther to replace the "priest," a term desperately clung to by Catholics. The term "priest" started showing up in the mid-third century, and then became normal use from the time of Constantine onward. A "priest" is nothing other than an elder. But Catholics use it after the Old Testament religion and after the pagan religions.
In the first and second century congregations, servants ("deacons," if you must) would visit the sick and imprisoned, distribute the food, bring communion to to those who could not attend the Sunday meetings (what their assembling together was actually called), and help with whatever was required during their meetings. Interestingly, in the third century there is reference to them watching the doors in order to make sure that only Christians entered the meetings.
Both Justin (A.D. 155) and Tertullian (A.D. 200), the only two people to use this term, referred to the leader of the Sunday meeting as "the president," which likely meant "whoever happens to be presiding over the meeting." A watchman or elder was not necessarily present. "Church" buildings did not exist during their lifetimes. By Cyprian's time, the battles against heresies had led to a stronger emphasis on meetings led by ordained and proven (tested) men who were trusted completely.
For the first two centuries, a family atmosphere with shared responsibilities is how the congregations functioned. In the third century, the leaders began carrying more responsibilities. They began teaching the believers to be lazy and complacent, which is how all the heresy in the fourth century came to be common place.
The terms episkopos (watchman, overseer), presbuteros (elder), and diakonos (servant, minister) meant something completely different to the early believers than what they mean to modern believers. We are severely guilty of imposing our concepts of Christianity and these terms eisegetically upon not only the biblical text but also the writings of the early Christians (c. A.D. 70-300). We need to learn to pay attention to Scripture in its historical-chronological order and stop imposing our experience of the congregation ("church") upon Yahweh's Word.