In the New Testament, elders were always appointed either by apostles (Acts 14:23) or by their delegates (Titus 1:5) who had an express command from an apostle to do so. Today there are no apostles any more (because they had to have seen the Lord, Acts 1:22 and 9:4.5).
Ndani ya Agano Jipya, wazee walitajwa kila mara na mitume (Matendo 14: 23) ao na mawakili (wajumbe) wao (Tito 1: 5) ambao waliagizwa na mitume kwa kuifanya.