Regarding the divine intention to have elders today, we must be fair with our treatment of Ephesians 4:11-16. The list of gifted men stands or falls together, for they were given for the same purpose and during the same period of time. If we have one, we have them all. If we do not have one today, we do not have any today. This is not to suggest that brethren today should not make distinctions among each other and respect the wisdom and advice of wiser men and women. But, no man can accomplish the task that was incumbent upon the shepherds of the first century. We do not have the laying on of hands, the gifts of the Spirit (which topic we have taken up in another work), or the gifted men that God gave the ekklesia during this time.
Now, if you have followed the reasoning that supports the abandonment of the church organization, where elders have a role as decision-makers for the church, then, what role would they have had at that time that can be duplicated, today? Well, they could teach but I’m not sure with what level of skill required in the “apt to teach” qualification of 1 Timothy 3 they would possess. The level of wisdom and judgment involved in their daily care of the called-out in that city could hardly be matched with any degree of certainty or consistency. That they had a gift cannot be denied for the Spirit gave to each according to His pleasure (Rom. 12:6, 1 Cor. 12:11-12). These men certainly were not exempt from the gifts.
Individually, we have noted elsewhere that we all have a responsibility toward our family members in Christ. Some have more experience or ability in some area in which they are inept. Brethren would recognize these qualities, abilities, and strengths but they are not held to some position of leadership in a local church. There is no organization of this nature that requires decision-makers for the group. If that job description is gone, what would they be doing other than looking out for one another, warning, encouraging, and teaching. Further, is that some exclusive job description for a select few? If so, what qualifies them more than another? Don’t confuse this with public speaking because, while it would be limited to a few, it doesn’t exist among each other, either.