“Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:” (Acts 15:22)
The New Testament pattern is not elder-rule, but rather it is an elder-led congregationalism. This is good to realize and remember, whether you have one elder or a plurality. While it is good to sound the alarm of the dangers of the Presbyterian model and their plurality of elder rule, let us not forget the dangers of the Episcopalian model with Bishops and Archbishops, where one man rules. Either way, many a Baptist church is familiar with the heavy hand of a pastor who has overstepped his authority.
The Bible warns against this:
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1 Peter 5:1–4)
My point is this, don’t let bad examples of the Protestants be the reason you judge or fear the New Testament teaching. If a Baptist Church has been blessed with more than one man who is ordained as an elder, it does not mean they are copying the Presbyterians any more than those Baptist Churches who have one elder are copying the Anglicans.
The fact is both may be trying to be obedient to the Word of God. And that should always be our goal as Baptists.