Church
Structure
Congregational
Responsibilities
Every
member has a unique and valuable role in the life
of this body. It is expected that each member will
strive to become more and more Christ like, be purposefully
and prayerfully involved in ministry, and give discerning
and faithful support to the leadership.
Members of the congregation may request that any
appropriate and reasonable item be brought up before
the Elders for review by submitting a request in
writing to the Chairman of the Elders.
Congregational
Affirmations
Affirmation
will be defined as an opportunity for the congregation
to express confidence and support for decisions
recommended by the Elders.
The congregation will be asked to affirm the recommendations
of the Elders for the following items: elder selection,
deacon selection, and the annual church Ministry
Plan.
Duties
and Responsibilities of Elders
The
Elders will be responsible for the primary oversight
of the ministry. They will be men of prayer and
the Word. They will collectively and individually
be involved in oversight and shepherding ministries
to the body as a whole or to a portion of the body.
Elders will address items and issues that impact
the general ministry of the church and will not
become involved in detailed operational issues that
are the responsibility of the staff. All matters
brought before the congregation for affirmation
will be submitted by the Elders. As faithful shepherds,
it is important for Elders to be sensitive to concerns
and needs of the body and to listen well, while
still understanding that they are ultimately accountable
to God for their decisions and how well they display
a spirit of servant leadership.
The
Elders will be responsible for primary ministry
oversight through the establishment of policies,
provision for planning, establishment of priorities,
and oversight of key personnel. They will be responsible
for approving and monitoring the provisions of the
annual Ministry Plan. The Ministry Plan will articulate
the vision for the church’s ministry and will
focus on staffing, organization, financial and budget
needs to support that vision. To encourage more
effective leadership, Elders are encouraged to delegate
specific responsibilities to smaller teams of Elders.
Duties
and Responsibilities of Deacons
As
a visible manifestation of the spiritual ministry
called for in Scripture, Deacons will direct and
implement specific ministries of service and support.
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They
will form a core group that will coordinate the
activities of members of the church involved in
ministries of service.
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They
will identify and periodically review areas of
need within the congregation, specifically focusing
on those with special needs, such as single mothers,
widows, those in an emergency financial crisis,
etc.
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They will coordinate and direct those involved
in support activities during public services,
specifically focusing on assistance with ordinances,
collection and counting of the offering, greeting,
ushering and surveillance of the facilities during
times of ministry.
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They
may appoint individuals over each of these areas
of responsibility and periodically review, encourage
and guide them.
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They
will see that policies exist to guide impartial
and equitable assistance to those with needs.
They will be responsible for the distribution
of benevolence funds.
The Chairman of the Deacons will closely coordinate
the activities of Deacon ministries with the Pastoral
Staff, working with a designated staff liaison.
He will also periodically report to the Elders regarding
the effectiveness of the Deacons in fulfilling their
duties and responsibilities.
