Section 1. General Statement.  

Jesus Christ alone is Head of the church (Colossians 1:18), and He governs His church through office—bearers whom He appoints and who are endowed by His Spirit with the gifts and graces needed to accomplish their work. Office—bearers in the church are of two kinds, elders (also called “bishops” or “pastors”) and deacons (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13). It is the duty of the church to seek and discover among its members those to whom Christ the Lord has impart ed the necessary gifts for office—bearing, and after formally recognizing them by common suffrage, to set them apart by united prayer, and then to submit to their authority. 

Section 2. Elders. 

Paragraph A. Whereas in new or small congregations only one man may have the gifts and graces requisite to his being recognized as an elder (such a congregation may, in fact, invite a man who has the necessary gifts to come and labor among them), the Scriptures appear to indicate that normally there should be a plurality of elders in the local church (Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). These are also called “bishops” (meaning “overseers”) because they are charged with the oversight of the assembly (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). They are the “pastors and teachers” given to the church “for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11—12). 

Paragraph B. In view of the fact that the responsibilities of this office are numerous and grave, it is highly desirable that at least one elder should devote his full time to the work of the ministry and the oversight of the church. Such elders are usually referred to as “pastors,” not to the exclusion of the others, for they all share the pastoral responsibility, but because they “labor in the word and in teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). The church is responsible to give adequate financial support to such men (1 Corinthians 9:9-11; 1 Timothy 5:17—18), and it is free to invite men from outside the local congregation to come into its midst and serve in this capacity. Any man thus called to this office must be able conscientiously to affirm his agreement with the Articles of Faith and the Constitution of the church. Should he at any time move from this position, he is under spiritual and moral obligation to make thi8 fact known to the church. 

Paragraph C. Elders are responsible for the spiritual ministrations of the church, the implementation of discipline, and the oversight of the souls of the church’s members “as they that shall .give account” to God (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 5:2-3). While every elder should be “apt to teach”, some will be more engaged in formal and public teaching, while others will be more engaged in private teaching and admonishing and governing. Gifted men who are not recognized as elders may engage in public preaching and teaching, provided they are godly in character and walk, but the exercise of their gift must be under the direction and control of the elders. 

Paragraph D. While elders are overseers of the flock, they are themselves members of the flock. Therefore, each elder as an individual is under the oversight of his fellow elders and is subject to the same discipline as are all the members of the church. 

Paragraph E. The church should endeavor to discover and then formally to recognize all the men whom the Holy Spirit has endowed with the requisite gifts and graces and has set over the church, but only such men. Thus when men have been ordained to this office, the church will have the confidence that it has recognized the overseers whom the Holy Spirit has set over it (Acts 20:28). It is evident, therefore, that neither the number of elders nor the length of their term of office can be fixed by the church. 

Paragraph F. The qualifications for a man chosen to fill the office of elder are clearly set forth in Scripture, particularly in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5—9. 

Section 3. Deacons. 

Paragraph A. Deacons are responsible primarily to administer the benevolent concerns of the church as well as its legal business and other matters which the elders may delegate to them. While the deacons are not “rulers” in the church, their office must be held in exceedingly high esteem because of its usefulness to the church and because the diaconal ministry allows the elders to give themselves more fully to the ministry of the Word and prayer and to the general care of souls. Thus these men must be “of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3). They must fulfill the duties of their office in cooperation with and in subjection to the elders. 

Paragraph B. The number of deacons shall not be fixed. The church shall choose as many as are needed for the work to be done from among the men who give evidence of having the scriptural qualifications for that office (Acts 6:3). 

Paragraph C. The qualifications for a man chosen to fulfill the office of deacon are particularly set forth in Acts 6:3 and 1 Timothy 3:8—13. 

Section 4. Appointment of office-bearers. 

Paragraph A.  The local church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is responsible to appoint men to the offices of elder and deacon. Each individual involved should have an inward conviction that the Lord is calling him to the particular office, and the church should recognize that call as it observes in the individual evidence of the gifts and graces which Scripture requires for  the particular office.  This is a matter of such gravity that it should be accompanied by much prayerful waiting on God for guidance, a careful perusal of the relevant passages of Scripture, and a dispassionate evaluation of each man nominated to a particular office.  These activities are the responsibility of each individual member of the church as well as of the church as a whole.

Paragraph B.  Nominations.

(1) Nominations to offices of elder and deacon shall be made to the congregation by the elders with input from the congregation.  The elders will obtain congregational input in two ways.  First, the elders will welcome the advice of individual members at any time during the year. Second, the elders will seek the entire congregation’s input once each year through a nomination ballot.  In March of every year, each member will be asked to prayerfully consider whether he or she thinks any male member should be appointed to the office of elder or deacon.  The members will be asked to write the reasons he or she thinks a specific man should be considered for office.  If a significant number of people think a man should be appointed to an office, and if the elders believe the man should be appointed to an office, and if the man is willing to serve in the office, the elders will place his name in nomination before the congregation.  Under ordinary circumstances, the elders will announce his nomination to the congregation three months before the annual meeting.  During these months the congregation will have opportunity to know the man and to pray for God’s guidance.  Under normal circumstances, the congregation will vote on each candidate at the annual meeting. 

(2) The elders may at any time during the year nominate a candidate or candidates to either or both offices and call a special congregational business meeting for their consideration. 

Paragraph C. If any member believes that a nominee is not qualified for the office or if any member has serious questions about the nominee’s qualifications, he or she is encouraged to speak directly to the candidate and/or to the elders before the nomination is considered at the annual meeting.  It is not appropriate to express criticisms at the annual meeting which have not been previously addressed to the elders and/or the nominee in private. 

Paragraph D. When the time comes to consider a nomination during a congregational business meeting of the church, the candidate for office and any members of his immediate family who are present shall be requested to leave the room while his qualifications are openly discussed by the entire congregation in the fear of God and the light of Scripture. After that a written ballot shall be taken.  It is hoped that the vote of the congregation will in such matters always be unanimous, but if unanimity is not realized, no less than a three-fourths majority of the members present and voting shall be required for the election of an office-bearer. 

Paragraph E. Following the recognition of an office-bearer by vote of the congregation, he shall be publicly installed in his office at a regular worship service by the prayer of the whole church and the laying on of the hands of the existing elders.

Paragraph F. Office-bearers are subject to the same rules of discipline as are other members of the church.  They shall hold office as long as they are faithful to their calling and have the confidence of the congregation.  The church shall reconfirm (or express the withdrawal of) its confidence in each of its office-bearers at its annual congregational business meeting four years following the date of his installation and every four years thereafter in the manner designated in Paragraph C of this section.  If a man does not receive a proper vote of confidence, he shall be discharged from the office.  An officer may, however, resign his office without prejudice if for good and valid reasons he finds he is no longer able to discharge the duties of it.

Paragraph G. The elders shall choose one of their number to be chairman, and the deacons shall choose one of their number to be their chairman.  These men shall be known as "chairman of the board of elders" and "chairman of the board of deacons," respectively. 

If sufficient men are not found to efficiently maintain separate boards of elders and deacons, there will not be a separate board of deacons, but instead the deacons will on appropriate occasions meet with the board of elders at which meetings the combined elders and deacons will function as a board of deacons moderated by the chairman of the board of elders.