Our Leadership
Elders
Our form of government is presbyterian in nature; or, in other words, our church is governed by elders. Presbyterian comes from the Greek word meaning, simply, "elder." Paul emphasized a plurality of elders in the early church (Titus 1:5, Acts 20:17). An elder is a biblically qualified man who has been nominated, trained, examined, and ordained to oversee the spiritual affairs of the church. They do this by devoting themselves to the prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). The Bible gives explicit qualifications for such men (1 Tim. 3:1-7).
The role of elders is:
- Oversight – Guarding the spiritual health of the congregation and the purity of Christ’s church.
- Governance – Maintaining the order and peace of the life of the church.
- Nurture –Leading the congregation to maturity through such tasks as teaching, equipping, evangelism, building community, etc.
Any of our elders may be elected to serve a term on "Session", which means that, beyond their regular responsibilities to shepherd the congregation, they will meet together monthly to conduct the business of the church.
"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." Acts 20:28
Deacons
The word “Deacon” comes from the Greek word for servant, literally "one who waits on tables." Deacons are qualified and called men who lead our congregation in works of service and mercy. The qualifications for Deacons are listed in the Bible as well (1 Timothy 3:8-13).
The role of the deacons is:
- Helps – Tending to the ongoing practical needs of church members.
- Mercy – Leading our church in reaching out to love our neighbors in practical ways.
- Building - maintenance, use and repair of the church's property.