About Us :: Policy Statements :: Plurality of Elders

Policy Statement on the Plurality of Elders
Grace Community Bible Church
Adopted January 2004

Grace Community Bible Church finds the Biblical model for church governance to be a plurality of elders. This policy statement will include the following information:

Elders
Decision Making Process

Elders
1. Biblical Support
  The practice of the New Testament church was to be governed and led by a plurality of godly men (Acts 6:1-7; 13:1-3; 14:21-23; 15:1-30; 16:4; 20:17-38). The titles of elder, overseer (bishop), and pastor (shepherd) are referring to the same man (Acts 20:17, 28: 1 Pet. 5:1-3). We refer to the leaders in our church as elders because in Scripture it is the most frequently used of the three terms.
  1. Elder (Gr. presbuteros) is used 16 times to refer to New Testament church leaders (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15: 2, 4, 22, 23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18; 1 Tim. 4:14; 5:17; 5:19; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1).
  2. Overseer (Gr. episkopos) is used six times to refer to New Testament church leaders (Acts 20:28; Phil.1:1; 1 Tim: 3:2; Titus1:7).
  3. Pastor (Gr. poimen) is used three times (including the verb form) to refer to New Testament church leaders (Eph. 4:11, Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2).
  The elders have the following responsibilities:
  - Oversee (1 Pet. 5:2)
  - Equip (Eph. 4:11-12)
  - Teach (1 Tim. 5:17; 2 Tim. 2:24)
  - Protect (Titus 1:9-11; Acts 20:28-31)
  - Pray for the sick (James 5:14)
  - Live as an example to the church (1 Pet. 5:3)
2. Identification
  Elder candidates will be identified as follows:
  1. The existing elders will consistently try to identify men they consider qualified for eldership based on qualifications found in 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
  2. The existing elders will pursue the preferred men privately, giving them time to pray about whether they are willing and ready to serve. The men will be asked about their desire to serve, their faithfulness in giving to the church, their character, and whether or not they will commit to the training process to become an elder (see section IC). If any one of the preferred men decline, the process will be stopped with them.
  3. Those men who accept the responsibilities of being an elder, accept the training required, and have the approval of the existing elders, will begin meeting with elders at regular meetings and be assigned a mentoring elder who will guide them through the process of training.
  4. These men will begin the training process as outlined in section IC.
3. Training
  The training of elders in Grace Community Bible Church will consist of three main parts.
  1. The elder candidate's regular participation in all aspects of the elder meetings and ministry of the church. This will be done under the observation of the elders and the counsel of the mentoring elder.
  2. The elder candidate will begin a comprehensive study of theology and its practical application, culminating in the candidate writing a position paper on his theological beliefs, which should be in harmony with the doctrinal statement of GCBC. This position paper must be submitted and approved by the existing elders. The elder candidate will be mentored by an existing elder throughout this process as well.
  3. The elder candidate will participate in an ongoing mentoring relationship with the mentoring elder, the needs of which will be established under the direction of the mentoring elder.
4. Ordination
  After completion of the position paper and approval by the existing elders, the candidate will be recommended for ordination. The ordination council will consist of ordained elders from Grace Community Bible Church and ordained men from like-minded churches who are invited by the current elders. The process of ordination will include an oral examination by the ordination council of the candidate's understanding of theology and its application in lives of believers. If the candidate passes the examination of the ordination council they will be presented by the existing elders to the congregation as a trained and qualified elder. The congregation will then be asked to affirm them as such in an ordination service. The candidate then becomes a fully recognized member of the elder body of Grace Community Bible Church.
The Decision Making Process
Decisions made in Grace Community Bible Church are the responsibility of the elders. The primary objective of the elders in the decision making process is to discern the will of Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, through godly processes of seeking wisdom. This is done through four stages.
1. Elder Unanimity
  Before proceeding with any decision the elder team must be in total unanimity. Unanimity means that everyone in the group is either in agreement about the will of God or acquiesces to the position of those believing they have a clear understanding of God's will. It also means that no one is convicted that it not God's will to proceed.
2. Communication and Prayer
  When necessary and appropriate, the elders will seek the wisdom of the congregation through any means necessary. This may accomplished by bringing the unanimous decision of the elders to a group of leaders, small group leaders, those with certain talents or spiritual giftings, or other sub-group in order to gain their wisdom. This may also be accomplished by means of a congregational discussion if the elders choose. Whether or not a meeting is called, any member of the congregation is free to ask questions of the elders at any time. The purpose of this communication is always to gain the insight of the congregation so that informed decisions can be made. The elders will also engage the church in prayer during times of major decision.
3. Formal Confirmation
  When a more formal congregational confirmation is desired, the elders will discern this confirmation through their relationships with the congregation. Although no vote will be taken, the elders will know the "pulse" of the congregation by their intentional communication with each family head.
4. Implementation
  Once the necessary means of wisdom and discernment have been accomplished, the elders are in unity in their understanding of God's will for the congregation, and the unity of the congregation is discerned, the final decision rests with the elders. The Biblical responsibility of leadership decision-making within the local church lies with the elders.

Grace Community Bible Church

of Highland, Illinois