ELDER QUALIFICATIONS
(See Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 1, A-D)
(See Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 1, A-D)
A. A male member who has been a member of the church in good standing for at least one year.
B. Those spiritual qualifications as laid out in such passages as 1 Tim.3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 which include:
1. Blameless - nothing in his life by which he may be accused and thus disqualified
2. One-woman man - faithful in action and attitude to his wife, if married
3. Vigilant - moral alertness; a realist who is alert to the realities of life
4. Sober - steady mind; not subject to sudden impulses of emotion - stable
5. Good behavior - orderly, not chaotic in his lifestyle but "well-arranged"
6. Hospitable - willingly opens his home for lodging & meals even if inconvenient
7. Able to Teach - a committed student and expositor of the Word & able to defend it
8. Not given to wine - no reputation as a heavy drinker or intoxicated
9. Not a striker - not physically violent
10. Patient - forbearing, yielding, not vengeful, does not insist on personal rights
11. Not a brawler - not contentious or argumentative
12. Not covetous - does not love money as a motive of life or use his office for dishonest gain
13. Rules his own home - cares for family and children (if any) respect & obey him
14. Not a novice - not a new believer but spiritually mature
15. Good report - a man of integrity in the community & church
16. Not self-pleasing - his life is not oriented around pleasing himself, but the Lord and others
17. Not soon angry - in control of his anger (ie. 'blowing up' or clamming-up')
18. Lover of good men - who share his faith and labor (not jealous of threatened)
19. Just - can discern between good & evil and be a just arbitrator
20. Holy - a faithful observer of God's standards
21. Temperate - is self-controlled
B. Those spiritual qualifications as laid out in such passages as 1 Tim.3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 which include:
1. Blameless - nothing in his life by which he may be accused and thus disqualified
2. One-woman man - faithful in action and attitude to his wife, if married
3. Vigilant - moral alertness; a realist who is alert to the realities of life
4. Sober - steady mind; not subject to sudden impulses of emotion - stable
5. Good behavior - orderly, not chaotic in his lifestyle but "well-arranged"
6. Hospitable - willingly opens his home for lodging & meals even if inconvenient
7. Able to Teach - a committed student and expositor of the Word & able to defend it
8. Not given to wine - no reputation as a heavy drinker or intoxicated
9. Not a striker - not physically violent
10. Patient - forbearing, yielding, not vengeful, does not insist on personal rights
11. Not a brawler - not contentious or argumentative
12. Not covetous - does not love money as a motive of life or use his office for dishonest gain
13. Rules his own home - cares for family and children (if any) respect & obey him
14. Not a novice - not a new believer but spiritually mature
15. Good report - a man of integrity in the community & church
16. Not self-pleasing - his life is not oriented around pleasing himself, but the Lord and others
17. Not soon angry - in control of his anger (ie. 'blowing up' or clamming-up')
18. Lover of good men - who share his faith and labor (not jealous of threatened)
19. Just - can discern between good & evil and be a just arbitrator
20. Holy - a faithful observer of God's standards
21. Temperate - is self-controlled
ELDER DUTIES
(See Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 1, A-D)
(See Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 1, A-D)
The elders are the authority and decision-making body in the congregation. The general duties of elders shall be to oversee, manage, and shepherd the congregation for a period of two years (vocational elders - indeterminate term).