Officer Nominations & Leadership Basics
Dear City Church Family,
As part of what it means to be a presbyterian church, City Church relies on its members to nominate leaders for the church. We do this regularly, usually once every two years. For the next few weeks we will receive officer nominations at City Church. Any communing member is invited to prayerfully submit nominations for the offices of elder and deacon, keeping in mind the Biblical standards and our denomination’s commitments. All nominations should to be made to the Session in writing (email is fine) and received by Friday, December 31st.
While City Church is strongly committed both to the equality of men and women and to a leadership structure that is diverse and representative, we believe that the specific offices of elder and deacon are limited to qualified men. This limitation is based on the Bible’s teaching on church leadership, particularly passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
This winter all nominees for elder and deacon will attend a class we called Leadership Basics to receive training in: the duties and responsibilities of church office, the theology of the Presbyterian Church, and the Biblical qualifications for office. This training is required for nominees, but open to everyone at City Church. Leadership Basics consists of eight sessions and will take place on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11am, beginning in mid-January. While this training is required for nominees, it is open to everyone at City Church and provides a helpful foundation in what it means to be a Christian leader. Registration for Leadership Basics will open soon, so keep an eye out.
During the training, the nominees will also have conversations with the existing church leadership to help them discern whether they are called to serve the church. After training and testing are complete, approved nominees will be placed before the congregation for election.
What is an elder?
An elder is a member of the church called by God and set apart as a servant-leader, teacher, and shepherd. Elders at City Church assist the pastors in leading and caring for members, regular attendees, and visitors. The apostle Paul appointed elders at many of the churches he started (Acts 20:17-38); they were an integral part of the early church.
Working alongside City Church’s pastors (Erik Bonkovsky and Harrison Ford) are ruling elders: Frank Allen, Andrew Bleckley, George Davis, Mack Hendrix, Stefan Kling, and James Murphy. No set number of elders is required for a church, but is determined by the congregation throughout the nomination and election process. At City Church elders serve three-year terms and are permitted to serve two consecutive terms before taking a required one-year sabbatical.*
What is a deacon?
A deacon is a member of the church called by God and set apart as a servant addressing the physical and tangible needs of the church. Deacons lead the larger Diaconal Ministry Team so that the elders can carry out spiritual teaching and shepherding. Deacons were first chosen in the New Testament church after prayerful discernment (Acts 6:1-7).
City Church’s deacons are: David Boyce, Alex Brito, Barrett Clark, Stephen Day, Seth Huffman, Eric Morgan, Carter Neal. Like the elders, deacons serve three-year terms and are permitted to serve two consecutive terms before taking a one-year sabbatical.
(It is important to note that elders and deacons are only part of the larger leadership structure at City Church. They work alongside our staff and other members of our five Leadership Committees to set the direction and carry out the mission of the church. The Leadership Committees are composed of men and women, young and old, ordained and non-ordained. We believe such a collaborative structure is more representative of the whole church and helps us make better decisions.)
What should you do?
First, if you have any questions or concerns about this process, please contact Erik or another member of City Church’s leadership. We realize that for many members at City Church the process of officer nomination, training, and election is unfamiliar. Second, prayerfully consider nominating an individual, preferably after you have talked with that individual. Finally, and most importantly, please pray for City Church as we continue to embody and proclaim the gospel. May we all cling to Christ and trust His grace as we move forward together.
Humbly,
Erik, on behalf of the City Church Session
*Elders currently on sabbatical are: Frank Allen, Stefan Kling, and James Murphy.