Report of the Study Committee:
Credentials & Multi-Staff Churches
EDITOR’S NOTE: As a growing number of our churches were adding additional staff (and particularly pastoral staff), Conference appointed this study committee in 1998 to examine how our Principles of Order address staff that are not the senior pastor. The Committee made various proposals in subsequent years and concluded their work in 2007.
The Study Committee on Credentials and Multi-staff Churches brings the following legislation to Annual Conference:
SECOND READING:
Resolved, that the following be adopted as Second Reading for inclusion into the Faith and Order:
204-1.4 The Qualifications for the Ministry.
Personal Qualifications
(1) The minister must have a love for the study of Scripture inasmuch as his primary function is to be pastor-teacher.
(2) The minister must possess qualities of leadership and administration, together with a willingness to assume responsibility, inasmuch as he is an Elder who numbers ruling among his duties.
(3) The minister, being accountable to God, must have a genuine love for people, exercise patience in dealing with them, be receptive to criticism and correction, and remain steadfast in his duties inasmuch as he is an under-shepherd of the flock of God.
(4) The minister must not be a lover of money inasmuch as he is to be a lover of God.
(5) The minister must be willing to forgo personal rights and privileges for the sake of ministering to others inasmuch as he is to be an example of a servant.
FIRST READING
Resolved, that the following be adopted as First Reading for inclusion into the Faith and Order:
401-1.1
The Board of Elders shall be composed of the pastoral staff and all of the active elders of the congregation. The lay elders shall designate at least one member of the pastoral staff as a voting member of the Board of Elders, and shall designate others of the pastoral staff as either voting or non-voting members. The lay elders shall be elected by majority vote of the congregation. They shall be mature men who meet the qualifications of Scripture (1Tim. 3; Titus 1; 1Pe. 5). If the congregation has more qualified elders than are needed to serve at one time, the number of active elders shall be determined by the congregation by ballot vote upon recommendation of the Board of Elders.
Note:
The bold – italicized above replaces – “The Board of Elders shall be composed of the minister and all of the active elders of the congregation…….
401-1.2
The Board of Elders shall elect one of its members to serve as chairman, and one of its members to serve as secretary. Two-thirds of the membership of the board shall constitute a quorum.
Note:
The bold-italicized above replaces – “The minister shall serve as chairman of the Board of Elders; the board shall elect one of its members to serve as secretary……”
The committee wishes to continue its work on making a glossary of terms that will explain what is meant by the terminology used to describe the pastoral staff. We will offer any recommendations to the 124th Session of Annual Conference.
The Study Committee on Credentials and Multi-Staff Churches: LeRoy Heller, Chairman; Jacob J. Susek, Jr., Secretary; Calvin T. Reed, James L. Roberts, Jr., Ralph M. Soper