Below is the official Board of Elder's description and selection process at The Bridge Community Church. This is posted in conjunction with our Sunday message on elders given 9/6/09. It will be available at http://www.livestream.com/bridgelife360.Elders are the leaders of the church who in the Bible are also called pastors, bishops, and overseers (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 5:2). The elders are chosen for their ministry according to clear biblical requirements (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). The elders are always spoken of in plurality because God intends for more than one person to lead and oversee the church as a safeguard for both the church and the lead pastor. The elders' duties include directing the affairs of the church (1 Timothy 5:17) managing (1 Timothy 3:4-5), tending (1 Peter 5:2-5), giving account (Hebrews 13:17), living exemplary lives (Hebrews 13:7), protection - sheparding (Acts 20:28), teaching (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Timothy 3:2), preaching (1 Timothy 5:17), doctrinal instruction (Titus 1:9), and discipline (Matthew 18:15-17).
The Bridge is an elder-governed church, not a congregational/member-governed church. It is our view that scripture does not call for the church to be run by the members in a democratic fashion, but that it clearly teaches that the Elders are the directors, managers and overseers of the Church (1 Timothy 3:1-7, 5:17; Titus 1:7-9; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Acts 20:17-38). This does not mean that the elders will not seek the input of the members when making decisions for the Church. It is the desire of the elders to be open to godly input from members of the Church in order to make decisions that reflect the will of God. The elders are intentional in leading The Bridge in humility and in obedience to God’s Word. The elders are always open to discussion, criticism and/or advice. The elders appreciate prayers for wisdom and discernment to lead The Bridge in a manner that is holy and blameless.
Our lead pastor and teaching pastors are considered Biblical overseers and elders, and they will focus mainly on the areas of teaching, preaching, doctrinal instruction, and directing the affairs of the church. They may or may not be actually on the Board of Elders. Anytime the board acts on issues pertaining to a pastor (such as compensation), the pastor is excused from the action. 1 Timothy 3:2 says that the elder must be a ‘husband of but one wife.’ We do believe that, in context, this passage does not exclude the repentant divorced person from serving as an overseer. Also, we believe that passage establishes some gender roles similar to one prescribed for marriage in Ephesians 5:23. We do allow women to sit on the Board of Elders as the board is an entity of mainly governance, and God has gifted many women to be a solid contributor in that role. However, when it comes to exegetical doctrine and the overseeing of the teaching and preaching of the Gospel and Biblical principles, those roles will be held by men. Therefore, the chair of the Board, the Vision Director/Lead Pastor, teaching pastors, and the outside doctrinal advisory team will always be made of Godly men.
Once again, The Board of Elders is responsible for the oversight of the church. The team will have the following responsibilities:
1. Maintain high spirituality and integrity – Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3.
Give account, live exemplary lives. 2. Provide resources and encouragement for the ministry teams.
Tend, manage 3. Approve an annual budget.
Direct affairs, manage 4. Employ the ministry team (staff).
Direct affairs, manage 5. Propose capital expense items (over $50,000) to qualified members for approval.
Tend 6. Revise all church documents (by-laws and guiding beliefs). Direct affairs (only by recommendation of the pastors and doctrinal advisory team),
doctrinal instruction. 7. Finalize church discipline.
Use authority, discipline. 8. Supervise the Vision Director/Lead Pastor.
Oversee, manage, tend, discipline.The team is made up the Vision Director/Lead Pastor, the Chairperson, and the qualified members. Members of the Board of Elders are selected by the following process:
Board of Elders Selection Process1. An individual who feels a divine calling to serve on the Board of Elders of the Bridge Community Church must be:
a. A member in good standing of the Bridge Community Church and
b. Recommended by his/her cell family leader.
- An individual who feels called to be on the board should go to his/her cell leader.
- A cell leader who feels called to be on the board should go to the
cell family director.
2. Board of Elders, staff and select members of The Bridge then will apply a Biblical approval procedure. Following input from this team, the Board of Elders will decide whether or not the candidate will be recommended to cell family leaders for consensus process.
3. If approved through the Biblical approval procedure, the nominee’s name will be sent to cell family leaders with a recommendation, and why he/she is recommended. The nominee’s name will be presented individually or as a group to each Bridge member in their cell family, seeking near-unanimous consensus. If near-unanimous or unanimous approval is reached by the Bridge members in each cell family, consider the candidate approved. If concerns are expressed that are serious enough as discerned by the cell family leader that near-consensus cannot be reached, the concerns will be addressed with the candidate and the concerned member(s) by the board and staff and with the cell family expressing concerns, then the approval process will be repeated only with the cell family expressing concerns. If after completing a Peacemakers process a valid concern persists, the board will decide whether or not the candidate is approved.
The board will not exceed eleven in number. In addition to being biblically qualified, they must complete the following requirements:
1. Maintain the covenants of church membership.
2. Complete the Leadership Seminar.
3. Attend a training conference once annually.
4. Attend an encouraging conference once annually.
5. Participate in an international mission trip and a local mission experience every four years.
