Elders shall be men whose lives are characterized by the qualities set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. These qualities can be categorized as:
(1) They must desire the office of elder and demonstrate spiritual leadership abilities among the flock.
(2) They must be able to teach and use the Word of God with wisdom and patience.
(3) They must be lovers of God. Men who take God and His Word seriously.
(4) They must be able to manage their household in a biblical manner.
(5) They must be able to spiritually manage their interpersonal relationships.
(6) They must be men who are seeking to be controlled by Christ and His Word rather than by worldly and fleshly desires.
(7) These men shall hold to the doctrinal statement of this Constitution in accord with the statements of Article V, and be supportive of the entire Constitution.
The ministry of Fountain of Faith Baptist Church shall be under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ working in and through the Board of Elders. The elders will be the primary decision-making body within the church. However, it is critical that the elders make decisions based on carefully assembled facts, scriptural insight, the individual and corporate leading by the Holy Spirit, and input from the body (Acts 6:5; 15:6, 22; Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12-13).
The church is not a democracy or a government where the majority rules. Jesus Christ Himself is the Head and Ruler of the church. However, as seen in Article VI, the Lord Jesus leads and directs through both the body and the elders. Since the Lord Jesus dwells in each member of the body of Christ, as so leads and directs through the body as to needs, desires, and responsibilities for each local body, it is important and necessary for the elders to seek input, information and guidance from the body, especially on practical matters of church life. As a result of these biblical facts, in major decisions of church life, The Board of Elders will not move forward with a decision until, or unless, the majority of the body is unified on the matter. The following illustrates the major areas of concern:
(1) Making major financial decisions (Article XII).
(2) Adding or removing paid staff members (Article VIII).
(3) Adding to or removing elders from the Board of Elders (Article VII).
(4) Carrying out church discipline (Article XI).
NOTE: When a vote is taken, the procedure outlined in Article X, Section F shall be followed.
Because of external and internal Christian testimony to be promoted with the local body, the elders must first and foremost exercise a personal spiritual walk which promotes self examination, maintain a servant-like quality in life, and serve with gentleness and humility in all that he does. Out of his biblical perspective, the elder is to joyfully undertake the following duties:
(1) Give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.
(2) Guard and protect the flock.
(3) Oversee and provide spiritual direction for the activities and growth of the flock.
(4) Aid in finding and developing gifted teachers of the Word (2 Tim. 2:2).
(5) Warn and discipline as outlined in Article XI.
(6) Support, encourage, counsel and lead in humility.
(7) See to the appointment of deacons as per Article IX.
(8) Provide guidance to the deacons as needed.
(9) See to the oversight of the finances of the flock per Article XII.
(10) Pray for and encourage the sick.
(11) Seek the Lord's will to interpret the Articles and provisions of this Constitution in the light of Scripture.
(12) Make decisions and perform any other duties as situations within the church dictate, either directly or through proper and orderly delegation of committees or persons as necessary.
The elders shall strive to maintain open communication with the flock, both to discern needs, concerns and viewpoints, and to communicate information and decisions. This may be done through the Sunday bulletin, pulpit announcements, group or congregational meetings and discussions (at least one such meeting held annually), votes, and one-on-one personal contact (Acts 6:1-5; 11:22; 15:1, 6, 22; 16:2).
The Scriptures emphasize that elders in the church are not appointed by men, but by God (Acts 20:28). The task of the people in the church then, should be to seek and discover God's direction and leading within the church body in the appointment of elders.
The need for an additional elder, paid or non-paid, may be recognized by either the elders or other members of the church body. The elders, in consultation with or in response to the request of body members, shall seek to discern the nature of the need and to follow God's leading in deciding if the need justifies the appointment of an elder. Upon a decision by the Board of Elders that a need does exist, the church will prayerfully and carefully seek God's direction in choosing the right man or men.
It is the purpose of Fountain of Faith Baptist Church to base the selection process upon an orderly, proper sequence of events which will most easily facilitate the recognition of God's appointment of men to this ministry. The whole flock should be on the alert for men whose lives characterize the qualifications laid out in Scripture. Only qualified men will be appointed. If no qualified men are available, or if men are unwilling to serve, who would otherwise be qualified, no appointment will be made. The church should wait on the Lord either to remove the need or to provide qualified men.
The Scriptures speak of two categories of elders within a church body: non-paid elders and paid elders (1 Tim. 5:17-18). The following procedures outline the steps necessary to appoint elders:
When the need arises for a new non-paid elder (either for a new position or to replace an elder who has left the Board), the existing Board of Elders should assume a guiding and directing role in the search for the right man. The specific nature of the need and the decision to seek a new elder should be announced to the flock. The flock will be asked to suggest qualified men for the position based on the biblical criteria for elders (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:6-9; Acts 14:23; 6:1f).
After a period of time and prayerful consideration, the elders will meet to consider all the nominees as to their qualifications for the position. If the Board believes a man to be qualified, after they have considered the man's qualifications, a member of the Board will be appointed to approach each nominee to explain the specific nature of the need and to determine his willingness to serve (1 Tim. 5:22).
If the elder nominee(s) signifies his understanding of the specific nature of the need and his willingness to serve, the board will announce this to the flock. A time and place will be announced for conducting a vote by the flock to insure substantial agreement among the flock and of God's selection of the nominee(s) (Acts 20:18). The vote will be conducted as outlined in Article X, Section F.
After the above steps are successfully completed, the appointment of the man as a non-paid elder will be announced to the flock. The new elder will be ordained by the Board of Elders.
Elders are appointed to an indefinite tenure consistent with their continued desire and ability to serve in this capacity. This must be evaluated and recognized by themselves, by the other elders, and by the church body (Rom. 12:3-8). The removal of elders from office shall be effected by personal resignation or by disciplinary actions in accordance with the following:
An elder may step down at any time he so chooses. The Elder should prayerfully reflect on his decision and seek counsel from the Board before making a final decision.
Involuntary dismissal of any elder, paid or non-paid, will be a disciplinary action of the church body in accordance with the instruction of 1 Timothy 5:19-20; Galatians 6:1 and Matthew 18:15-18. The specific procedures for this are spelled out in Article XI with the following differences:
(1) If the situation is such that it necessitates dismissal from office, the Board may suggest voluntary resignation by the person involved. If he refuses, or believes he has been unfairly treated, then it is to be brought before the congregation to hear the issues and to allow the person concerned to present his case. It will then be decided by a simple majority vote of the body at a congregational meeting. The body must be informed of such meeting at least two weeks prior to the time of the meeting.
(2) If members of the body believe they are not being properly and biblically represented by the Board or any member of the Board and have sufficient grounds for their beliefs, they are to follow the procedures of Matthew 18:15-16 and bring the issue to the Board of Elders for discussion. If the Board does not resolve the issue in a satisfactory biblical manner, the congregation has the right and may call for a congregational meeting (Matt. 18:17) where the issues may be presented and ruled on by a simple majority vote of the congregation. Again, a two-week announcement period will be necessary before the meeting can be held. The congregation, at such time, may remove only the elder in question from the Board.