Not only is the trellis concerned with the physical structure upon which the vine (the church) grows, but there is the matter of the administrative structure as well. The functional systems of the church as an organization are important to its health. Such systems must be subject to regular evaluation in terms of biblical faithfulness and whether they are meeting the needs of the congregation. Again, the sixth chapter of Acts where the apostles delegated the task of directing the care for those in need is a leading example.
The needs of the church body are a combination of physical and spiritual. We care for, serve, help, and provide for each other while at the same time, we walk with each other and follow Jesus in a Godward direction. The constitutional structure of Grace Bible Church has, serving with the pastoral staff, a board comprised of deacons and elders.
As we move forward leading the growing church, we purpose to reactivate functioning elders in the ministry of Grace in 2024. The elders – primarily through the care group ministry – will focus on the shared task of shepherding the flock so that every person in the body effectively feels shepherded. The deacons will focus more on administration of the physical, financial, legal, and logistical tasks according to the abilities of the individual and the needs of the organization.
We are coming up on the time of year that we think about the succession of leadership. We are praying for at least three elders (besides the pastoral staff) and men who would serve as deacons in the administration of the church. Statement of Desire forms are available at the church office, or you can access them online for deacons or elders. To serve as an elder, a man must have served first as a deacon at Grace. To serve as a deacon, one must have been a member for at least one year.
As the body of Christ, we must be in prayer on this matter because the biblical qualifications of men for these positions of ministry are paramount. We must ask the Spirit to guide us and move the hearts of those who will rise to the task with servant hearts.
Copyright © 2023 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.