Officer Nominations 2024

Process

We are officially accepting nominations for the office of Elder and Deacon, and the role of Deaconess from November 3 to December 29, 2024. Nominations may be submitted by any member in good standing in writing at any Sunday worship service with this form, or by e-mail sent to Pastor Ward.

1. Once the nominations are received the Session will conduct preliminary screening interviews with the nominees.
2. Qualified nominees will then go through the Officer Training.
3. After training the nominees will go through a further examination on sense of call, Christian character,  theology, and doctrine.
4. Qualified candidates will then be presented to the congregation by the Session for consideration for their appropriate office.
5. After an appropriate evaluation period, a Congregational meeting will be called to vote on the candidates.

Note: Nominees may drop out of the process at anytime by notifying the Session.

Guidelines

1. Please consider prayerfully and thoroughly individuals you wish to nominate for these offices or roles before you nominate them.
2. Please verify that the individual you wish to nominate is willing to be a candidate for the office or role before you nominate them. (Accepting nomination does not obligate anyone to take up the office.)
3. Give thought to whether they meet the Biblical Qualifications listed below. While none of us meet these standards perfectly, their character should resemble these qualifications in general.
4. As you think through wether or not you should nominate an individual, please consider the Evaluation Questions below in your process.

General Qualifications

Calling: Calling is both inward and outward. A candidate should desire to serve and be recognized by others as possessing the gifts and graces necessary for the task.

Character: Though no leader is expected to be perfect, he or she must be exemplary, modeling in a consistent way the character of Christ. 1 Timothy 1-3 and Titus 1:5-9 offer a useful summary of the character qualifications found in Scripture.

Competency: God calls elders, deacons, and deaconesses to serve in distinct and varying ways. A candidate should evidence the inclination and ability to fulfill that particular biblical role.

Elder candidates should be able to equip and care for people spiritually and should know their way around the Bible and be able to teach it. They should be comfortable praying with people in need and should be good overseers.

Deacon & Deaconess candidates should demonstrate a practical and caring spirit, and be willing to care for those in need.

Compatibility: Candidates need to understand and embrace the life and vision of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church and be able to serve well alongside others.

Comprehension: Candidates need to understand and accept Emmanuel’s convictions about theology, worship, and church government. This involves commitment to the Bible’s authority for faith and practice (individually and corporately), to the Westminster Standards, to historical/liturgical worship on the Lord’s Day, and to Presbyterian church government.

Biblical Qualifications

1Timothy 3:1-13 (ESV)

     1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Women* likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

*Here following the ESV marginal note.

Titus 1:5-9 (ESV)

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Position Descriptions

Elder

Elders have the responsibility to watch diligently over the flock committed to their charge. They are responsible for both the doctrine and morality of the church. They should be both apt and ready to instruct the flock. They must exercise leadership, government, and discipline in the church. They must oversee the church both  spiritually and generally. Elders should visit people in their homes, especially the sick. They should comfort those that mourn. They should pray with and for the people. They should set a worthy example by their zeal to share the Good News and make disciples. They should be faithful in their love of both God and neighbor. Elders should be marked by the fruit of the Spirit.

Deacon & Deaconess

Deacons & Deaconesses are called to come alongside the Session and staff of the church to care for the congregation. They are to help care for the congregation pastorally in times of need psychologically and spiritually, but especially with physical and material needs. They are responsible for the distribution of benevolences first to the members of the congregation and then to community at large as the church is able to meet appropriate needs. The diaconate is also called to assist in the administration of the church and care for the facility and property of the church. Deacons and Deaconesses are called to serve and lead, but do not exercise authority or discipline.

Evaluation Questions

The following evaluation questions are intended to help you think practically about how the Biblical qualifications should work out in each nominee’s life. Obviously you may not know the answers to all of these questions, but if some of them raise concerns for you with a potential nominee, you should consider whether or not to nominate them carefully. The last two questions are specific to potential Elders.

1. Is the individual above reproach? Do you have reason to question his or her character or morals?
2. If married, do they have a healthy, Christ-centered marriage?
3. Are they temperate? Does he or she have any habits they cannot control?
4. Is their life, tongue, and emotions governed by self-control?
5. Do they fulfill their duties at home and at work in an orderly, respectable manner?
6. Are they respected by their peers?
7. Are they hospitable? Do they meet new people and strangers well?
8. Do they use their home to minister to the needs of Christians and non-Christians alike?
9. Do they demonstrate consistency in personal Bible study and prayer?
10. Is money a primary motivator and object of concern for him or her?
11. Are they generous with their finances?
12. Do they model Biblical living?
13. Do they manage their homes well? Are family prayer and Bible reading regular features of their home-life?
14. Do their children respond well to their leadership?
15. Do they exhibit self-controlled in the area of food and drink?
16. Are they argumentative?
17. Do they seek peace and harmony in relationships (including on-line presence)?
18. Are they known to quickly seek to understand those they disagrees with?
19. Are they prone to strike out at others when provoked, either physically or verbally?
20. Are they willing to submit to the majority opinion if it differs from their personal opinion?
21. Do unchurched people respect them even though they may disagree with their religious views?
22. Have they given unchurched people legitimate occasion for criticism or blame?
23. Are they too young in their faith to be an officer in the church?
24. Are they pursuing personal and practical holiness in all areas of life?
25. Are they sincere and forthright? Do they ever say one thing and mean another
26. Do they look for and expect the best in other people?
27. For Elder nominees are they able to communicate the truths of Scripture to others?
28. For elder nominees would you willingly submit to their leadership?