Church Governance Statement
Elders
- Harry Abel
- Michael Barnard
- David Bogs
- Kip Johnson
- Orville Nelson
- Bob Pedigo
Elders
The elders function as the spiritual leaders of the church carrying the responsibility and authority to lead the congregation. The work of Christian elders is "to shepherd the church of God. (1 Pet. 5:1-4)" Elders are to be servant-leaders, actively involved in the lives of the congregation. Alexander Strauch writes on pages 158 and 159 of his book "Biblical Eldership," "These shepherd elders are to guard the flock from false teachers. To guard the gospel and teach the whole counsel of God. Thus elders must be doctrinally sound leaders who are able to defend and teach the Word. Elders are also obligated to guard 'all the flock,' that is every single member. Hence Christian elders are required to know and be involved in the personal lives of the people they shepherd. Furthermore, they are to sacrificially care for needy, suffering members of the flock... the life of an elder must be marked by hard work, generosity, and a life of service on behalf of others. The kind of leadership Paul has in mind is shepherding: guarding, feeding, leading, and caring for God's flock. In short... Christian elders are responsible for the pastoral oversight of the local church."
The government of Shoreline Community Church operates under the direction of a plurality of elders. The pastor-teacher or "teaching-elder" may be a leader among equals, but has equal authority with the other elders. The pastor-teacher is accountable to the entire Board of Elders. The Board shall be made up of called and qualified men (1 Tim. 3:1-11; Titus 1:5-9) from within the Shoreline Community Church congregation. (Associate pastors attend elder meetings in an advisory capacity, but are not voting elders.)
Elder decisions are to be made by seeking 100 percent Board approval. Should an agreement on an issue not be reached, the item will be tabled for further prayer and discussion until 100 percent approval can be obtained. Should an Elder Board decision be "required" while a member is incapacitated or unreachable, the decision may be made by a 100% vote of the remaining Board members. Deacon decisions will be made by a simple majority vote at regular or specially called deacon meetings.
Deacons
- Jim Brown
- Tom Franklin
- Les Kaye
- Larry Mikulecky
- Patrick Myers
- Pete Tjaarda
- Joe Walker
- Alan Ward
Deacons
The Board of Deacons is made up of called and qualified men who meet the biblical mandates of 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Deacons are spiritually mature and trustworthy men who assist the elders in serving the needs of the Church. As agents of Christ's mercy, the deacons are to oversee the practical and material needs of people. Deacons are primarily people-helpers and administrators of the Church's charity. The deacons also assist the elders by overseeing the Church building and grounds. Deacons are servants. Alexander Strauch writes on page 156 of his book "Minister of Mercy - The New Testament Deacon": "Through the deacons, the local church's charitable activities are effectively organized and centralized. The deacons are collectors of funds, distributors of relief, and agents of mercy. They help the poor, the jobless, the sick, the widowed, the elderly, the homeless, the shut-in, the refugees, and the disabled. They counsel and guide people. They visit people in their homes. They relieve suffering. They comfort, protect, and encourage people, and help to meet their needs. In contemporary language, they are the congregation's social workers." Deacons hold a vital role in the congregation complementing the work of the elders and assisting them in meeting the physical needs of the Church.
Yearly Affirmation by Congregation (from SCC Constitution)
All Elders and deacons shall be subject to a vote of affirmation by the Church members annually. The affirmation process will be done by closed ballots at the annual business meeting or a specially called business meeting. Candidates must receive at least 80% approval from the membership present to be affirmed as an elder or deacon. Should a candidate fail to make the 80% affirmation, the Board of Elders will reconsider the candidate. There is no term limit so long as the elders and deacons receive an "annual" 80% affirmation vote by Church members present at the annual Church business meeting.