Nominations for Elders and Deacons
Over the next 6-12 months, we will be nominating, training, and installing church officers (elders and deacons). The nomination period begins March 1st and runs until the end of the month. All members of our church are invited to nominate men who are members of Trinity Park for the offices of elder and deacon.
Here is some information that may be helpful when considering who you may want to nominate for office and as well as answers to common questions.
Elders
What is an elder?
An elder is someone who is called to serve a local church in the areas of shepherding, teaching, and overall leadership. Elders are called to guard the vision, direction, and doctrine of the church. They are called to care spiritually for the people of the church. In our church’s denomination (Presbyterian Church of America or PCA), elders may serve the church in what historically has been called a Session. The Session functions as a group of individuals who strive for the spiritual growth and flourishing of the church, and also help administer and plan for the church’s budget.
Where can I find the qualifications for the office of elder in the Bible?
I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 list seventeen qualifications for men who are qualified to serve in this office. Of the seventeen qualities listed, fifteen deal with character, and two deal with theological understanding and teaching ability. As Timothy and Titus were planting the first churches, they were looking for men whose character was shaped by the Gospel. Elders should display the characteristics of Christ in their family life, among neighbors, work colleagues, and in all these settings strive to carry themselves in a manner worthy of the calling to which we are all called (Ephesians 4:1-3).
As you consider these characteristics, we also encourage you to nominate men who understand the doctrines of the Bible well and who are capable of teaching others.
How many types of elders are there?
There are two types of elders in the New Testament: Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders.
In I Tim 5:18 we have the clearest reference to Teaching Elders. At Trinity Park Church, Teaching Elders are typically pastors who are called to a particular pastoral office (senior pastor, pastor of discipleship, associate pastor, among others). As we learned with our recent call of our senior pastor, Teaching Elders are typically voted on by a congregation, are examined by representatives from a collection of other PCA churches in our region (Trinity Park is part of the the Eastern Carolina Presbytery), and are then permitted to teach regularly at the church to which they were called.
Ruling Elders are men who are called to shepherd God’s people in God’s Word alongside Teaching Elders. The qualifications and responsibilities of Ruling and Teaching Elders are the same. The main difference is that, unlike Teaching Elders, Ruling Elders serve the church in a volunteer capacity, and often are involved in other vocational work God has called them to do.
One thought you may want to consider is how the prospective elder understands and leans into the vision of the church, which is: to proclaim Christ in redemptive community among neighbors and nations. This is why Trinity Park Church exists, and our hope is that we can call leaders to help explain the Gospel message that unifies the diverse set of people we live amongst under the headship of Christ.
Here are 3 questions to ask yourself when nominating someone to be an elder:
Does this person display the characteristics of Christ in their word and deed?
Can this person spiritually care for and listen to others well?
Is this person able to teach the Bible faithfully?
Deacons
Where do we find the office of deacon in Scripture?
In Acts 6:1-7, the elders were overwhelmed as they attempted to meet both word and deed needs of the church. So in Acts 6, seven men were chosen and ordained to be the first deacons. These believers - importantly - were full of wisdom and of the Holy Spirit. They were called to lead the church’s deed-oriented ministries so that the elders could keep their focus on teaching or word-oriented ministries.
What are the qualifications for the office of deacon?
We find a more specific description of their qualifications in I Tim 3:8-13. Briefly, Deacons should be respectful, sincere, honest, and hold fast to the truths of the Gospel, and also lead their households and perform their deeds in a way that displays their faith in Jesus Christ to those around them.
Similar to the office of elder, the vast majority of these qualifications have to do with godly character. But we also find another important qualification in verse 9: “they must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.” Like elders, it is vital that deacons keep the doctrine and faith required in the Scriptures.
Given the requirement described above, the office of Deacon is not just a person who manages resources well, or is efficient at getting things accomplished. While those are certainly positive characteristics, a Deacon should do all these things out of their “...confidence in the faith that is Christ Jesus.” It is their desire to display their faith through their actions to serve those around them that would qualify someone for the office of Deacon.
Here are 3 questions to ask yourself when nominating someone to be an deacon:
Does this person display the characteristics of Christ in their word and deed?
Is this person able to care for the practical needs of the church through deed-oriented service?
Would you send this person to represent God’s church by helping someone in a physical or financial crisis?
If you have any further questions or clarifications, please do reach out to any one of the members of Session.
In Christ,
Session of Trinity Park Church (Artur, Corey, Gary, Jacob, Sam, Stephen)
Use this nomination form to submit your nominations for the office of elder or deacon.