Elders
All members of the Elder Team can be contacted at once by emailing elders@sierrabible.org.
Deacons
Sierra Bible Church Elder Qualifications
Lay Elders
- A man who meets the requirements of an elder outlined in 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Tit. 1:5
- Active membership for the past two (2) years, including ministry participation and
progressive ministry responsibility during that period - A desire to continually grow in his spiritual life
- Supports the church Constitution and Bylaws and is able to defend them
- If married, the elderās wife must be completely supportive of the elderās service on the Elder Team
- Not employed by the church. If a staff member of the church has a lay elder in their
immediate family, the lay elder must recuse himself from the staff personās annual review and compensation discussion and decision
Staff Elders
- Proven ability to function as an effective spiritual leader in the local church
- Recognized by the church as particularly gifted and called to the ministry of preaching and teaching
Duties and powers of the Elder Team
- Promote the spiritual health of the church, including leading and overseeing spiritual care and correction
- Ensure that the teaching and practice of the church is consistent with the church Statement of Faith
- Develop, mentor, and lead a team of ministry leaders from members of the church who will oversee the various ministries of the church
- Protect the members of the church from those who would sow discord, disrupt by deviation from the Statement of Faith, or undermine the leadership of the church and its ministries
- Facilitate the activities of the church in accordance with applicable law as well as the church Constitution, bylaws, and policies of the church in accordance with the scriptures
- Recommend an annual budget to facilitate the mission and vision of the church, to be presented to the membership for affirmation
- Conduct strategic planning for the church
- Accept the resignation of any elected church officer or any church staff member upon written notification of said resignation
- Create and maintain an effective policy and procedure manual for implementation of the church Constitution and bylaws to guide staff and volunteers in performing the business activities of the church
- Establish and ensure the functioning of deacons and ministry teams to aid the Elder Team in the fulfillment of its duties, unless otherwise provided in these bylaws
- Approve changes in a church memberās status
- Ensure that Elder Team members strictly avoid any conflict of interest, or appearance of conflict of interest, with respect to their positions or decisions. Elders shall recuse themselves from any discussion and decision where real or perceived conflict of interest exists
- Ensure that members who have left the church or have been inactive for a period of time are contacted and care is shown for their absence
- Approve job descriptions for all staff and ministry heads
- Establish ministry teams and ensure that they implement the mission and vision of the church
- Approve duties of staff elders who are not the senior pastor as recommended by the senior pastor
Additional duties and powers of lay elders:
- Facilitate a review process for the senior pastor on the basis of his job description at least annually
- Recommend āfor causeā termination of senior pastor to the congregation for affirmation at a congregational meeting
- Approve new staff positions and their compensation ranges as recommended by the senior pastor, as well as pay rates for existing staff
- Under the recommendation of the senior pastor, terminate paid staff for cause and
performance. This does not require congregational affirmation - Conduct discipline proceedings for charges against elders according to Matt. 18:15-17 and 1 Tim. 5:19-21
Sierra Bible Church Deacon Qualifications
In the spirit of Acts 6, deacons are men and women who assist the leadership of the church by relieving the elders of distractions and pressures that would divert them from prayer and the ministry of the Word. The deaconsā ministry centers around the āgift of helps.ā
Qualifications:
Qualifications:
- A man or woman who meets the requirements of a deacon outlined in 1 Tim. 3:8-13.
- Active membership for the past two (2) years, including ministry participation and
progressive ministry responsibility during that period. - A desire to continually grow in his/her spiritual life and actively working to do so.
- If married, the spouse must be completely supportive of the deaconās service.
The Elder Team will:
- establish and define the roles and responsibilities of deacons as necessary
- provide ongoing guidance to ensure ministry health
- define the end of a specific deaconās service