SECTION 1: THE CHURCH
A. Who is the head of the Church?
1. Christ is the head of the Church. He is the true source of all that the Church is and does, and His glory is to be the objective of every act, function and motive of the body, both individually and corporately. Col. 2:19
2. “And He is the head of the body, the Church; who is the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.” Col. 1:18
B. Where Does the Church receive guidance?
1. God has provided His thoughts and His direction for the body in His word.
II Tim. 2:15; Matt. 22:37-39; Psalms 119
The Bible reflects and contains His commands, His counsel and His purpose for the Church and for every believer.
2. “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, for corrections, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequately equipped for every good work.” II Tim. 3:16, 17
C. What is the source of the Church’s power?
Romans 8:10, 11; Eph. 1:13, 5:18; Galatians 5:16
1. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witness both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotes parts of the earth.” Acts 1:8
2. The Holy Spirit is the source of the Church’s power. The Holy Spirits role is to indwell and control believers in order to transform them into the character of Christ.
D. How the Church is led?
I Cor. 3:9, 10; Eph. 4:11, 13; Romans 15:20
1. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it.”
2. God’s plan for leadership is revealed in scripture. He launched the Church by giving certain individuals specific gifts “…apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.” These believers under the direction of the Holy Spirit initiated the Christian movement and brought local churches into existence through their teaching and preaching.
3. “For this reason I left you in Crete that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” Titus 1:5
4. “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28
5. As churches were established in the faith, and when more than one person became qualified, elders were appointed to continue the pastor-teaching ministry in each local church. Titus 1:5-9 Acts 14:23; Peter 5:1-4
6. The elders were given the ultimate responsibility for the oversight of the church body, and the shepherding of its members.
“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” I Tim. 5:17; Acts 20:28-32
7. Some elders would give more time to the spiritual leadership than others and would be called to fill more demanding responsibilities. They therefore would be worthy of “double honor.” Acts 6:2-3
8. “And the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, it is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. But select from among you brethren, seven men of good repute, full of the spirit and of wisdom, who we may put in charge of this task.” Acts 6:1-7.
9. As necessary, deacons were also appointed to serve the church, particularly in undertaking those areas of need that would otherwise prohibit the elders and other leaders (pastor and/or staff) from performing their biblical responsibilities.
10. The leaders, along with all members of each local body, from a unique organism…a visible and functioning expression of the universal church. Ecclesia recognizes this biblical pattern for the plurality of Godly leadership, under the oversight and watch care of elders.
11. “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy, not grief, for this would not be profitable for you.” Heb. 13:17
12. In response to the biblical pattern of leadership, members of the body are taught in scripture to lovingly support their leaders and to submit to their leadership. I Cor.16:16; I Thess. 5:12, 13
E. How discipline is handled in the church?
Ongoing sin in the life of a believer obstructs his walk with the Lord, threatens the unity and fellowship within the body, and ultimately weakens the witness of the Church among nonbelievers. I John 1:7; II Cor. 6:3; II Cor. 11:29
Scripture, therefore, encourages believers to be concerned with each other’s spiritual well-being, and teaches them to confront in love where there is evidence of sin.
MV acknowledges the following biblical procedure for such confrontation:
Matt. 18:16, 17, 21; Gal. 6:1; II Thess. 3:6, 14; I Cor. 5:11; Titus 3:10, 11; Matt. 6:14, 15
1. If one has knowledge of ongoing sin in the life of a fellow believer, he should go promptly and confront the individual in private.
2. If there is no expression of repentance, he should reprove the individual in the presence of 2 or 3 witnesses.
3. If there is still no repentance, scripture teaches that the matter should be brought before the Church. In the MV church structure, the matter should at this point be brought before the elders, as representatives of the church.
4. If there is no evidence of genuine repentance after confrontation by the elders, the elders should bring the matter before the whole congregation.
5. If there is still no evidence of repentance, scripture teaches that the individual should be removed from the body until such time as there is genuine repentance.
Ephesians 4:32; Luke 17:3; Mathew. 5:23, 24; Eph. 4:26, 27
In addition to the above procedure, scripture teaches that confrontation should be approached and carried out with an attitude of love, concern and humility, confronters should be motivated by the sincere desire to see repentance and quick to forgive when there is the genuine expression of repentance on the part of a fellow believer.
The same biblical principles and procedures for confrontation apply in attempting to resolve relational conflicts within the body. In such cases scripture indicate that it is the responsibility of the believer to go promptly to his brother/sister when he has been offended, or when he has reason to believe that he may have done the offending.
SECTION 2: THE SENIOR PASTOR
A. The Role: Eph. 4:11; James 2:22; Romans 12:6, 7; I Thess. 2:4, 5 Titus 1:7; I Thess. 2:10-12; Eph. 4:11, 12; II Timothy 1:13; II Timothy 2:15; Acts 20:28; I Timothy 3:2; II Timothy 2:2
Consistent with the New Testament concept of the gifts, it is evident that the Senior Pastor, like any member of the body, is uniquely gifted and should seek to minister within his gift.
In addition to his role as an senior elder, the Senior Pastor is primarily to be a teacher of the word of God, the Bible. He is to teach and exhort by precept and example. His goal is to help mature believers through insightful and accurate presentation and proclamation of the word, equipping them to be the “true ministers” in the body. As a teacher, he must stress both the understanding and application of God’s truth.
Thus, the Senior Pastor should not be responsible to minister in areas unrelated to his primary function as a teaching elder. To burden the Senior Pastor with other functions (to be determined as the ministry grows) is to rob him of study time and devotion to the word and forces him to function in gift areas other than his own. This can lead to watered down, inaccurate teaching which in turn weakens the body.
As shepherds of the Church, it is one of the roles of the elders to appoint other leaders with complementary gifts to undertake areas and aspects of the ministry that cannot be filled by the Senior Pastor.
Teaching within the body should not be limited to the Senior Pastor. The New Testament emphasizes the need for teaching elders and the utilization of other members who are gifted in this area, thus providing a variety of input and role models.
B. Selection:
In the event of vacancy in the office of Senior Pastor, the elders shall be responsible to conduct a search for candidates to fill the position. Once a candidate has been identified, that candidate shall be presented to the
Board of Directors, Congregation and appropriate ministry leaders, for affirmation by a two-thirds majority vote.
SECTION 3: THE ELDERS
A. Shepherd The Flock:
Acts 20:28
Serving in all humility, elders are to guide, direct, guard and protect the members of the body, seeking to meet their needs and assist in any way possible, warning against harmful influences and guarding against false teachers.
1. Lead through example:
Elders are to provide a scriptural role model and are to set a pattern before the flock of a rightly ordered life, with a single purpose, to glorify God. I Peter 5
2. Teach and exhort:
Elders are to see that the flock is fed through insightful and accurate biblical instruction and admonition. I Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:9
3. Refute those who contradict truth:
Elders are to confront those who are teaching what they should not teach or who are continuing in a pattern of behavior contradictory to biblical truth. Thus, elders are to keep closing potential entrances for Satan, so that the truth of Christ will remain credible to both the congregation and the community. James 5:14
4. Manager the Church of God:
Elders are to oversee the life of the church, with the assistance of other godly Leaders and under the leadership of the Sr. Elder. They must be people who can “rule well.” I Tim. 3:5
5. Pray for the sick:
Elders are to pray for the spiritual and physical well-being of members of the congregation. James 5:14
B. Biblical Qualification For Elders: I Tim. 3:2-7
1. ABOVE REPROACH – Elders must be blameless, presenting no patternof scriptural disobedience or grounds for accusation.
2. HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE – Elders, if married, must be devoted spouses.
3. TEMPERATE – Elders must be self-controlled, enslaved to nothing, free from excesses.
4. PRUDENT – Elders must be sober, sensible, wise, balanced in judgment, not given to quick, superficial decisions based on immature thinking.
5. RESPECTABLE – Elders must demonstrate a well ordered life and good behavior.
6. HOSPITABLE - Elders must be unselfish with their personal resources. They must be willing to share blessings with others.
7. ABLE TO TEACH – Elders must be able to communicate the truth of God and exhort sound doctrine in a non-argumentative way. (II Timothy 4:2 & 2:24)
8. NOT ADDICTED TO WINE – Elders must be free from addictions, and must be willing to limit their freedom in Christ for the sake of others.
9. NOT PUGNACIOUS – Elders must be gentle and characterized by Forbearance and tenderness, not having a quick temper.
10. UNCONTENTIOUS – Elders must be given to quarreling or selfish argumentation.
11. FREE FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY – Elders must not be stingy, greedy or out for sordid gain. They should not be preoccupied with amassing material things, but rather should be a model of giving.
12. MANAGE OWN HOUSEHOLD – Elders must have a well-ordered household, a healthy family life, and well-behaved children (Mainly those children still at home).
13. NOT A NEW CONVERT – Elders must not be new believers. They must have been Christians long enough to demonstrate the reality of their conversion and the depth of their spirituality (must be a member of MV for at least two years, to qualify for selection).
14. GOOD REPUTATION WITH OUTSIDERS – Elders must be well respected by unbelievers, and must be free from hypocrisy.
15. NOT SELF-WILLED – Elders must not be stubborn, insensitive or prone to force opinions. They must be more interested in service than selfpleasure.
16. NOT QUICK TEMPERED – Elders must be able to exercise self-control and patience in difficult situations.
17. LOVES WHAT IS GOOD – Elders must desire the will of God in every decision.
18. DEVOUT – Elders must be reverent, continually desiring to be separated from sin. They must be devoted to prayer, the study of scripture and the guarding of their own spiritual walk (Acts 20:28).
19. JUST – Elders must be fair and impartial. Their judgments must be based on scriptural principle.
20. HOLDING FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD – Elders must be stable in the faith, obedient to the Word of God, continually seeking to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
C. Selection of Elders Scripturally:
Scripture gives evidence of the first elders being appointed by the founders of the Church. By this example it is implied that the existing spiritual leadership of selecting elders, to insure selection based on spiritual rather than superficial qualifications. Beyond this, there are no specific guidelines given regarding the selection process. It would therefore appear that freedom is given to the individual church to develop a process that will best serve its own special need situations (Acts 14:21, Titus 1:2).
D. Term of Elders:
Scripture indicates no fixed term for elders, therefore specific fixed term of office is recommended. Each elder, upon appointment, shall be asked for a one year commitment, but serve no more than three years. Each year the elders will be subject to review by the Sr. elder, asked for a recommitment and reaffirmation by the church members each year.
During the period of annual review, both the individual and the existing elders shall evaluate his continued service as an elder, again considering the biblical qualifications as well as any personal factors that might affect his service. An individual’s service as an elder may be discontinued by his own decision, or by the unanimous decision of the other elders.
Those elders renewing their commitment would again be presented to the members of the congregation for affirmation and dedication in January of each year.
A person’s leaving the Elders Council would not preclude his service as a future elder, but he shall be subject to the established elder selection process.
SECTION 4: THE DEACONS
As the various ministries and membership of Mountain View develops and expands, the need may arise to increase the number of deacons. It shall be the responsibility of the Sr. Pastor, Elders and leadership of the Deacon Ministry to identify that need and determine the number of deacons needed at that time to provide adequate supportive leadership.
The following process shall be initiated:
A. The Congregation:
1. The need for additional deacons shall be made known to the members of the congregation.
2. The congregation shall be encouraged to study the New Testament passage concerning Deacons. Acts 6.
3. With role and qualifications in mind, members of the congregation shall be asked to prayerfully submit the names of members for consideration.
B. Selection:
1. Men whose names are submitted shall be so informed and they shall be urged to engage in self-appraisal and personal evaluation in light of the scriptural qualifications. Any person may withdraw his name at that point, if he does not aspire to the position or if he does not believe he adequately meets the qualifications.
2. The Elders along with the ministry head(s) involved shall review the names and conduct an interview with each nominee.
3. After prayerfully considering each nominee, the Elder’s shall make final recommendations. Unsuccessful nominees will be informed by the Elder’s. nominating committee as to the reasons for their non selection and will receive information as to the qualifications that were not satisfied.
4. The elders shall review the nominees and make the final selection(s). Nominees not selected at this point shall also be given a reason by the elders as to why they were not selected.
5. The name(s) of the prospective deacon(s) shall be brought before the members of the church, who will be given 30 days to show cause why any one of the prospective deacons would not be qualified to serve. Consistent with Matthew 18:15 and Matthew 5:24, such “cause” must be expressed first to the prospective deacon.
6. At the end of the 30 day period, the prospective deacon(s) will be presented to the members of the church for affirmation by majority vote of the members present, (A quorum consisting of 70% of the members present shall be required) and after a confirming vote, an ordination service will be scheduled.
C. The Term of a Deacon:
Since scripture indicates no fixed term for deacons, no specific term of office is recommended. Instead each deacon, upon appointment, shall be asked for a one year commitment, subject to review, recommitment and reaffirmation by the church members each year.
During that period of annual review, the individual deacon, the elders and the Ministry Head of that particular area of ministry shall evaluate his continued service as a deacon, again considering the biblical qualifications as well as any personal factors that might affect his service. An individual’s service as a deacon may be discontinued by his own decision, or by the head of that ministry, in consultation with the elders.
Those deacons renewing their commitment will again be presented to the members of the congregation for affirmation and dedication.
A deacon shall not be precluded from further service should he decide to limit or terminate his service. His reappointment will be subject to the process of deacon selection.
BAPTISM
A. Baptism of Believers
A person who has made a profession of faith in Christ and who earnestly desires to lead an obedient life and who has never been baptized will be encouraged to be baptized. Such a person should present himself before the Elders Council and/or the Congregation to profess his faith and to request baptism. If a person becomes a Christian who has previously been baptized, a second baptism is not required. If, however, he earnestly desires a rebaptism, he may present himself before the Elders Council and/or the Congregation to profess his faith and to request baptism.
B. Baptism of Infant Children of Believers
1. The Mountain View Community Church will not baptize any infants.
2. Any child desiring baptism must be able to community their need to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. They must be able to communicate their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the means to experience the salvation of their soul.
C. Mode of Baptism
This Church will use immersion as its primary mode of baptism. If there is an existing medical condition that prevents immersion, a different mode will be considered.
D. Administration of Baptism
Baptism services shall primarily occur on, but are not limited to, the first Sunday of the month during the regular morning worship service. Any Elder may baptize and shall be assisted by Pastoral Assistants or others as required.
SECTION 902 - Child Dedication Ceremony
A. Parent's and Congregation's Commitment
Those parents who believe only in the baptism of believers but wish to make a commitment to raising their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord may make a public statement of this fact by vowing to:
1. Express their faith that although their children are born sinful and rebellious toward God, He has promised to save them through faith in Jesus Christ even as He has saved us, and acknowledge that God's means of saving their children is primarily through the Christian home; and
2. Believing these promises, promise to lead a Godly life before their children and encourage them to follow their example, pray with and for their children that God will save them, train them in the nurture and discipline of the Lord and His Word, and impress on their children the need they have of a Savior and the promises of God in Christ Jesus.
B. Administration of the Dedication Ceremony
Baptism services shall primarily occur on, but are not limited to, the first Sunday of the month during the regular morning worship service. The Senior Pastor is responsible for the Dedication Service.
SECTION 903 - The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is symbolic of the sacrifice of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) and the resulting fellowship of believers (1 Corinthians 10:16, 17). Participation in the Lord's Supper shall be open to all Christians who genuinely confess their sinful state and indicate their repentant spirit and dependence upon Christ as Savior and Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27-32). The Lord's Supper shall be administered primarily on the first Sunday of the month, but also as often or as determined by the Elders Council, but no less frequently as monthly. Any Elder may administer the Lord's Supper and shall be assisted by Pastoral Assistants or others as required.
The Ordination Ceremony
Upon completion of training with the Senior pastor, confirmation by the Elders Council and approval by the Members, the Candidate shall be ordained to Christian ministry at a public service of the Church containing exhortation from the Word of God, questions posed to the Candidate, the laying on of hands, and prayer (Acts 6:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22). The Church shall take the responsibility for encouraging and assisting those whom it has ordained (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13; Hebrews 13:17).
The following questions shall be asked of the Candidate by the Senior Pastor or a Council of Elders:
1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God without error in the original writings, the only rule of our faith and practice?
2. Do you acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Redeemer and Head of His Church and are you willing to submit to His Lordship?
3. Have you been motivated as far as you know your own heart to seek the office of Elder/Pastor from love of God, obedience to God's call and to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ?
4. Do you promise to be zealous and faithful in maintaining the truths of the gospel and the purity and peace of the Church, whatever persecution or opposition may arise unto you on that account?
5. Do you promise to be faithful and diligent in your personal and family life, as well as in the public duties of your office, endeavoring to walk as an example before the people of God?
6. Are you ready now to take the responsibilities of Elder/Pastor or Deacon?
For Elders and Pastors the following question shall be asked of the Membership, which should signify an affirmative answer by holding up their right hands:
Are you ready to submit to the spiritual leadership of this man?
Following affirmative answers to these questions the Elders Council, or in the case of a Deacon Candidate the Elders Council and Deacons, shall lay their hands upon the Candidate and prayer shall be offered. An Elder shall then say:
"I now pronounce and declare that _____________ has been regularly confirmed, approved, and ordained to the office of Elder/Pastor (Deacon), agreeable to the Word of God, and according to this Church's Constitution and By-laws, and that as such he is entitled to all encouragement and honor in the Lord. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
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