Elders are called to shepherd the church. Their responsibilities include:

1. Looking after the spiritual welfare of families and individual members through prayer and visitation, serving as examples of faithful servant-leadership;
2. Acting as trustees of the doctrinal statement and by-laws, protecting the church from anything that denies the gospel or undermines its unity;
3. Overseeing the administration of the ordinances;
4. Acting as a governing and policy-making body in both ministry and corporate matters;
5. Overseeing the accomplishment of ministry goals through the church’s ministry teams;
6. Overseeing the process of calling or removing pastoral staff;
7. Implementing church discipline based on Scripture and established policy.

Deacons serve primarily in the support ministries and administrative matters of the church. Their responsibilities include:

1. Receiving, counting, and recording all church collections;
2. Assisting in financial matters such as budget preparation and monitoring;
3. Assisting in the acquisition, use, and maintenance of church property;
4. Assisting ministry teams in determining their financial needs;
5. Assisting in the administration of the ordinances;
6. Assisting the Church Administrator and Ministry Support Team Heads in finance, facilities, and human resources.

Deacons hold the same character qualifications as elders (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9). This is deliberate: how a person handles money, property, and responsibility reveals their integrity just as clearly as how they teach or lead. A deacon is someone the church can trust with what has been entrusted to us.

Qualifications of a Deacon: