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What can I do to help?
- First and foremost pray. All of our planning will be worthless without the blessing of God, please ask Him for it.
- Second, encourage any men you feel should be an elder (today or in the future) to attend the workshop). This is the only nomination path – men must attend the workshop to be considered. The workshop will also be of value to anyone who wishes to better understand the role of elder.
- Third, read through and understand our elder selection model. Ask questions.
- Fourth, get to know the candidates and their spouses. These are the men who will most likely become our elders at the end of the congregational confirmation. Make sure they are men you are willing to follow.
- Fifth, vote.
- Finally, follow. Each member of the Lord’s body belongs to the whole. We are called to truly become part of the body reaching out to the lost and dying world around us. Step in – be a part.
How do I nominate someone to be an elder at FXCC? Encourage any men you feel should be an elder (today or in the future) to attend the workshop). This is the only nomination path – men must attend the workshop to be considered.
What about Deacons? We have chosen to use the terms ‘ministry leader’, ‘ministry servant’, or ‘coordinator’ to reduce the confusion that can be caused by the formal use of the title of deacon. For more information about this decision, please speak to one of our elders.
How many elders is enough? We believe that we should work towards calling forward 1 elder for every 50 people in attendance on an average Sunday. While we may not get that many elders during this first cycle, we are planning to repeat the selection cycle as often as every year until we can reach this goal.
Why enforce a sabbatical period? Elders that reach the 4-6 year term limit will begin a mandatory 12 month sabbatical beginning 90 days after the confirmation of new elders. The purpose of the sabbatical period is to allow time for:
- Discernment on the part of both the elder and the congregation concerning the desire for a additional term
- Spiritual renewal
- Intentional in-depth study
- Reconnect with the congregation as a member and to remember what it is like to not be “in the know”.
How much education is provided to the congregation and candidates? We are going to do more education than most congregations do – and much more than we have done in the past. We feel that it is important for everyone to both understand and feel comfortable with the role that our elders play in the FXCC leadership structure. This role in some ways is very different than it is in many of the congregations of the churches of Christ.
Who verifies candidate qualifications? The ministry coordination team (MCT) facilitators are going to shoulder the load of ensuring nominees are qualified. This is intentionally a small group to ensure that nominees and their families are afforded as much privacy as is possible. For more information about the MCT and a list of who is currently serving as a facilitator, check out the Ministry Coordination Team link in MemberNet.
Who decides which men move from the pool of those qualified to serve to the actual candidate list? The current elders and the MCT will jointly decide which of these pre-qualified men will become candidates. Each current elder and member of the MCT will have equal weighted voting opportunity.
Who makes the final decision about who become an elder? The congregation will make the final decision through a ballot process. A full 70% of every “yes” or “no” vote will have to be “yes” for a candidate to become one of our elders. “I don’t know” votes will not count for or against the candidate.
Does the congregation have a reaffirmation requirement? We are instituting four-to-six year term limits for elders. At the end of a term limit, each elder will be required to take a one year sabbatical before re-entering the selection process.
This frequently asked question page may not have answered all of your questions about the FXCC elder selection model. For more information, please look through the rest of the Elder Selection home page links by clicking on the back link below.
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