DISCOVERY CLASS
EXPLORING CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
SESSION 4, “Our Organization: How We Work Together”
Slide change
Sub-points
Slide 1 à Title slide
v welcome to the class
v today’s focus:
Ø church’s structure
Ø our denomination & regional conference
Ø how to become a member of the church
Slide 2 à
OUR CIRCLES OF COMMITMENT
v Faith Covenant Church (inner circle)
v Great Lakes Covenant Conference (second circle)
v Evangelical Covenant Church (third circle)
v Kingdom of God (outer circle)
Slide 3 à
OUR STRUCTURE
v Covenant Churches use a congregational system of governance
Ø This means that the Congregation as a whole has ultimate authority in decision-making.
Ø Visual flow chart
§ Congregation: meets semi-annually (January & May)
§ Church Board: meets monthly
§ Executive Committee: meets monthly
§ Commissions: meet monthly
§ Task Forces / Special Committees: meet as needed
Slide 4 à
v Covenant Churches are autonomous (self-governing) but not independent (we are in voluntarily association with one another)
Ø more on relationship with the denomination later
v Faith Covenant Church has a Board / Commission structure
Ø The Church Board gives overall direction to the church’s ministry
Ø Specific areas of ministry are carried out by Ministry Commissions
Ø The chair of each Ministry Commission is on the Board
Slide 5 à
OUR CHURCH LEADERS
v Church Board
Ø Senior Pastor
Ø Associate Pastor(s)
Ø Corporate Officers (see below)
Ø Deacons
Ø Ministry Commission chairs
v Corporate Officers
Ø Chair
Ø Vice Chair
Ø Recording Secretary
Ø Financial Secretary
Ø Treasurer
Ø Terms: Each officer can serve for one three-year term
v Slide 6 à Board Responsibilities:
Ø Provide overall ministry direction and administrative oversight.
Ø Develop recommendations for presentation to the congregation.
Ø Add or discontinue Ministry Commissions.
v Slide 7 à Executive Committee
Ø Members:
§ Chair
§ Vice Chair
§ 3 Deacons
§ Senior Pastor (ex-officio)
Ø Responsibilities:
§ Oversee the general administration, spiritual welfare and ministry of the Church.
§ Provide direction and help to establish long-range planning goals for the Church’s ministry.
§ Work closely with the members of the pastoral staff.
§ Serve in an advisory capacity to the Church Board.
§ Seek to foster harmonious working relationships and good communication between the Ministry Commissions of the Church (Serve as liaisons to each of the Ministry Commissions).
§ Serve as Board of Trustees where law requires action(s) by Trustees.
§ Act as the Pastoral Relations Committee.
v Slide 8 à Ministry Commissions
Ø List
§ Adult Discipleship
§ Children’s Ministry
§ Congregational Care
§ Evangelism and Outreach
§ Fellowship
§ Finance
§ Missions
§ Properties & Administration
§ Women Ministries
§ Worship, Prayer & Music
§ Youth Ministry Team
Ø Participants:
§ Open to members and friends of the Church
· don’t have to wait to be asked
· can approach a ministry chair / pastor / church leader
§ Exceptions: Finance and Worship, Prayer & Music Commissions shall consist of members of the church only.
§ In all other Ministry Commissions, a majority of the Ministry Commission members must be members of the church.
§ All Ministry Commission members who are non-members of the Church must profess and affirm the same Christian faith experience expected of church members.
Ø Selection: selected by the Church Board following the Spring Semi-annual Meeting.
Ø Term: one-year (except Commission chair)
Ø Commission Chairs
§ Confirmed at Semi-annual Meeting (May)
§ Term: one three-year term
v Slide 9 à Nominating Committee
Ø Six members + church chair and senior pastor
Ø Term: three-year terms / two members elected annually
§ only true “election” in our structure
Ø Choose their own chair and secretary
Ø Responsibilities: recommend persons to be confirmed by the congregation:
§ for all Church Board positions to be filled (at the Spring Congregational Meeting).
§ to serve as delegates to the Covenant Annual Meeting & Great Lakes Conference Annual Meeting
Ø Members may serve on other Ministry commissions but not as the Chair
v Task Forces / Standing Committees
Ø Purpose: established to plan, organize & carry out certain projects that don’t fit under other ministry commissions
Ø Examples:
§ St. Lucia Planning Committee
§ Vision Committee
v Website: www.faithcovenantchurch.org
Slide 10 à
OUR DENOMINATION
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
v Basic information
Ø Organized in 1885
Ø Headquarters: Chicago
Ø Constituency:
§ Originally mostly Swedish immigrants
§ now a community based church that reflects the diversity of America
Ø Size
§ 724 churches
§ average attendance: 153,000
§ ethnic diversity – 3rd most diverse, 20% of churches are ethnic
· African-American, Latino, Korean, Vietnamese, Haitian,
§ growth – fastest decadal growth rate among all US denominations – over 50%
v Slide 11 à Characteristics
Ø missional: reaching out to neighbors near & far
Ø devotional: encouraging a vibrant personal relationship with Christ
Ø biblical: grounded in the Word of God
Ø connectional: helping Christians find & maintain relationships with each other
v Slide 12 à double click Relationship w/local churches
Ø cooperative: doing together what we couldn’t do alone
Ø examples: world mission, higher education, etc.
v Slide 13 à Ministries
Ø Education
§ North Park University (Chicago)
· 4 year liberal arts college
· graduate programs: MBA, Nursing
· graduate seminary
¨ masters programs: pastors, youth pastors, church educators, missionaries
¨ doctor of ministry: preaching
§ CHET – training for Hispanic pastors in southern California
§ Covenant Bible College
· 3 locations: Alberta, Canada; Windsor, CO; Quite, Ecuador
· one year program on discipleship
Ø Benevolence
§ 2 hospitals à one of only 3 church groups that still operate hospitals
· Swedish Covenant (Chicago), Emmanuel Medical Center (Turlock, CA)
§ regional retirement centers: closest – Covenant Village of the Great Lakes, Grand Rapids
Ø Ministry: credentialing & care for 1800 pastors
Ø Publications: Covenant Companion, Covenant Home Altar, Missionary Prayer Calendar
Ø Youth ministry
§ CHIC: a triennial gathering for all Covenant high school students (grades 10-12)
Ø Slide 14 à World Mission fields
Asia
Japan
Mainland China
Philippines
Taiwan
Central Asia
Laos
Thailand
Bangladesh
India
Central & South America
Mexico
Colombia
Ecuador
Europe
Czech Republic
Germany
France
Spain
Russia
Africa
South Africa
Burkina Faso
Congo
Central African Republic
Equatorial Guinea
Cameroon
Kenya
Sudan
Slide 15 à
v 10 Regional Conferences & one ministry region Alaska
Ø radio station KICY in Nome – broadcasts into Russia as well as Alaska
Ø Church planting: with local churches & regional conferences
§ National Covenant Properties: a Covenant “bank”
· provides a variety of investment opportunities for churches & individual donors (CD, IRA, etc)
· this money is lent out to new churches for property & buildings at a small percentage over investing rate
v Events
Ø Annual Meeting (June)
Ø Feast: triennial prayer gathering, usually just before the Annual Meeting
Ø Women Ministries Triennial
Ø Midwinter Pastors’ Conference (February)
v Slide 16 à Financial Support
Ø voluntary contributions by members churches & individuals
Ø 2/3 of the operating budget funded by local churches goes to world mission or church planting & revitalization in the US
v website: www.covchurch.org
Slide 17 à
OUR REGIONAL CONFERENCE
THE GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE
v Area: lower MI, OH, KY, TN, western NY, western PA
v Camps
Ø Portage Lake – Manistee, MI
Ø Mission Meadows – Jamestown, NY
Ø Covenant Mountain Mission – Jonesville, VA
v Ministries
Ø church planting & revitalization
Ø help churches seeking pastors
Ø resources for local churches
v Financial support: from conference churches & individuals
v website: www.greatlakes.cc
Slide 18 à
OUR MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
v Membership in Covenant Churches
Ø The Covenant Church is a “believers’ church” in regard to church membership (i.e., one must have a personal faith in Christ to become a voting member of the church).
Ø Our Goal: be broad enough to include all who know Christ as Savior and Lord and narrow enough to include only those who know Christ as Savior and Lord
§ this only applies to membership
§ there are people at all different stages of faith or seeking who attend our church and participate at some level
Ø Slide 19 à Membership Requirements
§ Personal faith in Jesus Christ
§ Have received Christian baptism (either infant or adult)
v Slide 20 à Steps Toward Membership at Faith Covenant Church
Ø Attend all 4 sessions of the Discovery Class
Ø Complete and submit a written membership application
Ø Meet with representatives of the Evangelism & Outreach Commission to share one’s personal story of faith in Christ
Ø Recommendation by the Board for membership
Ø Be affirmed & received into membership by a vote of the congregation
Ø Be publicly welcomed into membership at a worship service at which time public confession of faith is made via answering a series of faith questions
Ø Enjoy a New Members brunch
Slide 21 à
WHAT IS NEXT?
v The Four “Core Classes”
Ø Discovery à Membership: commitment to Jesus and Faith Covenant Church à COMPLETED!
Ø Growth à Maturity -- forming the habits necessary for spiritual growth
Ø Ministry à serving -- discovering & using God-given gifts & abilities in serving him & others
Ø Mission à sharing the Good News with others -- through word & action