Ventura Church of Christ

VENTURA CHURCH OF CHRIST

ELDER SELECTION PROCESS

INTRODUCTION:

TheVentura Church of Christ has been without an eldership for several years and will now begin a process for selection of Elders to shepherd this congregation of disciples.TheEldersselectionprocess willbeginSunday,September 7, witha series of lessons along with the nomination process. Theselectionprocessallowsforallofthechurchfamilytobe involvedintheselectionoftheirElders.ItalsopromptsintrospectionbyEldernominees.ThecongregationisencouragedtospendtimeinprayerduringthisprocessaskingGodto bewiththosemenbeingcalledouttoserveour churchfamily. Anoverviewoftheselectionprocessfollows.

NOMINATIONPHASE(September 21-October 12):

ThepurposeoftheNominationPhaseistoencouragethecongregationtopersonallyseekoutspiritualleadersatVentura Church of Christ. Therefore,onSeptember 21throughOctober12, Eldernominationformswillbeavailabletothemembers. Weshouldseek menwhohavethegoaltofillthefollowingexamples,characteristicsandresponsibilitiesofanElder:

Heisrelational-Acts20:28HewillteachtheWordtotheFlock-1Timothy3:5

Heiswillingandeagertobeanexample-1Peter5:1-4HewillencouragetheFlock-Titus1:9-10

Heisaservant-Matthew20:25-28Hewillrefutefalsehood-Titus1:9-10

HewillguardtheFlock-Acts20:28HewillprayfortheFlock-James5:14

HewillwatchovertheFlock-Acts20:28Hewillanointthesick-James5:14

HewillfeedtheFlock-Acts20:28HewillservetheFlock-1Peter5:1-5

HewillequiptheFlockforministry-Ephesians4:10-12HewillleadtheFlock-1Peter5:1-5

HewillcarefortheFlock-1Timothy3:5HewillbeanexampletotheFlock-1Peter5:1-5

HewilldirecttheaffairsoftheFlock-1Timothy3:5HewillkeepwatchovertheFlock-Hebrews13:17

HewillpreachtheWordtotheFlock-1Timothy3:5

Youmaynominateasmanymen as you wish and you feel would qualifyasanElder.Thedeadlineforreturningtheseformswillbe6:00p.m., October12th.Youmaygiveyour Eldernominationformstoany memberoftheCommitteeatanytimeduringthisphase,or leavetheminadesignatedboxonthevisitor’s sign-in table in the lobby.Unsignednominationformswillnotbeprocessedbythecommittee.

Aminimumof40nominationsmustbereceivedforsomeonetobeconsideredfurtherasanEldercandidate.Thus,itis veryimportantthatyounominateeverypersonyouwishtobeconsidered-evenifyouknowthatotherswillbenominatinga particularindividual.Pleasedonotassumethatevenifsomeonehaspreviouslydeclinedanomination to serve as an Elder thathewoulddosoagain.

INTROSPECTIONPHASE(October 13–October 22):

Duringthistime,allqualifiedindividualsarenotifiedoftheirnomination,furnishedwithanintrospectiveinformationsheetandaskedwhetherthey willacceptthenomination.The deadlineforthecommitteetoreceiveallacceptancesofnominationwillbe7:00 p.m. Wednesday,October 22.

Namesofallnomineeswillbeannouncedto the congregation onSunday, October26..Introspectiveinformationsheetswillbeavailableforreview.

OBJECTION/RESOLUTIONPHASE(October 26-November 09):

OnSunday,October26,thecommitteewillprovidethecongregationwithalistofmenwhohaveacceptedthenomination.

AnyonewhohasasignificantscripturalorpersonalobjectiontoanomineeservingasanEldermusttalkdirectlywith thatman.Thisisatimeoftremendousvulnerabilityonthepart ofeveryone,but alsoatimeofgreatpotentialbenefit.Thosewho haveanynon-resolvedscripturalobjectionswillbeaskedtoprayerfullysubmita completedandsignedobjectionformby6:00p.m.onSunday,November09. Unsignedobjectionswillnotbeprocessedbythecommittee. Objectionsshouldbescriptural(ratherthanpersonal)andasobjectiveandabsolutein natureaspossible.

Allobjectionswillbeheldinstrictconfidence.Thenames ofthoseobjectingwillbeknownonlybymembersofthecommittee,and, atthediscretionofthecommittee,may ask the minister toassistinresolvingtheobjection.

If thecommitteebelievesthatanobjectionisnotscripturallyabsolute(i.e.,amatterof relativecompliancewithaqualityor personalopinion), theywillnotifytheobjectoroftheirjudgmentregardinghis/herobjection,andencouragethemtovote"No"for thatcandidateinthefinalevaluation.

However,ifeithertheobjectorortheElder-candidateabout whomtheobjectionismadeisdissatisfiedwiththeoutcome,the committeemay thenasktwocurrentleaders not nominatedtoassist,examinetheissueas an attempttoresolvetheobjection.Ifthe objectioncannotbe resolved,thenthecandidate willberequestedtowithdrawhisnamefromconsideration,orelse agreethattheissueinvolvedbemadepublictothecongregation(priortotheConfirmationPhase)in orderto allowthechurchto decide.

AllobjectionsshouldbedeliveredtooneoftheCommitteemembers.Thedeadlineforreceivingobjectionswillbe6:00p.m.onSunday, November09.

CONFIRMATIONPHASE(November 9-December 14):

On Sunday November 9,thefinalselectionofallnomineeswillbeannouncedtothecongregation.

Final confirmation forms will be available for all members at the door as you leave on November 9th, on a table in the lobby or in the church office.

FinalconfirmationformswillbeacceptedbytheCommitteeuntil6:00p.m.onSunday,November 23.Youwillbedirectedtoplace thefinalconfirmationforminasealedenvelope. (Envelopes will be available next to drop in box).Youwillbeaskedtoplaceyournameontheoutsideofthe envelopeandplaceinthedesignatedbox on the visitor’s sign-in table in the lobby.OnlyformssubmittedbyVentura Church of Christ memberswillbeprocessed.

Yourconfirmationresponsemustbeinwriting.Itisimportantthat everymemberofthe congregationsubmit a confirmation form.

OnSunday,December07,thecommitteewillpresentto the congregation the menthatthechurchhaschosenwith

at least70%confirmation to serve as an Elder.OnSunday,December 14,aspecialconfirmationservicewilltake

placetoconfirmallselectedmenasEldersof theVenturacongregation.

CONCLUSION:

Feelfreetoaddressallquestionsorconcernsabouttheprocesstoanyof thecommitteemembers.We earnestlysolicityoutoaseasonofprayertoaskGod'sblessingsonusall in this process.