Why Should I Attend a Members Meeting? - Amazon Simple Storage ...
Why Should I Attend a Members Meeting? The answer to this question is largely bound up in our understanding of authority. In the EFCA, we are “Congregationalists.”1 What does that mean? That means that we believe the congregation is the highest governing authority under Christ for the local church. The congregation—not a bishop, not a group of elders, not a pastor—is the highest court of appeals in matters of doctrine, discipline, disputes, distributing resources, and determining who the leaders and members are in the church.2 So the reason we attend member’s meetings, in the first instance, is theological, not merely practical. The congregation has authority in matters of determining membership and discipline. The local church, when gathered together, has been given the authority to recognize and un-recognize a person’s profession of faith; they have been given the keys of the kingdom to bind and loose (cf. Matt. 16:13-20; 18:15-20).3 The authority to “bind” is the authority to take into local church membership those who give a proper profession of faith. The authority to loose is the authority to remove from local church membership those whose lives are unrepentant and inconsistent with their profession of faith. In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Paul calls for a man to be put out of the church for unrepentant sexual immorality. It is interesting that Paul appeals to the whole congregation “assembled” to deal with this matter by a majority (2 Cor. 2:6-8), not merely to the elders of the church. The congregation is given the authority to loose. And then in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 the whole church is called to let the same man – now repentant – back into fellowship in the church. The congregation is given the authority to bind. The way we exercise our authority as a congregation to “bind” in this church currently is through looking at the names of candidates for membership listed in the bulletin. If you have any feedback, we ask that you give that to the elders, who are conducting the interviews and discussing the candidates before approval. When it comes to “loosing,” we are thankful that we rarely need to deal with
discipline related items in our members meetings. But it does happen from time to time. When there are matters of discipline they will be brought before you at members meetings. The congregation has authority in matters of distributing resources and determining leadership. In Acts 6:1-5 there is a crisis or dispute in the church at Jerusalem over the distribution of resources. It is interesting that the whole church—not just the elders/ apostles—makes a decision regarding the distribution of resources and ultimately appoints proto-deacons. In our context, the members of the church make decisions regarding the distribution of resources through our budget process and ratifying trustees and deacons who manage the distribution of our financial and capital resources and serve in a variety of other ministries in order to free the elders/ pastors up for their unique ministry of preaching/teaching the Word and prayer. The congregation not only ratifies deacons; the overall picture in the New Testament seems to indicate that the whole church should also recognize its pastor/elders (cf. 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17-25). Our nomination process Our nomination process is our way of recognizing qualified leadership in the church. Each year the elders appoint a nominating committee, generally comprised of current elders, past elders, staff, and other godly members in the church.4 The nominating committee first examines the biblical texts which lay out the role, requirements, and responsibilities of elders and deacons (which include our trustees) (e.g. 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1). The nomination committee’s job is not to “recruit” elders and deacons; it is to “recognize” elders and deacons. God gives spiritual gifts to people (e.g. 1 Cor. 12:1-11) and God gives people as gifts to the church (Eph. 4:11-12; cf. Acts 20:28). The church’s job is not to make somebody an officer (one who fulfills a God-ordained office in the church), but to recognize those God has gifted. The nominating committee then takes their list of those “recognized” and presents it to the
Missionaries and the Holidays I moved to Beijing in November 2007 as a single 24-yearold. It was a strange time to move, given that my two favorite holidays were right around the corner. How would I handle being away from home on Thanksgiving and Christmas?
missionaries would be able to have good conversations with friends and family.
Good times with teammates. Thanksgiving and Christmas are special opportunities for teammates to bond. Our team insisted on having an “American” Christmas dinner, and we didn’t want to spend too much or cook too much. What did we do? Ordered take-out from KFC, of course! We had a blast together playing games, eating fried chicken (KFC is better in China than in the US), and singing Christmas carols. Pray that our missionaries would enjoy times like this, deepening relationships with their teammates on the field.
Joy in the Lord. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are special times to reflect on the Lord’s abundant blessings to us. Pray that our missionaries would have opportunities to do this, and the Spirit would remind them of all they have to be thankful for.
Many of our missionaries will be celebrating the joy of these holidays away from family. Some of them are in countries that don’t celebrate Christmas at all. Would you join in their work to take the gospel to the nations by praying for them through the upcoming holiday season? Here are some specific things you can pray about:
Evangelism opportunities. In China, a country officially closed to Christianity, people constantly were asking me in December, “What is Christmas all about?” My team even acted out a Christmas skit on a secular, university campus. There were dozens of open doors to talk about Jesus that we didn’t have in other months. Pray that our missionaries would enjoy this season of increased opportunity and see spiritual fruit in their conversations.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, seizing our own evangelism opportunities here, let’s remember our missionaries in prayer and communication.
Good Internet and phone connections. I remember waking up on Christmas morning in Beijing, desperately hoping my Internet connection would work so I could get a good Skype call in with family back in the States. This is the time of year when homesickness is most intense. Pray that our
To pray for our missionaries by name, you can pick up one of our new missions prayer calendars! They are available on the missions board in the courtyard. Pastor Curt
(Continued from page 1, Why Should I Attend a Members Meeting?)
elder board for further vetting. When a final list is approved, the “recognized” candidates are contacted and asked if they are willing to serve, which is a further requirement for serving (1 Pt. 5: 2). If the “recognized” candidate is willing to serve, then the list comes before the congregation. While it is necessary to trust the elders and nomination committee in this process of selection, the final court is ultimately with the congregation. We are given the authority to recognize the gifting and qualifications of those nominated, by choosing whether or not to ratify them. Endnotes 1See “EFCA Articles of Incorporation” and “Appendix Two: Congregationalism and the EFCA” in Evangelical Convictions. 2See Mark Dever, A Display of God’s Glory.
So why should you attend members meetings. While I could give a host of reasons, the main theological reason you should attend is because it is part of your God-given role as a member of this church. We are currently discussing ways to make members meetings more meaningful for you as members in this church. But for now, I encourage you to participate in this responsibility for the sake of the church here at First Free. Pastor Josh
3See 4See
Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership. First Free By-Laws, p. 14
November Weekly: Sundays
Tuesdays
Thursdays
Worship Services, 9:00 and 10:45 a.m. Chinese Worship Service, 10:45 a.m. Looing at Loss, 5:00 p.m. (Ends Nov. 10) Kids Choir, 6:00 p.m. *Youth Choir, 6:00 p.m. College, 6:00 p.m. Young Adults, 6:00 p.m.
*Tuesday Connection, 9:15 a.m. *Precept Study, 9:15 a.m. Precept Study, 6:45 p.m.
*Love thru Action, 9:30 a.m. *First Friends, 10:00 a.m.
Fridays
Chinese Fellowship, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesdays *Craft Group, 1:00 p.m. *Prayer, 6:30 p.m. *Worship Choir, 6:45 p.m. *Middle/High School, 6:45 p.m. *Awana, 6:45 p.m. *Chinese Prayer, 7:30 p.m.
(*Doesn’t meet the week of Thanksgiving, Nov 24-30.)
Budget Forum
Women’s Lunch Bunch
Sack Lunch Prayer
Sunday, November 3, 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 12:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 21, 12:11 p.m.
Special Needs Moms’ Bible Study
Trustee Meeting
Book Club
Tuesday, November 5, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 6:45 p.m.
Thursday, November 21, 7:00 p.m.
Elder Meeting
A Closer Look (Class 2)
A Closer Look (Class 3)
Wednesday, November 6, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 17, 9:15 a.m.
Sunday, November 24, 9:15 a.m.
Sack Lunch Prayer
Members Meeting
Coffee Connection
Thursday, November 7, 12:11 p.m.
Sunday, November 17, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 24, 10:20 a.m.
Craft Club
Special Needs Moms’ Bible Study
Mission Committee Meeting
Friday, November 8, 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 24, 2:00 p.m.
Traditions Tea
Elder Meeting
Saturday, November 9, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 p.m.
A Closer Look (Class 1) Sunday, November 10, 9:15 a.m.
Coffee Connection Sunday, November 10, 10:20 a.m.
Mommy & Me Wednesday, November 9, 10:00 a.m. Exploration Place
Mark your calendars!
2013 Christmas Season Women: Christmas Plates
Christmas Caroling
December 7, 10:00 a.m.
December 21, 10:00 a.m.
First Free Family Christmas
Christmas Eve Service
December 8, 6:00 p.m.
December 24
Women: An Old Fashioned Christmas
Single Service
December 16, 7:00 p.m.
December 29, 10:00 a.m.
Preschool: Birthday Party for Jesus
Concert of Prayer
December 21, 9:30 a.m.
December 29, 6:00 p.m.
Watch the bulletin and website for details.
discipline related items in our members meetings. But it does happen from time to time. When there are matters of discipline they will be brought before you at members meetings. The congregation has authority in matters of distributing resources and determining leadership. In Acts 6:1-5 there is a crisis or dispute in the church at Jerusalem over the distribution of resources. It is interesting that the whole church—not just the elders/ apostles—makes a decision regarding the distribution of resources and ultimately appoints proto-deacons. In our context, the members of the church make decisions regarding the distribution of resources through our budget process and ratifying trustees and deacons who manage the distribution of our financial and capital resources and serve in a variety of other ministries in order to free the elders/ pastors up for their unique ministry of preaching/teaching the Word and prayer. The congregation not only ratifies deacons; the overall picture in the New Testament seems to indicate that the whole church should also recognize its pastor/elders (cf. 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17-25). Our nomination process Our nomination process is our way of recognizing qualified leadership in the church. Each year the elders appoint a nominating committee, generally comprised of current elders, past elders, staff, and other godly members in the church.4 The nominating committee first examines the biblical texts which lay out the role, requirements, and responsibilities of elders and deacons (which include our trustees) (e.g. 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1). The nomination committee’s job is not to “recruit” elders and deacons; it is to “recognize” elders and deacons. God gives spiritual gifts to people (e.g. 1 Cor. 12:1-11) and God gives people as gifts to the church (Eph. 4:11-12; cf. Acts 20:28). The church’s job is not to make somebody an officer (one who fulfills a God-ordained office in the church), but to recognize those God has gifted. The nominating committee then takes their list of those “recognized” and presents it to the
Missionaries and the Holidays I moved to Beijing in November 2007 as a single 24-yearold. It was a strange time to move, given that my two favorite holidays were right around the corner. How would I handle being away from home on Thanksgiving and Christmas?
missionaries would be able to have good conversations with friends and family.
Good times with teammates. Thanksgiving and Christmas are special opportunities for teammates to bond. Our team insisted on having an “American” Christmas dinner, and we didn’t want to spend too much or cook too much. What did we do? Ordered take-out from KFC, of course! We had a blast together playing games, eating fried chicken (KFC is better in China than in the US), and singing Christmas carols. Pray that our missionaries would enjoy times like this, deepening relationships with their teammates on the field.
Joy in the Lord. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are special times to reflect on the Lord’s abundant blessings to us. Pray that our missionaries would have opportunities to do this, and the Spirit would remind them of all they have to be thankful for.
Many of our missionaries will be celebrating the joy of these holidays away from family. Some of them are in countries that don’t celebrate Christmas at all. Would you join in their work to take the gospel to the nations by praying for them through the upcoming holiday season? Here are some specific things you can pray about:
Evangelism opportunities. In China, a country officially closed to Christianity, people constantly were asking me in December, “What is Christmas all about?” My team even acted out a Christmas skit on a secular, university campus. There were dozens of open doors to talk about Jesus that we didn’t have in other months. Pray that our missionaries would enjoy this season of increased opportunity and see spiritual fruit in their conversations.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, seizing our own evangelism opportunities here, let’s remember our missionaries in prayer and communication.
Good Internet and phone connections. I remember waking up on Christmas morning in Beijing, desperately hoping my Internet connection would work so I could get a good Skype call in with family back in the States. This is the time of year when homesickness is most intense. Pray that our
To pray for our missionaries by name, you can pick up one of our new missions prayer calendars! They are available on the missions board in the courtyard. Pastor Curt
(Continued from page 1, Why Should I Attend a Members Meeting?)
elder board for further vetting. When a final list is approved, the “recognized” candidates are contacted and asked if they are willing to serve, which is a further requirement for serving (1 Pt. 5: 2). If the “recognized” candidate is willing to serve, then the list comes before the congregation. While it is necessary to trust the elders and nomination committee in this process of selection, the final court is ultimately with the congregation. We are given the authority to recognize the gifting and qualifications of those nominated, by choosing whether or not to ratify them. Endnotes 1See “EFCA Articles of Incorporation” and “Appendix Two: Congregationalism and the EFCA” in Evangelical Convictions. 2See Mark Dever, A Display of God’s Glory.
So why should you attend members meetings. While I could give a host of reasons, the main theological reason you should attend is because it is part of your God-given role as a member of this church. We are currently discussing ways to make members meetings more meaningful for you as members in this church. But for now, I encourage you to participate in this responsibility for the sake of the church here at First Free. Pastor Josh
3See 4See
Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership. First Free By-Laws, p. 14
November Weekly: Sundays
Tuesdays
Thursdays
Worship Services, 9:00 and 10:45 a.m. Chinese Worship Service, 10:45 a.m. Looing at Loss, 5:00 p.m. (Ends Nov. 10) Kids Choir, 6:00 p.m. *Youth Choir, 6:00 p.m. College, 6:00 p.m. Young Adults, 6:00 p.m.
*Tuesday Connection, 9:15 a.m. *Precept Study, 9:15 a.m. Precept Study, 6:45 p.m.
*Love thru Action, 9:30 a.m. *First Friends, 10:00 a.m.
Fridays
Chinese Fellowship, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesdays *Craft Group, 1:00 p.m. *Prayer, 6:30 p.m. *Worship Choir, 6:45 p.m. *Middle/High School, 6:45 p.m. *Awana, 6:45 p.m. *Chinese Prayer, 7:30 p.m.
(*Doesn’t meet the week of Thanksgiving, Nov 24-30.)
Budget Forum
Women’s Lunch Bunch
Sack Lunch Prayer
Sunday, November 3, 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 12:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 21, 12:11 p.m.
Special Needs Moms’ Bible Study
Trustee Meeting
Book Club
Tuesday, November 5, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 6:45 p.m.
Thursday, November 21, 7:00 p.m.
Elder Meeting
A Closer Look (Class 2)
A Closer Look (Class 3)
Wednesday, November 6, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 17, 9:15 a.m.
Sunday, November 24, 9:15 a.m.
Sack Lunch Prayer
Members Meeting
Coffee Connection
Thursday, November 7, 12:11 p.m.
Sunday, November 17, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 24, 10:20 a.m.
Craft Club
Special Needs Moms’ Bible Study
Mission Committee Meeting
Friday, November 8, 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 24, 2:00 p.m.
Traditions Tea
Elder Meeting
Saturday, November 9, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 p.m.
A Closer Look (Class 1) Sunday, November 10, 9:15 a.m.
Coffee Connection Sunday, November 10, 10:20 a.m.
Mommy & Me Wednesday, November 9, 10:00 a.m. Exploration Place
Mark your calendars!
2013 Christmas Season Women: Christmas Plates
Christmas Caroling
December 7, 10:00 a.m.
December 21, 10:00 a.m.
First Free Family Christmas
Christmas Eve Service
December 8, 6:00 p.m.
December 24
Women: An Old Fashioned Christmas
Single Service
December 16, 7:00 p.m.
December 29, 10:00 a.m.
Preschool: Birthday Party for Jesus
Concert of Prayer
December 21, 9:30 a.m.
December 29, 6:00 p.m.
Watch the bulletin and website for details.
