The leadership of this congregation is based solely on the guidance provided by God’s word in the New Testament. This local congregation has both elders (also called bishops and pastors) who oversee and tend the flock and deacons, who serve the church.

1 Timothy 3:1-7 states the following with regards to elders (overseers):

¹ This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
³ not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
⁶ not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
⁷ Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Titus 1:5-9 speaks to the qualifications for elders:

⁵ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you–
⁶ if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
⁷ For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
⁸ but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
⁹ holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

 1 Peter 5:1-4 also discusses elders:

¹ The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
² Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
³ nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
⁴ and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

1 Timothy 3:8-13  outlines the qualifications for deacons:

⁸ Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
⁹ holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
¹⁰ But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
¹¹ Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
¹² Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
¹³ For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:1 shows us the example in the New Testament of elders and deacons existing in the first century church:

¹ Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

If you should have any questions regarding this congregation’s leadership or just questions about leadership in general, please contact us.