BCO A, B, C, D

Question 1

Who is the head of the church? How does he exercise his authority?

Answer 1

Christ alone is the head of the church. He exercises His authority and governs by His Word and Spirit and has appointed officers to guide His church by following His Word and Spirit.

Question 2

List at least two key principles of Presbyterian church government.

Answer 2

1. God alone is Lord of the conscience.2. Every church, or body, has the right to determine its qualification for its members.3. Christ himself has appointed officers in his church.4. Godliness is founded on truth.5. Teachers should be sound in their faith.Each particular body has a right to elect its own officers.6. Church power is only ministerial and declaritive and therefore not legislative.7. Church discipline must be purely moral and spiritual in nature, and is therefore not civil.

Question 3

Can the church ‘bind’ men’s consciences? Why or why not?

Answer 3

All church power is “only ministerial and declarative”; “no church judicatory may make laws to bind the conscience.” God has set the standard and human courts are fallible, along with the church’s power being purely moral and spiritual, declarative and ministerial.

Question 4

What is the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America?

Answer 4

All of the following as adopted by the Church and subject to the Scriptures:-Westminster Confession of Faith (Doctrinal standards)-Larger and Shorter Catechisms-The Book of Church Order, consisting of Form of Government, the Rules of Discipline, and the Directory of Worship.

Question 5

What is the visible church? Who are its members?

Answer 5

The visible church consists of all who make profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their children with them.(BCO 2-1)

Question 6

What is the power of the church? How does it differ from that of the state?

Answer 6

The power of the church is wholly spiritual. It holds the power of order (preaching, Sacraments, reproving, visiting sick, comforting), and the power of jurisdiction (church courts).Its sole functions, distinct from civil commonwealth, are to proclaim, administer, and enforce the law of Christ as revealed in Scriptures.The Church’s power is exclusively spiritual, while the State’s power includes in the exercise of force. The Church’s constitution derives from divine revelation, the State’s, from human reason and the course of providential events.

Question 7

What is a particular church?

Answer 7

A particular church is a congregation with a permanent governing body. “A particular church consists of a number of professing Christians, with their children, associated together for divine worship and godly living, agreeable to the Scriptures, and submitting to the lawful government of Christ’s kingdom. Its officers are its teaching and ruling elders”. (4-1 and 4-2)

Question 8

What is a mission church?

Answer 8

A mission church is described in the same fashion as a particular church, except that is has no governing body. Thus, it must be governed and supervised by others. (Presbytery, MNA committee, other session, temporary session). The goal is to be a particular church ‘as soon as this can be done decently and in good order’. (5-1)

Question 9

What two kinds of members does the church have? What are their respective rights and privileges?

Answer 9

Two kinds are: Communing and Non-Communing members. Communing: All rights and privileges of the church. Voting, office holding and admission to the Lord’s table. 6-1, 6-4.Non-communing: Entitled to baptism, pastoral oversight, instruction, and government of the church. No communion until profession of faith and admittance by elders. (Associate members: All rights and privileges except voting and holding office)

Question 10

What permanent offices has Christ given to his Church?

Answer 10

The offices of Elder (teaching, ruling), and Deacon. (7)

Question 11

What are the qualifications for an elder?

Answer 11

Character and Knowledge: *Blameless life *Sound in faith *Competency of human learning *Rules his own house well *Apt to teach *Sobriety and holiness of life becoming of the gospel *Have a good report of those outside the church (BCO 8-2)

Question 12

What are the duties of an elder?

Answer 12

Love, pray with and for people (BCO 8-3)Oversight of both the local church and the “general” church *Visitation (especially of sick), instruction, comforting, nourishing, and guarding the children of the church. *Exercise government and discipline *Set worthy examples for the rest of the church *Watch over the flock committed to their charge in doctrine and morality

Question 13

How are ruling and teaching elders alike?

Answer 13

Duties of office: *Watch over the flock committed to their charge in doctrine and morality *Exercise government and discipline *Oversight of both the local church and the “general” church *Visitation (especially of sick), instruction, comforting, nourishing, and guarding the children of the church. *Set worthy examples for the rest of the church *Love, pray with and for people (BCO 8-3)

Question 14

How are ruling and teaching elders different?

Answer 14

Only those elders who are specially gifted, called and trained by God to preach may serve as teaching elders (BCO 8-4)TE feeds flock by reading, expounding, and preaching the word of God Administers the sacraments (BCO 8-5)Christ furnishes Ruling Elders with gifts and commission to govern (BCO 8-8)

Question 15

What is meant by the ‘parity’ of ruling and teaching elders?

Answer 15

The class of elder is one class only. Ruling elders and teaching elders possess the same authority and eligibility to office in the courts of the church. Both, (but especially the Teaching Elders) are called to teach the Bible (BCO 8-9).

Question 16

What are the duties of deacons?

Answer 16

Not an office of rule, but rather of service both to the physical and spiritual needs of the peopleMinisters to those in need, the sick, the friendless, and any in distress*Devise methods to collect the gifts of the congregation *Keep church in proper (physical) repair (BCO 9-2).

Question 17

What are the qualifications for deacons?

Answer 17

*Brotherly Spirit *Warm sympathies *Men of spiritual character *Exemplary lives Sound judgement (BCO 9-3)Honest repute

Question 18

Name the courts of the Church.

Answer 18

Church Sessions, Presbyteries, and the General Assembly.

Question 19

What is the proper or original jurisdiction of each church court?

Answer 19

Session: A single church.
Presbytery: “Over what is common to ministers”
General Assembly: Over such matters as concern the whole Church.

“They have no power to inflict temporal pains and penalties, but their authority is in all respects moral and spiritual.” The jurisdiction “is only ministerial and declarative and relates to the doctrine and precepts of Christ, to the order of the Church, and to the exercise of discipline.”

Question 20

What officers must each church court have? How are they chosen?

Answer 20

Each court is made up entirely of presbyters and must have a Moderator and a Clerk. The Session moderator is, by default, the pastor. A RE, other TE, Associate, or Assistant pastor may be selected in his absence.The Presbytery moderator is elected at each stated meeting, or for a period of time up to a year.The General Assembly moderator is chosen at each stated meeting. In case of his absence, the last moderator present, or the oldest minister longest a member of the court may preside. The Clerk at a Session, Presbytery, or General Assembly may be elected to serve for a definite period as defined by the court.

Question 21

Who are the members of the church session?

Answer 21

The Pastor, Associate Pastor(s), and ruling elders.

Question 22

What are the main duties of the church session?

Answer 22

“exercises jurisdiction over a single church, the Presbytery over what is common to the ministers, Sessions, and churches within a prescribed district, and the GA over such matters as concern the whole Church.” -Spiritual government of the church, including: 1. inquire into the knowledge, principles, and Christian conduct of the church members under its care; to censure those found deliquent; to see that parents do not neglect to present their children for Baptism; to receive and remove members; grant letters of dismissal 2. examine, ordain, install REs and deacons upon their election; hold them to task, examine diaconal meeting minutes, approve and adopt budget. 3. approve actions of special importance affecting church property 4. call congregational meetings; oversight of Sunday schools all special groups; promote world missions; offerings; promote obedience to great commission 5. exercise authority over worship in accordance with the Directory for Worship. 6. To observe and carry out the lawful injunctions of the higher courts; to appoint representatives to them

Question 23

Who are the members of Presbytery?

Answer 23

The Presbytery consists of all the teaching elders and churches within its bounds that have been accepted by the Presbytery.In addition, each congregation is entitled to send 2 ruling elder representatives for the first 350 communing members, and one additional ruling elder for each additional 500 communing members. (Or fraction thereof)

Question 24

To what church does a minister belong?

Answer 24

The minister holds his membership in the Presbytery.

Question 25

How is an ordained minister received into a presbytery?

Answer 25

They shall be examined on Christian experience, and views in theology, the Sacraments and church government. If outside of the PCA, a thorough examination should occur with the same questions as given to candidates at ordination.

Question 26

How is a church received into a presbytery?

Answer 26

A designated commission shall meet with the REs to confirm understanding and adoption of PCA doctrine and polity. In the presence of the commission, the ruling elders shall be required to answer affirmatively the questions required of officers at their ordination.

Question 27

What are the main duties and responsibilities of the presbytery?

Answer 27

-Jurisdiction over what is common to the ministers, Sessions, and churches within a prescribed district -power to receive and issue appeals, complaints and references -can assume original jurisdiction in cases where session cannot exercise its authority -Receive candidates, examine and license candidates, receive, dismiss, ordain, install, remove and judge ministers. -review records of sessions -establish pastoral relation committee and dissolve pastoral relations committee -to set apart evangelists, hold ministers to their duty and censure the delinquent -see that lawful injunctions of higher court are obeyed -to help needy churches (doctrinal error, divisions, new churches, sin) -to devise measures for the enlargement of the Church within its bounds; to “order whatever pertains to the spiritual welfare of the churches under its care. -to propose to GA such measures as may be of common advantage to the Church at large.

Question 28

What are the main duties and responsibilities of the General Assembly?

Answer 28

1. Carry out the Great Commission. 2. Initiative for carrying out the Great Commission belongs to the Church at every court level; GA is responsible to encourage and promote the fulfillment of this ministry by the various courts. 3. The work of the Church is one work, being implemented at the GA level through committees. 4. Evaluate needs and resources and act on priorities most effective for fulfillment. 5. GA committees are to serve and not direct any Church judicatories; execute policy, not establish it. 6. Committees are to include proportionate representation of all presbyteries and equal number of TE and RE.

Question 29

What are the permanent committees and agencies of the General Assembly?

Answer 29

Administrative Committee, Committee on Christian Education and Publications, Committee on Mission to North America, Committee on Mission To The World, Committee on Reformed University Ministries.

Question 30

What is a committee of commissioners? How do a committee of commissioners and a permanent committee differ?What is the difference between a committee and a commision?

Answer 30

A committee is appointed to examine, consider, and report. A commission is authorized to deliberate upon and conclude the business referred to it.Commissions may be appointed to serve as a Session.”A commission differs from an ordinary committee in that while a committee is appointed to examine, consider and report, a commission is authorized to deliberate upon and conclude the business referred to it, except in the case of judicial commissions of a Presbytery appointed under BCO 15-3.” (15-1)