BCO: C - Church Officers Flashcards
What permanent officers has Christ given to his church?
Elders (teaching and ruling) and Deacons.
BCO 7-2 The ordinary and perpetual classes of office in the Church are elders and deacons. Within the class of elder are the two orders of teaching elders and ruling elders. The elders jointly have the government and spiritual oversight of the Church, including teaching. Only those elders who are specially gifted, called and trained by God to preach may serve as teaching elders. The office of deacon is not one of rule, but rather of service both to the physical and spiritual needs of the people. In accord with Scripture, these offices are open to men only.
What are the qualifications for an elder?
Character and Knowledge:
* Competency of human learning
* Blameless life
* Sound in faith
* Apt to teach
* Sobriety and holiness of life becoming of the gospel
* Rules his own house well
* Have a good report of those outside the church
BCO 8-2 He that fills this office should possess a competency of human learning and be blameless in life, sound in the faith and apt to teach. He should exhibit a sobriety and holiness of life becoming the Gospel. He should rule his own house well and should have a good report of them that are outside the Church.
What are the duties of an elder?
- 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 It belongs to the office of elder, both severally and jointly, to watch diligently over the flock committed to their charge, that no corruption of doctrine or of morals enter therein. They must exercise government and discipline, and take oversight not only of the spiritual interests of the particular church, but also the Church generally when called thereunto. They should visit the people at their homes, especially the sick. They should instruct the ignorant, comfort the mourner, nourish and guard the children of the church. They should set a worthy example to the flock entrusted to their care by their zeal to evangelize the unconverted and make disciples. All those duties which private Christians are bound to discharge by the law of love are especially incumbent upon them by divine vocation, and are to be discharged as official duties. They should pray with and for the people, being careful and diligent in seeking the fruit of the preached Word among the flock.
How are ruling and teaching elders alike?
Shared 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)
How are ruling and teaching elders different?
Only those elders who are specially gifted, called and trained by God to preach may serve as teaching elders
BCO 8-4 As the Lord has given different gifts to men and has committed to some special gifts and callings, the Church is authorized to call and appoint some to labor as teaching elders in such works as may be needful to the Church. When a teaching elder is called to such needful work, it shall be incumbent upon him to make full proof of his ministry by disseminating the Gospel for the edification of the Church. He shall make a report to the Presbytery at least once each year.
TE feeds flock by reading, expounding, and preaching the word of God
Administers the sacraments
BCO 8-5 When a man is called to labor as a teaching elder, it belongs to his order, in addition to those functions he shares with all other elders, to feed the flock by reading, expounding and preaching the Word of God and to administer the Sacraments. As he is sent to declare the will of God to sinners, and to beseech them to be reconciled to God through Christ, he is termed ambassador. As he bears glad tidings of salvation to the ignorant and perishing, he is termed evangelist. As he stands to proclaim the Gospel, he is termed preacher. As he dispenses the manifold grace of God, and the ordinances instituted by Christ, he is termed steward of the mysteries of God.
Christ furnishes Ruling Elders with gifts and commission to govern
BCO 8-8 As there were in the Church under the law, elders of the people for the government thereof, so in the Gospel Church, Christ has furnished others besides ministers of the Word with gifts and commission to govern when called thereunto, which are called ruling elders.
What is meant by the “parity” of ruling and teaching elders?
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 Elders being of one class of office, ruling elders possess the same authority and eligibility to office in the courts of the Church as teaching elders. They should, moreover, cultivate zealously their own aptness to teach the Bible and should improve every opportunity of doing so.
What are the duties of the deacons?
- Not an office of rule, but rather of service both to the physical and spiritual needs of the people
- Ministers 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 It is the duty of the deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church, to devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed. They shall have the care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the congregation. In matters of special importance affecting the property of the church, they cannot take final action without the approval of the Session and consent of the congregation. In the discharge of their duties the deacons are under the supervision and authority of the Session. In a church in which it is impossible for any reason to secure deacons, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the ruling elders.
What are the qualifications for deacons?
BCO 9-3 To the office of deacon, which is spiritual in nature, shall be chosen men of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly spirit, warm sympathies, and sound judgment.
- Men of spiritual character
- Honest repute
- Exemplary lives
- Brotherly Spirit
- Warm sympathies
- Sound judgment
