Book Of Church Order

Question 1

1. What is the constitution of the PCA comprised of?

Answer 1

Scripture, WCF, WSC, WLC, BCO

Question 2

2. What are the three parts of the BCO?

Answer 2

1. The Form of Government (1-26).
2. The Rules of Discipline (27-46).
3. The Directory of Worship (47-63).

Question 3

3. State the preface of the BCO.

Answer 3

Jesus is the head of the church and has ordained offices to edify the church.

Question 4

4. Name the preliminary principles of the BCO.

Answer 4

1. God alone is the Lord of the conscience.
2. Each church is free to set membership requirements.
3. Officers within the church to guard purity.
4. Godliness is founded on truth.
5. Teachers must be sound in faith.
6. Power to elect officers resides with the local body.
7. Church power is ministerial and declarative.
8. Church discipline is moral and spiritual, not civil.

Question 5

5. What does chapter 1 of the BCO address?

Answer 5

The Doctrine of Church Government

Question 6

6. Boil down Presbyterian to one word.

Answer 6

Representative

Question 7

7. What are the five heads of the Presbyterian church?

Answer 7

1. The Church.
2. The members.
3. The officers.
4. The courts.
5. The orders.

Question 8

8. What officers have power in the PCA?

Answer 8

Teaching Elders, Ruling Elders, and Deacons

Question 9

9. What does Ch. 2 address in the BCO?

Answer 9

The Visible Church Defined

Question 10

10. Define the visible church.

Answer 10

“All those who make profession of faith in Christ and their children.”

Question 11

11. Are denominations a scandal?

Answer 11

No, unity is obscured but not destroyed by multiple denominations.

Question 12

12. What does Ch. 3 address in the BCO?

Answer 12

The Nature and Extent of Church Power

Question 13

13. Describe the power of the church.

Answer 13

Exclusively spiritual.

Question 14

14. Describe the function of the church.

Answer 14

“To proclaim, to administer, and to enforce the law of Christ.”

Question 15

15. What does Ch. 4 of the BCO address?

Answer 15

The Particular Church

Question 16

16. What does a particular church consist of?

Answer 16

A number of professing Christians with their children.

Question 17

17. Has a permanent governing body.

Answer 17

The Session

Question 18

18. What does Ch. 5 of the BCO address?

Answer 18

Mission Churches

Question 19

19. What is a mission church?

Answer 19

A church that is made up of professing Christians and their children but that has no permanent governing body, and is governed by others.

Question 20

20. What is a new church?

Answer 20

A church that is wishing to organize and who has submitted a petition to the Presbytery. Only the presbytery can organize a new church.

Question 21

21. What is an organization service?

Answer 21

Where members are received and vows of membership are given.

Question 22

22. What does chapter 6 of the BCO address?

Answer 22

Church Members

Question 23

23. What are non-communing members entitled to?

Answer 23

Baptism, oversight, instruction, and government of the church. Baptized adults are still entitled to care even if no profession is made.

Question 24

24. Who are communing members?

Answer 24

Those members who have made a profession of faith, have been baptized, and admitted to the table by the Session. They are entitled to all rights and privileges in the church.

Question 25

25. What are associate members entitled to?

Answer 25

All rights and privileges of communing members except voting and office (keep home membership but join if you live far away, ex. College, foreign, etc.).

Question 26

26. What does Ch. 7 of the BCO cover?

Answer 26

Church Officers (General), no new revelation after apostolic age.

Question 27

27. What are the classes of office?

Answer 27

1. Elder - government and spiritual oversight, teaching.
2. Deacon - don’t rule, serve spiritual and physical needs.
   Offices are for men only.