Article IX - Elders
Section Three: Lay Elders
A Lay Elder must be a member of Valley
View Baptist Church. Lay Elders shall assist the Pastor in the
spiritual oversight of the church and shall provide spiritual direction
in cases of church discipline. They shall be prepared to teach
corporately and privately according to the needs that arise and shall
assist the Pastor in the instruction of new converts. Their
knowledge of the Bible shall be above average, as they will be
ministering the Word of Faith to those who are desiring to grow in
grace. Lay Elders shall also guard the Word of Truth at Valley
View Baptist Church to ensure that wolves do not creep in to devour the
flock (Acts 20:17-31).
The Pastor shall be responsible for seeking
out qualified men to be appointed as Lay Elders and at his discretion
shall present these men to the congregation for approval. In the
event that the Pastor selects a qualified man for the position of Lay
Elder, he shall inform the church of his choice from the pulpit on a
Sunday morning during a regularly-scheduled worship service and call for
a special meeting of the church to accept this man as an assistant
shepherd of the flock. This special meeting shall take place no
less than 14 days after the Senior Pastor’s announcement. At this
special meeting, the Pastor shall present his choice of Lay Elder to the
people for a formal vote from the members of Valley View Baptist Church.
Upon a majority vote of members present at the special meeting, the
Pastor and all other Elders of Valley View Baptist Church shall lay
their hands upon the new Lay Elder, ordaining him to service in the
church.
A Lay Elder may be dismissed from his
position by the following procedure: the Pastor shall recommend to
the Ministry Council that a Lay Elder be removed from his position and
shall give reasons for his decision to do so. If a majority of the
members of the Ministry Council agree, the Pastor shall announce from
the pulpit on a Sunday morning during a regularly-scheduled worship
service his recommendation to remove a Lay Elder. A special
meeting shall be called no less than seven days after the announcement
for the purpose of dismissing the Lay Elder in question. A
majority vote of members present at the special meeting will suffice to
remove the Lay Elder in question. Upon said vote, the Lay Elder
shall vacate his position and will no longer be a member of Valley View
Baptist Church.
