Elders are called to shepherd the church body by serving among them and providing spiritual protection. They are accountable to Christ and the church membership. Elders are to provide overall leadership to the church through prayer, the ministry of the Word, and pastoral care, and are to set the example for all church members by their obedience to the mission of Christ and His Church (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 6:3-4, 20:28-31; 1 Corinthians 4:14-16; 1 Timothy 3:2, 5:17; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
Elders are selected from the adult male membership of the church as led by the Holy Spirit and affirmed by the church membership. An Elder must have given evidence of spiritual maturity and service in the context of the local church. Elders include both staff and non-staff members. The biblical qualifications for Elders are contained in Acts 14:23, 15, 20; 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9; and 1 Peter 5:1-4.
The selection of Elders begins with nominations from the church membership. Upon review of those nominations, the current Elders will approach potential Elder candidates regarding moving forward with the selection process. If a mutual decision is made to proceed then each candidate will be asked to complete a written questionnaire as well as walk through an interview process with the current Elders. Upon completion of this process, those candidates who are considered to be qualified are then recommended to the church by the Elders. Finally, the congregation will take a vote of affirmation where a candidate may be approved by no less than a three-fourths majority of votes cast by the members present.
Thank you for taking time to complete this Elder Nomination Form. Elders play an extremely important role in our church, one that is not to be taken lightly. As such, we ask that you prayerfully complete this form, evaluating each question honestly based on your knowledge of the nominee’s qualifications for the office of Elder at Philadelphia Baptist Church. Before completing the form, please take time to read 1 Timothy 3:1-11 and Titus 1:5-9 which describe the qualifications of Elders. We ask that nominations be completed and submitted without informing the man being nominated.
If you would prefer a printed copy, please request one from the church office.
PBC Elder Nomination Form
Please answer all questions. If clarification or comments are needed to help explain your choices, please explain in the comments section at the bottom of the form. If you do not know if the nominee is qualified in an area, mark “I don’t know.” This is an acceptable answer and will not be held against the nominee.
This form is to be completed and submitted without informing the person being nominated.