SECTION SEVEN

DETAILED PARTICIPATIVE LEADER SELECTION PROCESS

Introduction

In this section we will study two basic lessons:
1.  The Participative Model
2.  The Participative Selection Process
 

The Participative Leadership Model

  • The first necessity in a Participative Leader Selection process is to insure that the congregation has bought into the Participative model of Leadership
  • Second, the Elders must agree to the participative model in which the members are empowered to participate actively in the process
    • The Elders initiate the process
    • The Elders see that the appropriate leadership biblical and spiritual qualities are fully discussed
    • The Elders see that the parameters of the process are fully discussed and defined
    • The Elders stay out of the process as much as possible, except when urgent spiritual guidance is needed
  • Third,  a fully "from the bottom up" "ground roots" process is necessary in which every member of the congregation is encouraged to participate at every level of the process
    • The Elders initiate the process and then empower the congregation to follow the process as defined by the congregation under the Elders leadership
  • Fourth, every member of the congregation is encouraged to participate
    • This means every baptized member who has been identified as a member of the congregation
    • Care should be exercised so as to discourage members of another congregation placing membership solely to participate in the process
    • Teenagers who are baptized members should be involved at every step
    • Absentee participation should be encouraged for shut-ins and traveling members
  • Fifth, the Elders must insure that the congregation is empowered to function without Elder interference other than when serious spiritual concerns develop in regard to certain individuals
  • Sixth, the Elders and Evangelists must insure that the congregation has been thoroughly informed of the biblical and spiritual qualities involved in the leaders and the process
  • Seventh, the Elders and Evangelists must make every effort to see that the whole congregation understands the participative process and its ingredients
  • Eight, every effort must be made to be certain that the process is not politicized
    • Stress must be placed that each member must make their own selection without canvassing others, especially within the family
    • When this problem arises the parties must be told, firmly, that the congregation will not conduct itself in such a manner
  • Ninth, a firm commitment to biblical and spiritual principles must pervade the whole process, with much time being devoted to bible study, public reading of appropriate Scripture, and congregational and private prayer

The Participative Selection Process
The process provides for a number of important stages as set out in the following chart

Each of the items on the above chart and listed here are hyperlinked to note below

  • DETERMINE THE NEED FOR LEADERS
    The first step is for the congregation to determine the need for additional elders
    • The congregation may not have elders and desires elders
      • In this case either the evangelist, minister, missionary, or some current leader should initiate the process
    • The Elders may initiate the process by asking the congregation whether they think additional elders are needed
      • The Elders may share their concern for additional elders with the congregation
    • In dire cases of serious division within the congregation the majority of the congregation may lead out in this decision
      • Such situations are regrettable, but sometimes the reality of the situation
      • Every effort should be made to work through "conflict mediation" before such dire steps are take
      • Alexander Campbell, Jesse P. Sewell, and others (major leaders of the past in Churches of Christ) have argued that whoever has the authority to install elders ahs likewise the authority to remove them"
        • If congregations have the right to install elders, then they likewise have the right to remove them, regrettable as this drastic step may be
  • BIBLICAL TEACHING ON LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
    The second, and vital step in this process is the teaching of biblical and spiritual qualities desired in elders
    • Scriptures such as, but not limited to, 1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-5; Eph 4:11-16; Heb 13:7, 17; John 13:1-20; John 10:1-19; Matt 20:20-28; Lk 22:24-27 should be taught and sermons on the subject preached
    • Under certain situations it may be advisable to secure an outside minister, teacher, or scholar to cover these and other Scriptures
    • The congregation must know these qualities well and be able to use them in the process
  • TEACHING ON PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP PROCESS
    The congregation must be well acquainted with the participative process, having been instructed in the process and its pitfalls
  • DEFINE THE PROCESS
    Here the congregation must be instructed on the process itself as well as the pitfalls of the process
    • This is the fundamental purpose of this lesson; to work the congregation through the process
    • Time must be taken to insure that eh congregation understands the process fully
  • CONFIRM THE PROCESS
    • At this point the congregation is asked whether it is willing to adopt and follow the process
    • The "vote" may be taken by ballot if the congregation is large, or by a show of hands if the numbers can be easily counted
    • The vote may be a simple majority decision
  • SELECT AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
    The process requires some form of body who will administer the process
    • It is strongly advised that elders do not serve on this committee
    • The committee should be chosen by the congregation
    • The congregation should determine the size of the committee
      • Large congregations will require a larger committee
      • The work of this committee can be time consuming
      • Since this committee will not be a decision making committee, but only an administrative committee, it is not necessary to have an odd number on the committee
    • This administrative committee should be made up of a cross section of the congregation and should include both males and females, including some young people
    • The committee should be comprised of mature spiritually minded people who love the church
    • Members of this committee must be sworn to confidentiality
      • The only breech in this confidentiality should take place when the committee feels the need to refer the problem encountered to the elder
    • Possible nominees for elder should not be included on this committee
    • The administrative committee must be well informed that they are not a selection committee, only an administrative committee
      • Decisions that may arise and need to be made should be returned to the congregation for decision, of if they regard spiritual matters of some confidentiality, to the elders for their attention
      • If no elders exist, then the spiritual matters should be turned over to those mature members of the congregation for their prayerful concern and attention
      • Matt 18:15-20 should be a governing principle in such matters
    • This administering committee will set the agenda for the process (to be approved by the congregation) and administer whatever decision the congregation may make
  • COMMITTEE PREPARES A SCHEDULE TO BE ADOPTED
    A major concern of this committee will be the preparation and dissemination of a written schedule to be followed in the process
    • The committee will insure that the process is followed as per the congregationally approved schedule
  • COMMITTEE WILL REFINE THE PROCESS
    Under certain conditions it may become necessary for the committee to refine the process
    • The dates proposed in the process may clash with major events that will limit the effectiveness of the process
    • Some stages in some instances may demand more time than originally determined and approved by the congregation
    • Whatever changes to the schedule are proposed, they must be approved by the congregation
    • The committee must insure that the integrity of the process is not impaired by circumstances that may arise
      • Serious problem areas should be brought tot he elders' attention, or to the attention of the congregation
  • CONGREGATIONAL APPROVAL OF THE PROCESS
    • The congregation will be asked to finally approve the process for administration
    • This step is taken to assure the congregation that they are still involved at every step of the process
  • NOMINATION OF POTENTIAL ELDERS
    • The congregation is asked to nominate men they feel meet the biblical and spiritual qualities previously studies and emphasized
    • The congregation are reminded that the process must not be politicized
      • Stress is made not to campaign for nominees
      • Such a warning should apply also in nuclear and extended families in the congregation, and within age group or cohort congregational classes
    • The nominations should be made in writing and signed
      • People nominating a candidate must be personally informed if the nominee declines the nomination
      • Care must be given against stacking the nominations
      • Signing a nomination adds a sense of seriousness to the process
    • The number of nominations to be carried through the process should be determined by the congregation and not be the elders or administrative committee
    • The nominees are asked by the administrative committee whether they are wiling to proceed through the process
      • The administrative committee must not try to persuade a nominee in any direction
    • The list of nominees that accept to nomination is provided to the congregation for their prayerful consideration and examination according to the biblical and spiritual qualities previously studied by the congregation
    • The congregation is again reminded not to campaign for any of the nominees
  • INTROSPECTIVE PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE
    • In large congregations where some nominees are not that well known, they may be asked to complete a personal introspective questionnaire
    • These completed introspective questionnaires are made available to the congregation for their private study
      • They should be made available in the church office, and should not be checked out for private at home study
      • Private at home study can lead to abuse and campaign problems
    • The purpose of these questionnaires is to enable the congregation to know more about the nominees than they might previously have known
    • Depending on the situation these questionnaires may  be abbreviated or extensive
    • A sample questionnaire will be found by clicking here
      • A sample questionnaire may also be found in Ian A. Fair, Leadership in the Kingdom, ACU Press, 1996 (http://www.acu.edu, then The Campus Store, and then either ACU Press or Books.  The book may also be purchased from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com)
  • BIBLICAL EVALUATION
    • At this stage of the process the congregation is asked to prayerfully evaluate the nominees according to the biblical and spiritual qualities studied previously
    • Stress must be given that this is a serious step in the process which must be conducted privately and with much prayer
      • Again we stress that the integrity of the process must not be impaired by campaigning for or against a nominee
    • Concerns might be discussed with the elders
    • Any biblical or spiritual objections must be made in writing and signed
      • These must be turned into the administrative committee for their administration
      • This administration of objections may have several facets to it
        • The person making the objection must be asked whether they have personally spoken to the nominee regarding the perceived problem (Matt 18:15-20)
        • If they have not they should be encouraged to speak to the nominee personally or possibly withdraw the objection
        • If the person making the objection declines to speak personally to the nominee then the administrative committee should refer the situation to the elders
        • The problem may be of such a nature that the committee may ask the elders to intervene
    • It must be stressed, publicly, that these objections must address serious biblical or spiritual problems
      • Objections such as "I do not like the person", or "I do not think the nominee will make a good elder" do not apply here
      • These objections can be addressed at the "voting" stage
    • When serious objections are sustained, the nominee should be asked by the elders to withdraw their name from the list of nominees
      • Obstinate nominees must be told that if they do not withdraw their name that the matter will be brought to the notice and decision of the congregation
      • At this point, many will voluntarily withdraw their names
    • GUIDED COST COUNTING
      • When ever anyone puts their life on the line for public evaluation, the results can be emotionally stressful, even in some cases devastating
      • Thos who willingly open their lives for public scrutiny n the church need the love and support of the congregation
      • However, time needs to be take to discuss with the nominees and their families the possibility of their not being selected as elders
      • First, the nominee needs to be aware of the price to be paid in such public service
        • The price of time spent in ministering to others
        • The price of deep hurt from criticism
        • The price of seeing loved ones with whom one has spent time counseling and nurturing turn from the Lord
      • The wife also needs to understand the hurt of rejection
        • Then there is the time the elder will need to spend with others
        • Furthermore, not being selected does not mean that her husband has been rejected by the congregation, only that they feel that this is not the time for him to serve as an elder
      • The nominees children, whether they be adult or not, need to understand that their father may not be selected as an elder
        • This does not mean that he is not a fine Christian man, only that the congregation has chosen at this time not to select him as an elder
      • Considerable time should be spent with the nominee and his family before and after the selection process, nurturing and encouraging them
    • STANDARD SETTING
      • In any process that involves casting lots or voting, some form of standard to be reached by the nominee in the process needs to be set and clearly defined before the casting of lots takes place
      • First, the congregation should determine the minimum lots or votes a nominee should receive before being selected as an elder
        • Experience with a majority of congregations using this process for the first time informs us that a 70-75% approval vote is the best and most reasonable
        • Such congregations setting the approval % above 80% usually are unsuccessful in selecting elders
        • Congregations experienced in this process find that existing elders being reaffirmed usually fall into the 80% and upwards bracket
        • We strongly recommend that congregations experiencing this process for the first couple of times keep the approval % between 70 and 75%
        • The congregation should be informed of these percentages based on experience and that they be encouraged to be realistic in setting the approval percentage somewhere around 70-75%
      • The setting of the approval percentage should be done by the congregation and not by the candidates or the elders
      • In large congregations the congregation should be given a choice on the ballot between YES, NO, and I DO NOT KNOW
        • The congregation should be encouraged not to use th I DO NOT KNOW unless they honestly do not know the nominee well enough to vote either YES or NO
        • The congregation should either subtract the I DO NOT KNOW or count them as NO since they are not  firm YES
        • Congregations should be encouraged not to take the easy road of I DO NOT KNOW when they really mean NO but do not want to go on record as voting NO
      • The congregation should be warned about manipulating the number of votes upward in favor of anyone failing to meet the standard even by a fraction of a percentage
    • CONGREGATION SELECTION
      • This is the stage of casting lots or voting
      • Click here to go to a lesson on Casting Lots and Voting
      • Casting Lots is a way of making decisions and declaring those decisions
        • Voting is merely a modern term for the ancient "casting lots"
        • By voting a group is expresses its decision
      • In scripture casting lots - voting - was always accompanied by prayer
        • See Acts 1:26 and Prov 16:33 for texts that express faith in god working in the process of voting or casting lots
      • In Congregational voting the congregation is asked to express its decision regarding the nominees, fully believing that God will be working in the process
      • Ballot sheets are prepared with the nominees names and check spaces for the individual to express his/her opinion of the nominee
        • Spaces for YES, NO, and I DON'T KNOW are provided
        • E.g.  John Jones  YES ___, NO ___, I DON'T KNOW ___
                  Brian Smith YES ___, NO ___, I DON'T KNOW ___
      • The ballots must have a space for the signature of the one voting, and all ballots must be signed
        • The names of those voting and their vote must be kept in the strictest confidence of the administrative committee who will be tabulating the votes
        • The purpose of the signature is to insure that every person votes only once, that those voting are members of the congregation; while the signature adds seriousness to the process
      • The results of the voting process must be shared with the nominees before they are made public
        • Any nominee may withdraw his name from the process before the results are made public, with an explanation to the congregation that the nominee has so chosen
    • INDUCTION OF ELDERS
      • Once the elders have been selected a simple, yet serious induction service is healthy for both the congregation and the elders
      • This induction service may be led by the preacher/ministers and/or by members of the congregation
      • The service should hinge around
        • Congregational prayer
        • Scripture reading
        • A sermon on elders and the congregation relationships
        • Pledges of commitment by the congregation and the elders
      • Special prayers are said by the congregation in behalf of the elders
      • Special prayers are said by the elders in behalf of the congregation
      • The congregation are asked to pledge respect, "followership", and submission to the elders
      • The elders are asked to pledge respect, service, and submission to the congregation
      • The existing elders, or the ministry staff, or members of the congregation, or a combination of these, "lay hands on the elders", indicting them into service
    • ELDER RETREAT
      • An elders retreat, with their wives and the ministers and their wives is also a healthy opportunity (essential opportunity) for elders to work out how they will function as a team and serve and lead the congregation
      • This is an excellent time for bonding into a team
        • Time should be devoted for socialization and team building
        • Time should be devoted for prayer
        • Time should be devoted to Scripture reading
      • Decisions are made as to how they, the elders, will make decisions that fall under their ministry
        • Decision possibilities include
          • Majority decisions - inherent problems
          • Unanimous decisions - inherent problems of integrity
          • Consensus decisions - the best process
      • Strategic planning as to how the elders will divide the shepherding responsibilities and work with other leadership and ministry teams in the congregation
      • Certain rules of behavior are established
        • Elders commit to confidentiality where needed
        • Elders agree never to speak individually for the elders
        • Elders commit to being sheep under the shepherding of the other elders