Written by CB Northwest | 14 December 2009

CB Northwest Polity

Taken from CB Northwest Identity Document

There is a biblical prescription for local church polity.* Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. Under His headship each local church is elder-led. This elder leadership is congregationally affirmed.*i    Those who have been affirmed as leaders have biblically-granted authority, responsibility, and accountability.ii

Elder-led

Those who function as elders* are biblically-qualified males who are affirmed* by the congregation.iii The vocational and lay elders function together as the elders of the church. The elders have the responsibility and the authority to lead the congregation in discerning the mind of Christ for all the decisions of the church and shepherding the church in those decisions.iv

Congregationally Affirmed

The congregation, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, affirms* the leadership of the elders.v There are decisions in which the congregants* contribute in helping the elders find/discern the mind of Christ.vi

Association Polity

As an association of autonomous* churches, our polity will seek to reflect the biblical model for the church. Trustees must be members in good standing of an association church and recommended by their church. Area Association Trustees must also be biblically-qualified for eldering and chosen by their area association.
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* Definition of Terms

Affirm: To support or uphold the validity of; confirm; to declare solemnly and formally. Affirmation can be done in a variety of ways: voting, consensus, obedience, etc.

Autonomous: Self-governing in healthy interdependence within the body of Christ. Congregant: One who congregates, especially a member of a group of people gathered for religious worship.

Elder: The spiritual leadership function borne corporately by mature men who hold various offices. These are men who manifest the biblical qualifications of 1Timothy 3 and Titus 1 who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. They shepherd God’s church through feeding, leading, guiding, nurturing, and administrating the church. Their express purpose is to discern the mind of Christ and lead the church in following Christ’s will.
Vocational and Lay Elders: Vocational elders are paid by the church so that they may not be encumbered by seeking other employment; accordingly, they are able to serve the church in a vocational capacity. Lay elders are fully qualified, according to the criteria stated in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, to be recognized elders in a local church, but these carry out specific divine callings and employment outside of the church, as witnesses to Christ’s gospel in the world, while also serving as elders within a local church.

Polity: The form of government of a church or organization.

i Acts 15:1-23; 16:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 27; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18 ii Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4 iii Titus 1:5-6 iv Acts 6:3; 15:1-23; 16:4; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4
v 1 Corinthians 3:9-17 vi Acts 6:3