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Our Protection - The Leadership Structure
Summary Statement:
Discovery - A "Staff-Led, Team Run" Church. The daily ministry and operational decisions at Discovery are made by those doing the daily ministry and operations…the Pastors and Staff while the Board of Directors gives financial oversight. Finally, the Trustees (the signers of the incorporation of Discovery Church) meet once a year to insure that the staff and the Board of Directors adhere to our vision, mission and core values.
However, our most important leadership group are the various ministry teams. We believe that every member of Discovery should have a vital place in strategic service on a ministry team. As part of a team, all players are valuable and their input is significant. Those are the people that make Discovery work.
By saying Discovery is "staff-led", we mean that our staff oversees all matters of the church and its operations as long as such decisions stay within the boundaries of our vision, mission and core values. We have lay leaders who oversee the finances of Discovery, and others are available to consult with, but ultimately the staff oversees the operations of the church. The Lead Pastor is the head of our staff and our church, and our Management Team leads with him.
However, while Discovery is a staff-led church it does have the financial oversight of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors sets financial policy while the congregation has input in the selection of the lay leaders serving on the Elders and Board of Directors as well as the hiring of a new Senior Pastor.
The biblical reasoning behind a staff led church
How Is The Church Led? The head of Discovery Church is Jesus Christ. As an organization, we seek to reflect His priorities in all we do and how we do it. No decision is ever made that would knowingly contradict any of Jesus' teaching. In addition, through the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we endeavor to discern God's program for us as a church. Whenever we implement a plan, we keep one eye on our effectiveness, and the other on the next step God seems to be showing us. Multifaceted Leadership: On a human level, the Trustees (founders) of Discovery Church, Inc. annually designate two groups of people to direct the ministries of Discovery Church. Those bodies are the Management Team / Staff and the Board of Directors. The Management Team (some would call them "Elders") and staff direct the day-to-day affairs of the ministries of the church. They are paid so that they can devote the best hours of their day to building ministries. The Management Team - a sub-grouping of the key leaders on staff under the direction of the Senior Pastor - directs the staff as a whole. The staff then supports the strategies and priorities determined by the Management Team. The staff's main job is to build, equip and coordinate teams of volunteers so that ministry can happen. The Management Team's main function is to give leadership to the staff and church. The Board Of Directors are members of the church empowered to oversee the legal and financial aspects of the ministry and matters pertaining to the building and facilities. They all have some marketplace expertise, which they use to serve the church. Finally, The way the leadership groups work together can best be stated as follows: - The staff directs the ministries of the church with overall leadership provided by the management team (ie: Elders) under the direction of the Senior Pastor; - These ministries are supported by the policies and financial resource allocation determined by the Board of Directors; - Finally, the Trustees (a position required by law) have only one responsibility - to insure the leadership groups' decisions stay true to the original purposes and goals of Discovery Church as outlined by scripture and our founding vision. THE ROLE OF THE SENIOR PASTOR Consistent with the New Testament concept of spiritual gifts, the senior pastor, like any member of the body, is uniquely gifted and should seek to minister primarily within his gift area. The senior pastor is primarily responsible to be a teacher of the Word of God. As the senior leader on staff the senior pastor is to oversee and motivate the staff as well as provide overall strategic leadership and vision to the body. His goal is to help mature believers through insightful and accurate presentation of biblical truth, equipping them to be the true "ministers" in the body. He must strive to teach and lead by word and example, and he must stress both the understanding and the application of God's truth. The Senior Pastor, with the support of the Management Team and Board of Directors, will be central in setting the vision for the church and is primarily responsible for ensuring effective and efficient implementation of that vision. The senior pastor should not be responsible to consistently minister in areas unrelated to his primary function and giftedness. To burden him with other roles (general administration, counseling, visitation, etc.) is to rob him of planning time, study time, and devotion to the Word. This can lead to watered down, inaccurate teaching or ineffective leadership, both of which in turn weaken the body. As shepherds of the church, the Management Team and Board of Directors are responsible to work with the senior pastor to appoint other leaders with complementary gifts to undertake areas and aspects of the ministry that cannot be filled by the senior pastor. THE ROLE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors at Discovery Church is primarily comprised of non-staff, Discovery Church members who have extensive marketplace experience. The senior pastor and another pastor designated by the Senior Pastor are also on the board. Each member has been entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing legal and financial matters and to provide for the care and maintenance of all properties owned by the church. THE ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM The management team (some would call them Elders) will assist the Senior Pastor in the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the church and provides the vision for future direction of the church. Through the management team, each staff member, ministry or department within the church has the opportunity to have their views expressed and issues addressed. At present, the members of the management team are key staff members holding these positions:
COMMUNICATION AMONG THE GOVERNING BODIES
Communication, openness, and accountability across the three groups are provided by:
Members of all groups receive the minutes for all groups Selection Of the Board of Directors: Scripture gives evidence of the first elders and deacons being appointed by the founders of the church. By this example it is implied that the founding spiritual and financial / administrative leadership of a church be intimately involved in the process of selecting elders to ensure selection based on spiritual rather than superficial qualifications. Beyond this, there are no specific guidelines given regarding the selection process. It would therefore appear that freedom is given to the individual church to develop a process that will best serve its own special needs and situations (Acts 14:21; Titus 1:2). As a result, the Trustees (incorporators) of Discovery Church, Inc. will appoint the original Management Team and Board of Directors when deemed appropriate. The first Board of Directors will be appointed for a term to be designated by the Trustees. Any following or additional Board of Directors will be appointed for staggered terms of at least three years. Additional selections will follow the selection process outlined below. Until such time the leadership teams are established, the founding pastor will rely on the advice, leadership and input of an advisory team made up of experienced leaders from supportive and sister ministries. This team will advice on administrative and financial matters. Process of Board of Directors Selection: The first Board of Directors is chosen by the Trustees. When replacement and/or additional Directors are needed, the Management Team shall initiate the following process for selection: 1. The Management Team shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of the Senior Pastor, one campus pastor, the Creative Arts Director, the Children's Pastor, and at least two other participating members, none of whom currently serves as a Director or currently aspires to be a Director. For the purpose of order, one member of the nominating committee shall be chosen by the committee as chairman of the committee. 2. The nominating committee will meet with the Management Team to review the qualifications directors and determine questions that should be posed to the candidates. 3. The congregation shall be provided with teaching regarding the biblical qualifications for directors (elders and deacons) and their scriptural role. 4. With the biblical qualifications in mind, members of the congregation, trustees, board of directors and management team will be given 30 days to submit prayerfully to the Senior Pastor, the names of participating members for consideration as elder or director. 5. Men or women whose names are submitted shall be so informed by the Senior Pastor, and they shall be urged to engage in self-appraisal and personal evaluation in light of the scriptural qualifications. Any person may withdraw at that point if he or she does not aspire to the position of elder or director (I Tim. 3:1) or does not believe he or she adequately meets the qualifications. In order to protect anyone choosing to withdrawal their name from consideration, submitted names will be kept confidential by the Senior Pastor until the men or women whose names are submitted agree to be considered. 6. The nominating committee shall review the names of the nominees who agree to the submission process and shall conduct interviews with each nominee. 7. After prayerfully considering each nominee, the nominating committee shall make final recommendations to the Management Team. Those nominees who have not been recommended to the Management Team shall be informed by the nominating committee as to the reason for their not being recommended, with reference to whatever qualifications might not have been fulfilled. 8. The Management Team shall review the nominees and make a final selection. The Trustees shall insure this selection adheres to the vision and purposes of Discovery Church. Nominees not selected at this point shall also be given reason by the Management Team as to why they were not selected. 9. The names of the prospective directors shall be brought before the participating members of the church, who will be given 30 days to show biblical cause why any one of the prospective directors would not be qualified to serve. Consistent with Matt. 18:15 and Matt. 5:24, any members with such "cause" must first express his or her concern to the prospective director and then must also express his or her concern to the Senior Pastor for consideration. 10. At the end of the 30-day period, the prospective Board of Directors will be presented to the participating members of the church for a prayer of dedication. Such time of dedication shall occur every year at a New Community service or other informal setting, whether to affirm or reaffirm the service of the existing directors. In the event of vacancy or special need, the Management Team may refer to previous nominees to make a selection, or they may re-initiate the whole selection process as they deem necessary. Biblical Qualifications: Elder qualifications are used as the requirements for leadership for directors and pastoral staff positions. These qualifications are summarized in 1 Tim. 3:2-7 and Titus 1:6-9: 1. Above reproach - Elders must lead by example and demonstrate a lifestyle free of patterns of sin. 2. Husband of one wife - Elders, if married, must be devoted spouses. 3. Temperate - Elders must be self-controlled, enslaved to nothing, free from excesses. 4. Prudent - Elders must be sober, sensible, wise, balanced in judgment, not given to quick, superficial decisions based on immature thinking. 5. Respectable - Elders must demonstrate a well-ordered life and honorable behavior. 6. Hospitable - Elders must be unselfish with their personal resources. They must be willing to share blessings with others. 7. Able to teach - Elders must be able to communicate truth and sound doctrine in a nonargumentative way. 8. Not addicted to wine - Elders must be free from addictions and willing to limit their liberty for the sake of others. 9. Not pugnacious or quick tempered -Elders must be gentle, patient, and able to exercise self- control in difficult situations. 10. Uncontentious - Elders must not be given to quarreling or selfish argumentation. 11. Free from the love of money - Elders must not be stingy, greedy, out for sordid gain, or preoccupied with amassing material things. 12. Manage own household - Elders must have a well-ordered household and a healthy family life. 13. Not a new convert - Elders must not be new believers. They must have been Christians for long enough to demonstrate the reality of their conversion and depth of their spirituality. 14. Good reputation with outsiders -Elders must be well-respected by unbelievers and free from hypocrisy. 15. Not self-willed - Elders must not be stubborn, prone to force opinions on others, or abuse authority. They must be servants. 16. Loving what is good - Elders must desire the will of God in every decision. 17. Just - Elders must desire to be fair and impartial. Their judgments must be based on scriptural principle. 18. Devout - Elders must be devoted Christ followers seeking to be conformed to His image. They must be committed to prayer, worship, the study of Scripture, and the guarding of their own walk. 19. Holding fast the faithful Word - Elders must be stable in the faith, obedient to the Word of God, continually seeking to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Term of Board of Directors Scripture indicates no fixed term for elders, however, it makes sense that new ideas and energy be constantly brought into the Board of Directors. As a result, with the exception of the original Board of Directors who shall serve as designated by the Senior Pastor, the term of any director not on the pastoral staff is to be fixed at three, one-year terms. Therefore, each non-pastoral director, upon appointment, shall be asked for a one-year commitment, subject to review, recommitment, and dedication by the participating church members each subsequent year for a total of three years. Pastors or staff serving on the Board of Directors may be rotated, at the discretion of the Senior Pastor, after serving at least three, one year terms. During the period of annual review, both the individual and the other Directors shall evaluate his or her continued service as a director, again considering the biblical qualifications as well as any personal factors that might affect his or her service. Those directors renewing their commitment would again be presented to the participating members of the congregation for affirmation and dedication in January of each year. A person's leaving the board of directors would not preclude his service as a future director, subject to the regular selection process. While the minimum commitment requested of an Director is three, one year terms, an individual's service as a director may be discontinued at any time by his or her own decision, or by the unanimous decision of the Management Team and, in the case of dismissal, the Trustees. The Director in question is excluded from said vote. The Selection of the Senior Pastor In the event of vacancy in the office of senior pastor, the Management Team and Trustees shall be responsible to conduct a search for candidates to fill the position. The Trustees shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of an equal number of pastors, directors and active members of Discovery Church. These members should not be serving as a Director or on staff. For the purpose of order, a non-staff member of the nominating committee shall be chosen by the committee as chairperson of the committee. The committee will present qualified (see "biblical qualifications") candidates to the Trustees and Management Team for review and initial affirmation by a two-thirds majority vote. Once the Trustees and Management Team have selected a candidate, that candidate shall be presented to the participating members of the church, who will be given 30 days to show biblical cause why the candidate would not be qualified to serve. Consistent with Matt. 18:15 and Matt. 5:24, any members with such "cause" must first express his or her concern to the prospective pastor and then must also express his or her concern to a designated member of the Management Team for consideration. At the end of the 30-day period, the prospective pastor will be presented to the trustees, board of directors and the management team for final affirmation by a two-thirds majority vote. Finally, the Trustees of Discovery Church, Inc. must unanimously agree to the hiring of the affirmed Senior Pastor on the basis of vision, mission and purpose. The Selection of Other Pastors In the event of vacancy in the office of any other pastoral position other than that of the senior pastor, the senior pastor shall be responsible to conduct a search for candidates to fill the position. The Senior Pastor will present qualified (see "biblical qualifications") candidates to the Management Team for review and initial affirmation by a two-thirds majority vote. Once the Management Team has selected a candidate, that candidate shall be presented to the participating members of the church, who will be given 30 days to show biblical cause why the candidate would not be qualified to serve. Consistent with Matt. 18:15 and Matt. 5:24, any members with such "cause" must first express his or her concern to the prospective pastor and then must also express his or her concern to the board of elders for consideration. At the end of the 30-day period, the prospective pastor will be presented to the trustees, board of directors and the management team for affirmation by a two-thirds majority vote. Finally, since the senior pastor must oversee and work with the staff, the senior pastor must affirm the hiring of any pastoral or administrative staff position. Additionally, the Senior Pastor has the right to terminate (with cause) any staff member's employment. Terminated staff members may appeal their termination to the Management Team and Board of Directors who will act as " advisory only" arbitrators. However, since the senior pastor must oversee and work with the staff, the final decision of reinstatement or termination rests solely with the Senior Pastor. Changes Made To These Procedures Any changes made to the procedures and qualifications listed must have the two-thirds approval of the board of directors and the management team. Additionally, the Trustees (founders) of Discovery Church, Inc. must unanimously agree to any changes.
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Well, that's it! You've discovered what makes Discovery Church a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey! Discovery is a place to check out Christianity and seek answers to your spiritual questions, completely without pressure. The dress is casual, the message is relevant and everything is designed to help you and your family - wherever you are in your spiritual journey. If you've never come to Discovery Church, we encourage you to check out "what makes this place so different". For many people, just one visit will change their life.
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