Deacon / Elder Selection Process

Deacons and Elders are elected and ordained by the Church for life. The church body nominates deacon and elder candidates at large, but each candidate is screened and processed by the Session. The process of nominating and electing officers is described in the following paragraphs.

• In April, the Pastor will open nominations for Deacons and Elders from the congregation. The nominations will stay open for 3 weeks.
• Once the nominations are closed a list will be compiled and presented to the current Session.
• The Pastor will contact the nominees and determine their level of interest and if the qualification process is to continue. The contact will be by personal visit except for deacons/elders that have served at ROL. During the initial contact the pastor will: (1) Outline and discuss the biblical qualifications of a deacon or elder
  (2) Assess their agreement with core values, and philosophy of ROL, and
  (3) Determine their willingness to serve as a deacon or elder.
• If the nominee accepts the nomination, then a time is arranged for the Session to meet with the nominee and his wife, if married.
• The pastor and Session will determine the spiritual maturity and theological knowledge of the nominee. These men shall be examined by the Session concerning their Christian experience, their knowledge and acceptance of the Westminster standards, and their willingness to assume the responsibility of the office of deacon or ruling elder according to the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Prior to nomination candidates are expected to take a class on Sonship (e.g. Grace Transformation), a class on Presbyterian beliefs, and read the Westminster standards. These classes will be offered annually, but can be waived upon consent of the Session. Nominees will receive formal officer training before elections.
• Elections will be by secret ballot at a congregational meeting called for that purpose.
• Ordination and Installation of the new deacons and elders will occur in the fall (Sept/Oct) of the same year of nomination.

River of Life uses a rotation system for officers based on a four-year cycle. There are several reasons why this procedure is used in our deacon and elder ministry:

• It allows for a broader base of leadership, enabling additional qualified men to serve.
• It maximizes church resources and manpower by allowing for new ideas, motivation and vision to be provided through new deacons each year.
• It guards against burnout and over-commitment among some of our most qualified and dedicated church leaders.
• It provides a way for elders and deacons to renew themselves spiritually for greater ministry effectiveness.
• It allows the leadership to grow and change as the congregation grows and changes. 

Upon completion of a four-year term, a deacon or elder is not eligible for reelection to the Deacon Board or Session for one full year. Although deacons and elders are ordained for life, after completing a term of service a man must be nominated, elected, and installed again for each additional term of service.