Pastor-Elder Vows

The Hollywood Church is ordaining two more pastor-elders (our term for the office) tomorrow in their gathering and for this we praise the Lord Jesus! He is our Chief Pastor and Elder brother. In light of this grace, I wanted to post our pastor-elder vows largely based (read: “plagiarized” here) on the ones from Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. with only a terminology change and an added phrase or two.

____________________________________________________

When CrossView Church installs a new pastor-elder, the following vows will be recited between a pastor-elder, the pastor-elder(s) being confirmed, and the congregation. These vows will also be printed in the church bulletin in their entirety.

[To the pastor-elder(s) being confirmed]

1. Do you reaffirm your faith in Jesus Christ as your own personal Lord and Savior?

I do.

2. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, totally trustworthy, fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, the supreme, final, and the only inerrant rule of faith and practice?

I do.

3. Do you sincerely believe the Statement of Faith and Covenant of this church contain the truth taught in the Holy Scripture?

I do.

4. Do you promise that if at any time you find yourself out of accord with any of the statements in the Statement of Faith and Covenant you will on your own initiative make known to the other pastor-elders the change which has taken place in your views since your assumption of this vow?

I do.

5. Do you subscribe to the government and discipline of CrossView Church?

I do.

6. Do you promise to submit to your fellow pastor-elders in the Lord?

I do, with God’s help.

7. Have you been induced, as far as you know your own heart, to accept the office of pastor-elder from love of God and sincere desire to promote His glory in the Gospel of His Son?

I have.

8. Do you promise to be zealous and faithful in promoting the truths of the Gospel and the purity and peace of the Church, whatever persecution or opposition may arise to you on that account?

I do, with God’s help.

9. Will you be faithful and diligent in the exercise of all your duties as pastor-elder, whether personal or relative, private or public, and will you endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your manner of life, and to walk with exemplary piety before this congregation?

I will, by the grace of God.

10. Are you now willing to take personal responsibility in the life of this congregation as a pastor-elder to oversee the ministry and resources of the church, and to devote yourself to prayer, the ministry of the Word and the shepherding and equipping of God’s flock, relying upon the grace of God, in such a way that CrossView Church, and the entire Church of Jesus Christ will be blessed?

I am, with the help of God.

[To the congregation]

Will the members of the CrossView Church family please stand?

1. Do you, the members of CrossView Church, acknowledge and publicly receive this man (these men) as (a) pastor-elder(s), as (a) gift(s) of Christ to this church?

We do.

2. Will you love him (them) and pray for him (them) in their ministry, and work together with him (them) humbly and cheerfully, that by the grace of God you may accomplish the mission of the church, giving him (them) all due honor and support in his (their) leadership to which the Lord has called him (them), to the glory and honor of God?

We will.

[Close in prayer]