Selected to Serve

by Johnson, Earl S., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9780664501655
• ISBN10: 0664501656
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-09-01
• Publisher: Geneva Pr

Summary

Earl S. Johnson, Jr., has created an accessible, popularly written textbook for Presbyterian churches that covers all aspects of officer training--call, duties, ethics, the Presbyterian Constitution, and much more. Congregations will find this resource indispensable for the recruitment and training of effective church leaders.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Being a Church Officer	1	(23)
The Call to Serve	1	(4)
Elders	5	(3)
Deacons	8	(2)
Pastors	10	(2)
Trustees	12	(2)
Deciding That a Call Has Changed: Grapefruit Theology	14	(3)
When Should a Church Officer Resign?	17	(2)
Keep the Faith, Baby!	19	(5)
Questions Officers Often Ask	24	(15)
How Do Officers Get Elected? The Nominating Committee	24	(5)
What Are the Duties of Church Officers?	29	(3)
Who Works with Church Officers? Other Staff and Elected and Volunteer Positions in the Church	32	(7)
Secretarial and Office Staff	32	(1)
Christian Educators	33	(1)
Music Personnel	34	(1)
Youth Directors	34	(1)
Custodians	35	(1)
Elected Personnel	35	(2)
Contracted volunteer Positions	37	(2)
The Principles behind the Book of Order and the Form of Government	39	(11)
Introduction: The Book of Order	39	(3)
The Historic Heart of Presbyterian Government	42	(1)
Chapters I-IV as Bedrock	43	(3)
The Second Part of the Form of Government	46	(1)
Changing the Book of Order	47	(3)
In the Spirit: The Directory for Worship	50	(27)
Introduction: Presbyterian Worship Resources	50	(2)
Word and World	52	(2)
Language about God and People	54	(2)
The Broad Range of Inclusiveness	56	(2)
Worship, Space, and Place	58	(2)
The Importance of Daily Prayer	60	(3)
The Personal Spiritual Life	63	(2)
The Sacraments	65	(9)
Baptism	66	(3)
The Lord's Supper	69	(5)
Ministry and Worship in an Interfaith World	74	(3)
Dealing with Conflict in the Church: The Rules of Discipline	77	(17)
New Testament Concepts of Discipline	77	(4)
Reformation Principles of Discipline	81	(2)
Discipline in the Twenty-first Century Church	83	(4)
Using the Rules of Discipline	87	(7)
The Book of Confessions: A Thumbnail Sketch	94	(24)
Introduction	94	(3)
A Brief Statement of Faith (1991)	97	(1)
The Confession of 1967	98	(3)
The Theological Declaration of Barmen	101	(2)
The Westminster Standards	103	(3)
The Heidelberg Catechism	106	(1)
The Second Helvetic Confession	107	(2)
The Scots Confession	109	(2)
The Apostles' Creed	111	(1)
The Nicene Creed	112	(2)
The Confession of 2067	114	(1)
Guided by the Confessions	115	(3)
The Ordination Vows	118	(23)
The First Vow: The Foundation of Ministry	118	(2)
Do You Accept the Scriptures?	120	(5)
Question Three: Essential Tenets of the Reformed Tradition	125	(3)
The Fourth and Fifth Questions: In Obedience to Jesus Christ	128	(2)
In Your Own Life	130	(2)
Peace, Unity, and Purity	132	(2)
Energy, Intelligence, and Imagination	134	(3)
Promising Love	137	(2)
Try	139	(2)
Ethical and Professional Standards for Church Officers	141	(15)
General Concepts	141	(2)
Scriptural Guidance	143	(2)
Being an Example	145	(3)
Direction from the Book of Confessions	148	(3)
Discipline as a Key Reformed Guideline	151	(2)
Testing the Standards	153	(3)
Growing Your Church	156	(16)
The Choices	156	(2)
Developing the Vision	158	(2)
Developing the Plan	160	(4)
Counting the Cost	164	(4)
Making Important Decisions in your Church and in Your Life	168	(4)
Notes	172	(13)
Bibliography	185	(6)
Index of Scripture References	191	(4)
Index of Book of Order References	195	(2)
General Index	197