Elder & Deacon Nominations

August 20 - September 11, 2023

September 12, 2023 Update:
This year's nomination process has concluded. Many thanks for the tremendous participation from our membership! This year, we had 199 nominations for elder, and 250 for deacon. Information about elder and deacon candidates resulting from this nomination season will be coming soon.

Choosing Potential Leaders

Elders & Deacons fill important Biblical roles in our church leadership. If you're a member of Grace, you can nominate individuals to become Elder & Deacon candidates. Prayerfully consider taking this crucial step with us in the church leadership process.

Elders & Deacons must meet certain Biblical qualifications. Please read the essential qualities for Elders & Deacons and their Biblical basis before sending nominations. Key texts to consider include
1 Tim. 3:1-16, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 6:1-6, 1 Pet. 5:1-5,
all of which are given in their entirety below.

Who is Eligible?

Click the button below for a comprehensive list of Grace Members who are eligible for nomination to the role of Elder (men) or Deacon (men or women).

Elders

Elders help our staff pastors lead & teach the church body. They're especially devoted to prayer, ministry of the Word, multiplying leaders, & oversight of our congregation.

Essential Biblical Qualities
  • Desire to lead
  • Good character
  • Able to teach
  • Not greedy
  • Manages & loves family well
  • Mature
  • Has a good reputation outside the church
  • Giving
  • Knows & uses truth to encourage others & defend the gospel
  • Shepherding demeanor
  • Theologically wise
  • Content
  • Hard–working
  • Hospitable
1 Timothy 3:1–7

“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”

Titus 1:5–9

“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you — if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

1 Peter 5:1-5

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'”

Acts 20:28–35

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”

Deacons

Deacons are gifted servants who respond to and manage needs in our church family. They're organized into teams that fill specific areas of need at Grace.

Current male Deacons can be nominated for the position of Elder.

Essential Biblical Qualities
  • Not double-tongued
  • Not addicted to alcohol
  • Not greedy
  • Lifestyle consistent with professed belief
  • Lives above reproach
  • Dignified
  • Serious about faith
1 Timothy 3:8–13

“Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

Acts 6:1-6

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’ And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.”