Pastor-Elder Handbook The Lutheran …

1 Pastor-Elder Handbook The Lutheran church missouri synod central illinois district 1985/2012. Herein is presented for your consideration studies we believe will better equip your elders. You will note a three-year program is offered with a three-month summer respite. The January meeting each year is devoted to orientation. Of course you may revise the order combine some subjects or extend to more than one session. We merely seek to assist you in strengthening your elders in rendering them more effective instruments in the hand of the Lord Jesus!

2 The supplements at the end of this Handbook may be used at any time during the three- year program. pastor Geo. Beiderwieden pastor Gary D. Fortkamp Digital version with updates prepared by Mary Lou Parchert and pastor Mark Eddy of Zion Lutheran church , Taylor Ridge, Ill., 2012. Copyrighted by the central illinois district of the Lutheran church - missouri synod , 1985. (Programs may be copied for church use but not for resale.). Year One 1. elder Programs ---------------------------------------- ---------------- Pages 1-4. 2. The Imperative of church Attendance ----------------------------- 5.

3 3. Ministering to Inactives ---------------------------------------- ------- 6-9. 4. Baptism ---------------------------------------- ------------------------- 10. 5. The Christian Wedding ---------------------------------------- ------- 11. 6. The pastor 's Family ---------------------------------------- ----------- 12-13. 7. Prayer ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------- 14. 8. Holy Communion ---------------------------------------- -------------- 15-16. 9. How is the Kingdom to be $upported? ------------------------------ 17.

4 Year Two 1. elder Program ---------------------------------------- ----------------- Pages 18. 2. The Christian Burial ---------------------------------------- ---------- 19. 3. Ministering to Shut-ins ---------------------------------------- ------- 20-21. 4. Questions and Answers about Closed Communion -------------- 22-25. 5. Handling Objections ---------------------------------------- ---------- 26. 6. Infant Baptism ---------------------------------------- ----------------- 27-40. 7. Liturgy ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- 41.

5 8. Nurture ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- 42-43. 9. Setting Goals for the church ---------------------------------------- - 44. Year Three 1. elder Program--------------------------------- ------------------------ Pages 45. 2. church Discipline------------------------------ ----------------------- 46-49. 3. Divorce and Remarriage------------------------------ --------------- 50-52. 4. Joint Services-------------------------------- -------------------------- 53. 5. The Pastoral Ministry-------------------------------- ---------------- 54-55.

6 6. Lodge Membership------------------------------ --------------------- 56. 7. Theses on Worship ---------------------------------------- ----------- 57-66. 8. Winning the Lost------------------------------------ ------------------ 67-68. 9. The pastor 's Salary---------------------------------- ------------------ 69-70. Supplements 1. Ministering to Inactive Members--------------------------------- ---- 71-76. 2. Our pastor 's Job Description----------------------------- ------------- 77-79. 3. What God's Word Has to Say About the Holy Ministry----------- 80.

7 4. Communication Skills for Training Evangelism Callers---------- 81-84. 5. The Fine Art of Listening------------------------------- --------------- 85-86. 6. Pastors' Covenant Regarding Weddings and Marriages------------ 87-88. 7. Pastoral Approach to Marriage-------------------------------- -------- 89. pastor elder Handbook YEAR ONE. #1-1. Page 1. SHEPHERDING BY THE BOARD OF ELDERS. (Loving Care for Souls Redeemed by Jesus Christ). I. THE church . A. God's gathered people, the called-out ones. (1 Peter 2:9 You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.)

8 B. The church , God's people, is in need of constant renewal. That means growth in the Word of God. 1. This is needed because of our spoiled human nature. 2. The process or the 8 steps of renewal are: (taken from Training & Equipping the Saints). One: Awareness .. What is the problem? . Two: Acceptance .. Recognizing the problem.. Three: Readiness & Commitment to Action Let's do something.. Four: Diagnosis & Search .. Get facts down on paper.. Five: Application .. Identify some solutions.. Six: Measurement .. Everything we do needs to be evaluated.

9 Seven: Institutionalized .. Make the solution a part of the church program.. Eight: Renewal .. Growth is taking place. Something is new all over again.. And that leads us right back again to awareness. We are never finished being renewed! The cartoon message says: Be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet! His mercies are new to us each morning (Lam. 3:22-23). When there is life in the congregation, you will find the process of renewal taking place. II. THE PLACE OF THE elder . A. The Scriptural Basis 1. Acts 6:7 .. Obedient to the faith.

10 2. 1 Timothy 3:8-13 .. Tried, tested and proven Christians . 3. 1 Peter 5:2-4 .. Good Examples . 4. 2 Peter 1:5-8 .. Fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.. B. Some observations based on the above passages 1. Being an elder (deacon, discipleship committee) is the most important office to which a layman can be elected. 2. Serving and functioning as an elder involves responsibility for the spiritual life of fellow members. An elder is promoting and safe-guarding the spiritual life and we-being of the entire congregation.