Policies and Procedures
Introduction: Why a “Policies and Procedures Manual?”
This Manual is a living, breathing document designed to stipulate and communicate the nature of Leadership and ministerial operations at RFCOG. By “living, and breathing” we intend to convey the flexibility ministries and leadership should have in carrying out their responsibilities before God, according to his Word, while remaining in a Biblically accountable relationship with the church body.
The By-Laws are contained in a separate document as filed
with the state of
A “Policy and Procedures” document allows the church the flexibility to move and adjust to the changing challenges of ministry without having to constantly re-visit the By-laws. To that end, the By-laws are a very short document containing primarily what the state needs to know. It is here, in the more lengthy Policies and Procedures, that actual church operations are described.
The following set of guidelines have been established in companionship with the By-Laws for the purposes of:
1) Insuring the Ministries of Riverside First Church of God operate at optimum effectiveness.
2) Insuring that effective communication channels are established between all entities within the congregation.
3) Insuring that Biblically based standards of accountability are maintained throughout the organizational life of RFCOG.
The
How do visitors become members? How do members move into ministries, and further, into places of leadership? Similar to a baseball diamond, beginning with first base and continuing unto home plate, the following image conveys the track of progress:
Riverside 101:
“Welcome to
This class introduces the
The above class is a requirement for determining formal membership at
Riverside.
Riverside 201: “Growing Spiritually at
We hope by now, you have come to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and have also chosen to make RFCOG your home church!
In this class we will focus on the Four Basic Habits every Christian needs to develop in order to grow to spiritual maturity. This class will equip you with the skills you need to begin developing these habits, and explains the tools you need to continue these habits.
While ALL members at Riverside are strongly encouraged to attend 201, the
above class functions as a pre-requisite for Riverside 301, and is mandatory
for those moving into active areas of ministry.
Riverside 301: “Plugging in at
So you are a Christian, you’ve made
While ALL members at Riverside are strongly encouraged to attend 301,
this class functions as a pre-requisite for Riverside 401 and is a requirement for all those moving into areas of
general ministry as well as leadership roles.
Riverside 401: “Understanding my Life’s Purpose through
Ever wonder why God put you here on earth? Ever wonder about your purpose in life? Put simply, God wants you to take what he has given you and share it with others! This class is designed to help you understand your “mission” in the world; You have a God-given purpose in life! You will learn not only how to understand that purpose, but receive the tools and training you need to live out that purpose!
While ALL members at Riverside are strongly encouraged to attend 401,
this class functions as a requirement for all those moving into areas of
general ministry as well as leadership roles.
Being a “member” of
A) Membership in RFCOG shall be open to all persons who profess an experience of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, and who take seriously the Bible as their rule of faith. Being a “member” starts with being a Christian.
B)
Membership in RFCOG shall be open to all persons who
choose to affiliate themselves with this body of believers, and have chosen to
enter into a covenant of brotherly love and mutual accountability with the
fellowship of RFCOG. “Members” are all
Christians who have chosen to make RFCOG their home fellowship.
C)
Membership in RFCOG “begins” upon completion of the
“Welcome to
I’m a new Member, how do I get involved?
- Continue
the process you already started! Demonstrate interest in completing
- Demonstrate consistent attendance at church worship services! It’s tough to get involved if you don’t know the church and the church doesn’t know you!
- Join Pastor Matt for an informal interview. Be ready to share something about your spiritual walk as well as your gifts/talents/abilities. Pastor Matt will work with you on finding the place of service that best matches your walk and abilities.
- If you
are a “transfer member” – you are coming to
For those involved in ministries that involve children
It should be stressed that our main issue of concern involves those ministries which, by their very design, intentionally isolate adult workers with children. Examples of such ministries: Sunday School Class, Nursery, Youth Groups.
It should be noted that other ministries may very well
involve contact with children without intending to isolate workers with
children by its very design. Example:
If you are interested in working in any ministry that involves isolation with children such as (examples) Sunday school, youth group, or nursery, the following is expected:
1) Fill out and submit a Background Check form (will be provided to you).
2) Attend a “youth worker’s” class
3) Attend
D) Voting privileges – Six months
after attending the “Welcome to
New member becomes eligible to vote in business meetings.
For those interested in Leadership Roles
E) After one year of consistent, committed participation, and completion of the
Riverside 101-401 classes, a member becomes eligible for a role in formal
leadership. Such roles may include, but are not necessarily limited to serving on
the Board of Trustees, Leadership Council, Teaching, Worship leader, or any
form of event/program coordinator (examples: VBS or other seasonal outreach
program) fall under the category of “formal leadership.”
It should be noted that any and all are welcome to “attend” Riverside FCOG for as long as desired! RFCOG invites all! However, the decision to make a church one’s “home place of worship,” thus enjoying all the privileges and responsibilities of membership, is a special decision for both the congregation and the candidate. The above stipulations are designed to help describe the appropriate paths.
The Spirit behind the guidelines:
Unfortunately, no set of written guidelines will ever be sufficient
enough to speak to every possible case that may arise. Therefore, we feel it
important to say a word or two about the convictions behind the rules.
1.
2.
3.
In summary, as much as
Voting in Annual or Special Business
Meetings
All church members,
and only church members, are welcome
to vote.
For the purpose of voting, the above membership guidelines shall be additionally restricted to those who meet the following conditions:
1. They shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age,
2. They shall have worshipped
regularly with RFCOG for a period of at least six (6) months immediately
preceding any meeting at which they wish to exercise the voting rights of
membership.
3. The six month period begins upon one’s completion of the
“Welcome to
4. They shall have lived
during this period of six (6) months in harmony
with the accepted standards of the
Absentee Voting: Any voting member may vote by absentee ballot, provided a quorum is present at any regular or special business meeting. An absentee ballot will not count toward obtaining a quorum. An absentee ballot can be issued no more than one week in advance of any regular or special business meeting to any voting member who can not attend due only to illness, hospitalization, vacation, family emergency, conflicting work schedule, or out of town travel. Absentee ballots may not be used solely for the purpose of convenience. An absentee ballot and registration form must be obtained from and returned to the church office in a sealed envelope prior to the beginning of the business meeting.
Who are regarded as Leaders at RFCOG…
The Pastor operates as Shepherd and visionary leader of the church.
The Associate Pastor operates in conjunction with the Sr. Pastor toward the carrying out of more specialized ministries.
The Board of Trustees manages all matters pertaining to property and financial stewardship of the church. The Board of Trustees works in conjunction with the visionary leadership of the Pastor so as to insure that all objectives commensurate with God’s overarching direction for the church. See the By-Laws documentation for further details.
The Leadership Council is responsible for ministry oversight, operations, and organizational direction. The LC works in conjunction with the Pastor to insure the Biblical integrity, ministerial development, and future planning of the organization.
The Council’s responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
•Developing and executing the strategic and visionary plan of the
Church as directed by the Holy Spirit;
•Establishing organizational and operational policy as deemed
appropriate for maintaining the direction and focus of the Church;
•Recruiting and appointing voluntary personnel necessary to carry out
the various ministries of the Church;
•Providing for staff vacancies. The Council will serve as the “Search and/or
Nominating Committee” when necessary and will be responsible for
presenting candidates to the Assembly for employment consideration.
The Laity of the
Congregation. Many “leaders” in the
church never actually sit on a board. Most never hold any sort of “formal”
(ratified, elected or otherwise) position in the church. Nevertheless, active
Laity are often every bit as much a critical component to the flow of
leadership as those who actually hold a “formal” or “legal” position. Such
Laity may have been recruited by a Council member for the sake of fulfilling a
critical leadership role. Such roles might include (but are not limited to)
nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, body builders, ushers, praise team
members, children’s church workers, etc. etc. While not necessarily sitting on
a board or committee, these are nevertheless critical leaders in the life of
the church and are thus subject to the same expectations as outlined for all
other leaders in this document.
How one becomes a Leader
at RFCOG…
These requirements
apply to all five “categories” of leadership, including the Pastor, the
Associate Pastor, the Trustee Board, the Leadership Council, and all Laity.
All Candidates for leadership must have completed
All leaders will be trained in the RFCOG
children’s worker class. While not every leader will necessarily end up working
specifically with children, we feel there is much merit in taking this
proactive step so as to insure that all leaders are properly equipped and
prepared. The children’s work class must be taken in conjunction with or
shortly after attending
All new leaders will participate in an interview process with the Pastor. Specifically, every leader should be able to share the story of their conversion and what it means to them to be filled with the Holy Spirit, using their gifts according to the Bible.
Leaders must Tithe. Tithing records may be verified on an occasional basis.
Leaders must demonstrate faithful worship attendance and general enthusiasm over the forward vision of the church.
Leaders must carry out their duties with enthusiasm, setting an example for all to follow.
Leaders must have familiarity and a working understanding of the Biblical Stipulations for leadership as included in this document.
How the Leadership Council is Assembled…
1. Members of the Leadership Council must be active members of Riverside First Church of God.
2. In addition to the 6 month period required in order to exercise voting privileges, a potential leader must have been an active member for an additional 6 months, for a total of one year required for service on the Leadership Council.
3. All persons
hired, selected, ratified, or appointed to positions of leadership, including
the LC, whether paid or voluntary, must live in harmony with the doctrines and
practices of the
4. Members of the Leadership Council shall be those who exemplify Biblical qualifications for such a role in the life of the church.
5. The exact number of members is determined on the basis of a combination of things including: qualifications, availability, and the general consensus between the LC and Pastor as to the suitability of candidates. Naturally all potential members will be ratified by the congregation.
As of Jan. 31, 2006 the Leadership Council consists of:
Jody Gaston Year Two
Nancy Shannon Year Two
Carl Gaston Year Two
Mo Stein Year Two
Steve Cross Year One
Esther Tate Year One
David Hanrahan Year One
The LC also reserves the right to invite gifted, knowledgeable individuals to participate in meetings for the sake of offering needed consultation that often proves so valuable prior to any decision-making process.
Each Council Member will be asked to commit to a two year span of service.
There are no consecutive term limits.
Each Council member will meet with the Pastor on a yearly basis so as to review the status of their service.
The purpose of this
procedure is to honor giftedness by not imposing artificial time limitations
while also allowing for the leadership of the Holy Spirit as he may choose to
guide individuals on and off the Council. With the assistance of the Holy
Spirit, we wish to strike a balance between the needed “stability and
continuity” that is often achieved only through time, and the “creativity and
inspiration” often accompanying new personnel entering the organization.
In the event that vacancies arise on the Council, current Council members will work in conjunction with the Pastor toward filling those spaces.
In the event of a formal staff vacancy, including but not limited to the Sr. Pastor position, the Leadership Council will assume the responsibility of either functioning as a “search committee” or delegating such responsibility to a more specialized group.
The Church Corporation shall ratify the
Leadership Council
The Church corporation shall be given the opportunity to ratify individual council members on a bi-yearly basis at the regular business meeting. All LC members shall be listed on a ballot in such a way so as to provide the congregation with an opportunity to vote “yes” or “no.” The results will be announced as “ratified” or “not ratified” with no indication as to the number or percentage of votes cast either way.
Definition of Votes:
A “yes” vote indicates an affirmative willingness to ratify said candidate, and witnesses to the Biblical qualifications present in their lives. A “yes” vote is also a promise to offer both prayers and words of support on behalf of the ministry in question.
A “no” vote indicates a reluctance to affirm Biblical qualifications. Space shall be provided on the ballot beside each name so as to give the voter an opportunity to anonymously explain their “no” vote. This accomplishes two things: a) enables the Pastor and LC to understand any oversight they may have made in selecting the candidate, b) establishes a basic rule of accountability in the ratification process.
Ratification offers
the following benefits to the Church:
1) The Church is provided the opportunity to express their blessing upon the work of the Pastor and Council.
2) The Church is given the opportunity to recognize the work of God taking place in the midst of the body, and affirm that work.
3) The Church enjoys an accountable relationship with those in Leadership, in such a manner so as to breed trust and integrity over time.
4) The church is offered a regular opportunity to support the Council through affirmation and encouragement.
The Basic Requirements for ongoing
service on the Leadership Council
All Leaders are required to attend meetings. Stewardship over the forward direction of the church is both an exciting opportunity as well as a critical responsibility.
In the event of an absence, all leaders must provide sufficient reason, and do so, idealistically, with prior notice.
Council members missing more than three meetings per year will be asked to relinquish their seat on the Council.
The Council shall meet monthly.
The Council meets in “open forum” implying that members of the congregation are welcome to observe the meeting.
Any congregational member wishing to bring an item of discussion to the LC is highly encouraged to give notice of such interest to the Pastor and/or Council chairperson at least one week in advance so that space might be reserved on the agenda. Please note that the Leader Council, and certainly the Board of Trustees, often find themselves entrusted with a very full agenda. The Pastor and/or chairperson(s) reserve the right to evaluate all proposed items of discussion so as to weigh the importance or immediacy of the concern.
The Leadership Council reserves the right to move into “executive
session” in the event that agenda item(s) are of such nature so as to warrant a
“closed forum.”
All LC members will be required to present a brief “status report” as
to the progress in their area of ministry oversight. Such reports will always
be available for public viewing.
Disciplinary Policy applying to all
Leaders:
Should any member of any leadership position be known to be unfaithful to his/her office, or be known to exhibit conduct unbecoming to a member of the Church of God, or to promote doctrines and practices contrary to those known to be held by the Church of God, he/she may be called by the Senior Pastor or by any member of the Leadership Council to give an account of such actions with a view toward helping and restoring the member. Upon failure to accomplish this result, said member shall at the request of the Leadership Council, resign his/her office with a loss of all related privileges. Expulsion from any leadership position shall not be misconstrued as affecting the member’s spiritual and religious relationship to the church.
Removal of the Senior Pastor: If one-fourth (1/4) or more of the current eligible voting members of the Corporation object to the continued leadership of the Senior Pastor, they may present their objections to the Leadership Council for consideration. If no solution between the said parties is reached, the Leadership Council shall bring the matter to the Assembly via a special business meeting. Both the Council and the Assembly have the responsibility to consider the Biblical weight of the concern as it is brought forward. The decision to remove the Senior Pastor from office shall require a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present and eligible to vote. If the vote is for removal, a minimum of sixty (60) days shall be allowed for termination of the pastorate, unless there has been a defection of character as determined by the Leadership Council, in which case the termination shall be effective immediately with no further obligation, financial or otherwise, by the Corporation. In the case of removal of the Senior Pastor, the Corporation shall provide a severance package equal to one regular pay period’s salary except as noted in the case of defection of character.
Should the Senior Pastor resign from his/her position, the resignation shall be presented in writing to the Leadership Council which in turn shall present the resignation to the Assembly. The resignation shall provide for a minimum of sixty (60) days before vacating the pastorate, unless other arrangements are worked out to the satisfaction of the Leadership Council and the Senior Pastor
**Note: specific stipulations regarding the Board of Trustees, can be
found in the companion “By-Laws” document. Again, the By-laws are separated out
into a separate document for the sake of serving the requirements of the state
of Virginia, while this “Policy and Procedure manual” remains the ongoing
functional resource for operations pertaining to RFCOG**
Biblical Resources that offer guidelines
for leadership
Leadership Begins with Communication!
Leadership is a challenging task! Encouragement, praise, affirmation, and enthusiastic support are always welcome by your leaders! J
1) Pray for the Pastor, Council, and Trustees daily! The more prayers that ascend on their behalf the better their leadership to the church!
2) Follow a general “chain of command” whenever offering feedback!
Put simply, when it comes to communication, the most direct path is the most Godly path.
Lets use an example: If you have a question, concern, or suggestion as per the Care Ministry, express your sentiments first to the Care Ministry Director. The Care Ministry Director will then take your concern “upward” toward the Pastor/Trustees/Council as warranted.
This accomplishes two things:
a) Enables swifter response to your concern.
b) Prevents the Board/Council/Pastor from being entirely overwhelmed with concerns on every level.
c) Ensures smooth communication and unity.
3) In the case of complaints, worries, fears, disagreements etc., follow the guidance as given us through Matthew 18:15-18
a. Take your concern directly to your brother privately, before speaking with anyone else over the matter. The goal should always be one of peace, good will, and mutual understanding.
b. If resolution is not achieved, include one or two trustworthy, Godly “witnesses” in the conversation, so that by the witness of two or three every word may be established.
c. A neutral third party is likewise valuable as they can decrease the tension of confrontation and bring an element of accountability to both sides in the process.
d. If resolution is still not to be found, ask the Council and/or pastor for assistance in the matter.
The overall objective
here is to develop a healthy, Godly church life. God’s people must make it
their strongest end to diminish gossip and unhealthy forms of communication
that lack any constructive merit. We wish to foster an overall atmosphere of
positive accountability in which all members of the body are encouraged to
pause, pray, “think twice” and communicate properly. Such is the key to a
healthy body life.
Leadership
Begins with Character!
1 Timothy 3:1-13 (NIV)
Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,a he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, their wivesb are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
12 A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
A Leader Trains His Ears to the Voice of God.
1 John 4:1-6 (NIV)
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirita of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
A Leader champions the Truth. A Leader is not given over to gossip, half-truths, mis-information, exaggeration, or other deceptive influences
Ephesians 4:25-5:7 (NIV)
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”a: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
5 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of
sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are
improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity,
foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy
person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the
( see also Rom. 1:29; 2 Cor. 12:20; 1 Tim. 5:13; 3 Jn. 10)
Additional Character Requirements for Leadership.
Titus 1:6-16 (NIV)
6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseerb is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
10 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
A Leader must be willing to defend the Church from threats both within and without.
Acts 20:28-29 (NIV)
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock
of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.a Be shepherds of the
See the attachment, “Anointed, Appointed, and
Accountable,” for additional material pertaining to leadership.