Elders & Leadership

The Elders provide spiritual oversight, direction, and leadership for the overall church, entrusting the implementation of that direction to ministry leaders and staff, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Darren Whitehead. Senior staff leadership is held accountable for fulfilling the Elder board’s direction. This system of organizational leadership, known as Policy Governance, allows the Elders to focus their gifts and time on their biblical mandate to lead and shepherd the church, while allowing ministry leaders (staff) the opportunity to maximize their gifts and talents as they lead their ministries and make practical decisions on how to implement and carry out the direction provided by the Elders.

The Elders, who serve as representatives of the church, are nominated by the church Stakeholders and undergo a prayerful screening, interview, and approval process. Approved candidates are then presented to those who call Church of the City their church home, who have a 14-day opportunity to express any concerns directly to a nominated Elder candidate, utilizing the principles for conflict resolution that Jesus taught in Matthew 18. Once approved, Elders serve a four-year term. Elders are not paid staff; they serve as volunteers. The completed Elder board consists of 8 Elders plus the senior pastor (Darren Whitehead) who provides a key link between the Elder board and the staff. Each member of the Elder board has equal voice to the system of consensual agreement on the team.

The tasks and responsibilities of the Elders vary greatly and require discernment as the board strives to keep the church on its biblical course. The Elder board tackles key issues facing the church. These include:

• Determining the overall vision and future direction of the church.
• Creating policies to define clearly church values and biblical operating procedures.
• Ensuring the church’s teachings and practices reflect accurate biblical theology.
• Providing avenues for pastoral care, conflict resolution, discipline, and restoration.
• Providing direction on financial or risk-management issues.
• Providing accountability to the senior pastor, to ensure the vision and values determined by the Elders are being carried out.

If you are a Stakeholder and feel prompted to nominate a congregant for the Elder role, please review the following resources:

• Read the overview of the Elder Qualifications.
• Speak to the potential nominee before you submit his nomination.
• Contact an existing Elder in person or through email.