Leadership Covenant

For the Leadership Ministries of

LaGrange Park Baptist Church

 

We are delighted that God has called you to work with us as we endeavor to reach our community and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  Whether you feel called to serve as a Deacon, teacher or worker in our Sunday School ministry, leader in our Discipleship Training ministry, leader in our mission organizations, or serve on any one of our committees, we consider your calling to be as valuable and important as any other in this body of believers.

 Scripture reminds us that those who aspire to leadership must fulfill certain qualifications

 Leaders in our church at LaGrange Park should be members of this local body of believers.  Those who would be leaders must have made a personal, individual decision to submit their lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Our church believes that upon acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior, the believer is baptized and sealed with the Holy Spirit of God.  (I John 4:13)  We do not believe that a second “baptism of the Spirit,” nor speaking in tongues is necessary to live a spirit filled life.  Thus, the emphasis of our ministry is the development of a Christ-like life.  (Acts 16:31-33)

Leaders in our church must believe that the Bible is the infallible and inspired Word of God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.  (2 Timothy 3:16)

Leaders in our church should believe in and practice personal prayer for, “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.”  (James 5:16)

Leaders in our church should be willing and faithful to share the Gospel with unbelievers as the Spirit of God gives opportunity.  (Romans 1:16)

Leaders in our church should practice and support our church with a tithe of their income. (Malachi 3:10)

Leaders in our church are “instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures.  We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct and devotion to God.”  (Titus 2:12)

Leaders in our church must be faithful in their marriages, exhibit self-control, live wisely and have a good reputation.  Leaders should enjoy having guests in their home and should be competent teachers.  They must be gentle, peace loving, and not given to the love of money.  They should manage their own families well.  Because of the proven destructive effects of alcohol and other addictive substances church leaders should abstain from the use of these.  (I Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 12:1)

Leaders in our church should not “neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.”  (Hebrews 10:25)  Regular attendance at Sunday School and Sunday morning worship, Sunday evening services, Wednesday evening services, revivals and other evangelistic endeavors of the church is expected by all leaders unless hindered by good and sufficient reason.

Leaders in our church should joyfully follow those in leadership over them for, “their work is to watch over your souls, and know they are accountable to God.  Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow.”  (Hebrews 13:17)

Leaders in our church must refrain from taking a stand that promotes any practice of homosexuality or abortion or any other Sanctity of Human Life issues.

Leaders in our church must teach within the parameters of the Baptist Faith and Message doctrinal statement 2000.

Leaders in our church should be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”  (James 1:19-20)  Remember working with people is a challenging endeavor.  We do not expect our leaders to be perfect, but they should set the example.  When they are wrong, they should apologize and ask forgiveness from any they have offended or led astray.  (Proverbs 28:13; Acts 24:16)