A. The election of officebearers.
1. Whether of ministers or elders or deacons, this election must take place by the Consistory with the approval of the congregation.
a. This is based upon the fact, in the first place, that the Consistory is the ruling body in the church.
b. Christ appoints a man to his office by calling, qualification and ordination. Christ does this through those whom He has ordained as rulers in His Church.
c. The approval of the congregation must be sought because the congregation functions in the office of believers. This is not a ruling office, but is nevertheless to be considered in the affairs of the Church.
2. There are three prescribed methods.
a. The Consistory chooses the officebearers and presents them to the congregation for approbation. Cf. Article 22 of the Church Order.
b. The Consistory makes a nomination, presents it to the congregation for their approval, and, upon approval, presents the nomination to the congregation so that from the nomination officebearers may be chosen. Cf. Article 22 of the Church Order.
c. Where Consistories are constituted for the first time or anew, the election takes place by a free vote of the male membership. Cf. decision pertaining to Article 38 of the Church Order.
B. The Calling of officebearers.
1. There is first of all the inward call.
a. This inward call is especially necessary for ministers of the Word who must themselves pursue this calling. But it is no less true with respect to elders and deacons.
b. It consists of:
1) The desire to serve God in some office.
2) The gifts to serve in an office.
3) An open way-i.e., no obstacles in the circumstances of one’s life which prevent one from serving.
2. There is secondly the outward call.
a. This outward call is the call of the church which seals and confirms the inward call.
b. This outward call is the call of Christ Himself Who calls through His church. “…that ye are lawfully called of God’s Church, and consequently of God himself…”
c. No man may appoint himself to any office. Christ alone appoints, qualifies and ordains.
d. No man may intrude upon an office by indecent moans.
C. The authority of officebearers.
1. Actually there are but two offices-the office of elder and the office of deacon.
a. A minister is a teaching elder.
b. Yet the three-fold office of Christ (Prophet, Priest and King) is revealed in the Minister, Deacon and Elder respectively.
2. The office of minister has a general significance for the whole church. Therefore a minister may enter an office only with the approval of the Synod and Classis. Cf. Articles 4, 5 and 10 of the Church Order.
3. All offices are on an equal level. There is no superiority of the office of minister over an elder and deacon, or of an elder over a deacon. Cf. Article 84 of the Church Order.
4. Everyone must esteem the officebearers highly for their work’s sake. All are servants of Christ and must be considered as such.
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