Thirty years ago, in March of 1996, after being elected by our congregation, I was ordained as an elder in the church my wife Tammy and I still attend. I was pleased to have my parents present at my ordination service, not knowing that my Mom would go to glory just four months later.
Our denomination has a Book of Church Order (BCO), which is part of the constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), and is subject to and subordinate to the Bible. The BCO states that within the class of elder are teaching elders and ruling elders. The elders jointly have the government and spiritual oversight of the Church, including teaching. Only those elders who are specially gifted, called and trained by God to preach may serve as teaching elders, or pastors. I serve the church as a ruling elder. Continue reading →