We would like to announce that Rod Bray is being considered as an elder at Harvest London.
Background:
We believe God would have us grow our elders team numerically and this announcement marks the beginning of this expansion. From the time Leo Klus was with us as an elder we began to pray and discuss who God would have us add. Thus for over two years we have been praying and seeking God’s leading regarding the who and when.
In March of this year we approached Rod and asked him to consider becoming an elder candidate and to begin meeting with our elder team to give him and us a chance to further examine the fit, gifting and calling of Rod as an elder.
After much prayer and this five months of working together believe God has prepared Rod for this role and we are bringing him to you, our church family, to prayerfully consider whether you believe he is qualified as an elder according to Scripture.
Structure:
We are an elder-led church meaning that Biblically we see God’s design for leadership is a plurality of godly and called men to act as under-shepherds (Jesus is the Chief Shepherd) feeding and leading the church. Our elders primarily focus on the leading, care and nurture of those God has entrusted to us. You will see in some of our material about our structure that we refer to the elders as looking after the direction, doctrine and discipline within the church. In other words a summary of our responsibility is to determine where God is leading us as a church, what our church believes about Scripture and the care and nurture of our people.
New elders are selected by the existing elder team with much prayer and thorough investigation, which includes asking the church family to examine each man according to God’s Word. Our elders serve a three-year term, which can be renewed in additional three-year terms after a review process. And our elders do not vote but make all decisions by prayer, gathering information, in-depth discussions and seeking consensus as God leads.
Bio:
Rod and his wife Connie have been a key part of Harvest London for many years now. They have two children who are both believers in Christ; Sarah who is married to Steve Greydanus and is on our worship team, and Siobhan who is a student at Fanshawe College and serves on a variety of Sunday ministry teams.
Rod has a computer consulting company along with a couple of other partners and is very involved in the actual programming side of the business. Connie is a vice principal with Thames Valley District School Board.
Their ministry experience with us includes a time as flock leaders and small group leaders for many years. Connie has given leadership to our greeters and ushers team and held numerous leadership roles in past years. Rod has served on a setup team for many years and can be seen helping out just about anywhere there is a need.
Rod and Connie have exhibited humble, teachable and submissive hearts to God, His Word and our Elders team during their entire time with us. They are fully supportive of our doctrine and distinctives including our purpose and 4 pillars.
Qualifications:
Elders are held up to the highest standard according to the Word of God. Being an elder-led church places significant responsibility upon our elders. Each elder is required to open up his entire life in full accountability to the other elders including his personal walk, his family life, work life, finances, time, purity, spiritual growth, etc. And each elder affirms that the call to elder means a commitment to servant leadership and thus God and His church are put above one’s own personal needs and wants. Humble, sacrificial, gentle leading by serving is the call.
Scripture teaches clearly about the qualifications each elder is to be measured against. We would ask you to prayerfully consider Rod according to these passages.
1 Timothy 3:1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
Titus 1:6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Process:
We have prayerfully and extensively examined Rod and his worship, walk and work for Christ according to Scripture and believe him to be a man of God, fully devoted to the kingdom and the advancement of God’s church. We believe he qualifies in every area and thus are presenting him to you for your consideration.
After much prayer and contemplation should you believe Rod is not qualified according to Scripture we would ask you to first go directly to Rod and share your concern(s) with him. If after talking with Rod you still have concerns, either Rod or you should approach our Elders team. We will investigate and make a decision regarding moving forward or not.
We would ask you to take the next month to consider prayerfully this important request. Should Rod proceed through this next phase he would be installed as an elder in a Sunday service shortly after this phase of the process.
Tim Wiebe (elder chair) – timdeb.wiebe@rogers.com
John Klassen – jpklassen@rogers.com
Norm Millar – norm@harvestlondon.ca
Rod Bray - rodbray@yahoo.com