meet our staff & elders

Dr. Randy Millwood once said, “a church is not an organization, it’s an organism. and every healthy organism is intricately organized”. this has reinforced in us what Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth - “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”.

within our church body there are a variety of gifts and talents, and we do our best to push one another deeply into the ways God has wired us for ministry. as a part of the way He has organized us, some serve as Elders and Staff. the Staff handles the day-to-day details connected to church life, and the Elders serve as pastors, discerners, and overseers for the entire church. these two groups work together to make sure that things stay on target, and consistently look to Jesus as the true leader of the Ring for all direction and guidance.

if you have any questions or needs, feel free to contact us by email, phone, or just come grab one of us on a sunday night. a pic will be posted soon so that you can put faces with names, and here are a few details about the staff and elders as described in our membership class:

what's an elder?

Biblically, elders are overseers of God's church.

what's the role of the ring elders?

as overseers of God's church, elders function primarily as discerners and shepherds. in other words, they are the conscience and guardians of the church. they are not expected to oversee specific projects or ministry areas in their capacity as elder. instead, they function as overseers for the entire church.

elders do not determine programming. this responsibility falls to the ring staff. however, the elders are responsible for evaluating programming based on its appropriateness and effectiveness in furthering the overall mission of the church... "leading people to a more intimate relationship with God, for His glory."

the church constitution states that there are six decisions the elders cannot make without approval from the membership, but for all practical purposes, the elders have final say in any and all matters concerning the overall direction of the church.

the elder board meets twice a month to pray for the church, study scripture, make big picture decisions, and evaluate the church according to the church's mission, resources, vision, and doctrinal statements.

what are the qualifications for elders?

all elders are required to meet the qualifications for elder/overseer as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-11 and Titus 1:5-9.

what's the role of the ring staff?

we don't believe that the staff is the church; instead, we believe that the ring community church is the group of Christ followers who God has called to be a part of the ring.

therefore, our staff is here to support the church Body live out the roles that God has called us to utilizing the gifts and passions that He has given us for His glory.

as that support system, the staff determines programming, gives vision to the various ministries, and oversees the day-to-day operations of the church... that could be anything from counseling to administration to picking up supplies from wal-mart.

the staff works closely with the ministry teams to get them the resources and training they need, as well as helps people who are new to the ring find their place within the church family.

the staff's job is not to minister, but it is to help equip the church for the ministry God has called us to.