At Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church, the Lord has provided leadership through officers. The officers of the Church, by whom all its powers are administered, are, according to the Scriptures, elders and deacons.
The Elders (the Session)
Elder Duties
The Scriptures show that the elders serve by leading and that their responsibility involves the spiritual oversight of the congregation. The elders' primary responsibilities include:
- Governance– Making the leadership decisions that ensure our church continues to grow in faithfulness and number, and that programs and ministries are operating smoothly and according to their purpose.
- Worship– Ensuring that the worship of Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church is glorifying to God by conforming to Scripture in regard to our elements of worship, that it fosters an atmosphere and tone of reverence and joy, ensuring that the Word is faithfully proclaimed, and the Sacraments are faithfully administered.
- Shepherding– Providing spiritual care for the members of our church from cradle to the grave by receiving new members, dismissing members to other churches, visiting the sick, encouraging, admonishing, and through the biblical process of discipline.
Qualifications of Elders (Titus 1:6-9)
- Above reproach
- Able to teach
- Husband to one wife
- Not addicted to wine
- Temperate
- Not antagonistic
- Prudent
- Uncontentious
- Respectable
- Free from the love of money
- Hospitable
- Effective manager of his own household
- Not a new convert
Our Session
The Session of Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church consists of the men who have been ordained to the office of Elder and elected by the congregation for service on the Session. Though there is one office of Elder, within this office elders are of two sorts: Teaching Elders (or pastors) and Ruling Elders.
Our current Session members are:
- Ian Achterkirch
- Michael Byerly
- Justin Chandler (Clerk of the Session)
- Pastor Ben Duncan (Moderator)
- Erik Haaland
- Danny McDaniel
The Deacons (the Diaconate)
Deacon Duties
The Bible teaches that deacons lead by serving. Rather than governing and shepherding the congregation, the deacons minister by attending to the operational needs of the church and the practical needs of the congregation. The deacons’ primarily responsibilities include:
- Benevolence/mercy– this includes ministry to the poor, widows, orphans, the sick or infirm. This includes being a friend to the friendless and doing ensuring that to the best of our ability we care for the urgent needs of others.
- Facilities– by maintaining our physical plant, the grounds, and our property and equipment, the deacons ensure that we have what we need in order for our various ministries to function.
- Finances– while the elders approve and adopt the budget in accordance with biblical and missional principles and priorities, the deacons are responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the budget and management of our church’s finances. This includes coming up with effective means to collect the financial gifts of the people as well as finding ways to encourage the grace of liberality in our people.
Qualification of Deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-12)
- Dignified
- Above reproach
- Not double tongued
- First tested as servants
- Not addicted to wine
- Spouses must be faithful
- Temperate
- Not fond of sordid gain
- Holding to the mystery of faith with a clean conscience
- Husband of one wife
- Effective manager of his own household
(Note: The qualifications for elders and deacons are the same regarding the man’s character, but they differ in regard to aptitude: the elders are to be able to teach while the deacons are to be competent and proven servants.)
Our Diaconate
The Diaconate of Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church consists of the men who have been ordained to the office of Deacon and elected by the congregation for service on the Diaconate.
Our current deacons are:
- Glenn Ayles
- Kyle Bodden
- Bill Dietz
- David Jones
- Stephen Kovach
- Scott Lewis
- Wayne Lin
- Bob Pickard
- Reed Wykes