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Church Organization
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Purpose:
This page will outline possible organizational structures for local ICG churches. All meet the requirements of the Field Church Guidelines of the Intercontinental Church of God.
Local Church Organization
As has been brought out in a number of sermons by Mr. Armstrong and in published articles, the physical, human elements of church organization are at best, the weakest link in any organization. Many types of local organizations have been tried and have been adopted by local churches of the Intercontinental Church of God (chartered and affiliated). This page will list some of these organizational elements for your consideration and understanding. Fellowship groups will not be discussed as their situation is fully covered in the Field Church Guidelines.
Types
Chartered Churches of the Intercontinental Church of God:
- Local minister, Congregation
- Host or Local Contact, Congregation
- Local minister, Local Council, Congregation
- Host or Local Contact, Local Council, Congregation
Affiliated Churches of the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association:
- Local minister, Board, Congregation
- Local contact, Board, Congregation
- Local minister, Congregation
- Local contact, Congregation
Elements To Consider
Chartered Churches:
- Read carefully the Field Church Guidelines regarding Local Church Councils, Qualification of Council Members and Duties of Council Members.
- If the local church opts to function without a local council, the whole congregation IS the council.
- Keep good records and minutes of your meetings and give copies to your minister or minister-of-record.
- Invite the whole congregation to attend council meetings.
- Have an agenda for each meeting and strive to stick to the agenda during the meeting.
- Consider putting every decision the council makes in the form of a motion that can be published for the rest of the congregation to see and refer to.
- Remember the statement in the Field Church Guidelines, "The duties of council members lay in the area of physical duties though performed by spirit-filled individuals."
Affiliated Churches
- Read carefully the Field Church Guidelines of the Intercontinental Church of God as they relate to your group.
- Some Affiliated Churches are incorporated and have a Board by law.
- Boards formulate Articles of Incorporation and by-laws for their corporation, depending on the state of incorporation. Consider having the whole congregation involved in the process. Publish these items for the whole congregation.
- Formulate your by-laws to suit your own particular circumstances.
- It is not necessarily your obligation to share your Board activities, motions or internal documents with the minister-of-record or the Headquarters Office of the EA.
- Have an agenda for each meeting and strive to stick to the agenda during the meeting.
- Consider putting every decision the council makes in the form of a motion that can be published for the rest of the congregation to see and refer to.
The subject of this page is an open forum. If you have observations, suggestions or comments about local church organization, please contact us.
Note: No information, procedures or instructions in the Resource section are to be considered as church policy or directives. The Resource section offers suggestions and information to aid you in your own decision making process.
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