Senior Pastor of the Church/President of the Corporation

Section 1. The Office of the Senior Pastor17

(Paragraph 1) The Dual Role

Because [church name] has two complementary branches-the spiritual Body of believers and the legal Corporation-it is the senior pastor who administratively bridges the gap between the two branches. This dual role can sometimes be awkward: The senior pastor is primarily responsible for the spiritual life of the church, therefore, he must be in a position corporately to ensure that financial strength is directed toward the ministries of his choice.

(Paragraph 2) Responsibilities of the Senior Pastor

It is the senior pastor’s responsibility to:

• Provide biblical vision and direction for the congregation;

• Define and communicate the church’s purpose;

• Oversee and coordinate the day-to-day ministry of the congregation and administration of the church;

• Appoint a board of overseers pursuant to Article Eight;

• Recognize and enlist apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral and teaching ministries, along with elders, deacons and additional staff members as he deems biblical and necessary for the healthy spiritual development of the Body of believers;

• Select trustees pursuant to Article Six who will help oversee the business of the Corporation;

• Staff the church as he deems necessary to help administrate the affairs of the Corporation;

• Veto any nominations to the board of elders pursuant to Article Nine.

(Paragraph 3) The Pastor’s Spiritual Leadership

The senior pastor may work with overseers, elders, deacons or anyone serving in the functions or offices as outlined in Ephes. 4:11-13 in whatever way he determines is biblical to serve the spiritual needs of the congregation. Additionally, the senior pastor may budget moneys, hire staff, develop projects, create cell groups, programs or other ministries according to his convictions and biblical understanding. He shall have the authority to appoint and approve any assistants necessary to properly carry on the work of the church.

(Paragraph 4) The Pastor’s Responsibility for Services

Times, order of services and the leadership of services are to be determined by the senior pastor or by the spiritual church structure he establishes. No person shall be invited to speak, teach or minister at a service held in church-owned facilities, or in the name of the church, without the approval of the pastor or the appropriate member of the established church ministry team.

Section 2. The Office of the President18

(Paragraph 1) The President

The Corporation finds its leadership under the Lord Jesus Christ and in its president. The senior pastor shall serve as the president and chief executive officer of the Corporation. If possible, he shall preside at all meetings of the board of trustees and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the board are put into effect. He shall execute in the name of the Corporation all deeds, bonds, mortgages, contracts and other documents authorized by the board of trustees. He shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees, and shall have the general powers and duties of supervision and management usually vested in the office of the president of a corporation.

(Paragraph 2) The President’s Role with Trustees

The president is the nonvoting chairman of the board of trustees. He calls meetings and determines the agenda in consultation with the trustees. The president shall make selections to the board of trustees from the church membership at a rate not to exceed one new appointment every six months in accordance with Article Six. The president may also dismiss trustee members, but at a rate that does not exceed one dismissal every six months in accordance with Article Six, Section 4, Paragraph 2.

(Paragraph 3) The President’s Administrative Role19

The president is the senior administrator of the church. He is ultimately responsible for all day-to-day administrative decisions of the church.

(Paragraph 4) The President’s Role with Staff20

The president hires, directs and dismisses staff. As the senior pastor, his call is confirmed to the church through the congregation, and those hired by him are to assist him in fulfilling this calling.

(Paragraph 5) The President’s Role in Establishing Salaries

The president determines all salaries and writes pay scales for full-time salaried employees. Pay scales shall be explained to new full-time salaried employees. Changes in pay scales will be given in writing to the affected employees. If a severance-pay agreement is established, that too must be given to the employee in writing. In addition, all part-time salaries and hourly wages are variable and are to be determined between the president and the employee.

(Paragraph 6) The President’s Salary Exceptions21

The salary of the president is to be on the same pay scale consistent with the pay scale established for the other members of the pastoral team with the following two exceptions:

1. Housing: The president (senior pastor) may live in a parsonage owned and maintained by the Corporation. The board of trustees shall choose the parsonage.

2. Transportation: The senior pastor shall be provided with two automobiles, which will be maintained by the Corporation. The trustees shall determine the cost of the automobiles. The Corporation shall then purchase or lease the vehicle of the pastor’s choice within the budget allowed. Each automobile is to be kept for six years. During his first three years of service at the church, only one automobile shall be provided; then, at the beginning of the fourth year, the second shall be purchased or leased. Henceforth, a new vehicle is to be purchased or leased every three years. If the president chooses to replace a vehicle before six years expires, the value remaining in the previous vehicle is the maximum that may be spent unless the president contributes personal funds toward the purchase of the replacement vehicle. No additional funds may be added by the Corporation for the purchase of a vehicle out of sequence.

(Paragraph 7) Optional Benefits

After the senior pastor has served for a minimum of 10 consecutive years, the trustees may provide additional benefits unique to the senior pastoral position. They may, for example, choose to provide an additional retirement benefit to compensate for the senior pastor’s inability to build equity in a home while living in a church-owned parsonage. The trustees may also choose to reduce the amount of time the senior pastor is required to keep a vehicle before replacing it. These benefits and others like them must be initiated by the trustees rather than the senior pastor because these benefits are optional and not required. They are purely an attempt to reward many years of faithful service.

(Paragraph 8) Budget22

After the church is one year old, an annual budget must be prepared. The budget is to be based on 90 percent of the previous year’s undesignated income. The president is to write the budget for 65 percent of the 90 percent in order to finance the basic ministry needs of the church (salaries, taxes, bills, missions, benevolence, department financial allocations, etc.). He is free to reflect his values and wisdom in his budget portion. Then, the president is to work with the trustees to add their 35 percent to the budget.

(Paragraph 9) Expenditures

Budgeted amounts are not to be considered actual moneys available. The president can only spend actual funds that are available, and those moneys are to be spent according to the budget. The president may not borrow money, sign leases, buy or sell real estate, or make any agreements that could force indebtedness upon the church. Should the church borrow, the trustees may give the president authority to spend those moneys on the project for which the funds were borrowed. All undesignated moneys available to the Corporation above budgeted amounts are deemed discretionary and are available to be spent by the president, but he may only obligate funds currently on hand.