REQUIREMENTS FOR CHURCH OFFICERS AND TEACHERS

REQUIREMENTS FOR CHURCH OFFICERS AND TEACHERS

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December 27, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -- Since publishing the article "Why Have Standards for Church Workers" in August, several people have asked me for a specific list of requirements for church workers. This week I ran across the church officers requirements for the Westside Baptist Church of Natchez, Mississippi, home of Maranatha Baptist Mission (Pastor James W. Crumpton, P.O. Drawer 1425, Natchez, Mississippi 39121). When we first started our missionary work in 1978, we were with the Maranatha Baptist Mission, and I have a high regard for Dr. Crumpton and for the godly character of his congregation. I have edited this list of standards, expanding some of the areas, and am offering it as a sample of what I have in mind when I speak of standards for workers in North America. If any of you preachers have written standards for your church workers, for youth activities, etc., I would love to get a copy of them so I can share them with other men. This is a crucial area of church work. In fact, I believe that maintaining high standards for workers is one of the first lines of defense for church discipline and for maintaining holiness throughout the congregation. I would love to hear from many of you about this matter. Tell me what you think of the following list of standards.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CHURCH OFFICERS AND TEACHERS

I believe that it is God's will for me to hold this office. "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:17).

FAITHFULNESS

I am willing to be faithful to the duties of my office, faithful in witnessing, faithful in tithing, faithful in visiting, and faithful in attendance upon the regular and special services of my church. "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).

WORLDLINESS

I will abstain from worldly activities which would hinder my spiritual life, injure my testimony for Jesus Christ, bring reproach upon my church, or provide a bad example for others. This includes, but is not limited to, the following specific things which are key problem areas of temptation in our society.

MOVIES/VIDEOS/TELEVISION. I agree not to attend and/or watch unwholesome movies, videos and television programs.

The rating system is a helpful (though not infallible) indicator of the moral content of programs. The G (general audience) rating usually means there is nothing morally offensive in the movie, such as cursing or nudity. This does not mean that all G-rated movies are wholesome, of course, because many of them have themes dealing with witchcraft and other spiritually destructive topics. Any rating beyond the G, means the movie contains at least some morally offensive material. PG (parental guidance advised) movies always contain some cursing and/or partial nudity and violence. PG-13 movies contain even more of this type of thing. R-rated (restricted) movies contain vast amounts of cursing, blasphemy, nudity, and extreme violence. The line between PG, PG-13, and R-rated movies is subjective and there are no hard and fast rules which govern them. For instance, professional movie reviewers frequently note that a certain PG-13 movie should have received an R rating. It is our firm conviction that no Christian home should entertain the moral filth which is being spread through PG, PG-13, and R-rated movies today. This means, of course, that most movies being produced are out of bounds for the Christian family. Even the "family" and "children's" section of the video store contains last amounts of PG and PG-13 movies. The world does not care about a "little" cursing and a "little" nudity, of course, but God's people are to love righteousness. Proverbs 8:13 says "the fear of the Lord is to hate evil."

MUSIC. I agree to listen only to wholesome music, and to avoid, in particular, secular rock music, country-western, rap, as well as Christian rock music.

The Contemporary Christian Music world is controlled by the lust for financial gain (most of the CCM companies are owned by secular corporations) and by men and women who are doctrinally unsound. Most of it is created by the Charismatic- Ecumenical crowd, and it is not the type of music which will increase the child of God's zeal for obedience to every detail of God's Word. Though called "praise" music, its philosophy is largely man-centered and ecumenical, and it is to be avoided.

TOBACCO/ALCOHOL/DRUGS. I agree not to use tobacco, alcohol, or drugs (except medicinally).

DRESS AND APPEARANCE

Ladies: I will groom myself as a Christian. I will not wear shorts or other immodest dress. I will not wear pants or other type clothing which will identify me as a "liberated woman" or associate me with unisex. I will not cut my hair short in a unisex fashion, remembering that the Bible says the long hair is the woman’s glory (1 Cor. 11:15).

Men: I will groom myself as a Christian. I will not go without a shirt or dress in any other way which is immodest. I will keep my hair cut above my ears and above my collar, remembering that it is a shame for a man to have long hair (1 Cor. 11:14). I will not wear ear rings and necklaces and other unisex attire.

Our Church Officers are to conduct themselves as Christian ladies and gentlemen at all times. This is to show in their attitude, speech, actions, and appearance. Since their appearance is obvious to all, we are elaborating upon it.

We seek to follow the guidelines established in God's Word for His people. We believe that the Bible establishes at least three minimum standards for Christian dress:

(1) Modesty (1 Timothy 2:9, 2 Timothy 2:22) It is true that God's standards for men and women are high.

(2) Distinction (Deuteronomy 22:5, 1 Corinthians 11:14-15). Men should dress like men and women should dress like women. Notice in Deuteronomy 22:5 the verse says that if we do not dress according to our sex, we are an "...abomination unto the Lord our God."

(3) Identification with the Lord and not the world (1 Timothy d4:12, Romans 12:1-2, and 1 John 2:15-16). 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." God's Word is so clear that we are to dress and conduct ourselves as becoming His children.

LADIES: The Bible clearly teaches that women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel. Your dresses and skirts must be long enough to completely cover your knees when you stand or sit. The neckline of your dress and blouses must not be revealing or suggestive. Do not wear clothing which will identify you with the women of our day who are rebelling against being a woman or associate you with unisex (pants suits, slacks, jeans, pedal pushers, gaucho pants, etc.). Do not wear shorts, see-through clothing, tight fitting, revealing clothing, skirts with seams left undone (originally called "split skirts" but culottes have now taken on this name). Should the need arise to wear culottes, they must be full at the waist and not fitted like pants, (to wear culottes may be considered needful in certain activities only, when to wear a dress might be considered immodest, e.g., climbing a ladder to paint a wall, playing basketball, softball, and/or volley ball, etc.). If you have a question regarding whether or not to wear something, it is safer to wear something of which you have no question. Keep your hair clean and well groomed. Do not let your hair style be exaggerated or overwhelming. Be careful about "trend" and "mod" styles. If you wear makeup, be sure that it is applied in such a way that it does not call attention to the fact that you are "painted." Always be sure that you are not noticed for your flashy clothing, obvious hair-do, gaudy jewelry, or heavy make-up. The Bible points out very candidly that these must not attract attention.

MEN: Dress like Christian gentlemen. Be sure you are clean and neatly dressed. Keep your hair clean and well groomed. It must not touch your ears and/or your collar and must not in any identify you with styles which have been set by the "stars" of this world. If you choose to wear sideburns or a mustache, they must not be extreme and must be kept neatly trimmed. You must not wear short pants, tight fitting, revealing pants, or go without a shirt.

We expect our church officers to be spiritually mature enough to discern appearance that would be considered worldly, refrain from it, and teach their children to observe the same.

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2 Cor. 6:17).

I agree with these requirements and promise to meet them in accepting the office of . . . . . . .

If I should ever stop believing and/or practicing these requirements and am unwilling to repent and confess the sin, I promise to resign.