New Elder Candidate: Peter Kinkel
February 3, 2010
Earlier this week I heard of an Arizona church in which the decisions and direction of the church were made by a board of directors. One Sunday a board member made the announcement in church, “Some of our board members have decided to step down from their responsibilities, so we have a few positions open. I’ll put a sign-up sheet in the back of the church and you can put your name down if you’re interested.” Among those who signed up were known substance abusers, non-Christians, and non-members. All the while the pastor could only watch helplessly since the bylaws disallowed him from being on the board or making decisions apart from the board’s approval, including the moving of a coat rack.
As extreme as this story is (and it is regretfully true!), it reminds us of why structures like by-laws and annual business meetings are significant, especially when it comes to church leadership. When Paul gave a charge to the elders of the church in Ephesus, he made plain the seriousness of church leadership: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). As it does for all aspects of the Christian life, the gospel establishes the tone for approaching church leadership, and the sober caution of shepherding God’s flock is set by the weight of Jesus’ own blood, shed to purchase his people to belong to God.
Thus it is with much prayer and thought and discussion that we present Peter Kinkel as an elder candidate, to be voted on at the annual business meeting on Thursday February 18th. Peter has been a member of Whitton Avenue for all of his adult life and has served faithfully for the past 20 years in various age levels of student ministry. Peter has also been a vital component of the administration team for many years and has personally discipled numerous young men in our body.
Hopefully this thumbnail sketch of Peter’s ministry at Whitton reinforces our broader conviction about adding elders at Whitton Avenue: in the body of Christ, elders are recognized, not created. We never appoint men that could be “made” into elders; we look for men who are already doing the work of an elder in their families and in the church, and we ask for the congregation to affirm this recognition. (For a fuller explanation of our approach to church leadership, go to this site [http://www.whittonavenue.org/about-us/our-leadership/] and click on “A Vision of Biblical Eldership at Whitton Avenue Bible Church.”)
In view of the vote on February 18th, we will have a brief meeting after church next Sunday, January 24th, to give Peter an opportunity to share his testimony and to give you an opportunity to ask him any questions you may have. Of course, you can always direct any questions you have for me by writing me at chris@whittonavenue.org.
Two final notes concerning leadership. First, per our bylaws, Mike Rehm will be rotating off the elder board in May 2010 and will be eligible for a new term the following year. Second, our vote to add Don Vander Giessen as an elder at last year’s meeting was only for a 1-year term because of a technicality in the bylaws. So in February we will vote again to confirm Don for the final 2 years of his 3-year term (elders are allow 2 consecutive 3-year terms before taking a minimum of a 1-year leave of absence).
Please pray with us that God would continue to develop leaders in our church who will care for the church of God which he obtained with his blood.
Pastor Chris