Definitions:

It’s important to acknowledge that Scripture does not provide explicit distinctions between the roles of Elders and Pastors. Our understanding emerges not only from a close reading of the biblical texts but also from interpreting these scriptures within a broader scope that includes cultural and historical context. Throughout church history, patterns have been established that guide our interpretation. With humility, we have embraced these definitions, recognizing that they reflect both our adherence to scriptural principles and our commitment to the patterns seen in the broader Christian tradition.

Elders at Harbinger Gospel Church are the spiritual guardians and visionaries, deeply rooted in orthodox protestant Christocentric theology. They embody the church’s commitment to following Jesus with compassion, empathy, and humility. These leaders guide the Pastors and the congregation towards selfless, sacrificial living, ensuring that every decision aligns with the church’s mission to be a harbinger of the Gospel.

Pastors at Harbinger Gospel Church are deeply committed to walking closely with their flock, embodying the church’s emphasis on compassion and empathy in their pastoral care. They are not just spiritual leaders but also loving caregivers, actively engaging with each member of the congregation beyond the Sunday morning house church gathering. Their role extends beyond preaching and teaching; it involves providing personal care, love, and guidance, reflecting Jesus’s model of shepherding. By building strong, personal relationships with the church members, these Pastors ensure that everyone is supported, valued, and connected within the community, fostering a nurturing environment where individuals can grow in their faith and follow Jesus more closely.

Deacons of Harbinger Gospel Church are the hands and feet of the church’s mission, carrying out practical and administrative tasks with a servant’s heart. Their work is essential in actualizing the church’s vision within the community, from organizing house church logistics to spearheading outreach programs. Their service exemplifies the church’s emphasis on practical, compassionate Christianity, supporting the spiritual leaders and the congregation in living out the Gospel.

Each Elder is a Pastor, but not every Pastor is an Elder.

Practical Roles:

Shepherding

The people of Harbinger Church are shepherded by pastors, each playing a vital role in knowing, leading, feeding, teaching, and protecting everyone in the flock. (See Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5)

Our Pastors are entrusted with the vital role of nurturing spiritual gifts and mentoring future leaders, in alignment with the biblical model of discipleship and leadership development as outlined in Ephesians 4:11-12 and 2 Timothy 2:2. A crucial aspect of their leadership involves the art of delegation, particularly in administrative and logistical areas. It’s important to understand that while pastors may engage in logistical and administrative tasks, these functions do not define their pastoral identity nor qualify them for their role. Instead, our Pastors are encouraged to empower and utilize Deacons and other church members for such tasks. This approach allows our Pastors to focus primarily on their core responsibilities: providing spiritual guidance, walking closely with their flock, and fostering a community where everyone is equipped to grow and serve in their God-given capacities.

Our leaders are expected to be examples to the flock, serving willingly and eagerly. (Refer to 1 Peter 5:2-3, 1 Timothy 3:2-3). Current expectations do not include providing salaries to pastors, but we remain open to revisiting this as our church evolves.

Church Oversight

The Pastors receive oversight from a plurality of elders. In the event that there is only a single elder, a governance team comprised of the Harbinger elder and external pastors will be commissioned. This structure is designed to be scalable and adaptable and allows for potential expansion into a network of churches. (Refer to 1 Peter 5:1-2, Acts 20:28)

Leader Health and Accountability

We believe in the holistic wellbeing of our pastors, recognizing that their spiritual, mental, and physical health directly impacts the health of our church community. We expect our pastors to participate in regular mental health counseling, acknowledging the importance of mental wellness in their personal lives and in their pastoral roles. We also encourage our pastors to pursue physical health, understanding that a healthy body supports a healthy mind and spirit.

In addition to these personal health commitments, we believe in the power of community and camaraderie among pastors. We encourage our pastors to engage in external camaraderie with other pastors, providing mutual encouragement, guidance, and prayer. This fellowship among pastors not only strengthens each individual pastor but also enriches our church community as a whole.

Pastor Qualifications and Training

Selection of a new pastoral candidate is based on prayerful consideration of character, mirroring the examples set by Jesus, His disciples and exhibiting qualities in line with 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 2. While theological education is valued, it is not a prerequisite, emphasizing a heart for service and leadership grounded in humility and integrity. (See 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9)

Each pastoral candidate will participate in the Pastoral Leadership Collective program through partnership with the Axis Church (Nashville, TN) where they will receive formal instruction on biblical shepherding and Christocentric handling of the sacred scriptures.

Each candidate will receive an assessment from a pastor of the Axis Church, ultimately being installed at the prayerful discretion of the Harbinger Elders.

Decision Making

Significant decisions that impact the church in meaningful ways are made by the elders. This includes decisions such as but not limited to providing a salary to pastors, major financial commitments, and changes to church doctrine or practice. (Note that until the church has a plurality of elders, these decisions will be made by the elder in collaboration with the installed governance team.) 

Members of the congregation are encouraged to voice their ideas or concerns to pastors or elders directly. Similarly, pastors can voice their concerns or ideas to the elders directly. This open line of communication ensures that the perspectives and insights of the entire church family are considered in the decision-making process. 

The elders meet at least once monthly to prayerfully consider these matters. These meetings are a time for the elders to seek God’s wisdom and guidance, discuss the issues at hand, and make decisions that align with the mission and values of Harbinger Gospel Church. 

While we value and consider the feedback from members crucial, as this church model is elder-led, the final burden of decision-making lies solely on the elders.  

In all things, our decision-making process is guided by our commitment to following Jesus and helping others to follow him. We strive to make decisions that reflect the values of compassion and empathy, selfless and sacrificial living, and humility. We trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we seek to lead Harbinger Gospel Church in a way that glorifies God and serves our community. 

Elder and Pastor Removal Process

At Harbinger Gospel Church, we are deeply committed to the spiritual health and integrity of our leadership. Our elders and pastors are called to live lives that exemplify the teachings of Jesus Christ, serving the congregation with humility, compassion, and righteousness. However, we recognize that we are all fallible and that there may be times when an elder or pastor falls short of these biblical standards. In such cases, it is necessary to have a clear and loving process for addressing these issues and, if necessary, removing an individual from their leadership role. 

Process for Elder or Pastor Removal

1. 1. Biblical Grounds for Removal: The foundation for considering the removal of an elder or pastor lies in ensuring that the reasons are biblically sound, reflecting the qualifications for eldership as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Examples of disqualifications include, but are not limited to:
      1. Moral Failure: Such as adultery, theft, or dishonesty, which directly contravenes the moral and ethical standards set forth in Scripture (e.g., 1 Timothy 3:2 – “An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach…”).
      2. Doctrinal Deviation: Promoting teachings or beliefs that significantly diverge from the ‘essential doctrine’ as defined elsewhere on this website, undermining the core doctrines of our faith (e.g., Titus 1:9 – “He must hold to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.”).
      3. Abuse of Power: Utilizing their position for personal gain or to exert undue influence over others, contrary to the servant leadership model exemplified by Jesus (e.g., 1 Peter 5:3 – “Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”).
   2. Witnesses and Evidence: This step ensures that any accusations are substantiated by credible evidence, adhering to the biblical mandate for two or three witnesses (Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 21:28).
   3. Confrontation and Opportunity to Repent: Reflecting Christ’s heart for restoration, the individual is confronted in a spirit of love and given the chance to repent and make amends.
   4. Decision by Church Elders: The decision to remove an elder or pastor is made with solemn prayer and deliberation by the church’s elders in good standing (or governance team), seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
   5. Communication: The decision, along with its rationale, is communicated to the congregation with sensitivity, aiming to maintain unity and begin the healing process.
   6. Aftercare: The church commits to providing support for the removed individual, where appropriate, and for the congregation, facilitating healing and restoration. 

The process for removing an elder or pastor at Harbinger Gospel Church is designed with a dual focus: upholding the biblical standards of leadership and embodying the grace and restoration at the heart of the Gospel. Through this process, we strive to maintain the integrity of our leadership and the spiritual health of our community, always seeking to reflect the love and righteousness of Christ. 

Gender Roles in Leadership

At Harbinger Gospel Church, we affirm the inherent dignity and value of both men and women, created in God’s image and redeemed by Christ for His glorious purposes. We believe that men and women are equal in value and dignity, and that they have been given distinct roles by God as outlined in Scripture. Our stance on gender roles in the church and home is complementarian, meaning we hold that God has created men and women with complementary differences that should be affirmed and celebrated (Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 5:22-33). 
  
We recognize that the topics of complementarianism, egalitarianism, and women in ministry have been subjects of thoughtful and passionate discussion within the Christian community for centuries. These discussions reflect the diversity and depth of our shared faith. Harbinger Gospel Church respects and values this historical and ongoing dialogue, understanding that faithful Christians can arrive at different interpretations of Scripture regarding these matters (Romans 14:1-4). 
  
It is important to us that while we hold a complementarian view, we do not consider this stance to be an essential doctrine that should divide the Body of Christ. Our commitment to the Gospel and to living as followers of Jesus transcends our views on gender roles. We believe that these differences should not be a cause for breaking fellowship with one another. Instead, we embrace the opportunity to learn from and grow with those who might see these issues differently (Ephesians 4:2-6). 
  
Our leaders are intellectually intrigued and even compelled in many ways by the arguments presented by egalitarian perspectives. We approach this conversation with open hearts and minds, prayerfully expectant for the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. Our stance is held with humility, recognizing that our understanding of Scripture is continually being shaped by God’s grace and revelation (John 16:13). 
  
We are acutely aware that throughout history, certain interpretations of complementarianism have been twisted to justify the oppression of women, suggesting that they are somehow less than men in value or worth. Harbinger Gospel Church categorically rejects these distortions. We affirm that any teaching that diminishes the worth of women or any individual is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:28). In our understanding of complementarianism, leadership is not about superiority but about serving. Following the model of Jesus, we believe that men have the unique burden of being the lead servants within the church and home, laying their own lives down, embodying sacrificial love and humility (Mark 10:42-45). 
  
In alignment with our complementarian view, the roles of Elders and Pastors within Harbinger Gospel Church are reserved for qualified men, as these positions involve the authoritative teaching and oversight of the church, which we believe the Bible assigns to men (1 Timothy 2:12-14, 1 Timothy 3:1-7). However, we highly value and encourage the active participation of women in various other capacities within the church, recognizing the vital contributions they make to our community’s spiritual life and growth (Romans 16:1-2, Acts 18:24-26). 
  
As we journey together as a church family, we are committed to fostering an environment of grace, love, and mutual respect. We believe that by engaging with Scripture together, and by remaining open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can navigate our differences with wisdom and unity. Our desire is to reflect the beauty of the Gospel in our relationships with one another, celebrating the diverse ways in which God works through each of us for the advancement of His Kingdom (1 Peter 4:10-11). 
  
In all things, we seek to emulate the humility and servant leadership of Christ, who is our ultimate example. We invite all members of Harbinger Gospel Church to join us in this commitment to biblical faithfulness, mutual respect, and love as we work together to advance the Gospel in Nashville and beyond (Philippians 2:3-8).