XPastor tries to help churches by providing some of the essentials for running a church—items like job descriptions, employment applications, review forms and policies. Below is the 2004 Appointment Policy of Northwest Bible Church in Dallas, Texas.

Each year, Northwest makes over 1,600 ministry and work assignments and formal and informal appointments. Assignments and appointments are made with a view to such things as passionately pursuing Christ, the Christian life, the church vision statement, teaching doctrine, modeling of behavior, trustworthiness, appropriateness of ministry, church membership, peacemaking agreement, conflict resolution agreement, background checks, legal requirements, and confidentiality agreements.

In a fashion similar to the biblical principle of delegation that Jethro recommended to Moses (Exo. 18), various entities and people are empowered to make appointments at Northwest. The Congregation annually affirms the Elders. The Elders appoint Deacons, missionaries and selected committee members. The pastors appoint staff and various team members. Each minister on the Core Vision Team, as well as the staff in Worship and Operations, appoint workers, teachers and leaders. Whether the scope of the ministry is small or great, Northwest looks to its leaders to appoint people who will serve according to the gospel of the King.

Procedures Elements

Procedures are those items that come from the Elder-approved policy and can be modified from time-to-time by the pastors. The following procedural elements illustrate the extent of work assignments and appointments at Northwest.

Community

  • 1-3 volunteer interns
  • 2-3 paid interns
  • 2-5 Paws to Care leaders
  • 2-5 Hospital Visitation leaders
  • 3-5 Stephen Ministry leaders
  • 5-10 Celebrate Recovery leaders
  • 5-10 Community Care co-leaders
  • 6-8 Community Leadership Team members
  • 6-10 Community Group shepherds
  • 15-30 Community Group co-leaders
  • 25-35 Stephen Ministers
  • 20-30 Pastoral Care workers
  • 20-30 Greeters and Ushers
  • 30-40 Community Group leaders

Equipping

  • 2-5 Career Transition Workshop leaders
  • 2-5 Women’s Bible Study Fellowship leaders
  • 4-6 paid interns
  • 6-10 volunteer interns
  • 8-12 Singles Retreat leaders
  • 8-12 Men’s Retreat planners
  • 8-12 Speakers at the January Profile Series
  • 10-20 Financial counselors
  • 12 Women’s Ministry Board members
  • 12-15 One Cause teachers and leaders
  • 13-15 Sunday Adult teachers
  • 13-15 Sunday Adult Class leaders
  • 13-15 Sunday Adult Class co-leaders
  • 15-20 Small Group leaders
  • 25-35 Equipping Class teachers
  • 20-25 Men’s Ministry planners (Car Show, Retreat, Small Groups)
  • 30-40 Singles Small Group leaders
  • 30-40 guest teachers throughout the year in various ministries

Outreach

  • 2-3 paid interns
  • 4-8 Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) leaders
  • 4-8 Hidalgo leaders
  • 4-8 Fall Fun Festival leaders
  • 4-8 International Trip leaders
  • 4-8 International Trip co-leaders
  • 5-10 Vacation Bible School leaders
  • 5-10 Local Outreach leaders
  • 5-10 Local Outreach co-leaders
  • 50-75 Local Outreach workers
  • 75-125 International Missions short-term workers
  • 100-150 Vacation Bible School workers
  • 140-200 Fall Fun Festival workers

Family

  • 2-3 volunteer interns
  • 2-5 Boy Scout adult leaders
  • 2-5 Babysitting Class teachers
  • 4-8 Learning Center co-teachers
  • 5-8 paid interns
  • 6-8 Learning Center teachers
  • 6-8 Parenting Class teachers
  • 8-12 Mother’s Day Out teachers
  • 8-12 Mother’s Day Out co-teachers
  • 8-15 Family Ministry Parent Committee members
  • 8-15 Underground Church workers
  • 8-20 Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) workers
  • 10 Parent Committee members
  • 20-35 paid nursery workers
  • 25-40 youth workers
  • 75-150 special event workers
  • 350-400 children’s workers

Operations

  • 2-7 Audio Visual Team members
  • 6-10 weekday office volunteers
  • 6-12 Worship Tech Team members
  • 8-15 Policemen
  • 20-50 special project contractors and service contractors
  • 20-75 work day helpers

Worship

  • 10-18 Impact Band members
  • 35-40 choir members

Spiritual Resources

  • 6-10 guest preachers
  • 10-15 people to various committees (Master Plan, Art in Ministry, etc.)
  • 15-20 Operations workers and custodians
  • 15-17 Administrative Assistants and Coordinators
  • 21 Ministers and Directors (Board advises on hiring Core Vision Ministers)

Board Appointments

  • 4-6 Budget and Compensation Committee members
  • 4-6 Finance Committee members
  • 4-6 Mercies Committee members
  • 4-6 Search Committee members
  • 5-8 Missions Committee members
  • 30-40 Deacons
  • 50-60 career missionaries

Congregation Affirmed

  • 4-6 Elders (nominated by the Congregation, selected by the Board)

Process for Appointing Teachers

The Elder policy on appointments identifies the Core Vision Team with the responsibility for appointing any and all teachers in the church. This includes, but is not limited to, children’s class teachers, adult class teachers, Mother’s Day Out teachers, Single’s One Cause teachers, Equipping teachers, Small Group leaders and Community Group leaders.

The policy says that such appointments shall be made with regard to: “passionately pursuing Christ, the Christian life, the church vision statement, teaching doctrine, modeling of behavior, trustworthiness, appropriateness of ministry, church membership, peacemaking agreement, conflict resolution agreement, background checks, legal requirements, and confidentiality agreements.”

The following is a general overview of how such appointments shall be made:

  1. Teachers must be in agreement with and able to teach the Doctrinal Statement of the church. A signed Doctrinal Statement shall be on file. Each teacher shall reaffirm their agreement with the Doctrinal Statement on a regular basis, not less than every other year. The Elders have a policy statement on sign gifts, which may be consulted on that issue.
  2. Teachers must be in agreement with the vision of the Elders.
  3. Teachers must be passionately pursuing Christ and desiring to live a life worthy of His calling.
  4. Teachers must be members of the church.
  5. Teachers must agree to resolve conflict with the Peacemakers agreement.
  6. Children’s teachers must agree to a background check.
  7. Teachers must agree to initial and ongoing education for personal growth, community life and vision of the church.
  8. Groups and classes may have substitutes or guest speakers, with prior notification of the Core Team member. In accordance with Elder policy, teachers and guest teachers may not do any fundraising, and this includes church missionaries. As a general rule, teachers and guest speakers will not be paid by the church, class, group or any individual. Only in rare occasions or special events, or with one teacher with a “grandfather clause” that applies only to him and not to any future replacements, will teachers and speakers be paid.
  9. Groups may request a particular teacher for their group or class. As teachers are appointed, the Core Vision Team member making the appointment must concur that the teacher is in agreement with the items stated above. With prior approval, groups may search for a new leader or teacher. Groups cannot appoint their own teacher but must do so following our Elder’s policies.

The purpose of these guidelines is not to be restrictive but to allow qualified teachers to join the ranks of our volunteer staff. The Elders hold our Core Vision Team members responsible for each teaching appointment and so they must follow due diligence on each teacher.

View the original PDF: Appointment Policy