Elders are called to serve among and provide spiritual protection for the Church body and are accountable to Christ and the Church membership. According to the Bible, Elders are to provide leadership for the Church through prayer, the ministry of the Word, and pastoral care, and are to set the example for all Church members by their obedience to the mission of Christ and His Church (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 6:3-4; 20:28-31; 1 Corinthians 4:14-16; 1 Timothy 3:2; 5:17; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4).

Elders are selected from the adult male members of the Church as led by the Holy Spirit and affirmed by the Church membership. An Elder must have given evidence of spiritual maturity and service for an extended period of time. Elders include both staff and non-staff members.  Nominees must be a member of West Lynchburg Baptist Church for a minimum of one (1) year.

Selection Process
The selection of Elders involves: 1) Receive nominations from the congregation. 2) Assemble an Elder Ordination Council of Ordained Ministers who are currently WLBC members to confirm nominees' qualifications. 3) Present candidates to the congregation for prayerful consideration and evaluation. 4) At the November 14, 2022 Quarterly Members Meeting, a congregational vote on the proposed Constitution & Bylaws which includes the office of Elder will be held. If passed, a vote will take place on the nominated Elders. The Elders elected will begin their term on January 1.

ELDER CONSIDERATIONS
In his personal life… 
* Do you know him to be self-controlled, wise, peaceable, and gentle? 
* Is he generous and sacrificial with his money, not focused on the acquisition of wealth, and does he obtain all his money in an honest and straightforward manner? 
* Is he humble, patient, honest, and disciplined? 
* Is he above reproach, having nothing significant in his moral conduct that can be attacked?  
In his family life… 
* Does he manage his family well, assuming his responsibility as a spiritual leader? 
* If he is single, is he self-controlled? 
* If he is married, is he completely committed to his wife? 
* Is his wife a believer? 
* Do his children respect and obey him, not displaying open defiance toward him or the Lord? 
* Should other men imitate the way he leads his family? 
In his social life… 
* Is he kind and hospitable to others? 
* Is he a friend to strangers? 
* Does he show favoritism in his relationships with others? 
* Does he have a blameless reputation?  
In his spiritual life… 
* Is he saved and not a recent convert? 
* Do you consider him spiritually mature, able to make wise, biblically sound decisions? 
* Is he leading lost people to faith in Christ? 
* Is he making disciples? 
* Does he have a passion for the Gospel to be proclaimed to all nations? 
* Is he a man of prayer? 
* Does he love God’s Word, evidenced by a commitment to read, study and memorize it? 
* Is he a man known for sound scriptural doctrine, able to encourage those who don’t understand, and to refute those who oppose it? 
* Do you believe he is a man who holds firmly to biblical truth with a clear conscience, no matter what the cost to him personally? 
* Is he able to teach? 
* Is he gracious?  
Overall… 
* Do you recommend that he be considered for Elder without any reservations? * Do you believe he would uphold the Constitution, Bylaws, and Statement of Faith? 
* Do you believe this is a man that the people of the Church will/should want to imitate? 
* Is he a man who can be trusted with confidence, dealing appropriately with sensitive and/or confidential issues?