How are Decisions Made at ZPC?

by Glenn McDonald
ZPC Senior Pastor

Christian leaders of every generation agree that prevailing prayer, humility, and reflection on Scripture are the surest ways to hear God’s direction for a local church. While the Bible provides only a few specific guidelines as to how congregations should be led, Christians have historically developed three forms of church administration. All three are on display every day in central Indiana and around the world.

The Episcopal approach can best be described as a pyramid, with the highest levels of governing power lodged at the top. Decisions are made in a top-down fashion by a comparatively small number of people. In the Roman Catholic Church, for instance, the Pope and the College of Cardinals make decisions that are binding on Catholics throughout the world. Episcopal churches tend to be stable, but may become rigid.

Congregational churches exemplify the one person-one vote philosophy that can best be described as pure democracy. Every adult member of the fellowship is empowered to vote on a majority of important issues. Baptist and independent community churches take this approach to decision-making. Congregational churches tend to be fluid and responsive, but may become chaotic.

The Presbyterian form of government, as fashioned by John Calvin and John Knox in the 16th century, is immediately recognized by Americans as the basis for the U.S Constitution. It can be described as representative democracy. Members of a church or a community vote to elect elders (or congressional representatives) who make decisions on behalf of the whole. Presbyterian churches attempt to balance public dialogue and discernment with placing trust in gifted, mature men and women.

ZPC’s governing board is called the session. It is comprised of twelve elected elders and the five current members of our pastoral staff. While the session is charged with final responsibility for the entire life of our church, the authority to make particular decisions is regularly entrusted to staff members, lay leaders, and ministry teams. The elders routinely seek insight and feedback throughout the ZPC church family; open forums like the town hall meeting, surveys, small group discussions, and private conversations are all important means of hearing God’s direction for our congregation. Please visit the website for a list of current elders, (zpc.org, click on “about ZPC”, then select “elders.”)

Occasionally our elders and pastors will choose to meet in “executive session,” which means a members-only discussion. But the great majority of session meetings are open to any ZPCer who wishes to experience our process of discernment firsthand.

Financial Update

by Dave Rausch
ZPC Treasurer

ZPC has been abundantly blessed with your generous response to the “T2” campaign, which has now been fully subscribed. For that reason, this week’s (and future) financial updates will no longer include a separate summary of this campaign.

As ZPC has recently completed its 2007/2008 fiscal year (June 1 – May 31), prayerful attention has been given to operational budget and cash flow concerns that heightened in the spring, and have recently been discussed. As we enter the 2008/2009 fiscal year, ZPC has been blessed with gifts that have initially pushed actual operational income above budget for this immediate period. We are most grateful for these additional gifts and the generosity that will begin to address recent operational shortfalls. We continue to trust that God will guide our financial path in the days ahead.

Last, but certainly not least, ZPC has been blessed with the gift of Laura Axelson who has served as Controller for the past 3 years, thank you so much! We will miss Laura as she deservedly leaves to spend more time with her family. In the interim period until her position is filled, we are grateful to have the services of Mike Robertson. Mike has previously served as an interim Controller, member of the church Finance Committee, and as ZPC’s Treasurer.