Emmitt Beall
Term Expires in 2024
It's time to elect three new Elders! Church members should have received a letter with voting instructions, a ballot, and candidate information sheet in the mail the week of October 16. The deadline for members to cast their ballot was Sunday, November 6. Please contact the church office at 615.373.8074 or with any questions.
Per Article VIII, Section 3(a) of the church's bylaws, the Elders are nine elected laymen and the senior pastor (ex-officio) who provide general oversight and administration of the church. Serving as corporate directors, they are responsible to:
- Provide oversight over church finances
- Provide oversight over all committees, teams, and taskforces (except the Pastor Search Taskforce)
- Recommend to the membership for approval a Nominating Committee from the church membership
- Recommend to the membership for approval of the vision, goals, and strategies for the effective and efficient accomplishment of the church’s mission
- Promote congregational fellowship, harmony, and unity
In the absence of a Senior Pastor, assess the need for and engage an interim pastor
Current Elders
NEW ELDERS ELECTED: On November 9, 2022, Larry Swift, Tommy White, and Jim Woodbury were elected to serve as Elders and will begin their three-year terms on January 1. Thank you to Todd Carter, Gary Hauk, and Bob Haynes, whose terms will conclude at the end of the year.
The current Elders and the year their terms expire are as follows:
Todd Carter
Term Expires in 2022
Gary Hauk
Term Expires in 2022
Bob Haynes
Term Expires in 2022
Mark Hilner
Term Expires in 2024
Milton Smith
Term Expires in 2024
Lee Stockstill
Term Expires in 2023
Travis Walters
Term Expires in 2023
Russ Willis
Term Expires in 2023
Jay Hardwick
Elder Ex-Officio / Senior Pastor
Qualifications & Election
According to our church's constitution and bylaws...
- An Elder must be a mature Christian man who meets the standards for an Elder described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-4, and Titus 1:6-9. The Elder should be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined, respectable, hospitable, managing his own family well and in a manner worthy of full respect. He must also have demonstrated a shepherd’s heart and a spirit of humility through a history of selfless service to and through the church, such as serving as a Deacon, teaching Sunday School or Bible study, serving on committees or ministry teams, regularly volunteering and serving in church ministries, and other similar acts of service. This service will be exemplified by our Lord’s teaching on leadership and humility (Matthew 20:27-28; Luke 10:9-14; Luke 14:1-11). An Elder must be a God-fearing man who shows the Fruits of the Spirit in his life. He must also be able to teach others the way of the Lord and defend truth in the face of false teaching (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Titus 1:9). He must not be quarrelsome (1 Timothy 3:3) or enter into senseless controversies (1 Timothy 1:3 and 6:4-5).
- Additionally, an Elder must be at least 30 years old, have been a believer and a member of FHBC for at least five years prior to beginning his term of service (1 Timothy 3:6), be a practicing financial tither to the church, and over the past three years have demonstrated active, faithful, and selfless service to the church as set out above.
- A man shall not be eligible to serve as an Elder for a period of two years following the end of his most recent term of service as an Elder.