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:

Emmitt Beall

Term Expires in 2024

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.