The church is not a corporation, nor are pastors to be CEO's of religious franchises. While ECC feels the tension of being an organization, we attempt to so structure ourselves like an organism-the body of Christ as reflected in Paul's image of the church as a body in Ephesians 4.4-13.
There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
THE BODY OF CHRIST
We affirm the one-ness of the Church and seek to preserve its unity through the apostle's teaching, baptism and affirming Christ as Lord over all of life. Yet one-ness is not sameness. The Church's unity is not imposed but is expressed by the One Spirit through his people. This is the personal Three-In-One God who gives himself away in gifts of his Spirit embodied and reflected in persons-men and women.
THE GIFTS OF GOD
The people of ECC serve in diverse ways according to their gifts and calling without respect to status, gender or age (Acts 2.16-17). There is no ‘one size fits all'. We try to value people over programs. ECC'er's serve both within and without the Church, in the ‘marketplaces' of home, commerce, education and government so that Christ might be Lord, ‘who is over all and through all and in all' (Eph 4.6).
PASTORS AND TEACHERS-SERVANT LEADERSHIP
ECC Elders and leadership see their role as overseers as primarily connecting not controlling: ‘to prepare God's people for works of service'. The Pastoral Team cooperates and consults with the Elders. They all pray, plan and consult with others for the guidance and spiritual well-being of ECC, it's vision and strategies. As well, Care Group leaders are essential for the pastoral care and mission endeavors of ECC.
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