Governance

Sovereign Grace Churches is a community of congregations. Membership is voluntary and the principles of elder rule and the autonomy of the local church are respected and encouraged. We align ourselves with one another by committing to the principles and practices prescribed by our Book of Church Order.

“Each local body stands in need of other local bodies in a relationship of interdependence.”

— SGC Book of Church Order

Our governmental structure is representative and decentralized. Every pastor is a member of a Regional Assembly of Elders. Every church appoints a delegate to serve on the Council of Elders. In this way, all denominational authority is derived from and certified by our local elderships.

Book of Church Order

The Book of Church Order defines the structure and key values of our gospel partnership together in Sovereign Grace Churches. Subscription to The Book of Church Order requires elders to comply with what it explicitly mandates and refrain from what it explicitly forbids, while operating in biblical wisdom according to Sovereign Grace values in all other matters. The Book of Church Order does not provide detailed direction for every action we take in the normal course of our life together, but it does provide values that guide us and specific direction for some crucial decision points.

Rules for Parties in Adjudications

These Rules are intended to help us engage in a distinctly Christian adjudication as we help people resolve disputes in an orderly and biblically faithful manner. We desire to create a fair, just, and biblical process that is clear and helpful for all plaintiffs, defendants, and adjudicators. Adjudication is a serious matter that can have serious consequences in the church and even in the civil courts. Further, these matters can impact our unity in the church, our Christian testimony, and our integrity before God. For all these reasons the greatest care should be taken in these matters. These Rules for Parties in Adjudications combined with Part IV of our Book of Church order are designed to help all parties achieve these aims.