Evangelical Free Church of
Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
(January 8, 2009 Revision)

In order to select candidates for elders, including the Church Chairman, who have the Biblical qualifications stated in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 and who are called to serve the church body in this way, the Elder team in conjunction with the Nominating Committee (NC) of Evangelical Free Church of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois will employ the following process:

1. NC: Determine potential candidates for any open Elder positions. Members of the congregation may suggest potential candidates to the NC.  Normally this step will start in the spring
    
2. Elders:  Review each candidate.  Those they affirm will continue through this nominating process.
    
3. NC: Contact potential candidates. If the candidate aspires to be an Elder and believes he meets the Biblical qualifications, give him questionnaire #1 to be returned by the stated date.  
    
4. NC: Review questionnaire #1.  If there is a concern about a candidate’s answer, the NC will contact the candidate in an effort to resolve the issue. If the concern is not eliminated to the NC’s satisfaction, the NC will remove the candidate’s name from consideration and so notify the candidate.
    
5. The candidate:  Complete questionnaire #2 by a stated date.  This questionnaire addresses his acceptance of the E-free Statement of Faith, mission statement, values document, his philosophy of serving, and his personal spiritual disciplines.
    
6.  NC (including at least one of the Elder committee members):  Interview each candidate & his wife.  The purpose is:
   • The candidate defines what he believes the Elder role involve
   • Allow the candidate to articulate his dreams and aspirations for the church and his service as an Elde
   • Allow the NC to ask any questions they might have
      
7. The candidate:  Supply the NC with names of two neighbors and two work associates who are not members of E-Free, as background references. The references are to fill out questionnaire #3 on the potential candidate’s reputation outside the church. (1 Timothy 3:7)
    
8. NC: Choose the final candidates to be presented to the church membership for consideration in the October meeting as defined in the by-laws.

Questionnaire #1 = Elder Candidate Screening Questionnaire
Questionnaire #2 = Elder Candidate Pre-Interview Questionnaire
Questionnaire #3 = Elder Background Questionnaire