1. Each person who attends NLCC on a regular basis and who has professed to be a Christian (i.e., who has wholeheartedly professed to NLCC’s Elders that they agree with the NLCC Statement of Faith) is considered to be a full participant of the Community and has a responsibility to adhere to the standards of the Community as outlined in the Bible and NLCC’s foundational documents (NLCC Statement of Faith, NLCC Distinctives). Such a person is expected to be a faithful participant in at least one of the missional communities that comprise the whole of NLCC.
2. NLCC follows the Biblical model for the standards of church leadership (1 Tim 3; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 6:3) that leadership being a council of appointed Elders (Titus 1:5). Elders must meet the Scriptural requirements in order to be considered for the Elder council (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Elders shall be prayerfully chosen by the Pastor. The Pastor(s) is/are Elders of the community. Note: For further details see the Governance Policy on Eldership.
3. The Deacon position is an administrative service role (Acts 6:1-6) intended to support the day-to-day operational activities of NLCC and to help care for the physical needs of the NLCC body of believers. As such, a Deacon has no authority other than what a specific Deacon role gives to them, according to the parameters given by the council of Elders. A Deacon shall be recommended by the NLCC community and appointed by the council of Elders.
4. While we affirm that God uses women in ministry we also recognize that the God-ordained roles of men and women are different. It is one of NLCC’s distinctives that the council of Elders of NLCC shall be male as Scripture defines (1 Tim 2:12). Women may be a Deacon so long as that Deacon role does not hold authority over a man.
5. The NLCC community is comprised of Christians. However, a non-Christian may attend gatherings (Sunday worship services), fellowship events and outreach events in order to be encouraged to surrender their life to Christ.
6. Solely according to His own counsel and will, the Holy Spirit provides spiritual gifts to Christian believers for the benefit and health of the whole church. All spiritual gifts are still active in today’s church as the Holy Spirit chooses to make them available at certain times to specific individuals. The complete list of spiritual gifts is found in Rom 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12, and 1 Peter 4:10-11.
7. NLCC is not a registered charity at this time and therefore does not issue charitable receipts.
