One of the reasons terminology matters is because the BCO is not just for professional presbyterians. Imagine the confusion of a member (maybe one under discipline or appointed or nominated for some office or role) who opened a PDF of the BCO and tried to square the infographic with the text. Even more confused would be the poor member who did a ctrl-f for “servant leaders.” It’s just not there. Most profoundly confused would be the man or woman elected or appointed as a “servant leader” (a co-ed group at the church in question) who asked himself or herself, “Am I an officer?”² The infographic says, “yes.” The BCO says, “no”…unless you are a man who has been nominated and elected by the congregation and ordained by the laying on of hands as a deacon. In this case, “servant leader” would be a non-standard term for deacon that conceals rather than reveals the true nature of the ordained office. If the “servant leader” in question is not ordained, then that person is no officer at all. Read More»
Brad Isbell | “Office Math & Mystery In The PCA” | Feb 13, 2025
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Brad Isbell
Brad Isbell is a ruling elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN, board member of More In The PCA, co-host of the Presbycast podcast, editorial member of Presbyterian Polity, and treasurer of the Heidelberg Reformation Association.
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