Meet the Board of Elders

Tim Ryan

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Trent Thompson Headshot

Trent Thompson

Senior Pastor
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Dave Baechtle

Chair
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Dave Balinski

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Ned Davis Headshot

Ned Davis

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Brock Heller Headshot

Brock Heller

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Tim Jones

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Matt Krise Headshot

Matt Krise

Vice-Chair
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Dave Mills Headshot

Dave Mills

Treasurer
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John Nesbitt Headshot

John Nesbitt

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Nate Shuff Headshot

Nate Shuff

Secretary
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Wendell Witter

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CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

We, the members of the congregation of the Evangelical Free Church of America, commit and voluntarily submit ourselves to the a Constitution and By-Laws.

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Elder Nominations

Elders have one of the most important roles in our church as they guard doctrine and oversee that the mission of the church is being fulfilled. This process begins with recommendations from the congregation.

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  • Qualifications of an Elder

    An elder at West Shore Free Church must be a male member of our church.

    While no one is perfect, an elder consistently exhibits in his life and character the Biblical profile of a spiritual leader as identified by Paul in I Timothy and Titus:

    Timothy 3:1-7: Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. NIV

    Titus 1:5-9: The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. NIV

MOre About Our Elders