Last September, Jim Micheff appealed to the GC Church Manual Committee for an official ruling to confirm that the MISDA interpretation of the Manual was correct.
The church manual question essentially was:
Can a conference ban a local elder from speaking in their own congregation without going through local due process?
The Village Church interpretation of the Manual, as expressed in their business meeting vote of August 3rd 2025, rejected the alleged authority of the Conference to ban a local elder without going through due process. The Church Manual outlines this process.
The Lake Union Responds
The Lake Union quoted a piece of the manual relating to invited speakers (individuals outside the local church or conference). They avoided entirely the question of the debate.
Invited or visiting speakers should have guidelines, we all accept that, but what is at issue is whether a Conference can establish guidelines that override the right of locally elected elders to preach and teach. We believe the Bible fully supports their right to preach and teach (didasko) (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
Essentially, Micheff asked the GC, and then the LUC to support his attempts to ban a local elder (Conrad Vine) from carrying out his biblical duties in the church (preaching and teaching). This is why the issue is still not settled. The Village Church (rightfully) maintains that local churches have the freedom to select their own elders, and these elders have the inherent right to preach and teach in their congregations. Notice that neither the GC or the Lake Union support MISDA's interpretation of the Manual.
What is missing in this letter from the Lake Union is significant. They declined to state that MISDA is correct in their interpretation of the Manual, in their alleged authority to ban a local elder in his local congregation. Especially when the local church expressed confidence in the man by electing him as an elder, and subsequently affirming that confidence in a duly called business meeting vote of 119 to 18.
The Office of Elder
In the book of Acts, Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time in Galatia (modern Turkey), preaching and teaching people in Antioch², Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. They had many encouraging experiences there, along with some challenges. On the way back home, they appointed elders in each of these cities (Acts 14:23). Most of these men were Godly Gentile converts. What were their qualifications? Paul himself tells us:
“Appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of 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” (Titus 1:6-9).
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:1-2).
Summary
We believe the Lake Union punted on this issue. They did not address Conrad’s role as an elected elder (and Micheff’s attempts to pressure the Village Church to remove him from office). They did not address the Village Church Business meeting and their overwhelming vote of affirmation.
The Lake Union did say that a conference should have guidelines in place that local churches can observe when inviting speakers into their congregations (this is in the Church Manual). What are those guidelines? And where are they?
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