|III|
Preface — I
Table of Contents — III
With Common Consent — 1
Our Church Order — 2
Unique Character — 3
A Few Outlines — 3
About the Church Order Itself — 5
Article 1. Purpose and Division — 7
Offices and Supervision of Doctrine — 8
Various Assemblies — 8
Worship and Ceremonies — 9
Discipline — 9
Article 2. The Offices — 10
Doctors — 10
Their Origin — 11
Article 3. The Calling to Office — 13
Calling Needed — 13
Who May Be Called? — 14
How It Is to Take Place — 15
Regulations — 16
Draw the Attention — 16
List of Candidates for Office — 17
Appointment and Call — 19
Announcements — 20
Final Steps — 21
Article 4. Eligibility for the Ministry — 22
Declared Eligible — 23
How Declared Eligible? — 24
The Examination — 25
Ministers from Non-Sister Churches — 28
According to Art. 8 — 29
Calling Twice — 29
Counsellor — 30
Article 5. Ordination and Installation of Ministers of
the Word — 32
The Examination — 35
Ministers within the Federation — 37
Ministers from Foreign Sister Churches — 39
Article 6. Bound to a Church — 40
Article 7. Recent Converts — 42
|IV|
Article 8. Exceptional Gifts — 45
The Way to Follow — 46
The Next Step — 47
Article 9. From One Church to Another — 50
Permitted to Leave — 51
A Conflict? — 53
Article 10. Proper Support — 54
Help from Sister Churches — 57
Article 11. Dismissal — 58
A Reasonable Period of Time — 60
His Position — 61
Article 12. Bound for Life — 63
Permissible Change — 64
Valid Reasons — 65
Article 13. Retirement of Ministers — 67
Disabled — 67
Bond Remains — 68
Retirement Age — 70
Allowed to Retire? — 71
Article 14. Temporary Release — 73
Article 15. Preaching in Other Places — 76
Article 16. The Office of Ministers of the Word
— 78
The First Task — 79
Readers — 81
Administer the Sacraments — 82
Prayers — 82
Teach the Youth — 83
Visit and Comfort — 84
With the Elders — 84
Article 17. Equality Among the Ministers of the Word — 86
Article 18. Missionaries — 88
Field — 90
Task — 90
After Institution — 91
Article 19. Training for the Ministry — 93
Task of Professors — 95
Article 20. Students of Theology — 97
Article 21. An Edifying Word — 100
Article 22. The Office of Elder — 102
Chosen — 103
|V|
Courses for Elders? — 104
Decline? — 105
Wesel 1568 — 105
Three Categories — 106
Supervision — 107
Visiting — 107
Remuneration — 108
Article 23. The Office of
Deacon — 109
Mercy — 109
Leadership — 110
Offerings — 111
According to Need — 112
Cooperation — 113
Article 24. Term of Office — 114
Article 25. Equality to Be Maintained — 117
Article 26. Subscription to the
Confessions — 118
Why A Subscription Form? — 119
Doubts and Different Sentiments — 121
Refusal — 122
Final Points — 123
Article 27. False Doctrine — 124
Article 28. Civil
Authorities — 127
A Grain of Truth — 128
Promote the Holy Ministry — 128
The Office-bearers — 129
Secure and Retain — 130
Confidentiality — 130
Article 29. The Ecclesiastical
Assemblies — 132
Congregational Meetings — 133
The Bond Practised — 134
The Manner in Which — 136
The Classis — 137
The Regional Synod — 138
The General Synod — 139
Federation Voluntary Yet Mandatory — 139
Article 30. Ecclesiastical
Matters — 141
Ecclesiastical Matters — 141
In An Ecclesiastical Manner — 143
The Major Assemblies — 143
The Last Sentence — 145
Article 31. Appeals — 147
Complains — 148
Copies — 149
|VI|
Appeal Denied — 150
Appeal Sustained — 151
Execution of Decision — 152
Unless — 152
A Few More Points — 153
Article 32. Credentials — 155
Contents — 155
Instructions — 157
Voting — 157
Article 33. Proposals — 159
Article 34. Proceedings — 161
On Sundays — 162
Censure — 163
Next Assembly — 164
Article 35. President — 165
His First Task — 166
Due Order — 166
A Vote? — 167
Deny the Floor — 167
Article 36. Clerk — 169
Accurate Record — 169
Acts and Minutes — 170
Article 37. Jurisdiction — 171
Jurisdiction — 173
Article 38. Consistory — 176
Consistory Necessary — 177
When and for What? — 178
Announce? — 179
Agenda — 181
Minutes — 181
Incoming Mail — 182
Question Period — 183
Press Release — 184
Ministers Preside — 184
Article 39. Consistory and the Deacons — 186
Article 40. Constitution of a
Consistory — 188
Members’ Request I — 189
Members’ Request II — 190
Wholly New Consistory? — 192
Split — 193
“Attestations?” — 193
Assets — 193
|VII|
Article 41. Places without a Consistory — 195
Article 42. Meetings of
Deacons — 197
Meetings — 197
Account — 198
Minister — 199
Article 43. Archives — 200
Article 44. Classis — 203
Examination of Credentials — 205
Agenda — 207
Frequency — 208
Chairmanship — 208
Question Period — 209
Delegates — 211
Non-delegated Ministers — 211
Open to All? — 212
Article 45. Counsellors — 214
Article 46. Church Visitors — 216
Who? — 217
When? — 218
What? — 219
Report — 221
Article 47. Regional Synod — 223
Article 48. Deputies of Regional Synod — 225
Article 49. General Synod — 227
Convening Church — 229
Upon Constitution — 230
How Does A Synod Work? — 232
Closing — 234
Acts — 234
Article 50. Churches Abroad — 236
The Basis — 237
No Ecumenical Synod — 238
As Much As Possible — 239
Point a — 240
Point b — 240
Point c — 241
Point d — 242
Point e — 242
Not To Be Condemned — 242
Article 51. Mission — 244
Article 52. Worship Services — 246
Liturgy — 247
The Salutation — 248
Elder and Benediction — 250
|VIII|
Article 53. Days of Commemoration — 252
Article 54. Days of Prayer — 254
Article 55. Psalms and Hymns — 256
Article 56. Administration of
Sacraments — 258
In A Worship Service — 258
Who? — 259
Forms — 260
Article 57. Baptism — 261
Who? — 263
Stipulations — 265
What Age? — 266
Baptism by Others — 267
When? — 268
Article 58. Schools — 270
Article 59. Baptism of Adults — 27
Article 60. Lord’s Supper — 275
Article 61. Admission to the Lord’s Supper — 278
Article 62. Attestations — 281
Why? — 282
Announcements — 283
Final Remarks — 285
Article 63. Marriage — 287
Task of Consistory — 289
Divorce — 291
Solemnization — 292
Worship Service? — 293
Article 64. Church Records — 295
Article 65. Funerals — 296
Article 66. Nature And Purpose of Church
Discipline — 298
The Old Testament — 300
Purpose — 300
The Rule — 302
Witnesses — 303
Article 67. Consistory Involvement — 306
Article 68. Excommunication — 308
The First Step — 309
The Second Step — 312
The Third Step — 313
The Fourth Step — 314
|IX|
Non-communicant Members — 315
Appeal — 316
Article 69. Repentance — 317
Announcement — 318
Article 70. Readmission — 321
Non-communicant Members — 322
Article 71. Suspension and Deposition of
Office-bearers — 323
Two Consistories with the Deacons — 324
Why the Difference? — 325
Restoration — 326
One-time “Suspension?” — 327
Retired Ministers — 328
Notification — 329
“Resignation” — 329
Discipline — 330
Article 72. Serious and Grievous Sins on the Part of Office-bearers — 331
Article 73. Christian Censure — 334
Article 74. No Lording It Over Others — 337
Article 75. Property of the Churches — 339
Article 76. Observance and Revision of the Church Order — 340
Appendix I. Regulations for the Election of
Office-bearers — 342
Commentary — 343
Ad Art. 1 — 344
Ad Art. 2 — 344
Ad Art. 3 — 344
Ad Art. 4 — 345
Ad Art. 5 — 348
Ad Art. 6 — 349
Ad Art. 7 — 349
Ad Art. 8 — 349
Final Remark — 350
Appendix II. Letter of Call — 351
Comments — 352
Finances — 353
Appendix III. Form of Subscription — 355
Appendix IV. Credentials — 356
Remarks — 356
Index — 359