Church Trustees

QUESTION RECEIVED:

My church is reviewing and revising their bylaws. The question is whether there are biblical scriptures that represent the duties of trustees as stewards and managers of God's house?

MY ANSWER:

What is a church trustee? A trustee is a church office that tends to temporal affairs in churches that are incorporated. Sometimes trustees are deacons or elders. Sometimes they are not. Legal matters are their responsibility with the government and banks.
These trustees represent the church and authorize the physical care of the facility and endorse the church's commitment on financial obligations and legal contacts. e. Your church denomination or tradition by their constitution or by-laws describes the Trustees official function. Trustee, as you know is not a Bible sanctioned office. It is an office or position dealing again with the government, financial institutions and focuses on the physical care and finance of church facilities due to the nature of society and how it deals with institutions like the Church.

So a Trustee represents Christ and His church even if it is not a biblically sanctioned position. This person or people needs financial and legal savvy to represent the church. I think morally you should look to Scripture for character traits for the office of Overseer and Deacon. This would put your church on the right tack.

1 Timothy 3:1-13 (ESV)
"1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
Qualifications for Deacons

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus."

I think the character traits listed above, combined with the candidate's gift of leadership and finance are what should be focused on. The church servant should have a solid testimony of conversion to Christ as their Savior.
The reputation of Christ and His church are reflected to the community in the trustee's reputation.