It’s his church, and he’s our ultimate authority. Under the guidance of Jesus are leaders who are qualified Christians committed to following Jesus and encouraging others to do the same. At Bent Tree Church, our formal leadership structure includes Shepherding Elders, Staff, and Church Members.

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Shepherding Elders
Jesus calls qualified men to lead his church as elders, whom we also refer to as Shepherding Elders or pastors. Qualifications for eldership, outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, include leading their families well, a consistent record of serving Jesus both within the church and in everyday life, thorough biblical knowledge, mature Christian living, and maintaining a good reputation both inside and outside the church.

 

The primary duties of elders include prayer and Scripture study, contributing to the church’s vision, caring for church members, teaching, exemplifying Christ-like living, protecting the congregation from false doctrine and teachers, and developing new leaders. Each Bent Tree Shepherding Elder is assigned individuals and families as part of their designated "Shepherd Group."

View Shepherding Elders >

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Staff & Key Leaders

Jesus calls qualified men and women to lead his church as staff members, also referred to as deacons. The office of deacon is first introduced in Acts 6, where elders appointed deacons to handle the growing ministry needs and administrative functions of the early church, allowing elders to focus more fully on prayer, study, leadership, and teaching.

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Bent Tree maintains a small team of paid and unpaid staff responsible for the day-to-day church administration and activities. Qualifications for deacons, found in 1 Timothy 3, include integrity, generosity, sobriety, clear biblical understanding, a well-managed household, and a reputable character both inside and outside the church.

View Staff & Key Leaders >

Members

As a growing church, Bent Tree depends on its members to support ministry and carry out much of the work required to accomplish our mission of growing together into deep-rooted disciples of Christ Jesus. It's a high calling that requires hard work—but it's also deeply rewarding.

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Bent Tree leadership aims to love and care for members well. In turn, we rely on members to fulfill our collective mission as a church body. We operate with minimal staff, budget, and programming, trusting the Holy Spirit to work through the transformed hearts of our members. This mobilizes the collective body of Christ to humbly love the city, love our church family, and glorify God on His terms.

 

How to Become a Member

If you desire a deeper commitment to Bent Tree, we encourage you to become a member.

Follow these steps to begin the process:

 

1. Connect
Attend a Sunday Service Every Week | Service Times >

Attend Starting Point | More Info >
Join a D3 Group | More Info >
Join Our Online Community | More Info >

2. Believe

Bent Tree Members must be professing Christians who believe and have faith in Jesus as God and Savior.

More About What We Believe >

 

3. Learn

Bent Tree Church offers a 4-week Membership Class to help you fully understand who we are, our beliefs, and how we operate. It's also a great opportunity to meet others and get acquainted with our leaders. We believe this understanding is crucial for making an informed membership decision. To start, simply attend the next Starting Point session.

More Info >

 

4. Commit

After completing the 4-week Membership Class, Bent Tree members affirm their commitment by agreeing to our Membership Covenant, actively participating in discipleship–evangelism, serving in the church, attending services weekly, and giving a tithe faithfully.