Course Syllabus
Congregational Voting

Welcome to POL-101 Congregational Voting: A Biblical and Practical Assessment. So glad you decided to take this course.

In this course we will provide a thorough review of congregational voting, including its history, relation to polity, biblical and practical weaknesses, and how it can be improved to allow Baptist churches to prosper once again.

Here, I want to give you a thumbnail of what is covered in the course itself, how it is set up, and how to get help if you need it. 

OVERVIEW

Course details

Course name: POL-101 Congregational Voting: A Biblical and Practical Assessment

Instructor: Dr. Wes Moore

Method of delivery: This course is asynchronous, meaning you complete it on whatever schedule is best for you. All the content is available on demand, so you can access it at any time.

Grading: To pass the course, you must score 90% or better on each Learning Assessment, including the Final Learning Assessment. You can take them as many times as you need, and there is no time limit.

Getting help: If you have any questions along the way, or run into any problems, please email us.
INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Wes Moore

I am an author, teacher, and founder of Prophet Scholar Academy. I am passionate about preparing men of God to change the church and culture through the power of the Bible.
CERTIFICATION

Become certified to revitalize a Baptist church

This course is part of a comprehensive certification program called the Certified Baptist Revitalization Specialist (CBRS). This program prepares men to assist churches, pastors, and denominations in addressing the biblical causes of church decline, thereby making genuine revival possible.

If you are interested in learning more, visit the CBRS Program page.

OFFERINGS

What you will learn

  • The history of congregational voting in Baptist churches
  • How voting contradicts texts that give authority to the elders
  • The lack of vote counts and voting processes in the New Testament
  • The practical weaknesses and destructive consequences of voting
  • Christ's call to unity and the means to attain it without voting 
  • An analysis of four verses offered to support voting

content

Course components

Lecture videos

These are pre-recorded 5-15 minutes videos on topics related to the course. Most courses have videos for nearly every topic, and transcripts are available for each one. 

Articles

Sometimes lecture videos will be complemented by written articles on key subjects. These may appear in text form within the platform itself, as pdfs to download, or as links to websites.

Learning exercises

These are learning games used to help you remember the course content and prepare you for the Learning Assessments (next item). They are not graded. Generally, every lecture or article will have at least one learning exercise. 

Learning assessments

These are the graded portions of the course. They contain standard multiple choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank questions. There is one Learning Assessment per module and one Final Learning Assessment for the entire course.

You must earn a 90% or better to pass each of them. Don't worry, though. If you participate in all the Learning Exercises, you will know most of the answers by heart (all assessment questions come from the exercises), and you will pass these easily.

Additional resources

Many modules provide additional material to help you in learning the course content or using it in ministry. These sections are not graded. 
COURSE SUMMARY

Course flow & schedule

Module 1: Introduction to Congregational Voting

  • Congregational voting: definition and relation to polity
  • A brief history of congregational voting
  • Voting contradicts the authority of the elders
  • Missing vote counts and processes in the New Testament
  • Module 1 Learning Assessment

Module 2: The Weaknesses of Congregational Voting

  • Unequal participation & winners and losers
  • Unity without voting: Christ's call & step 1
  • Unity without voting: steps 2-3
  • Module 2 Learning Assessment

Module 3: Verses Justifying Voting

  • 1 Peter 2:9 - the priesthood of believers
  • 1 Corinthians 2:12 - the indwelling Spirit
  • 2 Corinthians 2:6 - the "majority"
  • 2 Corinthians 8:19 - the "choosing"
  • Module 3 Learning Assessment

Module 4: A Better Way than Voting

  • Step 1 - empower and trust teams
  • Step 2 - communicate constantly
  • Step 3 - adopt the Informative Voting process
  • Module 4 Learning Assessment 

Final Learning Assessment

Final course exam covering all modules
NEXT STEPS

What to do now

1. Follow the course navigation menu

All items included in the course are in the course navigation menu.

2. Work through course items in order

Start at the top and work your way down. Don't skip anything.

3. Once a task is completed, go to the next

Once everything is completed, you're all done.

4. Keep learning

If you are ever unsure about what to do next feel free to send us an email!