OF
ORGANIZATION AND INCORPORATION
Section 3 The Person and Work of the Father
Section 4 The Person and Work of the Son
Section 5 The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
Section 6 Creation, the Fall and the Total Depravity of Man
Section 8 The Assurance of Believers
Section 9 The Nature of the Believer
Section 13 The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
Section 15 The Second Advent of Christ
Section 1 The Purpose of Membership
Section 2 Qualifications for Membership
Section 3 Procedure for Receiving Members
Section 4 Annual Census of the Membership
Section 5 Termination of Membership
Section 3 Congregational Business Meetings
Section 4 Regu1ar Business of the Church
Section 6 Nominations and Elections
ARTICLE 1
The name of this church is
ARTICLE 2
This church exists to glorify God by making disciples of all people, through the means of: prayer, evangelism, teaching, fellowship and worship.
ARTICLE 3
ORGANIZATION AND INCORPORATION
This church is an independent non-denontinationa1, church: The authority of this church derives from the Lord Jesus Christ and is vested in its membership, governed through its appointed officers and according to this constitution.
The title to the property and buildings, and the ownership of all church equipment is vested in the membership.
The legal organization of this church is specified in The Articles of Incorporation, which are included herein by reference.
ARTICLE 4
This church shall have fellowship with other Bible-believing churches and individuals of like faith.
ARTICLE 5
We teach the following fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired and divinely preserved Word of God, inerrant in the original languages, the complete authority for faith and life, infallible and God-breathed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Mt. 5:18, John 16: 12-13)
A. There is one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit ... co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4, Mt. 28:19-20, 2 Cor. 13:14)
B. This Triune God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth; and He is creator of all things. (John 4:24, Luke 24:39, Ps. 90:2, Gal. 3:6, James 1:17, Is. 44:24, Rev. 9:6, 1 John 3:20, Ps. 147:5, Ps. 139:7-10, Jer. 23:24)
A. The Father, who
is spirit, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, was active in creation and, along
with the Son sustains the creation. He is the first cause and source of all
things. (John
B. The Father willed
and decreed the plan of salvation. He elects, calls, justifies, forgives,
reconciles, adopts and glorifies the redeemed. (7Matt 26:39, Rom.
A. The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. (John 1:1-2, 14, Luke 1:3 5)
B. The Lord Jesus
Christ accomplished our redemption through His life of perfect obedience to the
Law, His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary
sacrifice, and our justification is made sure by His literal, physical,
resurrection from the dead. (Rom.
C. The Lord Jesus
Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where,
as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor,
and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10, Heb.
A. The Holy Spirit
is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment,
and He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into
the Body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.
(John 16:8-11,2 Cor. 3:6, 1 Cor. 12:12-14,
B. He is the Divine
Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and it is the privilege and duty
of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John
God created the heavens and the earth from nothing, by His
Word, in seven days. Man was created in the image and likeness of God, but in Adam’s
sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God.
Man is totally depraved, and, of himself, totally unable to remedy his lost
condition. The created order, declared good by God when He created it, was
subjected to the effects of the fall of Man and sin. It awaits redemption in
its current imperfect state. (Gen. 1:26-27,
Salvation is the gift
of God brought to man by grace alone and received by personal faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on
A. All the redeemed, once saved, are preserved by God’s power and are in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30, Rom. 8:1, 38-39, 1 Cor. 1:4-8, 1 Peter 1:5)
B. It is the
privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through
the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of
Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. This privilege is contingent
upon a continuing walk in the Spirit, without which such assurance is
presumptuous. (Rom.
Every saved person possesses power to lead a life of
Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father through the
indwelling Holy Spirit; but claims to perfection in this life are unscriptural.
(Rom.
A. The Church, which
is the body and espoused Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of
all the saved. (Eph. 1:22-23,
1 Cor. 11:12)
B. The establishment
and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New
Testament Scriptures. (Acts
There are two church ordinances: water baptism for believers and the Lord’s Supper.
(1 Cor. 11:23-24, Acts
It is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by
word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all
mankind. (Mark
A. God is sovereign
in the bestowment of spiritual gifts, which He gives to every believer for the
perfecting of the saints, who then are to do the work of the ministry. We teach
that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the
New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established.
1 (1 Cor. 12:4-11,2 Cor. 12:12, Eph. 4:7-12,
B. God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His awn will, for the sick and afflicted. (John 15:7, 1 John 5:14-15)
Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of The
Fall; he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and he, the fallen
angels and unsaved mankind shall be eternally punished in the
1 We do not break fellowship with other believers who differ with us on these issues; however, speaking in tongues and sign miracles are not practiced in our assembly or taught.
We teach the personal, imminent, coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones and His eternal reign with them in the new heavens and new earth. (1 Thes. 4:13-18,
Rev. 19:11-16, 21:1—4, 1 Thes.
Ail men will be bodily resurrected, the saved to eternal
life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Mt. 25:46, John
5:28-29,
ARTICLE 6
The New Testament presents a picture of individuals who, once committed to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, identified themselves with and committed themselves to a particular local body. In order to implement the principles of accountability and commitment to the local body of Christ, as defined in the New Testament and practiced in the early churches, this church recognizes the need for formal membership. We also recognize that the body of Christ includes every regenerated believer, whether a member of this church or not.
Any person desiring to unite with this church shall:
A. Express personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
B. Give clear evidence of having been born again and demonstrate a sincere desire to live a godly, exemplary, separated, and obedient Christian life.
C. Shall obey Christ in submitting to believer’s baptism or give evidence that they have submitted to believer’s baptism at a previous church.
D. Submit to the Constitution and officers of the church.
E. Agree to support this church with prayers, faithful attendance, and systematic
giving as taught in the Word of God.
F. Not be under discipline by any other church.
A. The candidate for membership shall submit his application to the Elders on the form provided by the church.
B. The candidate shall be examined by the Elders.
C. Upon satisfactory examination, the applicant shall be recommended to the congregation for a vote of acceptance.
D. Any dissenting vote shall require re-examination with the reason for the dissenting vote requested; the decision of the Elders shall be final.
B. An approved applicant with membership in another church shall be given the choice of requesting a letter of transfer, or simply notifying his former church that his membership is to be discontinued to avoid dual membership.
F. Associate membership may be permitted for missionaries, temporary residents, or minor children (under age 18) as approved by the Elders.
G. At age 18 children of members cease their associate membership status and are deemed as visitors or non-member attendees unless they qualify for associate membership as either a missionary or temporary resident, such as in military service. Full membership must be attained through the steps specified in paragraphs 3.A through 3.E above.
Every year, during the month of January, the membership list will be reviewed. Reductions to the list will be accomplished in accordance with Section 5 below.
A. By death.
B. By erasure:
1. Any member uniting with another church thereby ceases to be a member of this church and his name shall be dropped from the roll.
2. Any member, for any reason, may request to have his membership canceled and his name erased from the roll.
3. After repeated or prolonged absence and inquiry by the Elders, a member shall be dropped from the roll.
C. By church discipline. (See Article 8)
ARTICLE 7
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, we do now in the presence of God, angels and his assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as members of the Body of Christ.
1. We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in the Christian life; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
2. We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to educate our children in the Christian faith; to seek the salvation of our families, friends and acquaintances; to walk carefully in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful and exemplary in our conduct; to avoid all gossiping, backbiting and anger; to seek peace with all men; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our
Savior.
3. We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feelings and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay.
4. We also engage, in order to promote the effectiveness of this testimony, to cooperate with those in places of leadership, and to accept positions of responsibility according to biblical qualifications and the call of God.
ARTICLE 8
To safeguard the testimony of this church, any person who has submitted to the authority
and spiritual leadership of this church, and whose life or teaching is in continual disobedience to the Word of God, shall be subject to discipline by the church. The disciplinary process, described herein, shall be conducted under the oversight of the
Elders.
The purpose of discipline shall be to remedy the wrong, restore the erring one, preserve the purity and testimony of the church, and maintain the blessing of God upon the endeavors of this church.
All discipline shall be administered according to the pattern established in the Bible. (Mt.
18: 15-17, Gal. 6:1, 1 Cor. 5:1-13). We hold this pattern to be as follows:
(1) Determine if a sin has been committed, (2) Go to the individual privately, (3) Go to the individual plurally, with the Elders, (4) Discretely notify the congregation of the sin, (5) If the individual refuses to listen to the church, break Christian association and fellowship with the individual and treat them as an unbeliever until public repentance.
Because of 1 Cor. 6:1-8, we the
people of
ARTICLE 9
The authority of this church derives from the Lord Jesus Christ and shall be vested in its membership, governed through its appointed officers and according to this Constitution.
The fiscal year of this church shall be from January 1 to December 31.
A. There shall be an annual business meeting of the church in January. Special meetings may be called by the Elders or one-fourth of the church membership. All specially called business meetings must be announced at the morning worship service prior to the business meeting, or all resident members must be duly notified.
B. In all business meetings, a majority vote of members present shall be required, except when calling a pastor, or making amendments. (See Article 9, Section 5, Paragraph A,
Division 4, and Article 12, Paragraph 3)
C. Voting privileges (nominations, appointments, motions, and voting) at business meetings shall be limited to members in full membership standing who are eighteen years of age or older.
D. If possible, an Elder shall act as chairman in all business meetings.
E. If a vote is required, a secret ballot vote may be requested in any business meeting by any member qualified to vote.
F. Parliamentary procedures shall be followed unless otherwise stated in this
Constitution.
A. The regular business of the church shall be conducted by the active Elders and Deacons. Full minutes of all meeting shall be kept and made available.
B. The Elders and Deacons shall be the executive body of the congregation in its dealings with all outside agencies. They shall exercise supervision over the general work of the church and organizations within the church, to include appointment to such offices as Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and Clerk.
C. Elders shall meet as required to plan and execute the spiritual affairs of the church, oversee the work of the Deacons, and provide leadership in the work of the ministry.
D. Deacons shall meet as required to plan and execute the material affairs of the church.
E. The Elders and Deacons shall not encumber with loan; buy, sell or transfer any major property or real estate involving the church without authority from the membership.
F. Elders and or Deacons shall be the official representatives to act for the church in all legal business transactions.
G. Any individual serving in any capacity, upon retiring from his office or position, shall be required to relinquish any and all church records of any description, which shall be in his possession, to his successor or to the Elders,
A. Elders
1. Elders have the ultimate responsibility for the spiritual oversight of this church and the shepherding of the congregation. They plan and execute the spiritual affairs, oversee the work of the Deacons, and provide leadership in the work of the ministry.
2. Elders shall be appointed from among the male members of this church and shall meet the spiritual qualifications set forth in the Word of God (1 Tim. 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9). As God provides, qualified men shall be appointed as
Elders. All Elders are subject to the church’s disciplinary procedures. (See Article 8)
3. Some Elders give
more time to the spiritual leadership than others and are called to fill more
demanding responsibilities. They are worthy of “double honor” (monetary
compensation - 1 Tim.
4. Pastors shall be called by the action of the membership in a duly called business meeting of the congregation. A three-fourths majority vote of church members present shall be required to call a pastor. If disciplinary action results in dismissal or a pastor resigns, thirty days notice shall precede the effective date of dismissal or resignation, unless by mutual agreement.
B. Deacons
1. Deacons are to serve under the direction of the Elders, undertaking those areas of service necessary for the church’s functioning that would otherwise prohibit the Elders from performing their Biblical responsibilities.
2. Deacons shall be appointed as qualified men are available for the office.
All Deacons are subject to the church’s disciplinary procedures. (See
Article 9)
3. Deacons shall be appointed from among the male members of this church and shall meet the spiritual qualifications set forth in the Word of God (1 Tim. 3:8-13).
C. Deaconesses
1. Deaconesses shall be appointed from the female members of this church to assist the Elders and Deacons in looking after the spiritual needs of the church (especially among the women), take an active interest in the sick and bereaved, and instruct the younger women.
2. Deaconesses shall be women of good report both within and without the church and shall meet the qualifications of 1 Tim. 3:11 and Titus 2:3-5.
D. Any tenure of office or elected position may be terminated at any time by resignation or discipline.
A. Currently serving Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses will be nominated for reaffirmation at the annual congregational business meeting.
B. The currently active Elders shall nominate additional Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses as God provides qualified men and women.
C. The nominated individuals will be placed before the congregation for their appointment, to be recognized and affirmed by vote.
ARTICLE 10
No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any donor, member, officer of the corporation or any private individual and no donor, member, or officer of the corporation or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the corporation assets. Upon dissolution any assets of the corporation shall be conveyed as determined by a congregational meeting, provided said conveyance complies with Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE 11
It shall lie within the province of this church to ordain to the Gospel ministry such men as have a desire, can give a satisfactory account as to their conversion, call to the ministry, and preparation for the same. Examination of the applicant as to these matters shall be in a public meeting and shall be conducted by the Elders or by a duly selected and qualified group of pastors assembled for this purpose.
ARTICLE 12
This Constitution shall not be changed at any time in the future by any amendment to any article or provision of this Constitution wherein it provides for the complete autonomy and self-government of this church; but this Constitution may be otherwise amended by the action of the membership assembled in congregational meetings for such purpose.
Any proposed amendment must be publicized to the congregation at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which action is taken.
Amendments to the Constitution shall require a three-fourths majority vote of members present at a congregational business meeting