Church Constitution

 

 

ARTICLE I –MEMBERSHIP

 

Section I – Qualifications:

Those desiring to become members of First Baptist Church must meet the following qualifications:

1). They must publicly profess faith in Jesus Christ.

2). They must have been baptized by immersion following salvation.

3). They must agree with the church covenant, current position statements, and constitution.

4). They must not be under church discipline.

5). They must go through the membership process as outlined below.

 

Section II – Admissions Process:

1). Request: Anyone desiring membership with our church is encouraged to indicate this decision by informing any member of First Baptist Church.

2). Application: After requesting membership, the pastor or deacons will give that person an application. After you have completed this application, you will be scheduled to meet with the deacons.

3). Interview: The primary purpose of this interview is to make certain that you are a believer who has been baptized and is in agreement with our ministry. It also provides an opportunity for our leaders to get to know you better.

4). Stewardship meeting: After steps 2 & 3 have been completed, at the next stewardship meeting, you will be recommended by the deacons for membership. You must receive at least a 2/3 affirmative vote of members present. You will be recommended by the deacons for membership to our church for one of the following reasons.

1. On the basis of your profession of faith,
2. And, the absence of evidence of legitimate church discipline.

5). Reception: Following the stewardship meeting, with the vote of approval of the congregation, a member will be assigned to notify you and officially extend the right hand of fellowship.

 

Section III – Termination of Membership: Membership may be terminated because of the following:

1. Transfer of membership: Any member desiring to join another church will be removed from
   the roll pending the request from another church. This action will be taken at the next stewardship meeting.
2. Neglect: Any member who fails to support our church by not attending for four months
   will automatically be placed on the inactive delinquent list. This designation prohibits them from holding
   office or
   voting in stewardship meetings. During this absence, leaders from the church will attempt to restore them to our
   fellowship and inform them of their membership status. If another six months pass without their attendance, they
   will be removed from the membership roll at the next stewardship meeting. We recognize that there may be those
   who
   desire to attend our services and yet are hindered by legitimate reasons such as health limitations or college
   attendance. Their membership status will be at the discretion of the deacons.
3. Request: Any individual may request to have their name taken off our membership roll.
   If this request is made to avoid church disciplinary action, no letter of transfer will be provided if they
   desire
   to join another church in the future.
4. Discipline:
   1. The Bible clearly calls local churches to exercise church discipline for the following reasons:
      1. To maintain purity in the church (I Corinthians 5:6)
      2. To deter other members from following the same sinful path (I Timothy 5:20)
      3. To prompt repentance and reconciliation (Galatians 6:1)
   2. Every church member is accountable to the church and is subject to discipline. Those who
      profess Christ and
      regularly worship at First Baptist Church will also be confronted for their sinful conduct that brings
      reproach
      on Christ and His church. The church leadership may ask them to discontinue worshipping at our assembly
      if they
      refuse to repent of their sin. All church disciplinary procedures will follow the three-fold pattern
      outlined in
      Matthew 18:15-17.
   3. The deacons may recommend that a member be dismissed for continual unrepentance in any of the
      following areas:
      1. Divisiveness: repeatedly creating unrest by defying the church’s authority and
         sowing discord
         among the brethren (Proverbs 6:19, Titus 3:10).
      2. Disorderly conduct: Sinful behavior that brings reproach upon the name of
         Christ and His Church (I Corinthians 5:1-13; II Thessalonians 3:6).
      3. Doctrinal error: Holding a position on a fundamental doctrine that is
         clearly not
         Biblical (Romans 16:17-18; II Peter 2:1; Revelation 2:14-16). This would include a denial of key
         doctrines such as the Trinity,
         the Deity of Christ, the blood atonement, justification by faith alone, the inspiration,
         inerrancy, and sufficiency of
         the Scriptures, or the physical resurrection of Christ. This determination will be made by the
         pastor(s) and deacons.
         The church leadership will make a diligent effort to correct and instruct the erring brother or
         sister before any
         discipline occurs.
   4. The vote for dismissal from the membership may take place at a stewardship meeting or a
      specially called
      stewardship meeting, provided that notification of this meeting has been posted two weeks in advance.
      Those
      subject to dismissal will be notified of the meeting and will be provided an opportunity to speak in
      their
      defense or repent of their offense. The vote for dismissal requires a 2/3 majority of voting members
      present.
5. Death: This will be done automatically without any need for church action.

 

Section IV – Duties of Members: These are specifically mentioned in our church covenant.

 

 

ARTICLE II – CHURCH DISCIPLINE

 

Section 1.  Delinquency of Members

It shall be the duty of the Board of Deacons to annually examine the church roll and to determine if any members may have become inactive, openly inconsistent in their personal living, or opposed to the doctrinal position of this church.  In any case where this is found to be true, the Board shall, by formal action on its part, place the name of such member on a “Delinquent List,” and shall institute prayerful and diligent efforts to bring about restoration.  If, after at least three months of such prayerful efforts, there shall be no apparent improvement in the situation, the Board may, at its discretion, recommend to the church that the delinquent member be placed on an “Inactive List.”  The recommendation shall be carried out if sustained by a 2/3 vote of members present and voting (by written ballot if requested by any voting member) at a properly called meeting of the church, and the delinquent member shall be notified of the action taken.  A member shall be carried on the “Inactive List” for not more than one year, during which time they shall not be considered in “good standing,” and that member shall not be eligible to vote or to hold a church office.  If, during this one-year probationary period, the delinquent member gives no evidence of desire or willingness to be restored to active status, their name shall be automatically dropped from the roll.  If, however, there shall be manifested on the part of the delinquent member a desire and willingness to come back into full fellowship of the church, they may at any time before the expiration of the one year be restored to active membership by a majority vote of the members present and voting by written ballot at a properly called stewardship meeting.

 

Section 2.  Fair Hearing

Any accusation against a member shall first be brought before the Board of Deacons before being taken to the church.  An accused member shall in all cases be given an opportunity to appear on their own behalf before the Board, and shall be given a full and fair hearing before any disciplinary action shall be recommended to the church.  When propriety so requires, the deaconesses shall be asked to meet with the Board of Deacons at such a hearing.

 

Section 3.  Final Authority

In all matters of church discipline, the church shall be the final authority.  Action to remove a delinquent or accused member shall require a 2/3 vote of members present and voting by written ballot at a properly called meeting of the church.

 

 

ARTICLE III – STEWARDSHIP MEETINGS

 

Section I – General Information:

Church stewardship meetings are an important way that we express our congregational involvement in the ministry of the church. We desire that all our services and stewardship meetings be done “decently and in order.” The purpose of our stewardship meetings is to inform the church body of significant developments and to discuss and vote on proposals brought before the church. All active members over the age of 16 are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion and voting process. No voting by proxy shall be allowed. Those who are not members and those under 16 are also welcome to attend unless otherwise announced. A Quorum of 20% of the voting members is required to conduct a church stewardship meeting.

 

Section II – Agenda:

Church members may submit in writing items to be considered at future stewardship meetings to the pastor(s) or deacons. These item(s) will be discussed at the next scheduled deacons’ meeting. If approved, they will go on the agenda for the next stewardship meeting. An agenda of the items to be voted on will be posted on the church bulletin board one week before the meeting. Votes will be taken only on items on the agenda.

 

Section III – Stewardship Meetings:

Church stewardship meetings will be conducted monthly as needed (if there are no items for the agenda, there will be no meeting) to discuss and vote on the business of the church. These meetings will also provide information to the church family on the direction of the church. At these meetings, the minutes from the previous stewardship meeting will be presented as well as reports from various ministries within the church.

 

Section IV – Annual Stewardship Meeting:

This meeting will be held in April. The church will elect church officers for the coming year. Any other items that have been posted on the agenda may also be voted on at this time.

 

Section V – Emergency Stewardship Meetings:

These meetings may be called at any time as determined by the pastor(s) and deacons of the church. The agenda for these meetings will be announced and posted one week previous to the meeting. On occasion, situations may arise that require immediate attention as determined by a consensus of the pastor(s) and deacons. In such cases, the emergency meeting will be announced with as much advance notice as possible.

 

Section VI – Moderator:

The moderator of church stewardship meetings will be the pastor. In the absence of the pastor, the chairman of the deacons may moderate the stewardship meeting.

 

 

ARTICLE IV – THE OFFICE OF PASTOR

 

Section I – His office:

The pastor is an under-shepherd, overseer, and teacher of the local church

(Acts 20:17-28; I Peter 5:1-4; Ephesians 4:11).  The pastor is responsible for organizing all worship services, administering the ordinances, and promoting the spiritual welfare of the church. The pastor is an advising member of all boards and committees. The pastor must meet the Biblical qualifications for his office. (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9).

 

Section II – Call to the office:

The deacons will serve as the pulpit committee of First Baptist Church. The deacons will have the responsibility of selecting candidates to be presented to the church. Church members may make suggestions for possible candidates to the deacons. All candidates must meet the Biblical requirements (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9). One candidate will be brought before the church at a time. The candidate will preach and be given an opportunity to answer questions from the members present. Notice of a proposed vote on a candidate at a special stewardship meeting will be posted on the bulletin board and announced from the pulpit on two consecutive Sundays preceding the election. Voting will be by ballot of active members present, and 75% affirmation is required. If the vote is favorable, the deacons will formally call the candidate to be the pastor of First Baptist Church. His response will be given at the next service. The pastor’s call of service continues until his resignation, death, or dismissal.

 

Section III – Termination of office: 

The pastor shall give the deacon board a notice of resignation in writing not less than thirty days prior to the resignation date. If a majority of the deacons decide that the pastor no longer meets the Biblical qualifications required for his office, they may call a special stewardship meeting for a congregational vote on this matter. The church may dismiss the pastor and declare the pulpit vacant by a 75% ballot vote of active members present.

 

Section IV – Assistant or associate pastor(s):

The pastor will approve a new position(s) of pastoral ministry in the church first with the deacons and then with a congregational vote. The pastor will select a candidate(s) who will be approved by the deacons and then invited to preach and answer congregational questions. The same qualifications, voting procedures, and requirements for the approval of a senior pastor will be used for an assistant or associate pastor(s). If the vote is favorable, the pastor will formally call the candidate(s) to this position. The associate(s) shall give to the pastor and deacon board a notice in writing of resignation from this ministry no fewer than 30 days. The assistant or associate pastor(s) are directly responsible to the pastor of the church and may be terminated by the pastor with the approval of the deacons.

 

 

ARTICLE V – DEACONS

 

Section I – Legal status:

In order to comply with state and federal documentation, the chairman of the board of deacons will function as the president of the corporation.

 

Section II – Their office:

The deacons are servant leaders of the church who assist the pastor(s) in doing the work of ministry. The board of deacons will consist of three or more men. The deacons and their wives must meet the biblical qualifications as set forth in the New Testament (Acts 6:3; I Timothy 3:8-13). The deacons will assist the pastor in the administration of the ordinances. The deacons will be authorized to count the offering if the proper personnel are not present. They will act as the trustees of this assembly and will hold in trust the property of this church. However, they will not have the authority to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any land or building without a specific vote of the church. The deacons shall have the authority to approve any expenditures in accordance with the deacons’ expenditures policy.  The deacons are responsible for filling the pulpit in the absence of a pastor.

 

Section III – Their election:

Those under consideration for the office of deacon must be faithful in attendance, active in service, and supportive of the ministry of First Baptist Church before they will be eligible for this office. Candidates for deacon will be recommended by the Nominating Committee (see Article IX Section I) in March for a church vote in the April stewardship meeting and take office May 1^st.  The deacon’s term of service will be three years.

 

Section IV – Their termination:

Any deacon who no longer meets the Biblical qualifications will be asked to resign by the pastor(s) and deacons. If the situation requires church discipline, it will be brought before the church.

 

Section V – Their meetings:

The deacons will meet monthly as needed to discuss the affairs of the church. At the May meeting each year, a chairman and secretary will be chosen. A majority of deacons present at a meeting will constitute a quorum. Any voting item must be passed by unanimous vote. Time will be given at every meeting for prayer concerning the needs of the church.

 

 

ARTICLE VI – FINANCIAL OFFICERS

 

The four financial officers of this church are the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and Assistant Financial Secretary. Candidates for these four positions will be recommended in March by the Nominating Committee for a church vote in the April stewardship meeting and take office May 1^st. The financial officers’ terms of service are one year. The Treasurer, assisted by the Assistant Treasurer, is responsible for the paying of the bills, the preparation of financial reports, and the general management of budgeted accounts. The Assistant Treasurer may perform the assigned duties in the absence of the Treasurer. The Financial Secretary is responsible for the counting of offerings, the deposit of funds in the bank, and the preparation and distribution of annual giving records. The Financial Secretary will select a member in good standing to help in the counting of offerings. The Assistant Financial Secretary may perform the assigned duties in the absence of the Financial Secretary. Personal giving records shall be confidential.

 

 

ARTICLE VII – CHURCH CLERK

 

The Church Clerk is responsible for keeping accurate records of all stewardship meetings and provide a report at stewardship meetings. The Church Clerk will also keep accurate records of all members and notify other churches in case of a transfer. Candidates for Church Clerk will be recommended in March by the Nominating Committee for a church vote in the April stewardship meeting and take office May 1^st. The Church Clerk’s term of service is one year.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII – MISSIONS

 

First Baptist Church will strive to keep the global spread of the gospel a priority in our ministry. Our evangelistic outreach begins in our community and continues by our missionaries throughout the world. Our missions’ ministry will operate according to our mission goals and guidelines. We will keep this missionary vision a priority in the following ways:

1). We will regularly invite missionaries to come and present their ministry.

2). We will encourage missionary giving in a variety of ways.

3). We will plan and support mission teams when the opportunity arises.

4). We will encourage communication with our missionaries.

 

 

ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES

 

Section I – Nominating Committee:

The pastor(s) and deacons will provide a list of active and available male members in good standing to the congregation at the February stewardship meeting annually. The congregation will select 5 people from the list by written ballot. The five people receiving the most votes from the congregation shall constitute the Nominating Committee. The individual receiving the most votes shall chair the committee initially until a chair is appointed by the committee.  The committee will select qualified individuals to recommend as candidates to serve as deacons (open positions), treasurer, assistant treasurer, financial secretary, assistant financial secretary, and church clerk. The pastor(s) and deacons may also call upon the nominating committee to recommend individuals for other non-officer positions deemed necessary for the well-being of the church. Their recommendations will be submitted to the church at its March stewardship meeting for review. They will be voted on at the April stewardship meeting.

 

Section II – Other Committees:

The pastor and deacons will appoint committees for specific ministries within the church. The formation of committees and their members will be announced to the church body at the appropriate stewardship meeting. These committees will serve as long as they are needed, as decided by the church leadership. All committees are directly responsible to the pastor(s) and deacons. All committee chairmen should be prepared to give a report when needed at any stewardship meeting.

 

 

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

 

This constitution may be amended at any regular or specially called stewardship meeting. Any proposed amendment must first be approved by the deacons and then presented to the church at least four weeks prior to the stewardship meeting. The constitution can be amended by a 75% vote of the qualified voters present.

 

 

ARTICLE XI – DISSOLUTION

 

In the event of the dissolution of this local church, none of the assets shall go for the benefit of any individual or individuals within this assembly. All assets shall first go to the payment of all debts and obligations. Any assets that remain shall go to one or more non-profit Christian organizations that are in keeping with our church’s doctrinal position. The selection of the beneficiary will be determined by voting members present at the stewardship meeting to dissolve the church.