Sample Church Constitution

____________ Baptist Church does hereby declare and establish this Constitution to preserve and secure the principles of our faith and to govern the body in a decent and orderly manner. This Constitution will preserve the liberties of each individual church member and the freedom of action of this body in relation to other churches.

This body shall be known as _________________ Baptist Church. The primary offices will be located at __________________________.

In obedience to God, as a Christ-centered body of believers, we commit to disciple, enable and encourage one another to love, worship, and serve our Savior, Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we commit to share the Good News and ourselves with our neighbors in _____________ Baptist Church, in the surrounding communities, and throughout the world.

__________________ Baptist Church exists to obey God, expand the Kingdom, and change lives. Five primary strategies are central to our success:

Worship. Every time we enter the presence of God we worship. There are many expressions of worship including: singing, commitment, praying, hearing the word of God, giving, baptism, meditating, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 4:10, John 4:23-24)

Evangelism. The communication of God's word to a lost world is evangelism. The Bible declares that God is not willing for anyone to perish and that God's desire is for His house to be full. The Bible places the responsibility of evangelism on the church. "His intent was that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known." (Ephesians 3:10, II Peter 3:9)

Ministry. The hands-on demonstration of Christianity to one another and to the community we serve is ministry. God has put a high priority on ministry. The Bible says, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples-that you have love for one another." (John 13:35)

Discipleship. To educate God's people in God's word is discipleship. Discipleship brings about fulfillment and maturity in the church. "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.” (Hebrews 6:1)

Prayer. The first thing the early church did when they assembled was pray together. Prayer is the fuel that drives the ambitious priorities of the church and the spiritual power that changes the world. Christ demonstrated the power of prayer by making it a priority of His earthly ministry. If the Church is going to be effective, it must pray. (Acts 1:14, John 17, I Peter 5:7)

These are the core beliefs of the membership of ___________ Baptist Church. This Statement of Faith is in harmony with the Doctrinal Statement of the Baptist Missionary Association of America.

There is one living and true God, the creator of the universe (Exod. 15:11; Isa. 45:11; Jer. 27:5). He is revealed in the unity of the Godhead as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who are equal in every divine perfection (Exod. 15:11; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).

A. God the Father is the supreme ruler of the universe. He providentially directs the affairs of history according to the purposes of His grace (Gen. 1; Ps. 19:1; Ps. 104; Heb. 1:1-3).

B. God the Son is the Savior of the world. Born of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:26-35), He declared His deity among men (John 1:14,18; Matt. 9:6), died on the cross as the only sacrifice for sin (Phil. 2:6-11), arose bodily from the grave (Luke 24:6-7; 24-26; 1 Cor. 15:3-6), and ascended back to the Father (Acts 1:9-11; Mark 16:19). He is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for believers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) until He returns to rapture them from the world (Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16-18).

C. God the Holy Spirit is the manifest presence of deity. He convicts of sin (John 16:8-11), teaches spiritual truths according to the written Word (John 16:12-15), permanently indwells believers (Acts 5:32; John 14:16-17, 20, 23), and confers on every believer at conversion the ability to render effective spiritual service (1 Peter 4:10-11).

A. The Scriptures are God’s inerrant revelation, complete in the Old and New Testaments, written by divinely inspired men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). Those men wrote not in words of human wisdom but in words taught by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13).

B. The Scriptures provide the standard for the believer’s faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17), reveal the principles by which God will judge all (Heb. 4:12; John 12:48), and express the true basis of Christian fellowship (Gal. 1:8-9; 2 John 9-11).

A. The World—God created all things for His own pleasure and glory, as revealed in the biblical account of creation (Gen. 1; Rev. 4:11; John 1:2-3; Col. 1:16).

B. The Angels—God created an innumerable host of spirit beings called angels. Holy angels worship God and execute His will; while fallen angels serve Satan, seeking to hinder God’s purposes (Col. 1:16; Luke 20:35-36; Matt. 22:29-30; Ps. 103:20; Jude 6).

C. Man—God created man in His own image. As the crowning work of creation, every person is of dignity and worth and merits the respect of all other persons (Ps. 8; Gen. 1:27; 2:7; Matt. 10:28-31).

Satan is a person rather than a personification of evil (John 8:44), and he with his demons opposes all that is true and godly by blinding the world to the gospel (2 Cor. 4:3-4), tempting saints to do evil (Eph. 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8), and warring against the Son of God (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 20:1-10).

Although man was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26; 2:17), he fell through sin and that image was marred (Rom. 5:12; James 3:9). In his unregenerate state, he is void of spiritual life, is under the influence of the devil, and lacks any power to save himself (Eph. 2:1-3; John 1:13). The sin nature has been transmitted to every member of the human race, the man Jesus Christ alone being excepted (Rom. 3:23; 1 Pet. 2:22). Because of the sin nature, man possesses no divine life and is essentially and unchangeably depraved apart from divine grace (Rom. 3:10-19; Jer. 17:9).

A. The Meaning of Salvation—Salvation is the gracious work of God whereby He delivers undeserving sinners from sin and its results (Matt. 1:21; Eph. 2:8-9). In justification He declares righteous all who put faith in Christ as Savior (Rom. 3:20-22), giving them freedom from condemnation, peace with God, and full assurance of future glorification (Rom. 3:24-26).

B. The Way of Salvation—Salvation is based wholly on the grace of God apart from works (Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:9). Anyone who will exercise repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved (Acts 16:30-32; Luke 24:47; Rom. 10:17).

C. The Provision of Salvation—Christ died for the sins of the whole world (John 1:29; 3:16; 1 John 2:1-2). Through His blood, atonement is made without respect of persons (1 Tim. 2:4-6). All sinners can be saved by this gracious provision (Heb. 2:9; John 3:18).

D. Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom—God’s sovereignty and man’s freedom are two inseparable factors in the salvation experience (Eph. 2:4-6). The two Bible truths are in no way contradictory in the great salvation so freely provided. God, in His sovereignty purposed, planned, and executed salvation in eternity while man’s freedom enables him to make a personal choice in time, either to receive this salvation and be saved, or to reject it and be damned (Eph. 1:9-12; 1:13-14; John 1:12-13).

All believers are set apart unto God (Heb. 10:12-14) at the time of their regeneration (1 Cor. 6:11). They should grow in grace (2 Pet. 1:5-8) by allowing the Holy Spirit to apply God’s Word to their lives (1 Pet. 2:2), conforming them to the principles of divine righteousness (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Thess. 4:3-7) and making them partakers of the holiness of God (2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Pet. 1:15-16).

All believers are eternally secure in Jesus Christ (John 10:24-30; Rom. 8:35-39). They are born again (John 3:3-5; 1 John 5:1; 1 Pet. 1:23), made new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Pet. 1:4), and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 1 John 4:4), enabling their perseverance in good works (Eph. 2:10). A special providence watches over them (Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13), and they are kept by the power of God (Phil. 1:6; 2:12-13; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; Heb. 13:5).

A. The Nature of the Church—A New Testament Church is a local congregation (Acts 16:5; 1 Cor. 4:17) of baptized believers in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:41) who are united by covenant in belief of what God has revealed and in obedience to what He has commanded (Acts 2:41-42).

B. The Autonomy of the Church—She acknowledges Jesus as her only Head (Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18) and the Holy Bible as her only rule of faith and practice (Isa. 8:20; 2 Tim. 3:16-17), governing herself by democratic principles (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Cor. 5:1-5) under the oversight of her pastors (Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24).

C. The Perpetuity of the Church—Instituted by Jesus during His personal ministry on earth (Matt. 16:18; Mark 3:13-19; John 1:35-51), true churches have continued to the present and will continue until Jesus returns (Matt. 16:18; 28:20).

D. The Ordinances of the Church—Her two ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer as a confession of his faith in Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4) and is prerequisite to church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41-42). The Lord’s Supper is the sacred sharing of the bread of communion and the cup of blessing by the assembled church (Acts 20:7) as a memorial to the crucified body and shed blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). Both ordinances must be administered by the authority of a New Testament church (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

E. The Officers of the Church—Pastors and deacons are the permanent officers divinely ordained in a New Testament church (Phil. 1:1). Each church may select men of her choice to fill those offices under the leading of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:1-6; 20:17-18) according to the divinely given qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-13).

Pastors (elders, bishops) are authorized to oversee and teach the churches under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). Each church is responsible to follow them as they follow Christ (1 Cor. 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6; Heb. 13:17) and to provide a livelihood for them that they might fulfill their ministries (1 Tim. 5:17-18; Phil. 4:15-18). Pastors are equal in the service of God (Matt. 23:8-12).

Deacons (ministers, servants) are servants of the churches and assistants to the pastors, particularly in benevolent ministries. Each church may select her own deacons according to her needs, and no church is bound by the act of another church in that selection (Acts 6:1-6).

F. The Ministry of the Church—Her mission is evangelizing sinners by preaching the gospel (Matt. 28:19; Luke 24:45-47), baptizing those who believe (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 35-38), and maturing them by instruction (Matt. 28:20; Acts 2:42) and discipline (Matt. 18:17-18; 1 Cor. 5:1-5).

G. The Fellowship of the Church—She is free to associate with true churches in furthering the faith (2 Cor. 11:8; Phil. 4:10, 15-16) but is responsible to keep herself from those who hold doctrines or practices contrary to Holy Scripture (Gal. 1:8-9; 1 John 2:19). In association with other churches, each church is equal and is the sole judge of the measure and method of her cooperation (Matt. 20:25-28). In all matters of polity and practice, the will of each church is final (Matt. 18:18).

Human government was instituted by God to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. It is separate from the church, though both church and state exercise complementary ministries for the benefit of society (Matt. 22:21).

Christians should submit to the authority of the government under which they live, obeying all laws which do not contradict the laws of God, respecting officers of government, paying taxes, rendering military service, and praying for the welfare of the nation and its leaders (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13, 17; 1 Tim. 2:1-2). They should vote, hold office, and exercise influence to direct the nation after the principles of Holy Scripture.

Civil authority is not to interfere in matters of conscience or disturb the institutions of religion (Acts 4:18-20), but it should preserve for every citizen the free exercise of his religious convictions.

Churches should receive no subsidy from the government, but they should be exempt from taxation on property and money used for the common good through worship, education, or benevolence.

A. Return—Our risen Lord will return personally in bodily form to receive His redeemed unto Himself. His return is imminent (1 Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 22:20).

B. Resurrections—After Jesus returns, all of the dead will be raised bodily, each in his own order: the righteous dead in “the resurrection of life” and the wicked dead in “the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:24-29; 1 Cor. 15:20-28).

C. Judgments—Prior to the eternal state, God will judge everyone to confer rewards or to consign to punishment (Matt. 25:31-46; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15).

D. Eternal States—Heaven is the eternal home of the redeemed (John 14:1-3), who, in their glorified bodies (1 Cor. 15:51-58), will live in the presence of God forever (1 Thess. 4:17) in ultimate blessing (Rev. 21, 22).

Hell is the place of eternal punishment and suffering (Luke 16:19-31) for the devil, his angels (Matt. 25:41), and the unredeemed (Rev. 20:10-15).

Note: The following statements are not to be binding upon the churches already affiliated with this association, or to require adoption by churches petitioning this body for privilege of cooperation, or to be a test of fellowship between brethren or churches. However, they do express the preponderance of opinion among the churches of the Baptist Missionary Association of America.

1. We believe in the premillennial return of Christ to earth, after which He shall reign in peace upon the earth for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6).

2. We believe the Scriptures to teach two resurrections: the first of the righteous at Christ’s coming; the second of the wicked at the close of the thousand-year reign (1 Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:6; 12-15).

We endorse the New Hampshire Confession of Faith as a representative compendium of what Baptists have historically believed through the centuries. This confession was consulted and provided a pattern and guide for the formulation of these doctrinal statements. As there are several versions and editions, we refer particularly to the edition in J. E. Cobb’s Church Manual (Third Edition), published by the Baptist Publications Committee of Texarkana, Texas.

As a member of __________________ Baptist Church, having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour; and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God, angels and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge and holiness; to give it a place in our affections, prayers and services above every organization of human origin; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrine; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, toward its expenses, for the support of a faithful and evangelical ministry among us, the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. In case of difference of opinion in the church, we will strive to avoid a contentious spirit, and if we cannot unanimously agree, we will cheerfully recognize the right of the majority to govern.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to study diligently the word of God; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintance ; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be kind and just to those in our employ , and faithful in the service we promise others; endeavoring in the purity of heart and good will towards all men to exemplify and commend our holy faith.

We further engage to watch over, to pray for, to exhort and stir up each other unto every good word and work; to guard each other's reputation, not needlessly exposing the infirmities of others; to participate in each other's joys, and with tender sympathy bear one another's burdens and sorrows; to cultivate Christian courtesy; to be slow to give or take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, being mindful of the rules of the Saviour in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, to secure it without delay; and through life, amid evil report, and good report, to seek to live to the glory of God, who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

When we remove from this place, we engage as soon as possible to unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's word."

The government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose it. All internal groups created by and empowered by the church shall report to and be held accountable to the church membership unless specific action is taken by church membership as outlined in the bylaws.

___________ Baptist Church is autonomous and maintains the right to govern its own affairs, independent of any denominational control. However, the Bible teaches that local churches should seek voluntary fellowship with other doctrinally sound churches. This association is to provide help and encouragement while working together as the Lord directs. This is a voluntary association that in no way involves the surrender of the individual church's freedom or dependence on God.

____________ Baptist Church has chosen to affiliate itself with the Baptist Missionary Association of America, the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas and the ________________________ (insert name of local association in blank).

The conduct of the affairs of _____________ Baptist Church not addressed in the Articles of Incorporation or this Constitution will be outlined in the bylaws of __________ Baptist Church, Inc. These bylaws define the church's organizational structure, the rights of members in the structure, and the procedures by which these rights may be exercised.

This Constitution or any of its provisions may be altered, amended, or repealed, and a new constitution may be adopted at any time with an affirmation of change, as reflected by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at any special or regular business meeting at which a quorum is present, all as further defined in the bylaws of ________________ Baptist Church, Inc.

This is a sovereign Baptist church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the right of exclusive self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church.

Membership in this church shall consist of all persons who have met the requirements for membership, as provided in Article I, Section 2, been approved by the congregation, and are listed on the membership roll.

Any person may offer himself as a candidate for membership in this church. Persons offering themselves for membership shall be required to complete a New Member Class.

(1) By profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and Scriptural baptism.

(2) By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church of like faith and practice.

(3) By statement of prior conversion experience and Scriptural baptism.

(4) For Scriptural baptism from another denomination.

(5) By restoration as provided in Article I, Section 6.

A three-fourths vote of those church members present and voting shall be required to elect such candidates to membership. Any dissent shall be resolved according to Article I, Section 6 of these bylaws.

In order to be a responsible member __________________Baptist Church members must:

(1) Be in basic agreement with the church’s statement of faith and purpose.

(2) Discover, develop and deploy their spiritual gifts in the ministries of the church.

(3) Be diligent to live according to the statements of the church covenant.

(4) Be faithful in attendance to worship services and Bible study.

(5) Become a student of the word of God and of prayer.

(6) Make a commitment to personal evangelism and discipleship.

(7) Encourage scriptural stewardship of time, talents, and tithes and offerings.

Only active members of the church, over 18 years of age, are entitled to vote on questions submitted to the church in conference. An inactive member is defined as a member whose predominant attendance is at another church, or a member who has not attended the church in three months with exceptions to those members who are homebound due to medical reasons or age. Members must be present to vote. Any questions of eligibility will be referred to the church clerk.

(1) By death.

(2) By dismissal to another Baptist church of like faith and order.

(3) By disciplinary action of this church as provided in Article I, Section 6.

(4) By joining with a church of another denomination.

(5) By personal request for name to be removed from church membership.

Note: Letters of dismissal shall be granted only to other churches of like faith and

It shall be the basic purpose of ___________ Baptist Church to emphasize to its members

that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The senior pastor, members of the church pastoral staff, and deacons are available for counsel and guidance. Reconciliation rather than punishment should be the guideline that governs the attitude of one member toward another.

Should some serious condition exist which would cause a member to become a liability to the general welfare of the church, every reasonable measure will be taken by the senior pastor and by the deacons to resolve the problem in accordance with Matthew 18:15-35, I Corinthians 5:1-13, II Corinthians 2:1-11.

All such proceedings shall be pervaded by a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance. If it is determined that the welfare of the church will best be served by the exclusion of the member, the church may take this action by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a meeting called for this purpose; and the church may proceed to declare the offender to be no longer in the membership of the church.

Any person whose membership has been terminated for any condition which has made it necessary for the church to exclude him may upon his request be restored to membership by the recommendation of the senior pastor and deacons and an affirmation vote of the church upon evidence of his repentance and reformation.

The senior pastor, is responsible for leading the church to function as a New Testament church. The senior pastor is the under-shepherd of the church in divine worship, aggressive evangelism, deliberate discipleship, and compassionate ministry. As such, he will lead the congregation, the organizations, and the church staff to perform their tasks. The senior pastor will counsel with the deacon fellowship and be responsible to the church.

In the pursuit of a new senior pastor the deacons, in cooperation with the Nominating Committee, shall select a Pastor Search Committee to seek out a pastor, and its recommendation will constitute a nomination. The Affirmation of the senior pastor shall be at a duly called meeting in accordance with Article III, Sections 2 and 3. Upon the recommendation of the deacons the church membership shall have an affirmation vote at a duly called meeting in accordance with Article III, Sections 2 and 3. The Pastor Search Committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one name at a time. Election shall be by secret ballot with an affirmative vote of eighty-five percent (85%) of those members present being necessary for a call. After consideration of this vote the Pastor Search Committee shall proceed with the call of the senior pastor. The senior pastor, thus elected shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request, death, or the church’s dismissal action as provided herein.

Upon the resignation of the senior pastor, a new senior pastor shall be called according to the process as outlined above.

The senior pastor shall give at least two weeks notice at the time of resignation before terminating his responsibilities as pastor.

The church may declare the office of senior pastor vacant. Such action shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which the membership has been given two weeks written notice. The meeting may be called upon recommendation by the deacon fellowship. The vice-moderator shall preside at the meeting. The vote to declare the office vacant shall be by secret ballot. A quorum of at least 51% of the church membership eligible to vote as provided in Article 1, Section 4, must be present in order to declare the office of the senior pastor vacant. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present shall be necessary to declare the office vacant. If the membership votes the office vacant, the termination of pastoral duties shall be effective immediately upon publication of the results of the vote. The the deacon fellowship will determine a fair separation package; in rare cases will less than 30 days salary be honored. If the affirmative does not prevail, the same question cannot be presented to the church until the lapse of at least three (3) months from the date of the vote. In no way does the authorization of the deacon fellowship to call such a meeting imply that the senior pastor serves under the supervision of the deacon fellowship. The senior pastor is the spiritual leader of the church. Deacons are servants of the church who assist and counsel the pastor. Furthermore, the Personnel Committee does not supervise the senior pastor. Instead the Personnel Committee assists and counsels the pastor in supervision of church staff.

Any written agreements entered into between the church and senior pastor shall be honored by the church regardless of the nature of the termination of the relationship.

The church staff shall include both pastoral staff and non-pastoral staff members. All pastoral staff members shall be recommended to the church by the deacon fellowship and the Personnel Team and employed by church action. All pastoral staff members will be directly responsible to the senior pastor.

At the time of resignation by a pastoral staff member, at least two (2) weeks notice shall be given to the church.

The church may terminate a pastoral staff member by majority vote upon the recommendation of the deacon fellowship and the Personnel Committee. The termination of the duties shall be effective immediately upon publication of the outcome of the vote.

Compensation shall continue for thirty (30) days after written notice is given to the pastoral staff member at which time termination shall be complete.

The senior pastor and the Personnel Committee shall have the authority to employ and terminate approved and budgeted non-pastoral staff members. Such employment and termination of services shall be with the recommendation of the immediate supervising staff member and, as appropriate, with consultation of related committees of the church.

In accordance with the meaning of the work and the practice of the New Testament, deacons are to be servants of the church. The task of the deacon is to assist and counsel the pastor and pastoral staff in performing ministry tasks; proclaim the gospel to unbelievers; care for church members and other persons in the community.

A deacon shall serve until his service is terminated by his death, resignation, or when he ceases to be a member of the church.

DEACON QUALIFICATIONS

Deacons must:

Be born again of the Spirit of God and willing to give and live his Christian testimony before the church membership and the world.
Believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God, and subscribe to the Articles of Faith of _________________ Baptist Church.
Believe that it is every Christian’s responsibility to be a personal soul winner and to lead the church in outreach visitation.
Believe that it is the obligation of every Christian to obey the Great Commission as found in Matthew 28:19-20.
Believe in and practice tithing as a minimum expression of our love for God through the church.
Not have any serious domestic troubles and not have been divorced. He must know how to rule his own home well before becoming an officer in his church.
Know, along with his wife, how to hold their tongues against spreading gossip or talking critically about others.
Not to be involved in gambling.
Handle his own business affairs in a way that is above reproach, possessing a good name among the people of his community.
Have a teachable spirit to learn and apply the Scriptures to his life.
Try to put down murmuring and complaining as he would smother a fire, facing them frankly, dealing with them fairly and standing loyally with the church in its decisions.
Be willing to serve when service is needed, to the best of his ability. He should be willing to work at an assigned task conscientiously, and if he is unable to carry out the assignment, will so indicate and resign the responsibility. He will resign from his position if he cannot or will not carry out his responsibilities as an elected deacon.
Attend the services of his church, supporting them with his good will, presence, prayers, and contributions.
Keep the observance of the Lord’s Day above reproach.
Be an active male member of _______________Baptist Church, and be at least twenty-one years of age; a mature follower of Christ.
Have been a member of __________________________Baptist Church for at least one year.

The moderator shall be the senior pastor. In the absence of the senior pastor, any member of the fellowship of deacons chosen by the senior pastor shall serve. If there is a vacancy in the position of senior pastor, then the church shall elect a moderator until the position of senior pastor has been filled.

The church shall elect a clerk annually. The Nominating Committee will nominate a person for consideration at the annual church conference.

The church shall elect a church treasurer annually. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to have the oversight responsibilities to receive, preserve, and pay out, upon receipt of vouchers, approved and signed by authorized personnel, monies, or things of value paid or given to the church, keeping at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.

The treasurer shall make available such records as deemed necessary by the Finance Committee, to provide for an annual certified audit. The Nominating Committee will nominate a person for consideration at the annual church conference.

Three trustees, one-third (1/3) of whom shall be appointed by the church annually to serve for three years, and, until their successors shall be appointed, will hold in trust the property of the church. They shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any real property without a specific vote of the church authorizing each action. It shall be the function of the trustees to affix their signatures to legal documents involving the sale, mortgaging, purchase or rental of property or other legal documents where the signatures of trustees are required. The trustees will serve as the officers of the corporation. Should a trustee be unable to complete the term of office, a successor will be appointed to serve the remainder of the term. Should the remaining term be less than one year, the successor will be eligible for appointment for an additional term of office. Should the remaining term be greater than one year, the successor may not be elected to a successive term.

Only one active deacon may serve as a trustee. The senior pastor nor any member of the church staff or their immediate family members shall serve as a trustee.

The Nominating Committee will provide qualified names for church consideration at the annual church conference. The senior pastor in cooperation with the fellowship of deacons will appoint a replacement in the case of an unexpected vacancy.

A Nominating Committee will be selected by the senior pastor and deacon fellowship. The Nominating Committee shall consist of not less than seven (7) members, no more than one-third (1/3) of which, but not less than one of which are active deacons.

Unless otherwise specifically provided by church policy, all committees shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and approved by the congregation to serve for a period of three (3) years on a rotational basis. Committee members who have served for a three (3) year term shall not be nominated to succeed themselves on the same team until the expiration of one year unless otherwise stated herein. The Nominating Committee shall specify the number of members for each committee. The chairman of a committee may not serve as the chairman for any other committee.

Committees are responsible for electing their officers and establishing operating guidelines. All teams shall be responsible to the church; however all recommendations to the church shall be evaluated by the senior pastor and deacon fellowship in terms of church goals and objectives. All teams shall bring reports to the senior pastor and deacon fellowship at any time they deem it helpful or when they request such report.

The senior pastor, as well, or a representative appointed by him from church staff or the deacon fellowship, shall be an ex officio non-voting member of all committees. (An Operations Manual will list all committees, responsibilities, and procedures for the selection and election of committee members.)

Each committee shall record minutes of each meeting and make the minutes available as historical records of the church.

The church shall meet regularly at least each Sunday morning, for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of Almighty God. Any other church meetings, which will be essential in the promotion of the objectives of the church, shall be placed on the church calendar. These meetings will be open for the entire membership of the church and for all people.

The church will assemble each year on or about two months prior to the end of the fiscal year to approve the budget for the coming year, hear reports from any teams, organizations and ministries of the church, conduct miscellaneous business as needed, and pray for the church.

The church will assemble for conference upon the request of the senior pastor or the fellowship of deacons. Any church member may submit a request to the senior pastor or the fellowship of deacons for a special conference. Special church conference will be announced two weeks prior to the date of the conference through the service announcements and any publication mailed to members. On rare occasions an emergency may arise making the two-week notice impractical. No special church conference shall be called by the fellowship of deacons unless the senior pastor is made aware. Should the senior pastor position be vacant, the church elected moderator or the fellowship of deacons may call a special church conference.

The quorum consists of those who attend the church conference, provided it is a stated meeting or one that has been properly called.

Roberts’ Rules of Order, Revised, is the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all church conferences. The moderator shall select a parliamentarian.

The fiscal year of the church shall begin on September 1 and end August 31 or the following calendar year.

A person who receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by personal faith who professes Him publicly at any worship service; and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Lord, shall be received for baptism.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and fruit of the vine, commemorate the death of Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming.

All donations accepted by the church will be allocated to the general fund unless it is designated to an established designated fund. Procedures for establishing designated funds will be published by the Finance Committee.

It is the responsibility of the senior pastor, church staff and the fellowship of deacons to review the constitution and bylaws, proposing any revisions or adjustments necessary to maintain their effectiveness, and to bring these changes to the church in church conference.

New bylaws may be adopted or these bylaws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast at a meeting called for such purpose.

The church membership shall be given two weeks advance notice of the time of such meeting. Further, a copy of the proposed changes shall be made available to members at two consecutive weeks of Sunday morning worship services in advance of the meeting.