CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WAKE VILLAGE, TEXAS
Constitution of First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas
PREAMBLE
This Constitution and these Bylaws are made to:
1. Preserve and secure the principles of our faith;
2. Preserve the autonomy of each individual member of the church under the Lordship of Christ;
3. Ensure autonomy from any other religious body or organization; and
4. Provide for orderly conduct of internal affairs, in dealing with others, and of governing the church.
ARTICLE I
NAME and AFFILIATION
This church shall be known as First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, having been duly organized and established by Charter dated October 29, 1946. Though independent and autonomous, First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, is a Southern Baptist Church, and shall be voluntarily affiliated with the ARTEX Baptist Association, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. As set forth in the Articles of
Incorporation of this church dated April 15, 1981, First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, is a nonprofit religious organization, exempt from income taxation pursuant to the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and Regulations as they now exist or as they may be amended in the future.
ARTICLE II
PRINCIPLE PLACE OF BUSINESS
The address of the principal office of this church shall be: 820 Wake Avenue, Wake Village, Texas, 75501
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
The purpose of First Baptist Church, Wake Village is to make Christian disciples of all the nations; to provide a place or places where all members of the church, their families, friends and others may worship God and study the Holy Bible; to hold and sponsor regular and special services of worship and Bible study; to encourage one another and other Christians to regularly worship God in family devotion in the home and to attend and participate in corporate worship services and Bible studies held in and sponsored by the church; to tithe; to proclaim the gospel; to teach others concerning matters of the Christian faith; to aid members by providing opportunities for spiritual growth in the Christian faith; to minister to the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of one another, and of other people in the name and character of Jesus Christ; to hold one another accountable for behavior unbecoming of a follower of Jesus Christ; to adhere to the doctrines taught by the Bible as understood by the church; to promote, aid, and assist in Christian mission endeavors in all the world; and to do all such other lawful related activities.
ARTICLE IV
ARTICLES OF FAITH
First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, believing that the Holy Bible is the inerrant, infallible, inspired Word of God, shall adopt and revise from time to time articles of faith detailing the biblical doctrinal convictions of the church.
ARTICLE V
GOVERNMENT
The government of First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, is vested in its members. The membership retains unto itself the right of exclusive self-government, subject to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, in all phases of its life and organization. The assembled congregation holds the right to govern the church. The terms “congregation” and “church” shall be synonymous throughout this Constitution and these Bylaws
ARTICLE VI
NON-PROFIT STATUS LIQUIDATION
First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, is a Texas Non-Profit Corporation. Its assets are pledged for use in performing its religious functions. On the discontinuance of this organization by dissolution or otherwise, all of its assets and property of every nature and description whatsoever are to be paid over and transferred, at the direction of the trustees of the church, to the ARTEX Baptist Association, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, or both, so long as these organizations remain religious organizations exempt from income taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and Regulations as they now exist or as they may be amended in the future.
ARTICLE VII
AUTHORITY – (CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS PREVAIL)
In the event that this church shall approve any action, document, or policy that shall conflict with this Constitution and these Bylaws as most recently amended, this Constitution and these Bylaws as most recently amended shall prevail over such action, document, or policy as the
governing authority of the church.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENT
This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by means of the following procedure:
1. Any proposed amendment shall be presented in writing at a regular church business meeting. At this first meeting the proposed amendment shall be eligible for discussion, but not for a vote.
2. The leadership of the church shall make the proposed amendment available to the congregation, at public worship services, for no fewer than three consecutive Sundays.
3. The date, time and location of the business meeting at which the proposed amendment will be considered for adoption shall be reasonably publicized. 1) Written publication of such an announcement in an order of service for two consecutive Sundays, or 2) a public spoken announcement in morning worship service regarding the proposed adoption for two consecutive Sundays, shall constitute reasonable publication.
4. During the business meeting, the moderator and congregation shall provide reasonable time for discussion of any proposed amendment before a vote is taken.
5. Amendments to this Constitution and Bylaws shall require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the members of the church in good standing who are qualified to vote and who are present at the business meeting.
Bylaws of First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas
PREAMBLE
These Bylaws constitute the rules adopted by the First Baptist Church of Wake Village, Texas, for the regulation and management of its affairs.
ARTICLE I
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Qualifications
Membership of First Baptist Church Wake Village, Texas, shall consist of people who have made a profession of their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and who have been baptized by immersion. The congregation regulates its own membership. Membership in the church may be attained by the majority vote of the church in any of its regular business meetings in recognition that the candidate for membership is joining by one of the following means:
a. By baptism by immersion pursuant to a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
b. By letter of recommendation attesting that the candidate is a member in good standing of another Baptist church of like faith and order.
c. By the candidate’s own testimony (statement of faith) of prior conversion to Christianity followed by baptism by immersion as that term is described in Section 16 of the Confession of Faith of First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas.
Section 2. Standing
a. Members with cases of Church Discipline pending against them shall not be eligible to vote or make motions pertaining to the allegations against them, but shall otherwise retain the privileges of a member in good standing for so long as the congregation has not with regard to them completed the process detailed in Article V below (Church Discipline).
b. Members excluded by the process detailed in Article V (Church Discipline) shall not be considered members in good standing and shall not be entitled to a vote in church meetings nor to any of the privileges of membership.
c. Members restored after being excluded as detailed in Article V § 2 shall be considered members in good standing with all of the privileges appertaining thereunto.
d. Although good standing in membership is prerequisite to many positions of service within the congregation, it is not a guarantee of eligibility for any position of service. The congregation retains unto itself the right to exclude members in good standing from positions of service for reasons including, but not limited to, questions of fitness raised by pending or past actions of church discipline.
Section 3. Voting Rights of Members
Every member of the church thirteen (13) years of age or older is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the church, provided the member is present and with the understanding that children are under the parent’s authority.
Section 4. Termination of Membership
a. Membership in this church shall be terminated by one of the following means:
i. The granting of a letter of recommendation.
1. The church shall only grant a letter of recommendation to another church of like faith and order upon that church’s request.
2. The church shall only grant a letter of recommendation for members who are in good standing. Otherwise, the church shall reply to the requesting church with a letter explaining why the member in question is not in good standing.
ii. The death of the member.
iii. The erasure of the member from the membership rolls.
b. The church shall have authority to refuse a member’s voluntary resignation or transfer of membership to another church, either for the purpose of proceeding with a process of church discipline, or for any other biblical reason.
Section 5. Orientation of New Members
The church membership reserves unto itself the right to specify procedures for the orientation of new church members.
Section 6. Member’s Right to Inspect Books and Records
A member, on written demand stating the purpose of the demand, is entitled to examine and copy, at the member’s expense, in person or by agent, accountant, or attorney, at any reasonable time and for a proper purpose, the books and records of the corporation relevant to that purpose.
ARTICLE II
CHURCH OFFICERS
Section 1. Member in Good Standing Requirement
No person shall serve as an officer of this church who is not also a member of this church in good standing.
Section 2. Biblical Offices and Ordination Practices
a. Pastors / Elders / Overseers
i. The biblical titles of pastor, elder, and overseer are three titles that refer to precisely the same office (I Peter 5:1-2; Acts 20:17, 28). It shall be the duty of the men who hold this office to shepherd the flock, oversee the spiritual lives of the membership, and serve as elders in the proclamation and governance of the church as detailed by the job descriptions adopted by the congregation for each pastoral office.
ii. The church shall restrict this office to males who meet the qualifications and undertake the duties given in I Timothy 2:12-15, 3:1-7, 4:6-16, 5:17, 22;
II Timothy 4:1-5; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-4; I Corinthians 14: 34-36.
iii. Ordination to the Gospel Ministry shall be prerequisite to serving as senior pastor.
iv. The church shall designate one senior pastor and as many associate pastors as the congregation deems appropriate. Females holding staff positions within the church are not considered pastors.
1) The senior pastor shall consult with and give leadership to the associate pastors in the administration of the church.
2) The senior pastor shall, either directly or indirectly through another associate pastor, supervise the ministries of the church.
v. Either the senior pastor or an associate pastor of his choosing shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of every committee, ministry team, or other ministry or leadership structure in the church.
vi. The senior pastor shall serve as Moderator of the congregation during business meetings whenever present and able.
vii. Pastors shall come to serve in this church by the election of the congregation.
viii. Election of the senior pastor.
1. The process of electing a new senior pastor shall commence solely and promptly upon the vacancy of the office of senior pastor.
2. The congregation shall select a Pastor Search Committee to search for a new senior pastor.
a) The Pastor Search Committee shall consist of five (5) members and two (2) alternates.
b) The Pastor Search Committee shall receive recommendations and prayerfully perform the necessary investigations to recommend one candidate at a time for the congregation’s consideration as senior pastor.
c) The Pastor Search Committee shall present a candidate for the office of senior pastor to the congregation for consideration and approval at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least two weeks’ notice shall be given publicly in the worship services.
d) An affirmative ballot vote of at least three-fourths of all members in good standing voting shall be necessary to extend a call to a pastor, although the congregation may stipulate prior to the vote an even higher affirmative percentage necessary to extend a call. The Pastor Search Committee shall provide the precise numeric breakdown of the vote at the request of the candidate.
e) Upon his acceptance of an extended call, the candidate shall be considered elected as senior pastor of the congregation.
ix. Election of Associate Pastors.
1. The Personnel Committee is authorized to make recommendations to the church regarding the number and job descriptions of associate pastors and to advise the congregation of vacancies in associate pastor positions.
2. The congregation shall select an Associate Pastor Search Committee to search for a new associate pastor.
a) Unless the office of senior pastor is vacant, the senior pastor shall serve as a voting member of the Associate Pastor Search Committee.
b) Except as otherwise specified in this section (“Election of Associate Pastors”), the process of electing an associate pastor shall follow that of electing the senior pastor.
x. Pastors shall cease to serve in this church by one of the means listed below:
1. By the death of the pastor.
2. By the congregation’s acceptance of the pastor’s resignation.
3. By the removal of the pastor by the vote of the congregation.
a) A motion to remove a pastor (senior or associate) must be made in writing at a regular church business meeting. At this first meeting the motion shall not be eligible for discussion or voting.
b) The motion to remove a pastor shall be automatically referred for mediation.
i) Motions to remove the senior pastor shall be referred to the deacon body. Motions to remove an associate pastor shall be referred to the senior pastor and the deacon body.
ii) The mediators shall consult with the pastor in question, the author of the motion, and any other parties it deems to be relevant, in an attempt to resolve the issues involved, following the instructions of I Timothy 5:19-21.
iii) Mediators shall be selected by the deacon body, and compensated by the church, if necessary. However, the pastor subject of the motion, and the author of the motion to remove shall be presented with the names of the proposed mediators prior to the mediation process and be given the opportunity to raise objections, in writing, to the proposed mediators. The deacon body may consider the objections of either party to the proposed mediators.
c) The mediators shall promptly conclude their work and bring a full and thorough report including recommendations to a specially called business meeting called for that purpose, of which at least two weeks notice shall be given publicly in the worship services. The full findings of the mediators shall be given publicly in accord with I Timothy 5:19-20.
d) An affirmative ballot vote of a majority of all members in good standing voting shall be necessary to remove a pastor from office.
e) While a pastor is involved in mediation pursuant to this Bylaw, the church may vote to suspend him with full pay from the performance of his duties pending the outcome of mediation.
xi. The successful election of any pastor shall, if the pastor or any members of his household are members of another congregation, constitute a de facto request by the new pastor and consent of the congregation to add the new pastor and all eligible members of his household to the membership of the church by some appropriate means specified in Article I (Church Membership).
b. Deacons
i. Number. The number of active deacons will be proposed by the deacon body to the church and approved by vote of the church as the changing needs require.
ii. Qualifications
1. Deacons shall be males of at least twenty-five (25) years of age.
2. Deacons shall have been a member of the church in good standing for at least the eighteen months prior to the time of nomination.
3. Deacons shall meet the spiritual qualifications as set forth in Acts 6:3 and I Timothy 3:8-12.
4. Deacons shall at the time of election support the full program of the church, including organizations.
5. Deacons shall be men who faithfully tithe to the church.
iii. Duties
1. The deacons shall cooperate with, advise, and assist the pastors in the discharge of their duties.
2. The deacons shall, from time to time, recommend policies to the congregation.
3. The deacons shall actively promote and participate in outreach visitation, minister to the members of the congregation, and minister to the sick, poor, and distressed in the community.
4. The deacons shall labor to resolve conflict and promote the harmony and peace of the congregation.
5. The deacons shall participate in serving the Lord’s Supper to the congregation.
iv. Policies
The congregation shall adopt and maintain policies governing the deacons. These policies shall specify the procedures governing the election and activation of new deacons; establishing and defining the roles and terms of any deacon officers; stipulating the frequency, parameters, and procedures for the calling of deacons’ meetings; and the procedures for the removal of inactive or disqualified deacons from the active deacon body.
v. Openness of Meetings
Deacons’ meetings shall be open to any member of the congregation in good standing as an observer except in those situations of a sensitive nature in which the senior pastor or the chairman of deacons has called the body into executive session.
c. Ordination
i. Ordination is generally understood to be prerequisite to service in one of the biblical offices. When the church senses that one of its men in good standing has been called to serve in one of the biblical offices, then the church may acknowledge and confirm the calling by convening an ordination counsel.
1. The congregation shall perform ordinations in the following manner.
a) An ordination council shall examine candidates for ordination.
b) The ordination council shall question each candidate individually as to doctrinal soundness, certainty of calling, and qualification for office.
c) The ordination council shall deliver to the church a recommendation either to ordain or not to ordain the candidate.
d) The members of the ordination council are by virtue of their position invited to attend and participate in the ordination service.
e) The congregation shall conduct an ordination service consisting at least of the following elements:
1) The candidates for ordination shall each give public testimony before the congregation of their conversion to Christianity, their sense of God’s calling upon the candidate, and the vitality of their present life as a Christian disciple.
2) The ordination council shall bring its recommendations to the congregation. Members in good standing shall, pursuant to receiving the recommendations of the ordination council, vote either to ordain or not to ordain each man who has come before the congregation as a candidate.
3) The congregation shall, upon as many of the candidates as it has voted to ordain, lay hands in prayer and exhortation for their ministries.
ii. Special Ordination Provisions
1. The congregation will not ordain any man to serve in a biblical office who does not meet the scriptural qualifications to serve as one of its own pastors.
2. The congregation shall not ordain any man to the office of deacon except to activate him immediately as a serving deacon within the congregation.
3. The congregation may, upon convincing demonstration that a man previously ordained by this congregation no longer meets the qualifications under which he was ordained, vote to revoke the ordination of the man in question.
4. The congregation takes upon itself no active responsibility for monitoring the behavior of those who leave its fellowship to serve in other congregations, those congregations being autonomous and empowered to govern their own fellowships. Men ordained by this congregation do not act as the congregation’s agents or in any way under the congregation’s authority.
iii. License to Preach
The congregation may vote to license such a member to preach, thereby
acknowledging to other congregations and religious institutions that the church recognizes in the man gifts and a calling to preach and that the church commends the man to other congregations as an itinerant preacher. The church may also issue a license to preach to encourage a man potentially bound for eventual ordination to exercise his gifts among other congregations in preparation for eventual service as a pastor.
Section 3. Corporate Offices
a. Church Clerk
i. The church clerk shall be elected by the congregation to serve a term of office, not to exceed three years.
ii. The church clerk shall keep accurate minutes of all business meetings.
1. In the event that the church clerk is unavailable or incapacitated at the time of a church business meeting, the congregation shall, as its first item of business, elect an interim church clerk to serve for the duration of that meeting.
2. The church clerk shall at the beginning of each business meeting present for correction and approval the minutes of the previous business meeting.
3. The church clerk shall correspond with affiliated cooperative organizations, keep a record of transactions and current status of church membership, issue and request letters of recommendation for membership transfers, and maintain current contact information for church members.
b. Church Treasurer
i. The church treasurer shall be elected by the congregation to serve for a term of office not to exceed three years. The treasurer shall not serve more than one consecutive term.
ii. The church treasurer shall work with the staff and other volunteers to oversee the receipt, counting, recording, and depositing of all church offerings.
iii. The church treasurer shall work with the staff to provide to each contributor a quarterly and/or annual record of contributions made by that contributor.
iv. The church treasurer shall be the custodian of all monies of the church, disbursing them by check as authorized by the church.
v. The church treasurer, or his or her agent, shall keep at all times and provide, upon proper request, to any church member in good standing an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.
vi. The church treasurer, or his agent, shall render and publish monthly and annual reports detailing the financial position of the church.
c. Moderator
i. The church moderator shall be, in order of succession: the senior pastor, chairman of deacons, vice-chairman of deacons, any person elected by the congregation to serve in the capacity of moderator.
ii. The moderator shall preside over all business meetings of the congregation, executing all functions of a presiding officer as specified in the congregation’s current parliamentary rules.
d. Trustees
i. At least three trustees shall be elected by the congregation to hold in trust the property of the church.
ii. The trustees shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any property of the congregation without a specific vote of the congregation authorizing each action.
iii. The trustees shall sign any and all legal documents involving the sale, mortgage, purchase, or lease of church property or any other legal documents requiring the signature of the trustees for and in behalf of the church.
e. Vacancies
In case of vacancy in any corporate office, the vacancy shall be filled by the church at
a regular or special meeting as soon as possible after such vacancy has occurred.
ARTICLE III
CHURCH COMMITTEES
Section 1. Formation of Committees
a. The congregation shall form and empower or dissolve standing or ad hoc committees as it deems prudent for successfully accomplishing the mission and purpose of the church.
b. No committee shall have any authority other than that which the congregation has specifically delegated to the committee. The congregation cannot ultimately surrender any point of authority to any committee, as it retains unto itself the right of exclusive self government in all phases of its life and organization.
Section 2. Good Standing Requirement
No person shall serve on any committee of the church who is not a member in good standing of the congregation.
Section 3. Terms
a. Except as specified otherwise by the congregation, each appointment to a standing committee shall be for one, two, or three year terms of service. Members filling a mid-term vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
b. Except as specified otherwise by the congregation, each appointment to an ad hoc committee shall be for an indefinite term of service.
Section 4. Number of Members
All committees shall consist of at least three members including a single chairperson.
Section 5. Pastor ex officio Member
The senior pastor or a pastor of his designation shall be a non-voting ex officio member of all committees.
Section 6. Notice Requirement for Meetings
No committee shall meet except after providing advance notification to every committee member of the time, location, and agenda of the meeting, such notification to be adequate to provide every committee member with reasonable opportunity to attend.
Section 7. Constitutionally Mandated Committees
The church must maintain the following committees, which must perform the duties assigned herein and may undertake other tasks as assigned by the congregation.
a. Personnel Committee
i. The Personnel Committee shall recommend to the congregation the creation and dissolution of staff positions other than the senior pastor.
ii. The Personnel Committee shall recommend to the congregation the creation, revision, and maintenance of job descriptions for all staff positions other than the senior pastor.
iii. The Personnel Committee shall advise the congregation as needed regarding the supervision of all staff positions other than the senior pastor.
iv. The Personnel Committee shall make annual budget recommendations to the Budget & Finance Committee regarding staff salaries.
v. No person may serve more than one consecutive term on the Personnel Committee.
b. Budget & Finance Committee
i. The Budget & Finance Committee shall compile and recommend to the congregation each year an annual church budget.
ii. The Budget & Finance Committee shall monitor the financial performance of the congregation and make necessary recommendations to the congregation regarding receipts and expenditures of funds.
iii. The Budget & Finance Committee shall make recommendations to the church regarding any unbudgeted expenditure of undesignated funds.
iv. The Budget & Finance Committee shall assist the congregation in teaching and promoting good biblical stewardship practices for its members.
v. No person may serve more than one consecutive term on the Budget & Finance Committee.
c. Nominating Committee
i. No person may serve more than one consecutive term on the Nominating Committee.
ii. The Nominating Committee shall, on or before December 31 of each year and in cooperation with the staff and the lay leadership of the church’s various program organizations, recommend to the church the election of church members in good standing to all volunteer positions, excepting those positions of committee service filled through the processes of the Committee on Committees.
iii. The Nominating Committee shall make recommendations to the congregation regarding the terms of all teaching and administrative volunteer positions in all of the church’s program organizations. These shall not exceed the duration of one year with starting and ending dates set as practicable for each program organization. In any position filled by the Nominating Committee, a member of the church in good standing may serve as many consecutive terms as the church deems appropriate.
iv. The Nominating Committee shall no later than December 31 of each year recommend to the congregation the election of specific replacements for the naturally expiring terms of all standing committees of the church.
v. The Nominating Committee shall, as needed, recommend to the congregation the election of specific replacements for unanticipated vacancies in all standing and ad hoc committees. Members elected to fill unanticipated vacancies shall serve on the committee for the duration of the unexpired term of the position vacated.
vi. The Nominating Committee shall make recommendations to the congregation regarding questions of the fitness or ability of any committee member to continue in committee service.
vii. The congregation shall, pursuant to any recommendation from the Nominating Committee, elect committee members with full right of discussion and substitution.
ARTICLE IV
CHURCH MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Worship Services
Regular worship services or programs shall be held weekly at a customary, designated time. The senior pastor, associate pastors, or their designees shall conduct all worship services.
Section 2. Special Services
Revival meetings or other church meetings essential or deemed beneficial to the advancement of church objectives shall be planned well in advance.
Section 3. Marriage Ceremonies, Wedding Showers, Baby Showers, Funerals, Certain Community Events and Personal Activities.
a. Policies and Procedures
The congregation shall adopt and maintain policies and procedures governing building usage. These policies shall specify the permissible activities which may occur within the church buildings and upon the church grounds for activities including, but not limited to, marriage ceremonies, wedding showers, baby showers, funerals, and other certain community and personal activities. All building usage shall be consistent with Article IV of the Constitution of First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas, and the Confession of Faith adopted by First Baptist Church, Wake Village, Texas.
b. Constitutionally Mandated Policy Regarding Marriage Ceremonies
i. Marriage is a union ordained by God. It was first instituted by God in the early chapters of Genesis, codified in the Levitical law. The Old Testament prophets compared it to a relationship between God and his people. Examples of it are in the historical narratives, and the wisdom literature discusses the unique unity of this relationship. Jesus explained the original intention and core elements of marriage, and several New Testament Epistles give explicit instructions on this union. Marriage is a typology of Christ and the Church. As such, the Church views marriage as a profound spiritual institution established by God. Due to the importance of marriage in the biblical witness, this church adopts the following policy:
a. Clergy
1. Only duly ordained or licensed male clergy approved by the senior pastor shall officiate at marriage ceremonies conducted on church property.
2. Pastors employed by the church shall be subject to dismissal and/or loss of ordination for officiating a same-gender marriage ceremony.
b. Premises
1. Clergy officiating marriage ceremonies on church premises, whether or not employed by the church, shall affirm their agreement with the Articles of Faith and shall conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent therewith.
2. The Senior Pastor or his designee, in his or her sole discretion, decline to make church facilities available for, and/or decline to officiate at, a ceremony when, in his or her judgment, there are significant concerns that one or both of the applicants may not be qualified to enter into the sacred bond of marriage for theological, doctrinal, moral or legal reasons.
3. No church facilities may be used by any person to host a same-gender (same-sex) marriage ceremony.
Section 4. Regular Business Meetings
Christ being the Sovereign Lord of the church and the congregation being under obligation as His servants to seek His will for the church, the congregation shall make every effort to provide adequate time for members to consider prayerfully and soberly all congregational decisions and to pursue jointly the will of God for the church.
a. Regular business meetings shall occur approximately once each month as the congregation may deem appropriate. Notice of regular business meetings shall be given by oral announcement at a regularly scheduled worship service before the meeting or by other means which shall give fair notice of the meeting to the congregation.
b. Members in good standing of the congregation, church committees, and church program organizations may request of the staff to place items of business upon the agenda of a regular business meeting on or before the day one week before the scheduled day of the regular business meeting. So long as the proposed item of business has been submitted properly according to the provisions of this document, the right of any member in good standing to place an item of business upon the agenda shall not be abrogated. Items placed upon the agenda must still obtain a second, be ruled in order, and proceed subject to the church’s parliamentary rules in order to receive consideration in business meeting.
c. The staff shall publish the agenda of any regular business meeting and make it available in the church office and at the church’s corporate worship services for a time span including at least one Sunday morning prior to the business meeting.
d. Items of business introduced in a regular business meeting but not closely related to items on the agenda may be referred by the moderator to an appropriate committee for research and a report back to the congregation at its next regular business meeting. If the item is not germane to the assigned duties of any committee, the congregation may choose to form an ad hoc committee to research the item and promptly to report back to the congregation at its next business meeting, or if the congregation is unwilling to do so, the moderator shall automatically postpone consideration of the item until the next regular business meeting.
Section 5. Special Business Meetings
a. Special business meetings may be called from time to time by the moderator or by members of the congregation having not less than one-tenth of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting to consider special matters of a significant nature.
b. The time, location, and subject of a special business meeting shall be given by oral announcement at a regularly scheduled business meeting or by other means which shall give fair notice of the meeting to the congregation.
c. No item may be introduced at a special business meeting that is not closely related to the items on the agenda for the meeting.
Section 6. Quorum for Church Business Meetings
The quorum consists of those members of the congregation in good standing who attend the business meeting—provided that it is a valid meeting—the time, location, and agenda of which have been published as stipulated above. Only members of the congregation in good standing shall be entitled to vote in business meetings.
Section 7. Act of the Membership, No Proxy Voting
The membership may act only at a properly called meeting of the membership where a quorum is present. At such a meeting, a member may only vote in person. A vote of a majority of the members in attendance shall be an act of the membership. Except that a two-thirds majority of the members in attendance shall be required for the church to take the following actions: dissolution of the corporation, merger or consolidation with another corporation, sale of substantially all of the corporation’s assets, amendment to the corporation’s Certificate of Formation or of its Bylaws.
Section 8. Parliamentary Rules
Robert’s Rules of Order in its most recent revision shall serve as the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all business meetings of the congregation and for all other meetings within the congregation, including committee meetings, at which church members may vote.
ARTICLE V
CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Section 1. Authority, Purposes, and Scriptural Mandate
a. The congregation retains unto itself the right to govern its own membership. Any member who consistently neglects his or her duties or is guilty of conduct which dishonors the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and opposes the welfare of the church shall be subject to the admonition of the pastoral leadership and the discipline of the church. Such discipline shall be administered with a tender spirit, following the scriptural procedure according to Matthew 18:15-18. Church discipline should ordinarily be contemplated only after individual private admonition has failed.
b. Church discipline can include admonition by the pastors or congregation, suspension from the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper for a definite period, deposition from office, and exclusion from church membership (see Matthew 18: 15–17; 2 Thessalonians 3: 14–15; 1 Timothy 5: 19–20; 1 Corinthians 5: 4–5).
c. The primary purpose of such discipline is to bring about the repentance, reconciliation, and spiritual growth of the individual disciplined (see Proverbs 15: 5; 29: 15; I Corinthians 4: 14; Ephesians 6: 4; I Timothy 3: 4–5; Hebrews 12: 1–11; Psalm 119: 115; 141: 5; Proverbs 17: 10; 25: 12; 27: 5; Ecclesiastes 7: 5; Matthew 7: 26–27; 18: 15–17; Luke 17: 3; Acts 2: 40; I Corinthians 5: 5; Galatians 6: 1–5; II Thessalonians 3: 6, 14–15; I Timothy 1: 20; Titus 1:13–14; James 1: 22).
Section 2. Church Discipline Procedure
a. The repentance and restoration of a wayward church member shall first be sought by individual private admonition. If restoration is not achieved following individual private admonition, the admonishing member shall return to the wayward member with one or two witnesses and seek his or her repentance and restoration.
b. Restoration not having been achieved, the member shall, at a business meeting of the congregation, bring a motion to exclude the accused member from the membership of the congregation.
i. Upon receiving a motion and a second to exclude member from church membership the moderator shall immediately recognize the member making the motion to specify the breach of Christian duty and the time, place, members in attendance, and outcomes of the meetings constituting step a described above. If the member cannot satisfactorily provide the details of those meetings, the moderator shall immediately rule the motion out of order until such time as the provisions of Matthew 18:15-17 have been completed.
ii. The moderator shall next recognize the accused member, if present, for the purpose of presenting a defense against the charges or expressing repentance and seeking restoration.
iii. Once the congregation has pursued whatever discussions, actions, inquiries, or referrals it deems necessary for a sufficiently thorough investigation of the charges, the congregation may vote either to exclude or to retain as a member in good standing the accused member.
iv. Members excluded in this manner shall not be considered members in good standing and shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of membership.
v. The church shall have authority to refuse a member’s voluntary resignation or transfer of membership to another church, either for the purpose of proceeding with a process of church discipline, or for any other biblical reason.
c. An ongoing pattern of initiating church discipline against fellow members in a frivolous and unsubstantiated manner or in a haughty and arrogant spirit shall itself be considered a breach of Christian duty and subject to an action of church discipline.
Section 3. Restoration Following Exclusion
Should any member of the congregation formerly excluded by any action of church discipline seek restoration to membership in good standing, the congregation shall consider whether the member is contrite and repentant and shall vote regarding restoration of the candidate to membership in good standing. Throughout this process the congregation shall follow in a tender spirit the scriptural principles articulated by our Lord in Matthew 18:19-35.
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