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Constitution
of the
Preamble
So that things may be done decently and in order in accordance with the Word of God, the Bible, and that we may more readily help each other in our Christian service, we declare and establish this constitution to which we voluntarily submit ourselves.
Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1 - Name
This congregation of believers shall be known as the
Section 2 - Purpose
(A) This congregation is organized as a church exclusively for religious, educational, and charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Revenue Law), including, but not limited to, for such purposes, the establishing and maintaining of religious worship, the building, maintaining, and operating of churches, parsonages, and any other ministries that the church may be led of God to establish.
(B) The church shall also license and ordain men to the Gospel ministry and the office of deacon; evangelize the unsaved by the proclaiming of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; educate believers in a manner consistent with the requirements of Holy Scripture, both in Sunday and weekday schools of Christian education; maintain missionary activities in the United States and any foreign country by tithing all regular offerings to missions both far and near; and engage in any other ministry that the church may decide, from time to time, to pursue in obedience to the will of God.
Article II: Statement of Faith and Covenant
Section 1 - Statement of Faith
(A) God - We believe that there is one, and only one, true and living God; that He is absolute in nature, perfect in attributes, holy in character, the maker of and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; that He is infinite in wisdom, marvelous in power, and amazing in love; that He is holy, righteous, and true, worthy of all confidence and love; that he unites in Himself the infinite, the eternal, and the Almighty Three - God, the Father, and God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit; that the three persons of the God-head subsist in the same divine nature, essence, and being; and that they are coexistent and coequal in every divine attribute, each one executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 4:39; Mark 12:29; Genesis 17:1; Matthew 5:48; Isaiah 6:3; I Chronicles 29:11&12; Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:33&34; Matthew 19:26; Psalm 19:9; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2&3; IJohn5:7; Exodus 3:14; Genesis 1:26; and Titus 3:3-7.)
(B) The Divine Trinity - (1) GOD, THE FATHER, We believe that God, the Father, is the first person set forth in the divine Trinity; that He is Almighty, merciful, and just; that He is holy, righteous and true; that He is eternally existent, glorious in nature, possessing the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; and that He, in harmony with His divine office, loves, provides, and protects, thus exercising providential watchcare over the sons of men, and especially a fatherly care over the children of God. ( Matthew 28:19; Genesis 17:1; Matthew 19:26; Psalm 19:9; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 100:5; Proverbs 15:3; Psalm 139:1-6; Psalm 139:13&14; Psalm 103:13; Matthew 6:25-30; Matthew 10:29-31; and Matthew 7:11.)
(2) GOD, THE SON - VIRGIN BORN. We believe that God, the Son, is the second person set forth in the divine Trinity; that He is Very God of Very God; that He is Almighty, merciful, and just; that He is holy, righteous, and true; that He is eternally existent, glorious in nature, possessing the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; that God, the Father, through the Holy Spirit, is actually and eternally His divine Father, and Mary the virgin, is actually and innocently His human mother; and that He, in harmony with His divine office, mediates, seeks, and saves, thus exercising the mediatory office of redemption. ( Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-3,14; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 28:18; Titus 3:5&6; John 8:15&16; II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 13:8; Philippians 2:6; John 2:24; Matthew 28:20; Luke 1:35; Luke 2:7-14; I Timothy 2:5&6; Luke 19:10; and John 3:16.)
(3) GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT. We believe that God, the Holy Spirit, is the third person set forth in the Divine Trinity; that He is Almighty, merciful, and just; that HE is holy, righteous, and true; that He is eternally existent, glorious in nature, possessing the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; that He restrains the world, the flesh, and the devil; that He witnesses to the Truth, convicts the lost, extols the Christ, and testifies to the righteous judgments of God; that He, in harmony with His divine office, comforts, teaches, testifies, preaches, guides, regenerates, empowers, sanctifies, and anoints, thus exercising the quickening rote in the works of saving the lost and the supervising role in the life of the saved. ( John 14:16, 17&26; John 15:26; John 16:7-13; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 4:14; Isaiah 40:12-15; I Corinthians 2:10-12; Psalm 139:7-12; II Thessalonians 2:6&7; John3:6&8; Ephesians 1:13&14; Acts 1:8; I Peter 1:2; and Isaiah 61:1.)
(C) The Devil- We believe that Satan is an actual person, and not an imaginary influence; that he once enjoyed high heavenly honors and glorious heavenly privileges; that he, through pride, ambition, and self-will attempted to betray the Almighty and brought down upon his head the judgment of God; that he operates today as the god of this work! and the prince of the power of the air; that he is a diabolical inventor, an arch-deceiver, and the father of all lies; that he is the greatest enemy, the mightiest tempter, and the most relentless accuser of the saints; that he shall one day be incarnate in the person of the Anti-Christ and in that role will finally meet the Christ in the Battle of Armageddon; that there "the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head;" and that he shall eventually be cast into the lake of fire, the eternal place of punishment, prepared for the devil and his angels. (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Isaiah 14:12-27; Genesis 3:14; II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Matthew 24:11; II Thessalonians 2:7-11; John 8:44; I Peter 5:8 and Genesis 3:1-6 and Revelation 12:10; Daniel 7:8 and Revelation 13:1-10 and Revelation 19:20; Genesis 3:15; II Corinthians 11:13-15; John 14:30; and Ephesians 2:2.)
(D) The Holy Bible - We believe that the Holy Bible is a supernatural Book; that it is the very Word of God; that it is the full, the final, and the complete revelation of God's will to man; that it has God, the Holy Spirit, for its author, salvation for its end, and truth in the original without any admixture of error for its matter; that it was written by holy men of old under the immediate and direct dictation of the Holy Spirit; that it is verbally inspired and a perfect treasure of holy instruction; and that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and is, therefore, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by this church. [Special note: the King James Version and the New King James Version are two different translations, and only the King James Version will be the accepted translation used by
(E)Creation - We believe that the Genesis record of creation is literal, and not allegorical or figurative; that God personally created the heavens and the earth; that He miraculously brought forth all original matter out of nothing; that He actually fashioned all organic forms as specific creations subject to limited changes within the specie; that He definitely ordained each specie to bring forth after its kind; that He finally formed man out of the dust of the ground, not by any process of evolution but by instant action, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became immediately a living soul; that he created man in the image and likeness of God; that His every creative act was complete and perfect in itself; and that not one of His creations was "conditioned upon antecedent changes naturally wrought during interminable periods of time. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3, 14; Hebrews 11:3; Genesis 1:21, 24-27; Genesis 2:7; and Colossians 1:16.)
(F) The Fall of Man - We believe that man, originally created in holiness and actually associated with God in innocence under His law, did, by voluntary transgression of the Lord's command, fell from the high and happy state in which he was created, and, as a consequence, became a sinner alienated from God and brought upon himself and all mankind just condemnation; and that he is now, by virtue of his Men nature, utterly void of holiness, positively inclined to evil, and actually condemned to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse. (Genesis 1; 26&27; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Genesis 3:6; Genesis 3:23&24; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 5; 12; Romans 1:21-23; Romans 3:10-18; and Revelation 21:8.)
(G) The Blood Atonement * We believe that the lost sinner is guilty and already under just condemnation; that he is by nature alien to God and because of sin condemned to die; that atonement for sin was effected through the mediatory office of the Son, Who, by divine appointment, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin; that He, through obedience during His earthly walk, personally honored the divine Law by keeping it, and, through His death on the cross, actually satisfied the penalty of the offended Law by suffering in the sinner's stead; that He, through His obedience and sacrificial death, made foil and vicarious atonement for all sin; that He died, the just for the unjust, bearing our sins in His body on the tree; and that He, through the shedding of His blood on the cross of Calvary, evidenced eternal provision for cleansing, for pardon, for peace, and for rest. (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 6:7; Romans 8:23; I Timothy 2:5&6; Hebrews 2:17; II Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 5:17&18; I Peter 2:24; Hebrews 10:10-12; I Peter 3:18; Revelation 1:5; Isaiah 55:7; John 14:27; Matthew 11:28; I John 1:7; Ephesians 1:7; and Hebrews 9:22.)
(H)Repentance and Faith - We believe that repentance and faith are solemn and inseparable prerequisites of salvation; that they are inseparable graces wrought in the heart by the quickening Holy Spirit; that the alien sinner, being deeply convicted of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come by the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit, and by Him having his understanding enlightened so that he can see the way of salvation through Christ, does actually repent, turning to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication, and does actually believe, surrendering himself wholeheartedly to the Lord Jesus, immediately receiving Him as personal and all-sufficient Savior and openly confessing Him before all men. (Acts 20:21&22; Mark 1:15; Acts 11:18; Ephesians 2:8; John 6:44; John 16:8-11; Matthew 3:1,2, &8; Acts 3:19; Luke 13:3; Luke 18:9-14; Acts 9:6 and Romans 10:10.)
(I) Salvation By Grace - We believe that grace is elective and saving; that it embraces the personal triune, and redemptive ministry of God, the Father, and God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit; that it comprehends all of the labors put forth by the Almighty in the interest of perfect righteousness and the salvation of the lost soul; that it encompasses foreknowledge, foreordination, and predestination; that it, and it alone, saves even to the uttermost all who repent toward God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that salvation thus wrought is wholly by grace, "The free gift of God," requiring neither culture nor works in any form to secure ft or to keep it. (II Timothy 1:8&9; Ephesians 2:8&9; Titus 3:3-7; I Peter 1:2-5; Matthew 23:37; Romans 8:28-30; Hebrews 7:25; Acts 20:20&21; Romans 6:23; Romans 11:6; Romans 5:20; Isaiah 1:18; and Isaiah 55:1.)
(J) Regeneration - We believe that in order to be saved, lost sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration is a recreative act, far beyond comprehension, wrought in the believer's heart by the direct personal ministry of the Holy Spirit; that it is instantaneous, miraculous, and nonevolutionary or cultural; that it embraces the divine acts of cleansing the heart from all inward sin and of pardoning the soul of all outward guilt, in connection with the work of begetting a new creature in Christ Jesus; that the dead sinner is made to live through the new birth, becoming thereby a regenerated spirit, possessing eternal life, the gift of God; that the new birth comes after the Holy Spirit secures voluntary repentance and belief in the gospel; that ft is the actual importation of the divine life, not a mere transformation of the human life; and that the proper evidence of regeneration appears in the holy fruits of the obedient and willing faith of the followers of the Lord Jesus. (John 3:3-5&7; II Corinthians 5:17; John 3:8; John 3:16; John 1:12&13; Isaiah 1:18; Titus 3:5-7; Ephesians 2:1&5; Romans 6:23; John 16:8-11; Matthew 7:16-18 and James 2:17-20.)
(K) Justification - We believe that justification is one of the great gospel blessings secured through Christ for all who trust Him; that ft is a legal and divine decree, declaring the believing sinner just; that ft is thus a state of being free from condemnation, including forgiveness for inward sins and pardon for outward sins; that it secures through faith freedom from legal bondage, exemption from the wrath of God, and possession of peace which passes all understanding; that ft is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely upon the evidence of faith in God and the Redeemer's blood; and that ft brings us into a state of unchanging peace and favor with God and secures every other blessing needful for time and for eternity. (Romans 3:24&25; Romans 3:28; Romans 8:33; Romans 8:1; John 5:24; Romans 4:3-8; Romans 6:6; Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7; Romans 8:31-33; Genesis 15:6; and Hebrews 2;4.)
(L) The Security of the Believer - We believe that salvation wrought by grace is everlasting; that the saved soul journeying through the valley of the shadow of death need fear no evil; that the Holy Spirit-begotten and born are kept by the power of God; that the believer in Christ Jesus shall not be brought into judgment; that no one can lay anything to the charge of God's elect; that they are securely held in the hand of the Father and the Son; and that the age-old Baptist doctrine, "Once in grace, always in grace," is heavenly and gloriously true. (John 3:16; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6; Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 37:23&24; Philippians 1:6 and I Peter 3:5; John 5:24; Romans 8:1; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:31-3; Romans 8:35-39; and II Timothy 1:12.)
(M) Sanctification - We believe that sanctification is a divine work of grace; that ft is not a state of sinless perfection attained through a "second blessing" or through a special "Baptism of the Holy Ghost;" that ft is an act of grace by which the believer is separated unto God and dedicated unto His righteous purpose; that by ft we enter into divinely appointed privileges and thus become
larger partakers of His holiness; that it is a progressive work, begun in regeneration, and carried on in the life of every believer by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God; and that ft is nurtured only by Heaven's appointed means, especially by the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the saved through his self-examination, obedience, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer. (I Thessalonians 4:3; I Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 15:16; Jeremiah 1:5; Proverbs 4:18; John 17:17; II Corinthians 3:18; I John 2:29; Romans 8:5; I Timothy 4:5; Luke 9:23; Matthew 24:42; and Matthew 7:7-11.)
(N) The Lord's Return - We believe that Christ Jesus is coming back to earth again; that His return shall mark the advent of the "day of the Lord" and usher in the millennium; and that He shall in that day turn the tables on Satan, take up the throne of His father David, put down all of His enemies, rule with a rod of iron, triumph over sin, and give the world an example of righteous government during His thousand years of personal reign on earth. (Job f%; 25-26; Isaiah 9:6-7; Zechariah 14:4; Malachi 4:2; Luke 1: 31-33; Matthew 25: 31-34; Revelation 19: 11-21; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1: 7; II Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:4-6; Isaiah 9:7; I Corinthians 15: 25-27; Psalm 2:9; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15; I John 3:8; and Psalm 72: 1-20.)
(O) The Resurrection - We believe that Christ Jesus arose bodily from the grave on the first day of the week, which day we now observe as the Lord's Day, a day of worship; that His miraculous emergence from the tomb forecasted a like bodily resurrection for every member of the Adamicrace; that the dead in Christ shall rise first in glorified bodies like His; that they shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air; that the dead in trespasses and sins, or the dead out of Christ, shall rise at the close of the millennium; and that they shall be brought before the Great White Throne Judgment and there face the Judge of the quick and the dead. (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24: 1-12; I Corinthians 15: 12- 22; I Thessalonians 4: 13-18; Revelation 20: 5-6; Revelation 11:15; Daniel 12:3; I Samuel 2:6; Isaiah 26:19; Hosea 12:14; and Isaiah 25:6-8.)
(P) Individual Rewards - We believe that reward and salvation are not one and the same thing. We believe that the Lord shall reward His own; that He Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout; that the dead in Christ shall rise first; that a solemn separation shall take place; that the blood-washed and Holy Spirit-begotten shall be caught up to meet Him in the air, and there be rewarded according to the deeds done in the body; and that the place called the New Heaven and the New Earth is ordained the everlasting dwelling place of the children of God. We believe that the wicked are children of the devil; that they are rebels against God; that they reject the free offer of salvation through Christ; that they ignore the wooing of the Holy Spirit; and that they, as a consequence, are hell bound, being under a death sentence; that they shall spend eternity in the Lake of Fire which burneth with fire and brimstone where the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet shall ever be. (I Corinthians 3: 11-15; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; Matthew 24: 40-41; Matthew 13: 47-50; I Corinthians 3:8; Revelation 21: 1-8; John 8: 44; Romans 8:7; John 3: 18; Revelation 20: 10-15; and Romans 6:23.)
(Q) The Righteous and the Wicked- We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. We believe the righteous are they who believe in Christ Jesus, the justified by faith, and the sanctified by the Holy Spirit and the Word; that the righteous are heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ; and that eternal life, the gift of God, is the matchless possession of the just. We believe that the wicked are they who do not believe in Christ Jesus; the condemned because of unbelief and the corrupted by the god of this world; that the unjust spurn the privileges of God's grace, choosing the life of sin and rebellion; and that eternal damnation is the inescapable portion of the unjust. (Malachi 3:16-18; John 3:6; Romans3:22, 24; Romans 4:3; Romans 1:17; Romans 8: 1-17; Acts 20:32; John 15:3; Romans 8:17; Romans 6:23; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelations 21:8; Matthew 23:37; Proverb 29:1 and Matthew 25:41.)
(R) The Local Church - We believe that a New Testament Church, according to divine purpose and plan, is a visible, local, organized body, that it is composed of baptized (by a Scriptural Baptist church) believers associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel; that New Testament validity flows from strict obedience to essential principles of New Testament law; that it is a sovereign, independent, democratic, and militant body; that its ministry is gloriously blessed with the presence and leadership of the Holy Spirit and the light and the revelation of the written Word; that its work should ever be from within to without and never from without to within; that it is a self-governing body and is the sole judge, under the limitations of the Scriptures, of the measure and method of co-operation; that it is the only ecclesiastical tribunal the Lord has on earth; that its judgment concerning membership, missions, benevolence, co-operative alignments, and support is final; that it was personally founded by Christ Jesus during His ministry on earth; that it is subject to His laws and is the custodian of His ordinances; that the perpetuity of our faith, our doctrine and practices, ordinances and ordinations has been effected through the Holy Spirit personally planting and preserving local Baptist churches of like faith and order down through the centuries even until now. (Matthew 28:19&20; I Corinthians 1:1-3; Acts 2:41&42; II Corinthians 8:5; Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:15-17; John 14:16,17, &26; Acts 1:8; Acts 13:1-4; Matthew 18:17&18; Matthew 16:18&19; Matthew 26:26-29; Matthew 28:19&20; I Timothy 3:15; Mark 3:13&14; and Luke 6:12&13.)
(S)Ordinances - We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances personally set in the church of the living God by the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Baptism is the burial of a believer in water by the authority and instruction of the local Baptist church; that it symbolizes the death and the burial and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ; that it also typifies the believer's death to sin, the burial of his old nature, and his resurrection unto a new life; and that itis administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. We believe the ) Lord's Supper is a memorial spread and administered by the authority and instruction of the local Baptist church to its members only; that it symbolizes the broken body and the shed blood of the Son of God; that its observance points backward to the crucified Lord on Calvary and forward to the returning Lord in glory. We believe that these ordinances are not sacraments, but are sanctified symbols, pointing to the world's only Savior, and bidding the sons of men to look unto an everlasting fellowship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords when He shall return to take over the reins of all government. (Matthew 26:26-29; Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 16:19; Acts 10:47; and I Corinthians 11:23-26.)
(T) Church Administration - We believe that the churches of God and the state should be kept completely separate; that civil officers should be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; that diligence should be had in seeking the will of God in all church matters; that missionary endeavors should ever be executed from within the local church to without; that pastors and deacons, the only divinely appointed church officers, should be duly ordained and brought to understand the sacred duties devolving upon them; that the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, should be honored both by saint and sinner; that Bible teachings should be constantly and consistently fostered by local church bodies; that members should be deliberately and prayerfully voted into the fellowship of the local body; that unruly church members should be prayerfully and r Scripturally disciplined by the local church; and that church letters should be granted to local, ) sister churches of the same faith and practice. (Acts 1:8; Acts 13:1-35; Romans 13:1-7; Acts14:23; Acts 6:1-6; Acts 2:42; Revelation 1:10; Matthew 16:19; Acts 10:47; Matthew 18:15-17; Acts 15:19-27; Acts 18:27; Romans 16:1&2 and Matthew 28:19&20.)
(U) Church Co-operation - We believe that it is the privilege and the right of local churches to co-operate with each other in carrying out the commission of the Lord; that such co-operation is righteously effected only when the principles of Christ are preserved in the work fostered; and that all associated endeavor of local churches should be carried on in such a way as to preserve the sovereign integrity of each local body in all matters of faith and practice. (II Corinthians 8:1-6, 16-24; II John 1-4; Matthew 16:18&19 and Acts 15:19-27.)
(V) Human Sexuality - We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5&13; 26:8&9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; I Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22&23)
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the leader in the home and men are to be the leaders of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; I Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5 & 12)
(W) Divorce and Remarriage - We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; I Timothy 3:2&12; Titus 1:6)
(X) Abortion – We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living himan being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancy due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental or physical well-being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5, 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1&5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
(Y) Lawsuits Between Believers- We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe that the church possess all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (I Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31&32)
(Z) Giving - We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, to the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9&10; Acts 4:34-37; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 4:28; I Timothy 5:17&18; I John 3:17)
Section 2 - Authority of Statement of Faith
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source and authority of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members.
Section 3 - Covenant
Having been led, as we believe, by the Holy Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit by a sound, New Testament, Baptist church, 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, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrine; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, and the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred, acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from worldly amusements such as gambling and dancing; to be free from all oath-bound secret societies and partnerships with unbelievers; to abstain from the sale or use of tobacco in any form, narcotic drugs, or intoxicating drink as beverage; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure reconciliation without delay.
We moreover engage, that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible, unite with some other church of like faith and practice where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of the Word of God.
Article III: Church Elections
That the church has an annual election of officers in May each year. Officers will be presented to the church for ratification to take place in the annual meeting. After these officers have been accepted by the church for the current year, they will begin their duties on the first Sunday of June. In the event an officer or teacher vacancy occurs after the annual election, the church, in one of their regular meetings, will appoint a church member to fill the vacancy, or vacancies, until the annual election.
Article IV: Officers of the Church and Their Duties
Section 1 - Church Officers
The church officers are: pastor, deacons, trustees, treasurer, church clerk, and Sunday Schoolsuperintendent.
Section 2 - Designation of Corporate Officers
As an accommodation to legal relationships outside the church, the pastor shall serve as president of the corporation; the deacons shall elect one of their number to serve as vice-president; the church clerk shall serve as secretary of the corporation; the church treasurer shall serve as treasurer of the corporation; and the church trustees shall serve as trustees for the corporation.
Section 3 - Pastor
A. The first officer of the church shall be the pastor, whose qualifications, duties, and leadership responsibilities are set forth in the Holy Scriptures. When he does not meet those Biblical qualifications, he will be counseled with by the church officials and men. If rectification and reconciliation is not obtained, the church officials will, in turn, at a regular business meeting, bring the matter before the church for final judgment. The pastor is not voted on each year, but is called of God and by the church indefinitely until God leads otherwise.
B. It is the duty of the pastor to preach regularly at all services of the church, or in his absence, because of his ministry else where, to furnish, and the church pay, a supply for his pulpit.
C. Before the pastor is called as pastor of this church, and as long as he is pastor of this church, he must agree and practice fully that which is declared in the Statement of Faith and Church Covenant of this church constitution.
D. The pastor shall act as moderator at all business meetings of the church when present. Said business meetings to be on the second Sunday evening of the quarter.
E. Subject to the approval of the church membership and on the condition that they shall become a member of the church upon assuming their duties, the pastor may hire associates and other staff to assist the pastor in carrying out the day to day work of the church. All staff, whether paid or volunteer, shall be under the supervision of the pastor who has the authority to hire, appoint, or dismiss the same.
F. Whenever it is necessary by the death or resignation of the pastor, the church, with out necessary delay, shall proceed to secure a new pastor in the following manner:
1. In Case of Resignation: It shall be the duty of the pastor to give the church two (2) weeks notice of his resignation. In the event a pastor resigns and accepts another position, or leaves without helping the church in securing another pastor, the sub-section E-2 shall apply.
2. In Case of Death: A pulpit committee shall immediately be formed which shall consist of the deacons. This committee, after counsel with the Lord, shall invite to the church pulpit some minister of good report who is not in any way connected with commonly understood denominational religions. He shall be known in his preaching and living to be fundamental and sound in the Word of God, and who can and will subscribe in full to the Articles of Faith, and Constitution held by this church. The pulpit committee will cease to exist after the preacher has accepted the church.
3. There must be a majority of members present calling a Pastor. The church will then have an opportunity to make that vote unanimous.
Section 4 - Deacons
The deacons shall be set aside for examination and later ordination by the church. This office originated in the first church in
Immediately following the annual church meeting, the deacons shall assemble and elect from their own number one who will serve as vice president of the corporation for all legal matters,
Section 5 - Trustees
A three man committee will constitute the board of trustees. The duties of the trustees shall be to transact all business, to sign all papers dealing with legal matters as the church has so ordered by the majority of the vote. They shall have no authority to buy, sell, or otherwise dispose of the church properties without the permission of the church in an authorized meeting.
Section 6 - Treasurer ,
At the annual meeting of the church, there shall be elected, by the majority vote of the church, a treasurer whose Christian life and conduct is beyond reproach. The duties of the treasurer will be to pay by check all bills, and to keep a true and fair book of accounts in the church office, and be able to give a monthly report to the church.
Section 7 - Clerk
At the annual meeting of the church, a clerk shall be elected by the majority vote. The duties of the clerk shall be to keep a firsthand record of the proceedings of the church, to take charge of, and preserve, all records in the church office, and to keep a register of all members of the church.one of their regular meetings, will appoint a church member to fill the vacancy, or vacancies, until the next annual election.
Section 8 - Sunday School Superintendent
At the annual meeting of the church, a Sunday School superintendent shall be elected by the majority vote. The duties of the Sunday School superintendent will be to help keep good order in the Sunday School, and to keep accurate records; to encourage and help in the visitation needed in each class; to give a report of attendance and progress of the Sunday School each Sunday. In the absence of a Sunday School teacher, each teacher should contact the Sunday School superintendent about a substitute teacher.
Article V: Reception of Members
A. Any person professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in any church service, and giving evidence of personal salvation, may, upon baptism, be received into membership.
B. Those coming from other Baptist churches of like faith and order, may present themselves as candidates for membership upon promise of a letter, showing that they are in good standing in that church.
C. All persons received must give statement of their salvation, and be scripturally baptized (immersion by a Baptist church of like faith and order).
D. Members may be received, when necessary, upon statement of the above.
Article VI: Dismissing of Members
Members may be dismissed from the membership of the church in the following manners:
A. By a letter of dismissal to another Baptist church of like faith and order.
B. Any member who persists in causing dissension of any nature, the method set forth by our Lord and Savior in Matthew 18:15-18 shall be applied by the church and shall be dismissed by majority vote of the church body present in any official meeting.
C. Any member who consistently brings the name of Christ in reproach by any method, should be contacted by the pastor and deacons in the spirit of Christ, as found in Galatians 6:1, but, and if, the member or members refuse the admonition, they are to be dismissed by the church by a majority vote of the church body present in any official meeting. (I Corinthians 5:13)
D. By death of the member.
E. The membership of any individual member shall be automatically transferred to an inactive roll if the member in question has not attended a regular worship service of the church in the preceding six months. This does not apply to the homebound or college students of our church. All those on the inactive roll are not eligible to vote or observe the Lord's Supper with the active membership. When someone who has been placed on the inactive roll demonstrates a genuine rededication and active participation in the services of the church, they will then be restored to active status and all privileges will be restored.
Article VII: Restoration of Dissolved Membership
Dissolved membership may be restored upon public confession of his/her sin(s) and error(s) and the forgiveness of the church.
Article VIII: Regarding the Sunday School
A. That Sunday School promotion day coincide with promotion of the public schools, and that new classes begin the first Sunday in June.
B. All educational programs and courses of instruction shall be consistent with the teaching of the inerrant Word of God. Any assertion or belief which conflicts with or questions a Bible truth is a pagan deception and distortion of the truth which will be disclaimed as false. It is the responsibility of every instructor or teacher to present the inerrant Word of God as the sole infallible source of knowledge and wisdom.
C. And that the fiscal year of the church runs from May to April.
D. All instructors, teachers and administrators shall be members of this church. This provision shall not apply to visiting missionaries, evangelists, or preachers engaged for the purpose of delivering sermons, conducting revival meetings, or other special meetings on a temporary basis.
Article IX: Meetings of the Church
Unless otherwise determined by the pastor, the church shall meet each Sunday for public worship both morning and evening and at least once during the week for Bible study and prayer.
A church business meeting shall be held on the 2nd Sunday evening of each month, at which time the regular church business shall be considered. A quorum shall consist of the members present. The pastor (or deacons if the office of pastor is vacant or the pastor is the subject of the meeting) may call a special business meeting.
Bible conferences, missionary conferences, missionary presentations, and revival meetings may be held as the pastor deems beneficial.
Article X: Future Affiliations of the Church
Under no circumstances shall this church become affiliated with the National Council of Churches of Christ in America; the American Baptist Convention (ABC); the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC); the Northern Baptist Convention (NBC); the General Association of Regular Baptists (GARB); the Baptist Missionary Association of America (BMAA); the American Baptist Association (ABA); the Bible Baptist Fellowship (BBF); the World Baptist Fellowship (WBF); or any other group of organized Baptists who send their missionaries or mission money through an organized board or clearinghouse, or any other ecclesiastical organization whose stand is consistently contrary to the Bible and this document We further agree that the above also applies to the modem-day "Charismatic Movement." (i.e.: Speaking in tongues, baptism of the Holy Spirit, man's ability to channel the power of God to heal, etc.)
In the event this church should ever become affiliated with any of the above named organizations or any of their branches, then this church will be dissolved and all properties held by this church must be sold (the price may be no lower than the appraised value of the buildings and properties) and all moneys turned over to some independent Baptist missionary, missionaries, or school who has no affiliations with the above named organizations.
Article XI: Unauthorized Expenditures
Any expenditures, for the day to day function of the church, not in excess of $500, and not authorized in the regular business meeting of the church, may be authorized by the pastor (or deacons, if the office of pastor is vacant), and must be brought before the church at the next regular business meeting.
Article XII: Amending this Constitution
Any article of church ruling of this constitution may be amended by a majority vote of members present in any business meeting, with the exceptionof the Articles of Faith, Article X and Article XII, which, under no circumstances, shall be amended.
Adoption
This constitution was adopted by a majority vote of the members present and voting at a duly-called meeting of the church in which a quorum was present.