Our Constitution

1) NAME  The name of the church shall be Omaha Bible Church.

2) PURPOSE  The primary purpose of the church shall be to bring glory to God by worshipping Him and ministering to the spiritual needs of mankind. This purpose finds its expression in the activities related to the edification of the church through evangelism, Bible study, prayer, worship, fellowship and service.

Constitution Statement of Faith

a) The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Scriptures--both the Old and New Testaments--to be the verbally inspired Word of God, written by men in God's control, inerrant and infallible in the original manuscripts and the final authority in faith and life. We accept the Grammatical-Historical system of interpretation of the Scriptures, and accept the historical record of the Bible as accurate and adequate.

b) The Godhead

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--who are identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possess precisely the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).

c) The Condition of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, in innocence and without sin. But in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became spiritually dead and alienated from God so that man is a sinner by both nature and imputation and man of himself is incapable of remedying his lost and depraved condition Gen. 1:26; 3:1- 24; Rom. 3:10-18; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3).

d) The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God; that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin in order that He might redeem sinful man. He accomplished this redemption by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless substitutionary sacrifice on the cross thereby satisfying God's righteous judgment against sin. He gave proof that He accomplished that redemption by His bodily resurrection from the grave. He then ascended to the right hand of His Father where He intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him (John 1:1,2,14,18; Luke 1:34,35; Rom. 3:24-26; 8:34).

e) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin; that He alone brings new life to those who are spiritually dead; that He baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true Church which is the Body of Christ; that He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him John 3:3-8; 16:7-11; 1 Cor. 12:13; John 14:16,17; Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Eph. 5:18).

f) Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God's grace given to all who God has elected to salvation. It includes all that God does in saving the elect from the penalty, power and presence of sin and in restoring them to a right relationship with God. As such it is solely the work of God from initiation to completion. It cannot be gained or earned by good works, but is a free gift for all who put their trust in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. All who so trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are forgiven and saved from their sins and declared righteous before God and born into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. God's purpose for saving His elect is that they bring glory to Him by their lives. (Eph. 1:7; 2:8,9; John 1:12; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 1:6; Tit. 2:11-14).

g) Security, Assurance and Responsibility

We believe that all the saved--those in whom God has accomplished His transforming work of grace--are kept by His power and are, thus, secure in Christ forever. This assurance, however, is not the occasion for sin for God in holiness cannot tolerate persistent sin in His children and in infinite love He corrects them. True faith in Christ is expressed by a fruitful, God-pleasing life John 10:27-29; Rom. 8:29-39; 1 John 5:13; Heb. 12:6; Matt. 7:20; James 2:20).

h) The Church

We believe that the true Church, called in Scripture the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism. Every person who has trusted Jesus Christ for salvation in this present age has been baptized (placed) into this organism by the Holy Spirit. The local church, as established in Scripture, is made up of redeemed individuals who have joined together for worship, instruction, fellowship and service Eph. 1:22; 1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:42; 13:1,2).

i) Ordinances

We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances to be observed by all believers until His return--baptism and the Lord's Supper Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).  (See also Article XIII)

j) The Second Coming of Christ

We believe in the personal, pre-tribulational [imminent] coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church and His subsequent pre-millennial return to earth to establish His kingdom 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-6).

k) The Eternal State

We believe that at death the souls of those who have trusted Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and remain there in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at Christ's coming for the Church, when soul and body will be reunited. We then shall be with Him forever in glory. We also believe that at death the souls of unbelievers remain in conscious misery until the final judgment at the Great White Throne at the close of the Millennium when the soul and body will be reunited and cast into the lake of fire--not to be annihilated, but to be separated from God forever in conscious punishment Luke 16:19-26; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:11-15).

l) Satan, Demons and Evil

We believe there is a personal being called the Devil, Lucifer, the Evil One, and a number of other names in Scripture. He apparently is the highest created (Ezek. 28:14-15) being who, because of pride, sought equality with God (Isa. 14:13-14). He was removed from his lofty position and now functions as the greatest and most powerful enemy of God (Job). He blinds the eyes of unbelieving men (2 Cor. 4:4), offers temptation to sin (1 Cor. 10:13), and causes confusion and destruction in God's orderly creation. Demon spirits are fallen angels which do the bidding of Satan always opposing God. We are assured as believers that we have no need to fear personal bodily harm (1 John 4:4) but we are instructed to respect Satan and his angels because of his position, power and craftiness. While the Scriptures reveal some information about the activities of the demonic world, in dealing with this menace they only give simple instructions to resist, avoid and not practice evil. Any attempt to describe the practices, habits and operations of Satan and his demons based on personal experiences will lead believers away from their dependence on the Lord and His Word.

Constitution Articles 4 & 5

4) INCORPORATIONThe Articles of Incorporation supersede the provisions of this constitution and are considered part of the documents used to regulate the church. The Articles of Incorporation may be amended by the Elders of Omaha Bible Church.

 

5) COVENANT OF MEMBERSHIP

a) Qualifications for Membership

Any person who has trusted Christ as personal Savior and attends Omaha Bible Church is considered a member in this local church. In preparation for such membership, he is encouraged to examine the Statement of Faith, the Constitution and discuss with the Elders or pastoral staff any matter he does not understand.

b) Submitting to the Elders

The members of the church are to be submissive to the rule of the Elders in the same way Christians are submissive to Christ. Each member accepts the privilege of local church membership and accepts the Elders' leadership and loving discipline. He shall accept the responsibility of exercising his gifts of the Spirit for the benefit of the body. This order also establishes unity in practice and doctrine in the church. (Heb. 13:7,17; 1 Thess. 5:12,13; 1 Pet. 5:1-6; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 1:10; 1 Tim. 5:17).

c) Spiritual Oversight of the Elders

The Elders accept the responsibility for the spiritual supervision of those who have believed in Christ and join this local body.

d) Withdrawing Membership

Membership may be withdrawn at any time by simply notifying the church of such intent in writing provided that the request for withdrawal occurs at a time when the member is in good standing with the church. The good standing status of a member is lost when:

(1) A known and unrepentant sin is practiced by the member.

(2) When a member teaches doctrines contrary to the Statement of Faith. Anyone accused of teaching false doctrine may appeal to the Elders to present their view. The Elders have the ultimate authority in determining whether or not any teaching is in error.

(3) When exhibiting a divisive spirit in the church.

e) Voting Rights

No member shall have any voting rights on any matter pertaining to the church.

f) Discipline of Membership

To maintain the peace and purity of the church, Scripture directs the disciplining of any person by restricting active participation and membership in the local church. Discipline shall be imposed whenever there is uncorrected, deliberate sin, whether it be in doctrine or in practice (Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Thess. 3:6; 2 Tim. 2:16-21). Matthew chapter 18 states the procedure in a step-by-step fashion. The following presents a listing of these steps.

Step 1: Reasonable efforts shall be made, by those who have first-hand knowledge of the doctrinal error or sin, to attempt to correct the offender and encourage him to practice the truth and cease from sin (Luke 17:3; Gal. 6:1).

Step 2: If private reproof fails, the matter shall be brought to the offender by one or more additional witnesses who offer further reproof and spiritual counsel (Matt. 18:16; Deut. 19:15). If the offender admits to and stops the sin, the matter is dropped; however, if the offender refuses to repent, such witnesses stand as additional evidence to the offender's unwillingness to repent.

Step 3: After reasonable attempts toward restoration have failed, the charges shall be submitted to the Elders. The Elders may request prayer for the offending member by the church. During this time the offending person is encouraged to change his mind about his sinful course of action.

Step 4: If however, the matter is not reconciled to the satisfaction of the Elders, the offender shall be excluded from the attendance, participation, fellowship and membership of the congregation at large as well as from individuals of the local assembly.

A unanimous vote of the Elders is necessary to impose disciplinary action. The decision of the Elders shall be announced at a regular worship service or a specially called meeting of the church members and carried out by the members of the church. (Matt. 18:17; 1 Tim. 5:20; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; 1 Tim. 1:20; Rom. 16:17; 2 Thess. 3:6,14,15)

The member in question has the right to appeal to the Elders to whom he may present his case during or after the disciplinary process. A written request to meet with the Elders, and presented to any Elder, is required for a hearing before the Elders.

Persons who have been so disciplined, but who demonstrate an attitude of repentance must meet with the Elders to be restored to fellowship by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

Constitution Articles 6 & 7

6) ORDINANCES

 a) Believers Water Baptism

 i) The Statement of Baptism Baptism is the visible testimony of an inward spiritual transformation. It shall be administered only to those who profess that they have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and also that they understand the cost and commitment of being a disciple (Christian). The church shall recognize as valid any regular form of believer's water baptism but the church shall practice believer's baptism by immersion, a mode recognized as accurately portraying the believer's death, burial and resurrection with Christ. (Matt. 28:18-20)

ii) The Requirement for Baptism: Identification with Christ Baptism publicly identifies a believer with Christ and with the body of Christ, the Church. The essential requirement for baptism is salvation. Salvation is granted by God upon believing the gospel. The gospel, simply stated, is that man is a sinner and the penalty for sin is death. Jesus Christ, God's Son, came to die on the cross to pay the penalty for mankind. Those who place their faith and trust in Him alone as Lord and Savior receive Him and the forgiveness of sin He provides. (1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:38)

b) The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper shall be administered as a commemoration and proclamation of Christ's death with the elements being used as symbols of His body and blood. It shall be observed on such occasions as the Elders shall deem desirable. While water baptism illustrates the truth surrounding initial faith or conversion, communion is the ongoing sign (proclamation) for believers. Communion shall be open to all baptized self-examined believers regardless of church affiliation. (1 Cor. 11:23-34)

 

7) CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS

a) Regular and Special Services

 i) The church shall meet at times designated by the Elders for public worship, prayer and Bible study. Special meetings such as Bible conferences, missionary conferences or evangelistic services, when appropriate, shall be arranged by the Elders.

b) Informational Meetings

i) Special meetings shall be held as scheduled by the Elders. These meetings will be given to review various matters relating to any aspect of the church.

ii) Questions may be submitted to the Elders for their consideration before or during the meeting.

iii) In all informational meetings, the Chairman of the Elders or, in his absence the Vice-Chairman of the Elders, shall preside.

c) Leadership Meetings

i) The Senior Pastor may call ?Leadership Forum? meetings with the men of the church as he or the Elders choose.

 ii) Any questions concerning doctrine or practice may be raised by those in attendance.

Constitution Article 8 (Part 1)

8) ELDERS

a) Centrality of Elders

The Elders have the responsibility to govern the body.

b) Qualifications of Elders

i) Gender

Elders must be male according to 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.

ii) Moral and Spiritual

The moral and spiritual qualifications of an Elder are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Elders shall be appointed by the existing Elders in light of these God-given requirements.

iii) Appointment

The Elders shall act as the appointing body for all new Elders.

iv) Continuing Qualifications

The Elders shall have the responsibility to assess the ongoing qualifications of all members of the Elders.

c) Duties of Elders: Governing the Body

i) Overseeing

The oversight and government of the church, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, shall be vested in the Elders of Omaha Bible Church. Their authority as Elders is derived from the order as established in Scripture (Titus 1:5-9; Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17).

ii) Leadership and Management

The Elders shall lead the congregation without compulsion, but with loving willingness, as examples to the church. Care must be exercised not to be unscriptural with the authority vested in them, but as a shepherd cares for the sheep (1 Pet. 5:1-4).

iii) Teaching and Shepherding

It shall be the duty of the Elders to care for the church in its spiritual condition, to guard the purity of doctrine and life of the church, and to discipline the church in accordance with the Word of God.

The Elders shall oversee the teaching of the Word of God and shall be responsible for administering the ordinances, providing biblical exhortation for the erring, and for comforting the sick, afflicted and needy. (I Thess. 4:1; I Thess. 5:12; II Tim. 4:2; James 5:13-16; 1 Jn. 3:17)

iv) Ruling

The Elders and the other ministry committees they establish shall comprise the ruling bodies of the church and shall have the power and authority to act on behalf of the church. (I Tim. 5:17)

d) Offices of the Elders

i) Appointment of Officers of the Elders shall be made by the Elders whenever vacancies exist.

(1) The Chairman of the Elders shall be the Senior Pastor of the church.

(a) Duties of the Chairman

(i) He shall preside at all meetings of the Elders.

(ii) He shall prepare the agenda for the meetings.

(2) The Vice-Chairman of the Elders shall be appointed by the Elders from their own number.

(a) Duties of the Vice-Chairman

(i) In the absence of the Chairman or in the event of his inability to act, the Vice-Chairman shall perform the duties of the Chairman and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions of the Chairman.

(ii) The Vice-Chairman shall perform duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Chairman or by the Elders.

(iii) The term of office shall be one year. Office terms shall correspond to the calendar year. Appointment for the next year may be made within 120 days of the new year but must be done no less than 60 days before January 1 of the new year.

(3) Secretary

(a) Duties

(i) The Secretary shall be appointed by the Elders. The person must be an Elder. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Elders in one or more books provided for that purpose, and he shall record or have recorded the minutes of all congregational informational meetings.

(ii) He shall oversee official correspondence for the church; see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution as required by law; provide for the safekeeping of all papers and documents of the church delivering the same with all records kept by him to his successor; be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the church and see that the seal of the church is affixed to all documents the execution of which, on behalf of the church under its seal, is duly authorized in accordance with the provision of this Constitution; and, in general, perform all duties incidental to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Chairman or by the Elders or the President.

(b) The term of office shall be one year. Officer terms shall correspond to the calendar year. Appointment for the next year may be made within 120 days of the new year but must be done no later than January 1 of the new year.

(4) Treasurer

(a) Duties

(i) The church treasurer shall be appointed by the Elders. The appointee must be an Elder. The duties of the treasurer shall be to have the responsibility for all funds and securities of the church; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the church from any source whatsoever and deposit all such monies in the name of the church in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution (see Article XI. ).

(ii) He shall perform all the duties incidental of the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Elders; and shall keep a full account of all monies received and paid out and submit a written monthly, quarterly and annual report to the Elders of the financial condition of the church.

(iii) He shall make his books available for audit at any time upon request by the Elders.

(b) The term of office shall be one year. Officer terms shall correspond to the calendar year. Appointment for the next year may be made within 120 days of the new year but must be done no later than January 1 of the new year.

ii) Procedure for dismissal

(1) Any officer may be removed by a unanimous vote of the Elders. Voting shall be at a duly-called meeting of the Elders.

(2) Resignation

(3) It shall be the prerogative of any Elder to dissolve the relationship simply by giving written notice of such intention.

e) Number of Elders and Term of Office for the Elders

i) The Number of Elders

The number of Elders shall be determined as the Elders deem appropriate. Elders shall be appointed by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

ii) Term of Office

The term for Elders is three years; indefinitely renewable.

The office term (three year) of the volunteer member can be renewed by the Elders up to 120 days before his term expires. A unanimous vote of the Elders is necessary for renewal.

The office terms may be staggered to avoid the expiration of terms at the same time. The date of expiration for the initial term shall be as agreed by the Elders. The Elders have authority to make adjustments in terms; however, they cannot extend the term beyond three years.

f) Meetings

i) Regular Meetings

The Elders shall meet regularly. The meeting schedule shall be as agreed but at least once every two months and no less than eight times per year.

ii) Special Meetings

(1) Elders meetings may be called at the request of a simple majority of all the Elders.

iii) Notification requirements of Elders.

(1) The notice of a special meeting of the Elders must be given to all members. The notification may be in writing, by telephone, or in person.

(2) Special Meetings on short notice are permissible provided all Elders can be present. If an Elder can not attend, he may waive the notification requirement and not attend or he may choose not to waive the notification requirements. In such cases, the Elders may convene 48 hours after notification.

(3) If a meeting is called on shorter than 48-hour notice, the presence of the Elder[s] at the meeting constitutes a waiver of the notification requirement.

(4) The office of an absent Elder. In the case where a Elder(s) cannot be notified, the absent Elder(s)' office cannot be an agenda item for the special meeting. If the Elder(s) whose office is to be on the agenda is out of the city, additional time for their return to the city must be allowed before convening any specially called meetings to discuss the absent Elder(s) office.

g) Decisions and Voting of the Elders

i) Quorum

A majority of all the Elders shall constitute a quorum. The acts of the majority of all the Elders (quorum) shall be the acts of the entire group, unless otherwise specifically required by the Articles of Incorporation, or by law, or by this Constitution.

ii) Decisions

(1) The matters of business before the Elders shall be listed in an agenda for the meeting prepared by the Chairman or his designate. All items to be discussed at the meeting can be placed on the agenda by any Elder up to one week prior to the meeting. The prepared agenda should be available and distributed to each of the Elders at least twenty-four hours prior to the meeting. New agenda items raised at the meeting may be placed on the agenda by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

(2) Formal voting follows a discussion period where unanimity is sought. If any Elder has a reservation about a matter before the Elders, the members supporting an action shall table the item to allow the member opposed to such action to reconsider his position and agree with the majority or propose, and have accepted, an alternative plan.

(3) This provision does not provide for stalemating decisions. If after a reasonable length of time, based on the judgment of the majority of the members, the objection is not lifted nor is an acceptable alternative presented, the Elders may call for a formal vote on the issue. The minority, 1) must submit to the majority and support the decision or, 2) resign from the Elders, or, if unwilling to resign, is automatically removed from the office of Elder.

iii) Voting (special consideration)

(1) Elders may vote on any issue before them except as follows:

(a) His own personal salary and benefits

(b) His own position as a staff member

(c) His own membership as an Elder

(d) His own position as an officer of the Elders (e.g., Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer)

(2) Eligible Voters.

The basis for determining the number of votes necessary to carry a motion is based on the eligible voters on a given question. For example, an Elder as provided herein cannot vote on his own membership as an Elder. For such an issue, he is considered an ineligible voter and his position is not counted in the voting number.

Elders.

(b) The Elders shall act as the interviewing agency.

(c) After the candidate has been interviewed and receives a unanimous recommendation from the Elders, he shall be presented to the congregation for a period of two weeks for their comments. If satisfactory qualifications have been exhibited and confirmed by those who know him, the candidate may be appointed by the Elders.

Constitution Article 8 (Part 2)

8) Elders (continued)

(3) Termination of the Appointment

(a) An Elder relationship shall be considered terminated when any one of the following occurs:

(i) Death

(ii) Resignation

1. It shall be the prerogative of any Elder to dissolve the relationship simply by giving written notice of such intention.

(iii) Removal. The following reasons are grounds and procedures for removal:

1. Refusal or inability to fulfill the responsibilities designated in this Constitution.

2. Absence from three consecutive regular meetings of the Elders without an acceptable excuse.

3. When an Elder shows himself, by person or attitude, to be disturbing the purity, peace or unity of the church, or has admitted to changing his views regarding the Statement of Faith and practices of the church or, fails to live in harmony with the standards expressed in the Constitution of this church.

(b)The procedure for removal

He shall be removed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Elders. Voting shall be at a duly called meeting of the Elders.

ii) Pastoral Staff Elders and other Pastoral Staff Members

(1) Titles and Definitions

(a) Pastoral Staff

These are men in salaried positions who function on the staff as Pastors.

(b) Titles to Describe

(i) Senior Pastor: The Senior Pastor is the Chairman of the Elders.

(ii) Associate Pastors: These are men in salaried positions.

(iii) Intern Pastors. These are pastors in training. They may serve full time or in a part-time capacity.

(2) Selection of Permanent Pastoral Staff

(a) In the event of a vacancy in the Senior Pastor position the Elders will act as the interviewing agency.

(b) In the event of a vacancy in the Pastoral staff (other than Senior Pastor), or the creation of a Pastoral position, the Senior Pastor shall make his recommendation for the position and/or candidate to the Elders who then shall act as the interviewing agency.

(c) After the candidate has been interviewed and receives a unanimous recommendation from the Elders, he shall be presented to the congregation for comment. If satisfactory qualifications have been exhibited and confirmed the candidate may be appointed by a unanimous vote of the Elders to the vacancy in question.

(3) Selection of Interns or Temporary Pastoral Staff.

(a) The Intern candidate shall be recommended by the Senior Pastor to the Elders for their unanimous approval. No other procedures are required.

(b) The term of office is for a pre-determined period of time.

(4) Duties

(a) General duties of the Pastoral staff shall include the functions of a shepherd to the church membership.

(b) Job descriptions outlining general and specific ministry responsibilities and privileges shall be presented and approved by the Elders.

(c) Intern Pastors are not permitted to perform marriage ceremonies.

(5) The Senior Pastor

(a) This person answers directly to the Elders and is the only Pastoral staff member who is also a voting Elder.

(b) Duties

(i) The Senior Pastor shall be responsible for carrying out the church's ministry under the Elders adopted doctrines, policies, procedures and budget. He shall carry on the church ministry according to Eph. 4 with the assistance of the Pastoral and support staff he shall assemble.

(ii) The Senior Pastor has authority over all the staff. Pastoral staff changes or additions may be initiated by the Senior Pastor and shall be recommended to the Elders for their unanimous approval.

(6) Associate Pastors

(a) Definition

(i) These are Associate Pastors who are on the pastoral staff and are non-voting Elders.

(b) Selection

(i) The Senior Pastor shall hire these pastors with the unanimous approval of the Elders.

(c) Duties

(i) Their duties and privileges shall be stipulated in writing by the Senior Pastor and shall be carried out under his supervision or his appointee.

(7) Intern Pastors

(a) These are ?pastors in training.? They shall be assigned ministry responsibilities by the Sr. Pastor.

(8) Termination of Pastoral Staff

(a) Termination shall occur under any of the following conditions:

(i) Death

(ii) Resignation

It shall be the prerogative of any pastoral staff member to dissolve the relationship simply by giving written notice to the Elders of such intention. The termination time shall be effective one month from the date of resignation or sooner as set by the Elders. In such cases, the Pastor shall be paid one month's salary as severance pay from the last date of employment. The severance pay representing one month's salary is paid in lieu of any vacation benefits which may have been accrued and are forfeited as of the date of resignation. Severance pay is payable within thirty days from the last date of employment. Fringe benefits such as, medical insurance, life insurance, disability insurance coverage, retirement contribution etc., will cease as of the last date of employment. The Elders have the prerogative to change the conditions with a unanimous vote of the Elders.

(iii) Dismissal

The following are grounds for dismissal:

1. Refusal or inability to fulfill designated responsibilities.

2. Absence from meetings of the staff without an acceptable excuse.

3. Shows himself, by person or attitude, to be disturbing the purity, peace or unity of the church, or has changed his views regarding the Statement of Faith, practices and philosophy of ministry of the church, or fails to live in harmony with the standards expressed in the Scriptures and Constitution of this church.

4. Any direct appeal to members of the congregation by any staff member for support of a position other than that approved by the Elders is considered divisive and must not characterize any staff person. If such a practice exists, it is considered a serious offense worthy of dismissal from the staff.

5. The procedure for dismissal. He shall be removed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all the members of the Elders. Voting shall be at a duly-called meeting of the Elders.

6. Severance pay, if any, shall be determined by a unanimous vote of the Elders. All accrued vacation benefits are lost. Fringe benefits will terminate on the date of dismissal or as determined by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

j) Support Staff

i) These are church staff positions authorized by the Elders, hired by the Senior Pastor, and do not carry ?Pastor? in their title.

ii) Termination of Support Staff

The Senior Pastor may dismiss any (non-pastoral staff) support staff member without cause.

iii) Under the terms of termination, severance pay, if any, shall be determined by a unanimous vote of the Elders. All accrued vacation benefits are lost. Fringe benefits will terminate on the date of dismissal or as determined by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

Constitution Article 9

9) DEACONS

a) Deacons

i) Titles and Definitions

Deacons: These are men who are appointed to the office of Deacon using the procedures as outlined in this section. They support the Elders of the church.

ii) Selection

Recommendations of candidates for the office of Deacon can be made by any church member who shall make his recommendation of a candidate known to the Elders which then shall act as the interviewing agency.

iii) Presentation to the Congregation.

After the candidate has been interviewed and receives a unanimous recommendation from the Elders, he shall be presented to the congregation for a two week period for their comments. If satisfactory qualifications have been exhibited and confirmed, the candidate may be appointed Deacon by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

b) Selection, Number, Tenure and Qualifications

i) Number Provided

The number of Deacons shall be determined by the Elders. All Deacons shall be appointed by unanimous vote of the Elders.

ii) Term

The term for Deacons is three years; indefinitely renewable.

iii) Qualifications.

These must be male in gender who meet the moral and spiritual qualifications of a Deacon as found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Deacons shall be appointed in light of these God-given requirements.

c) Duties and General Powers

i) Relationship with the Elders

It shall be the duty of the Deacons to assist the Elders or other Deacons in the administration of the church. At the time a Deacon is appointed by the Elders, he shall be assigned to an Elder or Deacon to assist him in his area of responsibility. Deacons shall meet with their Elder(s) or Deacons on a regular basis for the purpose of addressing and reviewing their area(s) of responsibility. It shall be the duty of each Deacon to take the necessary measures and steps to meet his responsibility in working with the Elders or Deacons in the administration of the church.

ii) Spiritual Responsibilities

Deacons shall assist in guiding the spiritual life of the church as examples and in administering the ordinances and in performing any other responsibility as directed by any of the Elders.

iii) Voting Rights

The Deacons have no voting rights.

d) Termination:

Deacons shall be considered terminated for these reasons:

(1) Death

(2) Resignation

It shall be the prerogative of any Deacon to resign his appointment simply by giving written notice of resignation to his supervising Elder.

(3) Removal

(a) Refusal or inability to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to him by the supervising Elder.

(b) When a Deacon shows himself, by person or attitude, to be disturbing the purity, peace or unity of the church, or has admitted to changing his views regarding the Statement of Faith and practices of the church or fails to live in harmony with the standards expressed in the Constitution of this church, he will be asked to resign his position or;

(c) He shall be removed from office by a unanimous vote of the Elders. Voting shall be at a duly-called meeting of the Elders.

(4) Discontinued Ministry

The office of a deacon relates to the ministry to which he is appointed. If the ministry is discontinued, the deacon serving in that area loses the appointment of deacon or, he can be reappointed to another ministry area within three years without repeating the procedures for initial appointment to the office of deacon.

Constitution Articles 10 - 13

10) OTHER APPOINTMENTS AND COMMITTEES

The Elders may appoint any other vocational or volunteer personnel as needed to carry on the ministry of the local church. These appointees, whether salaried or not, are not part of the Elders and are not Deacons unless so appointed.

a) Auditors

Auditors may be appointed by a unanimous vote of the Elders as deemed necessary and appropriate to examine and audit the books and records of the Church Treasurer and to present a report to the Elders.

b) Other Committees

The Elders may designate and appoint one or more committees for such purposes as the Elders may determine appropriate by unanimous vote.

11) PHYSICAL PROPERTIES, CONTRACTS, SALARIES, CHECKS, DEPOSITS AND FUNDS

a)Property

It shall be the duty of the Elders to have the care of all matters pertaining to the physical properties and finances of the church. The Elders shall take all necessary measures for the protection and maintenance of church buildings and property and shall supervise the use of same.

b) Funds

The Elders shall be responsible for receiving, counting and safekeeping church funds. They shall direct the disbursement of such funds to promptly meet all obligations incurred by the church. The Elders shall prepare and adopt a budget projecting operating expenses for the coming year.

The Elders may accept on behalf of the church any contribution, gift, bequest or device for the general purposes or for any special purpose of the church. They have the authority to establish special projects or ministries as they may determine.

While the funds for these special projects are given and received on good faith, the Elders ultimately reserve the right to redistribute any funds to any account that the Elders believe is in the best interest of the church.

c) Salaries

The Elders shall set salaries for the pastoral staff. The Senior Pastor shall make recommendations for salary levels for each of the other Ministering Staff. These salaries shall be adjusted or approved by the Elders. The Elders may delegate the responsibility for setting individual salaries of the support staff; however, they must approve the aggregate amounts.

d) Contracts

The Elders may authorize any officer or officer's agent or agents of the church in addition to the officers so authorized by this Constitution to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the church, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

e) Checks, Drafts, etc.

All checks, drafts or orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the church shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Elders. In the absence of such determination by the Elders, such instrument shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer and countersigned by the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman of the Elders.

f) Deposits

All funds of the church shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the church in such bank, trust companies or other depositories as the Elders may select.

g) Benevolent Funds

The Elders or their appointees shall control the distribution of benevolent funds. (Acts 6:1-3)

12) CHURCH YEAR

The church fiscal year shall be set by the Elders.

 

13) ARTICLE: AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by a unanimous vote of the Elders.

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