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ARTICLE I
CHURCH COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe by the
Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, having made
profession of our faith, and having been baptized in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence
of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into
covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We promise, as God shall enable us, to walk
together in Christian love and to exercise Christian care and watchfulness
over one another. We will participate in one another’s joys, and endeavor
with tenderness and sympathy to bear one another’s sorrows. We will strive
for the advancement of our church in spiritual knowledge and holiness, and
to sustain its worship, ordinances, disciplines and doctrines. We will
contribute cheerfully to the support of this ministry, the expenses of the
church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel throughout
the whole world. We will also avail ourselves of the great privilege of
prayer both for ourselves and for others.
We further promise to maintain family and
private devotions; to educate our children in the Christian faith; to seek
the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; and to walk circumspectly
in the world. We will strive to be just in our dealings, faithful in our
engagements, and exemplary in our deportment. We will abstain from every
form of evil, be faithful in our relationship to Jesus Christ as our
Savior and Lord, and to live to His glory.
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ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
Section 1 - Name
This church shall be known as the
Community Bible Church of Tunkhannock. Our current Mailing address is 2
Charles Brothers Plaza, Tunkhannock, PA 18657-1736.
Section 2 - Purpose
The purpose of CBC is glorify God, by
introducing men and women to Jesus Christ, and by nurturing and building them
into devoted disciples. We do this by:
1. Maintaining regular public worship
of God
2. Building up the congregation in the faith
3. Promoting systematic study and teaching of the Bible
4. Strengthening the bond of Christian fellowship
5. Observing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper
6. Participating in the evangelization of the lost, both locally and
throughout the world.
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ARTICLE III
ARTICLES OF FAITH
PART I - Those beliefs that must be
believed:
Section 1 - The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is the
inspired word and revelation of God. We believe this extends to the
words used (verbal), and that all parts of the Bible are inspired. We
believe the Scriptures are infallible in all matters (that is without
error), and that they are the only and final authority in faith and
conduct. (II Ti 3:16-17, II Pt 1:19-21)
Section 2 - God
We believe there is only one true and
living God, in whom are three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
yet one in essence, co-equal and coexistent. We believe that God is
spirit; that He is holy, just, righteous, loving, unchanging,
omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. (Dt 6:4, Isa 44:6, Mt 28:19,
II Cor 13:14, I Cor 8:6, John 4:24, Isa 6:3, Dt 32:4, Ac 3:14, Jn
3:16, Jas 1:17, Mal 3:6, Heb 4:13, Eph 1:19-21, Ps 139:7-10)
God the Father - We believe in
God the Father, who is distinguished as such because of His particular
relationship to Jesus Christ, His Son. We believe that God is the
Father of regenerated man. We become heirs and joint heirs with Christ
through adoption made possible by the shed blood of Jesus. (Jn 20:17,I
Cor 15:24,28, Ro 8:14-17, 23, Eph. 4:6, I Jn 3:1).
God the Son - We believe that
Jesus Christ, the second person of the trinity and the eternal Son of
God, was begotten of Mary, a virgin, by the Holy Spirit, and was born
man. He was in every respect as we are, but without sin. He is the
only mediator between God and men. (Jn 1:1-3, 1:14-18, 14:6, Lk
1:34-35, Phil 2:5-8, Heb 2:17, 4:15, I Ti 2:5)
God the Holy Spirit - We believe
that the divine person of the Holy Spirit has been active in the world
from the beginning. It is He Who shows men their sin and leads them to
Jesus Christ for forgiveness. He initiates the new birth and is
actively present in believers, guiding, correcting, and empowering
their growth toward the stature of Christ. (II Pe 1:21, Jn 14:16-17,
16:7-8, 16:13, Ac 1:8, Eph 4:13)
Section 3 - Satan
We recognize the personality of Satan,
who first tempted man to sin. Since the fall he has enjoyed power and
allegiance in the created world and continues to entice men from God
and to oppose the work of the Holy Spirit. He is destined to final
judgment and condemnation by God. (Ge 3:1-13, Ac 26:18, Lk 8:12, Rev
20:10)
Section 4 - Creation
We believe that God created all things
from nothing, and it was good, and free from the sin and evil that
permeates the world today. Environmental conditions today are
different from the original creation due to God’s judgment in the
Garden of Eden, and the global flood. (Ge 1 & 2, Col 1:16-17, Jn
1:1-3, Cor 8:6, Rev 4:11)
Section 5 - Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in
innocence, subject to God’s commands. By willful disobedience, he fell
from his sinless and happy state. In consequence all men are now
sinners, not only by nature, but also by choice. Therefore, all are
under just condemnation without defense or excuse, and for this reason
need a new birth. (Ge 3, Ro 3:10-19, Ro 2:1-3, Jn 3:3-7)
Section 6 - Atonement
We believe that salvation of sinners is
wholly by grace. The Son of God, who was Himself completely without
sin, voluntarily took upon Himself our sin - the just for the
unjust. He made a full and complete atonement. In raising Christ
from the dead on the third day, God bore witness to the completion
of His atoning work. "Once an individual accepts Christ as Savior,
he cannot lose his salvation. He may fall into a backslidden state, or he may have never
truly accepted Christ - but we do not believe a person can lose his
salvation." (Eph 2:8-9, II Cor 5:21, Jn 10:17-18, I Pe 3:18, Heb
9:26-18, I Cor 15:3-4, 15:17, Ro 4:24-25, Rom 8:35-39, 11:29, Jn
10:27-30)
Section 7 - Salvation
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ is the only foundation of salvation. This faith in Him involves
realization of our sin and turning in repentance and trust to Him as
the sole deliverer from sin. Salvation is therefore a new birth. The
believer is a new creature whose life is bound to Jesus Christ as
Savior, source and sustainer. "Once an individual accepts Christ as
Savior, he cannot lose his salvation. He may fall into a backslidden
state, or he may have never truly accepted Christ - but we do not
believe a person can lose his salvation." (Ro 3:21-26, 8:35-39, 11:29,
Ac 2:37-38, 16:31, Jn 3:3-7, 5:24, 10:27-30, Eph 2:1, II Cor 5:17, Gal
2:20)
Section 8 - Return of Christ
We believe in the personal and imminent
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this blessed hope should have
a vital bearing on the personal life and service of believers. Jesus
himself told the disciples that He was going away to prepare a place
for His followers and that He would come again to gather them together
for eternity. The Bible lists several characteristics of Christ's
Second Coming: He will come unexpectedly, personally, triumphantly,
and with His angels to reward each person according to what he has
done. (1 Th 4:14-16, Ac 1:11, Jn. 14:3; Mt. 24:32-51, Lk. 19:11-27)
Section 9 - Resurrection
We believe in a literal bodily
resurrection of the dead, in the same way our Lord was resurrected.
Jesus is the first resurrection. When the Lord calls the church to be
with Him, all believers both dead and still living, will be caught up
to be with Him. All unbelievers will also be resurrected at the Great
White Throne judgment, where their lives will be examined. (Mt
22:29-32, 1 Cor. 15:12-28, Phil 3:10, Heb 6:2, Rev 20:5)
Section 10 - The Final State of Man
We believe that the final destiny of
every man will be determined entirely by his relation to Jesus Christ.
All who have truly accepted Christ will dwell with Him in a heaven
perfect in every respect because of the presence of God. All who are
not reconciled to God through Christ will be eternally separated from
Him in the lake of fire. Christians should, therefore, labor to warn
all men of the consequences of rejecting Christ. (1 Jn 5:11-12, Phil
1:6, Jn 14:2-3, Rev 21:22-23, Mt 7:21-23, 25:31-46, Ac 20:26-27, 31)
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PART II - Those beliefs that must not be
contested:
Section 11 - Church
We believe that the church is the body
of those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Membership
in the local church does not necessarily constitute membership in the
body of Christ. Individuals must have had a life-changing experience
whereby they have truly accepted Christ as their personal savior. The
Church is intended for worship, to observe the ordinances, and to
strengthen believers in the faith. It is entrusted with God’s message
of salvation and is commissioned by Christ to proclaim the gospel
everywhere. (Rev 2:18-20, Eph 1:22-23, Jn 4:23, 1 Cor 11:23-26, Heb
10:24-25, Ac 2:41-42, 2 Cor 5:19-20, Mt 28:18-20)
Section 12 - Christian Maturity
We believe that it is the will of God
that all believers continue to mature toward the stature of Christ
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As the believer willingly
accepts the direction of the Spirit, his inner life is sanctified and
brought into more perfect obedience to God’s will. Moreover, within
the fellowship of Christians and in the world, the Spirit directs the
believer toward the likeness of Christ. In this way, the believer's
active love bears witness to God’s presence and power within and
glorifies God before men. The believer also seeks to discover and
nurture the Spiritual Gifts God has given. Every believer should be
actively using his gift in this fellowship and in the community. (Eph
4:13, Ro 8:14, I Th 4:1-3, Eph 4:22-24, Jn 13:34-35, I Jn 3:16-17, Mt
5:16; Gifts - 1 Cor 12, 1 Pe 4:10, Ro 11:29)
Section 13 - Ordinances
We believe that the ordinances of
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are symbols of God’s redeeming work and
marks of our public profession as Christians. They are commanded for
all believers, but are of no effect apart from the believer’s faith.
This church shall administer Baptism by immersion signifying the
believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection..
The Lord’s Supper is to be received by believers only, in remembrance
of Christ’s broken body and shed blood. (Matt 28:19, Acts 8:35-38,
Acts 10:47-48, Rom 6:3-5, Col 2:12, Matt 26:26-28, 1 Cor 11: 23-29)
Section 14 - Civil Government
We believe that civil government is
ordained of God for the interests and good order of society.
Christians are commanded to honor and pray for those in authority and
to obey their lawful commands except where these commandments oppose
obedience to Christ. In exercising their responsibilities in a
democracy, Christians should be guided by the awareness that a just
and merciful society is pleasing and honoring to God. While some
individual believers may be called into positions of leadership with
the local, state or federal governments, we do not believe the Church
has a Scriptural mandate to reform society. While we should state our
positions respectfully and set the example by helping those in need,
the church needs to focus on sharing the gospel and reforming itself.
This is the clear pattern taught throughout the Old and New
Testaments. (Ro 13:1-7, Mk 12:13-17, 1 Ti 2:1-2, Ac 4:19-20, Dt
16:18-20, Am 8:4-6, Jas 5:4, Lk 10:30-37, Ge 41-47, Da l-12)
Section 15 - Millennial Reign
We believe in a literal 1000 year reign
of Christ on earth following the seven year tribulation period. This
earthly kingdom with the Messiah reigning as king will be the
consummation of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants indicating God has
separate plans for Israel and the Church. (Rev 20:2-3, 4, 6-7)
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ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Membership Procedures
Any person who professes faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior, gives satisfactory evidence of a
changed life, has been baptized, and declares himself substantially in
accord with the principles and practices of this church, may become a
candidate for church membership. Believers who have been baptized,
although not by immersion, may likewise become candidates for church
membership.
The steps toward membership are as
follows:
1. Request for membership shall be made
to one of the Elders. A candidate will be
assigned a sponsoring Elder,
whose duty it will be to help prepare the candidate for
membership and
make sure the individual is truly converted. The candidate must agree
with the principles and practices of the church, and the key doctrinal
issues that must
be believed. The sponsoring Elder will determine if
the candidate is ready to move on to
the next step in the membership
process. If it is determined that the individual is not
ready, a
training plan will be developed aimed at meeting the requirements.
2. Upon approval from the sponsoring
Elder, the candidate will then meet with two or more
of the Elders to
give testimony to his Christian experience and declare agreement with
the principles and practices of this church.
3. The candidate’s name will then be
recommended by the Elders to the church. The
candidate would then be
received into this church upon receiving a two-thirds vote of
those
members present at the next scheduled Congregational meeting.
4. On the earliest convenient Sunday,
the Elders shall extend the right hand of fellowship,
signifying the
new member’s acceptance into the membership of the church.
Section 2 - Members Under Age 18
Anyone under the age of 18 wishing to
join the church according to the steps in Section 1 may do so. He will
have all the privileges and responsibilities of membership except that
he will be unable to vote until he reaches age 18.
Section 3 - Membership Review
At least once a year, the Elders shall
review the membership roll and make appropriate changes according to
Section 4.
Section 4 - Non-Attending Members
Supporting Members - Members with a
legitimate reason for not attending the regular church program but
expressing continued interest and support shall be placed in this
category and listed on the Non-Voting Roll.
Inactive Members - Members who have
habitually failed to attend the church program for a period of one year
without a reason acceptable to the Elders shall be placed in this
category and listed on the Non-Voting Roll. Any person so listed for a
period of three years shall be dropped from the Membership Roll. The
Elders shall contact each inactive member at least once a year during
the above three-year period.
Section 5 - Restoration
Supporting or Inactive Members habitually
attending for three months shall be returned to the Voting Roll.
Section 6 - Letters of Transfer
Letters of transfer may be granted to all
members upon approval of the Elders. The secretary shall provide such a
letter addressed to a specific church in accordance with customary
procedure.
Section 7 - Discipline
When a member of the church enters into a
sinful activity, and it is brought to the attention of an Elder,
follow-up will occur in keeping with the principles of Matthew 18. If
the member confesses to the sinful activity, and repents of his or her
actions, the matter will be dropped (depending on the circumstances, the
Elders may remove the individual from a position of authority or
responsibility). If he refuses to confess or repent of the sinful
activity in question, the Elders may place the individual on discipline
and remove him from positions of responsibility until such time that he
confesses, repents, and shows evidence of a repentant life.
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ARTICLE V
ASSETS
Section 1 - Money
Every member shall be expected to
contribute regularly to the church as God prospers him (1 Cor 16:2).
While there is no New Testament command that the Christian give ten
percent back to the church, we do believe this is a good principle which
was laid out in the Old Testament (Abraham to Melchizedek, Mosaic
Covenant), and that all Christians need to consider carefully the amount
and manner in which they give to the Lord's work. All money for the
general fund shall be raised by voluntary offering and in no other way.
The Youth Group shall be allowed to hold fund raising events to raise
money for various activities with the consent of the Church Board.
General fund raising and soliciting at the Church for outside causes
(such as for school or sports) is not permitted.
Section 2 - Property
The property of
the Community Bible Church of Tunkhannock shall forever remain in the
control of its members. In the unlikely event that the church should
cease to operate, all property and assets would be given over to other
non profit organizations who’s mission it is to further the work of
Jesus Christ here on earth and preach the gospel. Under no circumstances
would any funds or assets be used for private inurement to any person or
persons in the event of a sale or dissolution of the church. The church
board would present a recommendation to the membership concerning the
disposition of property and assets. A two thirds vote of qualified
members present and voting would be required to approve such action.
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ARTICLE VI
GOVERNMENT
Section 1 - Governing Bodies
a. The Government of this church, under
God, is vested in the Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses.
Members of these
two governing boards shall be elected by the body of believers which
forms the
membership of this church.
b. All officers of this church shall be
members of the Board of Elders or the Board of Deacons or under
the
direct supervision of one of these governing bodies.
c. The Church Board shall consist of the
Elders, Deacons, & Deaconesses, Treasurer, Assistant
Treasurer, and
Secretary.
d. The Church Board shall have
supervision over the business transactions and general work of the
church. The Church Board shall legislate the affairs of the church in
its dealings with the Pastor,
employees, and outside organizations. The
Church Board is authorized to make spending decisions
up to $2,500.
Decisions to spend greater that $2,500 must be brought to the Membership
for
approval.
e. For legal purposes, the Church will be
represented by an Executive Board consisting of the Chairman
of the
Board of Elders, the Chairman of the Board of Deacons, the Secretary and
Treasurer.
f. The elected positions are Elders,
Deacons, Deaconesses, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary,
Nominating Committee, and two Auditors. Each individual on the ballot
will need to receive 70% of the
votes cast to be confirmed.
g. The Church Board shall determine if
additional “positions” (i.e. additional Deacon, Committee for
some
unique purpose, etc.) are needed and charge the Nominating Committee to
propose
candidates to fill these positions.
h. If during the course of his term, an
individual decides to resign from his elected position, the
Nominating
Committee will recommend an individual to fill the vacancy, which the
Church Board
would then confirm by vote. The individual would then be
confirmed by vote at the next congregational
quarterly meeting.
Section 2 - Elders
a. ELDERS (Overseers, Shepherds) - There
shall be three or more in number as determined by the
needs of the
church. These individuals will be church members. They shall be elected
by the church
membership at the Annual Business Meeting for a term of
three years with approximately one third
of the terms expiring each
year. Elders may serve for no more than two consecutive terms but will
be
eligible for reelection after a one year absence from the office.
They shall minister to the spiritual
needs of the congregation and shall
have responsibility for the leadership of the church. The Elders
are
responsible for the key ministries of the church including Worship
Service Planning, Christian
Education, Bible Study, Discipleship, and
Missions/Evangelism. They shall provide for the supply of
the pulpit
when the Pastor is unable to do so. They shall be the Selection
Committee responsible for
guiding the church in the choice of a new
Pastor and other staff members. They shall assist with the
ordinances,
and shall have charge of all matters of discipline. They shall hold
regular meetings as
the needs of the church dictate and shall present a
written report at the Annual Business Meeting.
They shall elect a
chairman to moderate their meetings as well as the Church Board meetings
and
Congregational meetings. The Elders shall be ex-officio members of all
boards and committees
connected with the Church or any of its
organizations. At least one Elder shall be assigned to each
committee to
assist, as necessary, in its work.
b. QUALIFICATIONS - All Elders shall
comply with the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1:5-11,
and
1 Peter 5:1-3. It is particularly important that the Elders meet not
only the qualifications of
character listed in these passages, but that
they also possess the spiritual gifts listed and implied.
1) TEACHER - Each Elder must be "a
capable and qualified teacher" (1 Timothy 3:2
Amplified). It is
expected of each Elder that he be actively involved in teaching and
nurturing and maturing the members of this body and that he view this
as his primary
calling.
2) LEADER - Among the spiritual gifts
listed in Romans 12 and promised to the church is
the spiritual gift
of LEADERSHIP..."if it is LEADERSHIP, let him govern diligently"
(Rom.
12:8). God has promised to give men in His church the gift of
leadership so that
they might "govern diligently". Therefore, it seems
reasonable that the leaders in His
church should have this gift. It is
the position of this church that the Elders ("overseers"
and
"shepherds" from 1 Peter 5) who have been given the responsibility to
"govern"
God's church possess the spiritual gift of leadership that
their position as leaders
would require.
c. DIVORCE. It is the position of this
church that the Biblical injunction that an Elder be "the husband
of but
one wife" is a prohibition against polygamy and not divorce as a
qualification for being an
Elder. Divorce, therefore, does not
necessarily disqualify a man from becoming an Elder. However,
this
church stands with God in that it "HATES DIVORCE" (Mal. 2:16), considers
it sinful (though
each party in the divorce may not have sinned) and is
strongly opposed to divorce. It does recognize
that there are extreme
circumstances in which God does allow an innocent party to seek divorce
(Mt. 5:32; 19:9).
d. PASTOR. We believe that God has
ordained only two offices in the church; the office of ELDER (1 Ti
3,
Tit 1:5-11, 1 Pe 5:1-3) and the office of DEACON (Acts 6:1-6, 1 Ti
3:8-11). All other offices in the
church are either part of these two
governing bodies or are under the direct supervision of these two
bodies. Furthermore, we do not see any Scriptural support for the office
of PASTOR as being an
office specially ordained by God (the word
"pastor" is used only one time in the New Testament and
refers, in all
probability, to a Spiritual Gift and not an office, Eph. 4:11).
However, we recognize that for nearly
2000 years the church of Jesus Christ has, to one extent or another,
embraced the "office" of pastor both to its detriment and its
blessing. Therefore, we accept the office of pastor, but only as one
that is included in and is part of the Elder Board. The pastor is,
therefore, an Elder with no more or with no less authority than any
other member of the Elder Board, but to whom certain specific tasks
and responsibilities are assigned. The "pastor" shall have one
exemption to the rules laid down for Elders: he shall be exempted from
serving for only three years on the Elder Board. There shall be no
limit to the time he may serve.
Following the recommendation of the
Pulpit Committee, appointment of the Pastor shall take place at a
meeting duly called for that express purpose. His appointment shall be
by a three-quarters vote of the qualified members present and he shall
hold office for an indefinite term. The relationship of the Pastor and
the church may be terminated by mutual consent, or by either upon
sixty days notice. Any proposal to dismiss the Pastor shall be
referred to the Elders for consideration and counsel with the Pastor.
The church may dissolve the pastoral relationship upon recommendation
of the Elders by a 40 percent vote of the qualified members present at
a duly called meeting. He shall hold the office for an indefinite term
but will require a “vote of confidence” every three years to retain
(three-quarters vote of the qualified members present).
e. If, at any time, the personal belief,
preaching or teaching of an Elder or Pastor shall knowingly not be
in
full accord with the Covenant and the Articles of Faith of the church,
his service shall be
terminated, upon examination.
Section 3 - Deacons and Deaconesses
a. DEACONS and DEACONESSES - There shall
be three or more in number as determined by the
needs of the church.
These individuals will be church members. They shall be elected by the
church
membership at the Annual Business Meeting for a term of three
years, with approximately one third
of the terms expiring each year.
Deacons and Deaconesses may serve for no more than two
consecutive terms
but will be eligible for reelection after a one-year absence from the
office.
Chairman of the Board of Deacons and Deaconesses shall be a
Deacon and serve a one-year term.
They shall assist and be directed by
the Elders in ministering to the needs of the congregation with a
primary emphasis on providing care to the church congregation ("serving
the needs" from Acts 6) and
maintenance of all church properties. They
shall provide for ushering at all church services; the
administration of
the church Benevolent Fund (the Elder in charge of Pastoral Care may
also
administer the Benevolent Fund); the preparation of the elements of
the communion service; the
oversight of the work of the Church Secretary
and the Church Treasurer. The board of Deacons shall
hold regular
meetings and shall present a written report at the Annual Business
Meeting. The
Deacons shall comply with the qualifications listed in Acts
6:1-6 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13. The
Deaconesses shall likewise be women of
godly character, mature, not given to gossip and
competent to counsel
the special needs of women in the congregation.
b. TREASURER - The Treasurer shall be
elected by the church at the Annual Business Meeting and
shall be
considered a member of the Board of Deacons and Deaconesses. This
individual will be a
church member and serve a term of one year. The
Treasurer, assisted by the assistant Treasurer,
shall count, deposit and
record all donations and offerings given to the church. He/she shall
record
all disbursements, make disbursements as properly authorized,
report the financial status of the
church to the congregation at
business meetings (but no more often than quarterly) and issue an
annual
statement of contributions to those contributors who identify
themselves. Any additional
offerings shall be handled by the Church
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall make his/her books available
to the
auditors upon request. The Treasurer shall follow the guidance of the
Church Board in
determining the priority of expenditures.
c. ASSISTANT TREASURER - The Assistant
Treasurer shall be elected by the church membership at
the Annual
Business Meeting and shall be considered a member of the Board of
Deacons. This
individual will be a church member and serve a term of one
year. He/she shall assist the Treasurer in
carrying out the
responsibilities of the office of Treasurer. The Assistant Treasurer's
specific functions
will be determined by the Treasurer.
d. CHURCH SECRETARY - The Church
Secretary shall be elected by the church at the Annual
Business Meeting
and shall be considered a member of the Board of Deacons and
Deaconesses.
This individual will be a church member and serve a term of
one year. He/she shall keep a complete
record of the transactions of all
business meetings of the Church and a register of the names of the
members and the dates of their admission.
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ARTICLE VII
COMMITTEES
The following list of committees will be
appointed based on the concurrence of the Church Board (with the exception
of the Nominating Committee which is always used and elected at the Annual
Business Meeting). While the intent is to always utilize the following
committees, if people are unavailable to fill vacant roles, a committee may
go under staffed or even un-staffed until such time that people are
available and willing to fill the role.
Section 1 - Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall consist of
the Pastor, Chairman of the Church Board, one of the
Deacons/Deaconesses, and five church members elected by the congregation
at the Quarterly Business Meeting preceding the Annual Business Meeting.
The Chairman of the Church Board shall lead the nominating process.
Period of service will be for one year and duties include:
a. Announce, provide forms for and
solicit nominations from the membership at least
two months prior to
the annual meeting.
b. Instruct members in the spiritual
qualifications for those who are in various church
offices and provide
a listing of those qualifications with each nomination form.
c. Review
the list of congregational nominees, make additional in-committee
nominations
as necessary/appropriate, and interview and thoroughly
investigate the qualifications
and capabilities of each person
considered for office. Accepting nominees must affirm,
adhere to, and
perpetuate the published standards and defining character of
Community
Bible Church as set forth in the Constitution and Statement of
Ministry. In
choosing candidates to fill the vacancies, several
questions should be considered:
1. Do the individuals on the slate
have experience or gifts in the areas for which
they are being
recommended? (administration, teaching, worship service
planning,
etc.)
2. Are the individuals recommended for the leadership positions,
truly those in the
trenches "leading" the work? (they need to be)
d. Prepare a finalized list with biographical sketches to be disseminated
at least two
weeks prior to Annual Business Meeting. If a nominee is
not on the final list, the
person who made that nomination will
receive an explanation.
e. Provide for filling vacancies in elected
positions or add positions during the year as
directed by the Church
Board.
f. Those on the Nominating Committee need to have a good
understanding of CBC
Government and have a measure of Spiritual
discernment when considering individuals
for the various positions.
These individuals should also have friendly relationships with
many
members of the congregation so as to effectively carry out their
responsibilities.
Section 2 - Audit Committee
Two auditors shall be appointed by the
Church Board. They shall audit all financial records of the church and
shall submit a written report at the Annual Business Meeting. They shall
serve a term of one year.
Section 3 - Evangelism and Missions
Committee
The Evangelism and Missions Committee
shall be appointed by the Church Board and consist of a Chairman and at
least two other members. Terms shall be for two years and shall be
staggered. It shall be the duty of the Evangelism and Missions
Committee, under the oversight of the Church Board, to initiate, budget,
and direct all the missionary/evangelism activities of the Church in
keeping with the Community Bible Church Statement of Ministry. It shall
not be within the power of this committee to appoint or dismiss any
missionary, but it shall function in an advisory capacity under the
Church Board.
Section 4 - Christian Education
Committee
The Christian Education Committee shall
consist of the Sunday School Superintendent and at least two other
members appointed by the Church Board for a term of one year. Its duties
shall include planning, supervising and administering the church
educational program under the oversight of the Church Board.
Section 5 - Worship Service Planning
Committee
The Worship Service Planning Committee
shall consist of the Elder responsible for this ministry, and at least
two other members appointed by the Church Board for a term of one year.
Its purpose shall be to plan the Sunday worship services, and other
special services such as Easter, Christmas Eve, etc., and be under the
oversight of the Elder Board. The worship services will include a
variety of music, dramas, readings, etc., and when possible, these
activities should harmonize with the message,.. If for any reason, the
Elder responsible for this ministry cannot make a Church Board meeting, or
need help in representing the needs of the Worship Service Planning
Committee, another member of the Worship Service Planning Committee may
fill in on the Church Board (with voting privileges) for matters
pertaining to Worship Service Planning.
Section 6 – Advisory Council
The Advisory Council shall be made up of
all willing, former CBC elders (excluding those who have been dismissed
from the Board or who have had the hand of fellowship withdrawn) who are
currently part of the fellowship of CBC, and who affirm the doctrinal
statement and church covenant. The purpose of this council is to provide
general guidance to the Elder Board in determining long term direction
for the church, or if the Elder Board feels that Disciplinary action is
required for anyone on the Church Board.
Section 7 - Other Committees
Additional committees which are deemed
necessary shall be appointed by the Church Board.
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ARTICLE VIII
WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP
We recognize that the Church of Jesus Christ
is large and diverse and that the only requirement for entrance into this
"family of God" is through personal faith in the atoning death of Jesus
Christ on the sinner's behalf. We also recognize that aside from the
essential doctrines of the faith there are many secondary issues that
separate brothers and sisters in Christ. It is our desire to keep these
secondary issues to a minimum in our congregation. But we also recognize
that, by the very nature of some of these secondary issues, it is essential
that we as a church set down certain guidelines for our worship services. We
do so humbly and in the full recognition that our understanding of God and
His Word is not, by any means, perfect.
The worship service of this church shall not
entertain the Charismatic/Pentecostal distinctives of "speaking in tongues",
"first person prophecies", "words of faith", "word of knowledge", “spiritual
singing”, and other Charismatic/Pentecostal activities that are distinctive
from those worship services that characterize the evangelical Christian
community of believers.
This church IS NOT anti-Charismatic or
anti-Pentecostal, and does not in any way wish to separate itself from those
congregations that consider themselves as such. Neither do we wish to
separate ourselves or to exclude from membership and fellowship brothers and
sisters in Christ who consider themselves Charismatic or Pentecostal. We
must, however, insist that those activities that are distinctively
Charismatic or Pentecostal not be exercised as a part of our church, its
worship services or its programs. This does not mean, however, that we are
demanding that these brothers and sisters not exercise these distinctives in
their homes or in other congregations.
(NOTE: For a more complete discussion of this subject, please refer to our
distinctives page on this web site)
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ARTICLE IX
MEETINGS
Section 1 - For Worship and Fellowship
a. Public services shall be held
regularly on the Lord’s day and should be in line with the church's
doctrinal statement in content.
b. Meetings for prayer and praise should
take place at least once a week whenever possible.
c. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper
shall be observed at least once a month, either on Sunday
morning
worship or at another meeting during the week.
d. The Church Covenant shall be read a
loud at a church business meeting at least once each quarter.
Section 2 - For Business
a. The fiscal year of the church shall
begin the first day of July.
b. Quarterly business meetings shall be
held once each quarter.
c. The Board of Elders shall elect a
moderator to conduct these meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order may
be used
at the discretion of the Elder board for any particular meeting.
d. Special business meetings of the
church may be called by the Elder, Deacon, or Deaconess
Boards, or by
written request of any ten voting members, providing the particular
object (or objects)
of the meeting is clearly stated in the notice. No
other business shall be transacted in such special
meetings. Such notice
must be given in at least two regular services previous to the meeting
or by
written notice served upon each voting member.
e. Full notice of all business meetings
of the church shall be given at all regular services of the church
on
the two Sundays immediately preceding such meetings.
f. A quorum shall consist of 25 percent
of the voting members, and must be present to conduct
business.
g. All church officers shall be elected
by ballot.
h. All business shall be decided by a
majority of votes cast except where otherwise provided in this
instrument.
i. No member may speak more than twice on
any question at any business meeting, except by
consent of the chair.
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ARTICLE X
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
This constitution may be amended at any
business meeting by a two-thirds vote of the qualified members present and
voting, provided notice of such an amendment shall have been made at a
previous business meeting and announced for two Sundays prior to the
proposed meeting.
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