Section 1 – Summary
• The Biblical offices in the church are pastors/elders and deacons. In addition, our church recognizes the administrative positions under this constitution of clerk, and treasurer and trustees. All officers must be members of this church prior to assuming their responsibilities.
Section 2 – Elders
• The elders shall be comprised of not less than three men who satisfy the qualifications for the office of elder set forth in I Timothy 3: 1–7 and Titus 1: 6–9. Some of the active eldership shall be composed of church members not in the full time pay of the church, and no elder shall hold the office of deacon during his tenure.
• Subject to the will of the congregation, the elders shall oversee the ministry and resources of the church.
o In keeping with the principles set forth in Acts 6: 1–6 and I Peter 5: 1–4, the elders shall devote their time to prayer, the ministry of the Word (by teaching and encouraging sound doctrine), and shepherding God’s flock.
• The church shall recognize men gifted and willing to serve in this calling, in accordance with the constitutional provisions on elections.
o These men shall be received as gifts of Christ to His church and set apart as elders.
o This recognition shall be reaffirmed by the church triennially. After an elder, other than the senior or associate pastor(s), has served two consecutive three-year terms, he may only be elected to the office of elder after at least one year.
• An elder’s term of office may be terminated by resignation or by dismissal. Any two members with reason to believe that an elder should be dismissed should express such concern to the elders and, if need be, to the congregation.
o Any such action shall be done in accordance with the instructions of our Lord in Matthew 18: 15–17 and I Timothy 5: 17–21. Any of the elders may be dismissed by a two-thirds vote of the members at any members’ meeting of the church, with the exception of the Senior Pastor who will require a vote of 85% approving.
• The elders shall take particular responsibility to examine and instruct prospective members, examine and recommend all prospective candidates for offices and positions, oversee the work of the deacons and appointed church agents and committees, conduct worship services, administer the ordinances of baptism and communion, equip the membership for the work of the ministry, encourage sound doctrine and practice, admonish and correct error, oversee the process of church discipline, coordinate and promote the ministries of the church, and mobilize the church for world missions.
• The elders are further to ensure that all who minister the Word to the congregation, including outside speakers, share our fundamental convictions.
• The elders may establish ministry positions or committees as needed to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities.
• The elders may also propose funding for new paid staff positions.
o The membership shall approve all candidates to fill the positions of senior and associate pastor.
o The scope and approval of job descriptions for any staff position shall reside in the hands of those with hiring authority for that position.
• The elders shall have primary responsibility for the employment, supervision, and evaluation of staff members. This responsibility may, on a case-by-case basis, be delegated to another staff member.
• Each year the elders, after consultation with the deacons, the treasurer, and the membership, shall present to the church an itemized budget. This budget shall be presented for discussion at a specially called budget meeting and called up for a vote at the following members’ meeting. No money shall be solicited by or on behalf of the church or any of its ministries without the approval of the elders.
• The elders shall elect a chairman of elders’ meetings and shall also elect one of their number to serve as moderator of members’ meetings.
Section 3 – The Senior Pastor
• The senior pastor shall be an elder. He shall perform the duties of an elder described in Section 2, above, and shall be recognized by the church as particularly gifted and called to the full-time ministry of preaching and teaching and shepherding.
• His call shall not be subject to the triennial reaffirmation or to the term limitation set out in Article 5, Section 2, for elders. His call shall be defined as per Article 6, Section 3.
• He will be responsible for preaching on the Lord’s Day, administer the ordinances of baptism and communion, and perform such other duties as usually pertain to that office, or as set forth in the constitution.
• In the absence or incapacity of the senior pastor the elders shall assume responsibility for his duties, any of which can be delegated.
Section 4 – Associate Pastors
• The church may call additional pastors whose relationship to the senior pastor is that of associate.
• An associate pastor shall be an elder. He shall perform the duties of an elder described in Section 2, above, and shall be recognized by the church as particularly gifted and called to the full-time ministry of preaching and teaching and shepherding.
• His call shall not be subject to the triennial reaffirmation or to the term limitation set out in Article 5, Section 2, for elders. His call shall be defined as per Article 6, Section 4.
o He shall assist the senior pastor in the performance of his regular duties and shall perform any other duties as usually pertain to the office of pastor, or as set forth in the constitution, or which may be specifically assigned to him by the congregation.
o In the absence or incapacity of the senior pastor for defined periods of time (such as sabbatical or illness), the associate pastor(s) shall assume the responsibility for his duties under the oversight of the elders.
Section 5 – Deacons
• The office of deacon is described in I Timothy 3: 8–13 and Acts 6: 1–7. The church shall recognize, in accordance with the constitutional provisions on elections, men who are giving of themselves in service to the church, and who possess particular gifts of service. These members shall be received as gifts of Christ to His church and set apart/ordained as deacons.
o They shall be elected to one term lasting for a maximum of three years and may only be elected to another term after one year.
• Deacons shall care for the temporal needs of members, attend to the accommodations for public worship, and encourage and support those able to help others and those with gifts of administration.
• The deacons shall receive, and disburse a fund for benevolence, reporting on its use to the elders at their request, and reporting to the church its total receipts and total disbursements only.
• The deacons, with the agreement of the elders, may establish unpaid administrative positions or committees of members to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities in the church.
Section 6 – Clerk
• It shall be the duty of the clerk to record and preserve the minutes of all regular and special members’ meetings of the church, to preserve an accurate roll of the membership, and to render reports as requested by the pastor, the elders, the deacons, or the church.
• The clerk shall be a member in good standing, nominated by the elders and elected by the congregation to serve a term of one year, and may be re-elected for a maximum of four years.
• In the absence or incapacity of the clerk the elders shall appoint a member to perform the duties of the church clerk.
• The church clerk shall ensure that dated copies of the most recent revision of this constitution shall be available for all church members.
Section 7 – Treasurer
• The treasurer, who shall not be an active elder or paid church staff member, shall ensure that all funds and securities of the church are properly secured in such banks, financial institutions, or depositories as appropriate.
• The treasurer is responsible for depositing all receipts and for disbursement of payroll and all church funds as approved by the current budget or approved by the elders.
• The treasure is responsible for paying all required federal and state payroll taxes and submitting all required forms.
• The treasurer shall also be responsible for presenting regular reports of the account balances, revenues and expenses of the church at each member’s meeting. The responsibility may be delegated with the approval of the elders.
• The treasurer shall also ensure that full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements are kept in books belonging to the church, and that adequate controls are implemented to guarantee that all funds belonging to the church are appropriately handled by any officer, employee, or agent of the church.
• The treasurer shall render to the elders annually, or whenever they may require it, an account of all transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the church.
• The treasurer shall be nominated by the elders and elected by the congregation to serve a term of one year and may be re-elected for a maximum of four years.
Section 8 – Trustees
• The trustees shall consist of three members in good standing. Trustees shall serve for 10 (ten) years maximum.
• An election to fill the vacancy of a trustee may be held at any regular meeting of the church members.
• Nominations are made by the elders.
• Trustees shall be recorded at the courthouse as a legal representative of the church and shall represent the church in all of its legal and property matters.