Article I Government
Section1: This church shall be a Christian Fellowship for mutual helpfulness and shall be independent and strictly self-governing in all matters.
Section 2: This church shall not be under any outside influence, either organizations or individuals.
Section 3: The Board of Elders shall consist of the teaching pastor(s) and at least three other elders.
Section 4: No official congregational meeting shall be called without full knowledge of the Board of Elders, whose responsibility shall be to see that adequate steps are taken to inform all members.
Section 5: The elders shall be responsible for the preaching and teaching of the Word and shall share in the spiritual oversight of the flock. The elders shall select from themselves a chairman of the Board who shall preside at all official meetings as well as at official meetings of the congregation. In the event of his failure or inability to act, the Elders shall select from the Board a vice-chairman who shall preside.
Section 6: The elders shall have oversight of the entire church and shall be responsible for the spiritual state and growth of the fellowship according to their privilege as stated in Titus 1:5-9; I Timothy 3:1-7; and I Peter 5:1-4.
Section 7: The Board of Elders shall have the assistance of Deacons, but the Deacons shall not have voting rights on the Board of Elders. The duty of Deacons shall be to assist and relieve the Elders in the performance of their responsibilities in whatever areas the Board of Elders may direct.
Section 8: If for any reason this church should be dissolved, the total physical assets after liquidation shall be given to Evangelical Enterprises, Inc., which is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of Kansas.
Section 9: The annual church business meeting shall be held the first Sunday of March.
Article II Selection of Officers
The Elders shall be selected by the church according to the principles of Titus 1:5-9; I Timothy 3:1-7; and I Peter 5:1-4. These Elders shall serve indefinitely according to the will of the church under the Holy Spirit. Elders may be added to the Board by the recommendation of the Board and the approval of the congregation.
Article III Pulpit Supply and Calling of Pastor
Section 1: The Board of Elders shall serve as pulpit committee.
Section 2: The Board shall examine candidates to see whether said candidates meet the qualifications of the New Testament and subscribe to the Constitution and bylaws.
Section 3: Candidates shall be considered one at a time.
Section 4: Candidates will be voted on at a meeting, which has been announced on the two Sundays proceeding the voting.
Section 5: A majority of 90% of voting members present shall be necessary to call a pastor.
Article IV Membership
Section 1: Eligibility
Paragraph 1: Applicants must be born again and confess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
Paragraph 2: Applicants must be living a consistent Christian life. II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22-26.
Section 2: Application
Paragraph 1: Applicants shall apply to any Elder of the Church.
Paragraph 2: In endeavoring to carry out the spirit of the New Testament Church membership, the Board when deemed necessary shall suggest that applicants wait for from three to six months before becoming official members of the church.
Section 3: Voting Privileges
Paragraph 1: No member who absents himself voluntarily from the services of the church for a period of six months shall have any vote in the affairs of the corporation., Such a member shall be regarded as inactive and can only regain voting privileges by regular attendance at services for a period of six months. For purposes of interpretation, the “member who absents himself voluntarily from the services of the church for a period of six months” is understood to be a member who, over a period of six months, frequently, in the judgement of the elders, chooses without good cause to be absent from the meetings of the church. (Revised March 2, 2003.) No member who absents himself voluntarily from the services of the church for a period of six months shall have any vote in the affairs of the corporation. Such a member shall be regarded as inactive and can only regain voting privileges by regular attendance at services for a period of six months.
Paragraph 2: Members over the age of 16 shall vote subject to above paragraph. At the age of 16 they shall upon recommendation of the Board pass into regular status.
Article V Baptism
Immersion is not a requirement for membership, but it will be the only mode of baptism which shall be practiced by this church. It shall be the duty of the elders to instruct all unbaptized applicants about the teaching of Scriptural baptism, i.e. immersion.
Article VI Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper shall be for all believers who, after self-examination, desire to participate. It shall be observed once a month on the 1st Sunday unless it is deemed necessary to change it.
Article VII Amendments
Section 1: The articles of this constitution or any part thereof may be amended at any business meeting by a 2/3 majority of those voting, provided public notice of the proposed change or changes has been given in writing and from the pulpit for two Sundays preceding the business meeting.
Section2: Absentee ballots will be honored in case of unavoidable absences. Such ballots should be presented to one of the Board of Elders.
Article VIII Ordaining and Licensing
It shall be within the power of this church to ordain and license into Gospel Ministry those men who God has called and equipped. Revised March 1984.
Article IX Church Discipline
Any Bible believing church is bound to the authority of the Scripture., And, as all Scripture is inspired by God for the purpose of reproof and correction, this Church is responsible and duty bound to follow biblical instruction concerning church discipline. Some biblical references for church discipline are found in Matthew 18:16-20; I Corinthians 5:1-13 and 6:1-11; Galatians 6:1,2; II Thessalonians 3:14,15; I Timothy 5:19-21.
It is realized that we cannot be perfect; however, an open, unrepentant and willful continuation of a sinful action by a member must be dealt with by the church. This would also extend to those who regularly participate in the church activities. The goal of any type of disciplinary action is done for the purpose of bringing the offender to repentance and restoration to fellowship with the Church and the Lord Jesus (Galatians 6:1). It is also to maintain, as nearly as possible, the purity of the Body of Christ and the individual members of it (I Timothy 5:20).
The Church Body has practiced discipline as outlined above in the past and will continue to do so. This amendment to our constitution is only an attempt to clarify the position of our Church to eliminate any confusion which might possibly arise. It is the responsibility of each member to read and understand this position of the Church—action must be taken when a clear violation of biblical principles occurs. A person could not avoid disciplinary action taken by the Church by simply withdrawing his or her membership.
Section1: This church shall be a Christian Fellowship for mutual helpfulness and shall be independent and strictly self-governing in all matters.
Section 2: This church shall not be under any outside influence, either organizations or individuals.
Section 3: The Board of Elders shall consist of the teaching pastor(s) and at least three other elders.
Section 4: No official congregational meeting shall be called without full knowledge of the Board of Elders, whose responsibility shall be to see that adequate steps are taken to inform all members.
Section 5: The elders shall be responsible for the preaching and teaching of the Word and shall share in the spiritual oversight of the flock. The elders shall select from themselves a chairman of the Board who shall preside at all official meetings as well as at official meetings of the congregation. In the event of his failure or inability to act, the Elders shall select from the Board a vice-chairman who shall preside.
Section 6: The elders shall have oversight of the entire church and shall be responsible for the spiritual state and growth of the fellowship according to their privilege as stated in Titus 1:5-9; I Timothy 3:1-7; and I Peter 5:1-4.
Section 7: The Board of Elders shall have the assistance of Deacons, but the Deacons shall not have voting rights on the Board of Elders. The duty of Deacons shall be to assist and relieve the Elders in the performance of their responsibilities in whatever areas the Board of Elders may direct.
Section 8: If for any reason this church should be dissolved, the total physical assets after liquidation shall be given to Evangelical Enterprises, Inc., which is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of Kansas.
Section 9: The annual church business meeting shall be held the first Sunday of March.
Article II Selection of Officers
The Elders shall be selected by the church according to the principles of Titus 1:5-9; I Timothy 3:1-7; and I Peter 5:1-4. These Elders shall serve indefinitely according to the will of the church under the Holy Spirit. Elders may be added to the Board by the recommendation of the Board and the approval of the congregation.
Article III Pulpit Supply and Calling of Pastor
Section 1: The Board of Elders shall serve as pulpit committee.
Section 2: The Board shall examine candidates to see whether said candidates meet the qualifications of the New Testament and subscribe to the Constitution and bylaws.
Section 3: Candidates shall be considered one at a time.
Section 4: Candidates will be voted on at a meeting, which has been announced on the two Sundays proceeding the voting.
Section 5: A majority of 90% of voting members present shall be necessary to call a pastor.
Article IV Membership
Section 1: Eligibility
Paragraph 1: Applicants must be born again and confess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
Paragraph 2: Applicants must be living a consistent Christian life. II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22-26.
Section 2: Application
Paragraph 1: Applicants shall apply to any Elder of the Church.
Paragraph 2: In endeavoring to carry out the spirit of the New Testament Church membership, the Board when deemed necessary shall suggest that applicants wait for from three to six months before becoming official members of the church.
Section 3: Voting Privileges
Paragraph 1: No member who absents himself voluntarily from the services of the church for a period of six months shall have any vote in the affairs of the corporation., Such a member shall be regarded as inactive and can only regain voting privileges by regular attendance at services for a period of six months. For purposes of interpretation, the “member who absents himself voluntarily from the services of the church for a period of six months” is understood to be a member who, over a period of six months, frequently, in the judgement of the elders, chooses without good cause to be absent from the meetings of the church. (Revised March 2, 2003.) No member who absents himself voluntarily from the services of the church for a period of six months shall have any vote in the affairs of the corporation. Such a member shall be regarded as inactive and can only regain voting privileges by regular attendance at services for a period of six months.
Paragraph 2: Members over the age of 16 shall vote subject to above paragraph. At the age of 16 they shall upon recommendation of the Board pass into regular status.
Article V Baptism
Immersion is not a requirement for membership, but it will be the only mode of baptism which shall be practiced by this church. It shall be the duty of the elders to instruct all unbaptized applicants about the teaching of Scriptural baptism, i.e. immersion.
Article VI Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper shall be for all believers who, after self-examination, desire to participate. It shall be observed once a month on the 1st Sunday unless it is deemed necessary to change it.
Article VII Amendments
Section 1: The articles of this constitution or any part thereof may be amended at any business meeting by a 2/3 majority of those voting, provided public notice of the proposed change or changes has been given in writing and from the pulpit for two Sundays preceding the business meeting.
Section2: Absentee ballots will be honored in case of unavoidable absences. Such ballots should be presented to one of the Board of Elders.
Article VIII Ordaining and Licensing
It shall be within the power of this church to ordain and license into Gospel Ministry those men who God has called and equipped. Revised March 1984.
Article IX Church Discipline
Any Bible believing church is bound to the authority of the Scripture., And, as all Scripture is inspired by God for the purpose of reproof and correction, this Church is responsible and duty bound to follow biblical instruction concerning church discipline. Some biblical references for church discipline are found in Matthew 18:16-20; I Corinthians 5:1-13 and 6:1-11; Galatians 6:1,2; II Thessalonians 3:14,15; I Timothy 5:19-21.
It is realized that we cannot be perfect; however, an open, unrepentant and willful continuation of a sinful action by a member must be dealt with by the church. This would also extend to those who regularly participate in the church activities. The goal of any type of disciplinary action is done for the purpose of bringing the offender to repentance and restoration to fellowship with the Church and the Lord Jesus (Galatians 6:1). It is also to maintain, as nearly as possible, the purity of the Body of Christ and the individual members of it (I Timothy 5:20).
The Church Body has practiced discipline as outlined above in the past and will continue to do so. This amendment to our constitution is only an attempt to clarify the position of our Church to eliminate any confusion which might possibly arise. It is the responsibility of each member to read and understand this position of the Church—action must be taken when a clear violation of biblical principles occurs. A person could not avoid disciplinary action taken by the Church by simply withdrawing his or her membership.
