CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

 

OF

 

____________________________ BAPTIST CHURCH

 

OF

 

____________________________, ILLINOIS

 

-PREAMBLE-

 

For the more certain preservation of, and security of, the principle of our faith, and to the end that this body may be governed in an orderly manner consistent with the accepted tenets of the Southern Baptist Convention and for the purpose of preserving the liberties inherent in each individual member of this church and the freedom of action of this body with respect to its relation to other churches of the same faith, we do declare and establish this Constitution and By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE I.  NAME, PURPOSE, AND INCORPORATION

 

Section 1.  The name of this church shall be ____________________________ Baptist Church of _________________________, Illinois.

 

Section 2.  The purpose of the ___________________________ Baptist Church of __________________________, Illinois, shall be to carry out the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; and to develop Christian fellowship and growth in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ among the saints.

 

Section 3.  This ____________________________ Baptist Church shall be incorporated in accordance with the laws of this state of Illinois governing religious bodies, and the handling of property shall be in accordance with such laws.

 

ARTICLE II.  POLITY, DOCTRINE, COVENANT

 

Section 1.  The government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose its membership.  It is subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but it recognizes and sustains the benefits of mutual counsel and cooperation.

 

Section 2.  The _____________________________ Baptist Church shall be governed by the doctrinal statement adopted by the body at the time of its constitution; namely THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE as adopted by our Southern Baptist Convention in May, 1963.

 

Section 3.  The church Covenant that binds the _________________________ Baptist Church in fellowship shall be the covenant adopted by the body at the time of its constitution, a copy of which is attached and recorded.

 

Section 4.  The cooperation of the _____________________________ Baptist Church shall be with the ____________________________ Baptist Association, the Illinois Baptist State Association and the Southern Baptist Convention, or such similar Baptist Bodies that the church may become affiliated with, so long as such cooperation does not violate the autonomy of the church, and the doctrines it has adopted, as the _______________________ Baptist Church.

 

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1.  Qualifications:  The membership of the ________________________ Baptist Church shall consist of such persons as confess Jesus Christ to be their Savior and Lord, having been accepted by vote of the church and having been scripturally baptized by immersion.

 

a.       Those coming from other Baptist churches of like faith and order may be accepted upon letter of transfer, dismission or satisfactory substitute thereof, such as statement of facts as to their conversion experiences and previous immersion.

 

b.       Any person coming from any church not of like faith and order or non-Baptist church must come by baptism upon profession of faith in Christ as Savior.

 

Section 2.  Duties:  Members are expected to be faithful in all duties essential to the Christian life, to attend the services of this church, to give regularly for its support and cause, and to share in its organized work.

 

Section 3.  Rights:  Only such members as are in full and regular standing and do not hold letters of dismission may act and vote in the transactions of the church.

 

Section 4.  Quorum:  Ten per cent of the resident roll of the membership shall constitute a quorum with a minimum of 7 resident members being necessary for the transaction of general church business and for election of officers.  For the calling of a pastor, discipline of a member, purchase or sale of property, or for amendments and additions to the constitution a quorum of twenty-five per cent of the resident roll of the membership is necessary.

 

Section 5.  Termination:  The continuance of membership shall be subject to the principles and usages of the Southern Baptist churches and especially as follows:

 

a.       Any member in good and regular standing who desires a letter of dismission and recommendation to any Baptist church of like faith and order is entitled to receive it upon his request being made through church channels.

 

b.       The church may, after due notice and kindly effort to make such notice unnecessary, place on an inactive roll the membership of persons for the space of one year non-resident members or for the same space of time resident members not habitually worshipping with the church.

 

c.       Should a member become an offense to the church and to her good name by reasons of immoral or un-Christian conduct, or by persistent breach of his covenant vows, the church may terminate his membership, but only after due notice and hearing, and after faithful efforts have been made to bring such a member to repentance and amendment, Matthew 18:15-17 being used as basic scripture.

 

d.       The membership of no person shall be terminated (except by letter) at the meeting when the recommendation for such action is made.

 

e.       All requests for termination of membership or action looking there to shall first be considered by the Membership Committee who shall make recommendation to the church.  The name of any person remaining on the inactive roll for a period of three years will be considered by the Membership Committee for possible dismissal.

 

Section 6.  Any person whose membership has been terminated for any offense may be restored by vote of the church, upon evidence of his repentance and reformation; or, upon satisfactory explanation.

 

ARTICLE IV.  OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

 

Section 1.  The primary officers of the ____________________________ Baptist Church shall be pastor, deacons, trustees, clerk, and treasurer.  The duties of these officers shall be those common to the office and according to the instruction of the Scriptures.

 

Section 2.  The ___________________________ Baptist Church shall have such officers as wisdom and the Holy Spirit may direct as necessary for the carrying on of the work of the church.  The duties of such officers shall be those connected with the offices they fill and according to instructions for the church.

 

Section 3.  The ___________________________ Baptist Church shall have such authority and special committees as will be deemed necessary in distributing the responsibilities and getting the work done.  All officers and committees shall be elected by the church.

 

PASTOR:  A pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs.  His election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least three days’ notice shall be given from the pulpit during a regular Sunday service.  A Pulpit Committee shall be appointed by the church to seek out a suitable Pastor, and their recommendation will constitute a nomination.  The Committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one man at a time.  Election shall be by ballot, an affirmative vote of three-fourths of those voting being necessary to a choice.  The Pastor shall serve until the relationship is terminated by 30 days notice by either the Pastor or church or by mutual consent.  He shall have charge of the welfare and oversight of the church.  He shall preside at the meetings except as hereinafter provided.  The Pastor shall be the ex-officio head of all church organizations.

 

DEACONS:  Number, Election and Terms of Service.

There may be four deacons for the first one hundred resident members or fraction thereof whose names are on the church roll and two additional deacons for each additional one hundred members or major fraction thereof, at the time of the annual business meeting.  It shall be pertinent for the church to promote to honorary life membership any deacon who by reason of age or infirmities shall, after honorable service, be no longer able to render active service.  After serving a term of three years, no deacon shall be eligible for re-election until the lapse of at least one year.  Each deacon elected after the initial period shall serve for a term of three years.  In counsel with the Pastor, and by such methods as the Holy Spirit may direct in accordance with the New Testament teaching, they are to have the responsibility of the discipline of the church, in administering which they are to be guided always by the principles set forth in Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 5:9-13; and I Thessalonians 5:12-14.  There is no obligation to recognize as an active deacon a brother who comes to the church from another where he has served as a deacon.

 

MODERATOR:  The pastor shall be the Moderator.  In the absence of the Pastor, the chairman of the Deacons shall preside; or in the absence of both, the Clerk shall call the church to order and a moderator pro tem shall be elected.

 

CLERK:  The church shall elect annually a church clerk.  The clerk shall keep in a suitable book a record of all the actions of the church, except as otherwise provided.  He shall keep a register of the names of the members, with dates of admission, dismission, or death, together with a record of baptisms.  He shall issue letters of dismission voted by the church and shall preserve on file all essential communications and written official reports.  Subject to the discretion of the church, the Clerk is eligible to succeed himself.

 

TREASURER:  The church shall elect annually a church treasurer.  It shall be his duty to receive, preserve, and pay out all money or things of value paid or given to the church, keeping at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.  Payments shall be made by check.  A monthly written report shall be presented to the church at its regular business meeting.  An annual report shall be made to the church.  All books, records, and accounts kept by the Treasurer shall be considered the property of the church.  The books shall be open to inspection at all times by any contributing member of the church.  The treasurer shall be bonded with the church paying the required fee.  Annual audit of the financial record shall be made and certification made to the church.  The treasurer is eligible to succeed himself.  When a successor is elected, the treasurer shall promptly deliver to him all book, record, and accounts pertaining to his office, properly audited and certified.

 

TRUSTEES:  The church shall elect three trustees who shall have oversight of the business affairs of the church and shall be made responsible for the upkeep of the church property.  They shall be elected for three years, two year and one-year period respectively and can succeed themselves.

 

ARTICLE V.  STEWARDSHIP AND MISSIONS

 

Section 1.  The _____________________________ Baptist Church shall practice and support missions from its local community to the ends of the earth.  Evangelism shall be considered the primary work of the church.

 

Section 2.  The _____________________________ Baptist Church shall make an annual budget that will include all the local objects and support of missions and benevolences as sponsored by the church, the ____________________________ Baptist Association, the Illinois Baptist State Association and the Southern Baptist Convention.  The church shall endeavor to enlist the membership in meeting the annual budget.

 

ARTICLE VI.  MEETINGS OF THE CHURCH

 

Section 1.  The __________________________ Baptist Church shall conduct regular worship services on every Lord’s day and shall conduct prayer meetings on each Wednesday evening, or any other week day the church may specify.

 

Section 2.  The __________________________ Baptist Church shall provide all necessary services for the educational, missionary, evangelistic and promotional activities of the church, and shall see that the best provisions possible are made for these services.

 

      Section 3.  The __________________________ Baptist Church shall conduct a regular monthly business meeting on the Wednesday evening after the first Sunday of each month, or such other time as it should designate.  All business matters shall be attended to at this meeting.  Special business sessions may be called by the moderator, assistant moderator, or church clerk in the order names.  Such called sessions must be announced publicly at services of the church twice prior to the called meeting, or by a written notice sent to the resident membership of the church.  No matters may be attended to at the called meeting except those for which the meeting was called and previously announced.  All legal matters must be attended to at the regular sessions of the church.

 

BY-LAWS ADOPTED BY THE ________________________ BAPTIST CHURCH ON _____________________ the date on which it was constituted and organized into a church.

 

1.     All questions of shall be settled by the customary rules governing deliberative bodies as stated in Roberts Rules of Order.

 

2.       All officers and chairmen of committees of the church shall be members of the church in good standing, and elected by the church.

 

3.       The office of a deacon shall be rotated, and no deacon shall be elected to serve more than three years at one time, elected by secret ballot.  Qualifications of a deacon shall be according to I Timothy 3:8-13.

 

4.       The call of the pastor shall be for an indefinite period.  He shall be granted annually two weeks paid vacation.  The pastor shall be permitted to hold special services not to exceed an aggregate of four weeks outside the church.

 

5.       The church shall elect three trustees who shall have oversight, and shall be made responsible for the upkeep of the church property.

 

PROPERTY

 

a.       Should a division of membership occur because of doctrinal differences, the title to and possession of all property and assets owned by this congregation shall remain with the group holding the doctrinal position common to churches of the Southern Baptist Convention.

 

b.       An advisor council shall be made up of representatives from sister Southern Baptist Churches.

 

c.       Parties of the outgoing group in custody of physical properties shall immediately relinquish same to proper church officers.

 

d.       All officers and positions held by outgoing group shall automatically be declared vacated at time of division.

 

6.       The church shall observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper once each _________________.

 

7.       Ten percent of resident members shall constitute a quorum for transacting regular business.

 

8.       The Church shall make provision for evangelistic meetings each year.  The pastor may choose the Evangelist with the Church acting upon the choice.

 

9.       The Church shall make provision for Vacation Bible School each year when possible.

 

10.   The Church shall finance its program by the scriptural method of tithes and offerings.  Check shall require 2 signatures, and the church shall elect a counting committee of 3 of whom 2 shall be present at any counting of funds.  In the event only one is present then any other member may be asked to help.

 

11.   The church shall use only literature for its respective organizations that is generally accepted and recommended by Southern Baptist.

 

12.   These by-laws and constitution may be altered, amended or suspended at any regular business meeting of the church provided a month notice of such alterations, amendments or suspensions shall have been given previously.  These changes may become effective by a three-fourths majority vote of those members present and voting.

 

Adopted by unanimous vote of the church, in its business meeting of ______________________.

 

 

                                    _______________________________________

                                                Moderator

 

 

                                    _______________________________________

                                                    Clerk