"Proud of our Heritage, Excited about our Future"
5486 county road 23
Crossville, AL 35962
ph: 256-659-5598
cyndy
ARTICLE I. Membership
Section 1. General
This is a sovereign and democratic Baptist Church under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the exclusive right of self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church.
The membership reserves the exclusive right to determine who shall be members of this church and the conditions of such memberships.
Section 2. Candidacy
Any person may offer himself as a candidate for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:
(1) By profession of faith and for baptism according to the policies of this church.
(2) By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church of like faith and order.
(3) By restoration upon a statement of prior conversion experience and baptism in a Baptist Church of like faith and order, when no letter is obtainable.
Should there by any dissent as to any candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the pastor and the deacons for investigation and the making of a recommendation to the church within thirty (30) days. A three fourths vote of these church members present and voting shall be required to elect such candidates to membership.
Section 3: Voting Rights of Members
Every member of the church is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the church in conference provided the member is present.
Section 4: Termination of Membership
Membership shall be terminated in the following ways:
(1) death (2) dismission to another Baptist church of like faith and order (3) exclusion by action of this church or, (4) joining with any church where no letter is granted.
Section 5: Discipline
(1) It shall be the basic purpose of this church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The pastor and deacons are available for counsel and guidance. Redemption rather than punishment should be the guideline which governs the attitude of one member toward another.
(2) Should some serious condition exist which would cause a member to become a liability to the general welfare of the church, every reasonable measure will be taken by the pastor and the deacons to resolve the problem. All such proceedings shall be pervaded by a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance. But finding that the welfare of the church will best be served by the exclusion of the member, the church may take this action by a two thirds vote of the members present at a meeting called for this purpose: and the church may proceed to declare the offender to be no longer in the membership of the church.
(3) Any person whose membership has been terminated for any condition which has made it necessary for the church to exclude him may upon his request be restored to membership by a two thirds vote of the church upon evidence of his repentance and reformation.
ARTICLE II: Church Officers
All church officers must be members of this church. The officers of this church shall be as follows:
Section 1: Pastor
The pastor is responsible for leading the church to function as a New Testament church. The pastor will lead the congregation, the organizations, and the church staff to perform their tasks.
The pastor is leader of pastoral ministries in a church, as such as he works with deacons and church staff to: (1) lead the church in performing its tasks, (2) lead the church to engage in a fellowship of worship, witness, education, ministry, and application, (3) proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers, and (4) care for the church’s members and other persons in the community.
A pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs. His election shall take place at a meting called for that purpose, of which at least one week’s public notice has been given.
The active deacon body shall serve as the pulpit committee to seek out a suitable pastor, and its recommendations will constitute a nomination. Any male member has the privilege of making other nominations according to the policy established by the church. The committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one name at a time. Election shall be by secret ballot and affirmative vote of three fourths of those present being necessary for a choice. The pastor thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request or the church’s request. He shall preside at all business meetings. The pastor shall give at least thirty days notice at the time of resignation before terminating his responsibilities as pastor.
If it is agreeable to both the departing pastor and the church, the thirty days notice shall be waived.
Any decision to sever relations between the church and the pastor must come as a recommendation from the deacons to the church, with a majority of the active deacons in agreement. Upon recommendation from the deacons, a special meeting would be called for the purpose of considering this matter, of which at least one week’s public notice has been given, requiring a majority vote of the members present.
The pastor shall secure evangelist for all meetings, subject to the approval of the deacons and shall be responsible for obtaining all pulpit supplies. He shall be responsible for honorariums for the supply of his pulpit except in the following cases:
(1) illness, unless the illness is unreasonably prolonged.
(2) Absence, due to circumstances beyond his control.
(3) When special guest speakers are to appear at the invitation of the church.
The pastor shall be the moderator of the church. In the absence of the pastor, the chairman of the deacons shall preside. In the absence of both, the clerk shall call the church to order and a moderator protem shall be elected.
Section 2: Clerk
The church-elected clerk of the church shall keep in a suitable book a record of all the actions of the church, except as otherwise herein provided. The clerk is responsible for keeping a register of the names of members, with dates of admission and dismission or death, together with a record of baptisms. The clerk shall issue letters of dismission voted by the church, preserve on file all communications and written official reports and give legal notice of all meetings where such notice is necessary, as indicated in these bylaws.
Section 3: Treasurer
The church shall elect annually a church treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive, preserve and pay out upon receipt of vouchers approved and signed by authorized personnel, all money, or things of value paid or given to the church, keeping at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements for the preceding month.
Section 4: Deacon
The qualifications for deacons shall be those set forth in Acts 6:1-6, II Timothy 2:1-3, and Titus 1:5-9. In accordance with the meaning of the Word and the practice of the New Testament, deacons are to be servants of the church. The task of the deacon is to serve with the pastor and staff in performing pastoral ministries tasks: proclaiming the Gospel to believers and unbelievers; care for church members and other persons in the community, lead the church to engage in a fellowship of worship, witness, education, ministry, and application; and lead the church in performing its tasks.
There shall be (7) seven ordain deacons on the deacon body. In case of vacancy in the seven ordain deacons, the remaining ordained deacons shall recommend a man to this body for ordination to maintain a number of seven, within one year when such vacancy occurs. Any member has the privilege of making recommendations, according to the policies of this church. Election shall be by ballot. Each deacon shall be required to attend each deacon meeting unless providentially hindered. The deacons can only recommend a course of action to the church for its approval.
The deacon body shall elect a chairman from the ordained deacons to serve a one-year term. Election shall be by a majority vote.
There is no obligation to constitute as an active deacon a person who comes to the church from another church where he has served as a deacon.
If an active deacon fails to meet the qualifications set forth in these by-laws, the other active deacons can recommend to the church that he me set aside as an inactive deacon.
ARTICLE III: Amendments
Changes in this constitution and bylaws may be made at any regular business meeting of the church provided each amendment shall have been presented in writing at a previous meeting, and copies of the proposed amendment be furnished to each member present. Amendments to the constitution shall be by two thirds vote of all members of the church present entitled to vote; amendments to the bylaws shall have a concurrence of a majority of the members present and voting.
Revised: Date_____________________
Adopted: Date______________________
Copyright 2012 New Canaan Baptist Church. All rights reserved.
5486 county road 23
Crossville, AL 35962
ph: 256-659-5598
cyndy