ARTICLE 1
NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1.01—NAME
This congregation of believers shall be known as Faith Baptist Church. It is incorporated as a
non-profit corporation under the law of the state of Tennessee.
SECTION 1.02—PURPOSE
This congregation is organized as a church exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational
purposes within the meaning of Section 50l(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the
corresponding provision of any future United States Revenue Law), for such purposes including,
but not limited to, the proclaiming of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; the establishing and
maintaining of religious worship; the educating of believers in a manner consistent with the requirements of Holy Scripture; and the maintaining of missionary activities in the United States and
any foreign country.
ARTICLE 2
STATEMENT OF FAITH AND COVENANT
SECTION 2.01—STATEMENT OF FAITH
(A) The Holy Scriptures. We believe the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and Godbreathed and are, therefore, the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the
Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and
all issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the pastor, upon approval
by the board of deacons. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only
translation used by the church. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
(B) Dispensationalism. We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense
reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life that define man’s responsibilities
in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely
ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these
dispensations—the law, the church, and the kingdom are the subjects of detailed revelation
in Scripture. (Gen. 1:28; 1Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; 3:2-10; Col.
1:24-25, 27; Rev. 20:2-6)
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(C) The Godhead. We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit—each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power
and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John
14:10, 26; 2 Cor. 13:14)
(D) The Person and Work of Christ.
(1) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without
ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin
Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isa. 7:14; 9:6;
Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)
(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His
death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that
our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.
(Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Peter 1:3-5)
(3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the
right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; 1 John
2:1-2)
(E) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
(1) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration,
baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto
the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph.
1:13-14)
(2) We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and
appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be
filled with the Spirit. (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27)
(3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the
church to do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-
12)
(4) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and
the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or
necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. Ultimate deliverance of
the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the
resurrection, although God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 3
for physical healing. (1 Cor. 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
(F) The Total Depravity of Man. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness
of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became
alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his
lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
(G) Salvation. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received
by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for
the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit,
are forgiveable. (Matt. 12:31-32; John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 John 1:9)
(H) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers.
(1) We believe that once a person is saved, he is kept by God’s power and remains
secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1
Pet. 1:4-5)
(2) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their
salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids
the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh . (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13;
Titus 2:11-15)
(I) The Church
(1) We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ,
is solely made up of born-again believers. (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-
23; 5:25-27)
(2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly
taught and defined in the New Testament. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-
13; Titus 1:5-11)
(3) We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or
controls, and any affiliations, societies, organizations, associations, or agencies this
church affiliates with to further the objectives stated in the Purpose Statement are
not authoritative in matters of church practice or belief. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31;
20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4)
(4) We recognize water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural
ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42;
8:36-38; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
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(J) Separation. We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring
reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all
worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Rom. 12:1-
2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11)
(K) The Second Coming of Christ. We believe in that blessed hope, the personal, imminent
return of Christ, Who will rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period.
At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to
establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom, which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Ps.
89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; 1 Thess. 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-
16; 20:1-6)
(L) The Eternal State.
(1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the
unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29;
11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13)
(2) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and
present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection,
when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke
23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6)
(3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited,
they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the
Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment
and torment. (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude
6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)
(M) The Personality of Satan. We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the
cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that
he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11;
25:41; Rev. 20:10)
(N) Creation. We believe that the Genesis account of creation is neither allegory nor myth, but
a literal, historical account of God’s creation of the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods.
We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11)
(O) Civil Government. We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting
of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is
subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 5
to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution
has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and
sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. We
believe that we must obey the state unless it requires us to act contrary to our faith at which
time we must obey God rather than the state. (Matt. 22:15-22; Acts 5:29; Rom. 13:1-7;
Eph. 5:22-24; Titus 3:1-2; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14)
(P) Human Sexuality.
(1) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged
in outside of a marriage between one naturally-born man and one naturally-born
woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s
gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter
one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9;
Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)
(2) We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one naturally-born
man and one naturally-born woman for life. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10;
Eph. 5:22-23)
(Q) Family Relationships
(1) We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but
that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women
in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men
are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men
are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim.
2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)
(2) We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is
to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits
to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values through consistent
lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3- 5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-
14; Mk. 10:6-12; 1 Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; 1 Pet.
3:1-7)
(R) Divorce and Remarriage. We believe that God disapproves of divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or
divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God
6 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Mal.
2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)
(S) Abortion. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a
living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions due to rape, incest, birth
defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well-being
of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5;
20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
(T) Euthanasia. We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil,
regardless of the intention. Life is a gift of God and must be respected from conception
until natural death. Thus we believe that an act or omission which, of itself or by intention,
causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder contrary to the will of
God. Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the
expected outcome can be a legitimate refusal of over-zealous treatment. (Ex. 20:13, 23:7;
Matt. 5:21; Acts 17:28)
(U) Love. We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who
engage in sinful actions. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat
or use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice.
Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person
who engages in such sinful actions. (Lev. 19:18; Man. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35;
Rom. 12:9-10; 17-21; 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)
(V) Lawsuits Between Believers. We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil
lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the
church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from
another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or
slander. (1 Cor. 6: 1-8; Eph. 4:31-32; Matt. 18:15-17)
(W) Missions. We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the
Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of
Christ, we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them
to come to us. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16: 15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor.
5:20)
(X) Giving. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth en-
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 7
trusted to him, is obligated to financially support his local church. We believe that God has
established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need,
and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct
the use of his tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts
4:34-37; l Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)
SECTION 2.02—AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and
final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing Statement of Faith
accurately represents the teachings of the Bible and, therefore, is binding upon all members. All
literature, whether print or electronic, used in the church shall be in complete agreement with the
Statement of faith.
SECTION 2.03—COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior,
and on profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of our Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and
joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive
for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity
and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to give it a sacred
preeminence over all institutions of human origin; and to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the
support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spreading of the
Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions; to educate our children in the truth of
God’s Word; to seek the salvation of our families, acquaintances, and all others; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful to our engagements, and exemplary in our
deportment; to avoid excessive anger, tattling, backbiting, and all gossip or secretive meetings
regarding personal issues of church members, church leadership, or practice; to abstain from all
appearance of evil; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer;
to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of
speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready to secure reconciliation without delay. We moreover engage, that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other
church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
8 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
ARTICLE 3
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 3.01—QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Those seeking membership must, through their actions, words, lifestyle, and affiliations, evidence
a genuine experience of regeneration through faith in and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as
personal Savior.
(A) They must renounce sin and endeavor to live a consecrated life wholly unto the Lord.
(B) Candidates for membership will be required to attend a pre-membership class led by a
member of the pastoral staff or by an individual appointed thereby, in which they will study
the Statement of Faith, the bylaws of this church, general church practices, and expectations of members.
(C) At the conclusion of the class, the pastor may direct that candidates be interviewed by the
pastoral staff and/or deacon board prior to being recommended for membership to ensure
they fully subscribe to the Statement of Faith contained herein and agree to submit to the
authority of the church and its leaders.
(D) After such recommendation, membership will be granted upon a majority vote of the members present at any church service or meeting, and upon compliance with any one of the
following conditions:
(1) By baptism (immersion) at this local church following a profession of faith as a
believer in Christ Jesus as personal Savior;
(2) By letter of transfer from another Bible-believing church of like faith and practice,
or other written statement of good standing from the prior church if the applicant
has been baptized by immersion subsequent to a profession of faith;
(3) By testimony of faith, having been baptized by immersion in another Bible-believing church of like faith and practice; or
(4) By restoration, if having been removed from membership, upon majority vote of
the congregation after confession is made publicly before the church membership
of the sin or sins involved, and satisfactorily evidencing repentance to the pastor (or
the board of deacons if the office of pastor is vacant).
SECTION 3.02—DUTIES OF A MEMBER
On becoming a member of this church, in addition to the covenant contained in Section 2.03, each
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 9
member further covenants to love, honor, and esteem the pastor; to pray for him; to recognize his
authority in the spiritual and day-to-day affairs of the church; to cherish a brotherly love for all
members of the church; to support the church in prayer, tithes, offerings, and with other financial
support as the Lord enables; and in accordance with Biblical commands, to support through a lifestyle walk affirming the beliefs and practices of the church.
SECTION 3.03—PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP
(A) Only members at least eighteen years of age who are physically present at a duly called
meeting of the church shall be entitled to vote. There shall be no proxy or absentee voting.
The eligible membership of the church may only exercise voting privileges in those areas
that are defined and limited by these bylaws. Members may not vote to initiate any church
action, rather the vote of a member is to confirm and ratify the direction of the church as
determined by the pastor and the board of deacons.
(B) This congregation functions not as a pure democracy, but as a body under the headship of
the Lord Jesus Christ and the direction of the pastor as the under-shepherd with the counsel
of the board of deacons. Determinations of the internal affairs of this church are ecclesiastical matters and shall be determined exclusively by the church’s own rules and procedures.
The pastor shall oversee and/or conduct all aspects of this church. The board of deacons
shall give counsel and assistance to the pastor as requested by him.
(C) Membership in this church does not afford the members with any property, contractual, or
civil rights based on principles of democratic government. Although the general public is
invited to all of the church’s worship services, the church property remains private property. The pastor (or in his absence, an individual designated by the board of deacons) has
the authority to suspend or revoke the right of any person, including a member, to enter
or remain on church property. If, after being notified of such a suspension or revocation,
the person enters or remains on church property, the person may, in the discretion of the
pastor, (or in his absence, an individual designated by the board of deacons), be treated as
a trespasser.
(D) A member may inspect or copy the prepared financial statements of the church and the
minutes of the proceedings of church and committee meetings, provided he shall have
made a written request upon the church and the church has received the written request at
least five business days before the requested inspection date. Minutes from deacon board
and discipline committee meetings are exempt from this provision and are not subject to
inspection or copy.
(1) A member may not, under any circumstances, inspect or copy any record relating to
individual contributions to the church, the list of names and addresses of the church
members, or the accounting books and financial records of the church.
10 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
(2) The church may impose a reasonable charge, covering the costs of labor and material, for copies of any documents provided to the member before releasing the
copies to the member.
SECTION 3.04—DISCIPLINE OF A MEMBER
(A) There shall be a discipline committee consisting of the pastor and the board of deacons.
These men shall have sole authority in determining heretical deviations from the Statement
of Faith and violations of the church covenant. If the pastor or a deacon is the subject of
a disciplinary matter, he shall not sit as a member of the discipline committee. The pastor
and deacons shall be entitled to the same steps as other church members and be subject to
the same discipline.
(B) Members are expected to demonstrate special loyalty and concern for one another. When
a member becomes aware of an offense of such magnitude that it hinders the spiritual
growth and testimony of an individual in the local church or the body as a whole, he is to
go alone to the offending party and seek to restore his brother. Before he goes, he should
first examine himself. When he goes, he should go with a spirit of humility and have the
goal of restoration.
(C) If reconciliation is not reached, a second member, either a deacon or the pastor, is to accompany the one seeking to resolve the matter. This second step should also be preceded
by self-examination and exercised in a spirit of humility with the goal of restoration.
(D) If the matter is still unresolved after the steps outlined in subsections (B) and (C) have
been taken, the discipline committee, as the church representatives Biblically responsible
for putting down murmuring, shall hear the matter. If the matter is not resolved during the
hearing before the discipline committee, the committee shall recommend to the members
of the church that they, after self-examination, make an effort personally to go to the offending member and seek that member’s restoration.
(E) If the matter is still unresolved after the steps outlined in subsections (B), (C), and (D) have
been taken, such members who refuse to repent and be restored are to be removed from the
membership of the church upon a majority vote of the membership present at a meeting
called for the purpose of considering disciplinary action. The member subject to disciplinary action is not entitled to vote on his/her own discipline.
(F) No matter may be heard by the discipline committee or the church unless the steps outlined
in subsections (B) and (C) have been taken, except in the case of a public offense.
(G) If an unrepentant offending party is removed from the church membership, members of the
church should have no social contact with him, and any contact from that point forward
(except by family members) must be for the sake of restoration. Persons placed under
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 11
church discipline must immediately return any property belonging to the church.
(H) The procedures provided in this section are based on Matt. 18:15-20; Rom. 16:17-18; 1
Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Cor. 2:1-11; Gal. 6:1; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6, 10-15; 1 Tim. 5:19-20;
and Titus 3: 10-11.
SECTION 3.05—TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP
Members not under the disciplinary process of Section 3.04 may request that letters of transfer be
sent to another church.
SECTION 3.06—AUTOMATIC TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
(A) The membership of any individual member shall automatically terminate without notice
if the member in question has not attended a regular worship service of the church in the
preceding six months. Upon good cause being shown to the pastor, this provision for termination may be waived in the case of any individual member at the discretion of the pastor.
(B) No member of this church may hold membership in another church. The membership of
any individual member shall automatically terminate without notice if the member unites
in membership with another church.
(C) The membership of any individual member shall automatically terminate without notice
if the deacons or pastor become aware of a member’s open and unrepentant involvement
in any sexual misconduct described in Section 2.01 (P) or if a member files a lawsuit in
violation of Section 2.01 (V).
(D) The membership of any individual member shall automatically terminate without notice if
the member openly and unashamedly disagrees with any provision found in the Statement
of Faith.
(E) The membership of any individual member shall automatically terminate without notice
if the member in a spirit of dissension actively engages in secretive discussions and/or
intentionally organized, secretive meetings in a concerted effort to overthrow the pastor or
present church leadership.
(F) The membership of an individual will automatically terminate upon his or her death.
(G) No provision contained in this section shall be subject to or governed by the procedures
regarding discipline of members set forth in Section 3.04.
(H) A member may resign at any time, but no letter of transfer or written statement of good
standing will be issued upon such resignation, except at the discretion of the pastor.
12 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
ARTICLE 4
OFFICERS
The officers of this church shall be active members of this church and will qualify as follows:
SECTION 4.01—PASTOR
(A) 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 seven (7) days notice
has been given to the membership during a regularly scheduled meeting of the church. A
committee of five (5) appointed by the church shall seek out a suitable Pastor, and their recommendation will constitute a nomination. The committee will bring to the consideration
of the church only one man at a time. Election shall be by secret ballot, and a seventy-five
percent (75%) affirmative vote of those present according to the by-laws rule as found in
Article 7, Section 2.C.
(B) The Pastor, thus elected, shall serve for an indefinite period, with the understanding that
the relationship may be terminated upon thirty (30) days written notice by either the Pastor
or the church. The Pastor shall have in charge, the welfare of the church and shall preside
at all meetings of the church.
(C) He shall be a God-called man. Before accepting full role of Pastor he shall have been ordained or recognized by the Faith Baptist Church on the scriptural grounds as found in 1
Timothy 3: 1-7.
SECTION 4.01—DEACONS/TRUSTEES
The church may elect and ordain the number of Deacons/Trustees it deems necessary to conduct
its business. There is no obligation to constitute as Deacon a brother who comes to the church from
another church where he has served as Deacon. Each man selected for the office of Deacon shall
be chosen and voted upon one at a time.
(A) Qualifications
In accordance with the meaning of the word and the practice of the New Testament, Deacons are to be servants of the church who meet the qualifications as outlined in the scriptures. (1 Timothy 3: 8-13)
(B) Duties
(1) They are to be zealous to guard the unity of the spirit within the church in the bonds
of peace.
(2) They shall serve as a council of advice and conference with the Pastor in all matters pertaining to the welfare and work of the church. With the Pastor they are to
consider and formulate plans for the constant effort and progress of the church in
all things pertaining to the saving of souls, the development of Christians, and the
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 13
extension and growth of the church.
(3) They are to seek to know the physical need and the moral and spiritual struggles of
the brethren and to serve the whole church in relieving, encouraging and developing all who are in need.
(4) In counsel with the Pastor, and by such methods as the Holy Spirit may direct in
accordance with New Testament teachings, they are to have oversight of the discipline of the church; in administering, they are to be guided always by the principles
set forth in Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14. The
Deacons shall be free to call upon any member of the church to aid in disciplinary
action.
(5) The Deacons will arrange the temporary ministry and take counsel with reference
to Securing a Pastor. It is not intended in any Wise, to prejudice herein the method
by which the church shall proceed in securing a Pastor. At no time shall any person
occupy the pulpit of this church, who has not been recommended to the church by
the Pastor, Deacons, or Pulpit Committee.
(6) As Trustees, they shall hold in trust all legal documents such as titles, mortgages,
insurance papers, for which a safety deposit box or its equivalent agreed upon by
the church, shall be provided. They shall transact all legal affairs which are authorized by the church. They shall take all necessary measures for the protection and
maintenance of all properties owned by the church. They shall have supervision of
the janitor. They shall have the actual care of the place of worship but shall have no
power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any property without specific vote
of the church authorizing such action. The Chairman of the Deacons/Trustees shall
have access to the safety deposit box.
SECTION 4.02—MODERATOR
The Pastor shall be the Moderator. In the absence of the Pastor, the Chairman of the Deacons shall preside; in the absence of both, a Deacon shall call the church to order and the
church shall elect a Moderator Protem.
SECTION 4.03—CLERK/SECRETARY
The Clerk/Secretary of the church shall keep, in a suitable book, a record of all the actions
of the church, except as otherwise herein provided. He/She shall issue letters of dismissal
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. The Clerk/Secretary shall be elected annually and, at the discretion of the church, he/
she shall be eligible to succeed himself/herself.
14 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
SECTION 4.04—TREASURER/ASSISTANT TREASURER
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer 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. All payments of bills for local work and expenses shall be made promptly
(as funds are available) by check. All other causes shall be remitted at least monthly by
check. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to render to the church monthly an itemized report of receipts and disbursements for the preceding time. Within thirty (30) days after the
end of each fiscal year, the Treasurer shall render to the church an annual report showing
the total amount of receipts, and an itemized statement of all disbursements. All books, records, and accounts kept by the Treasurer, with the exception of those records that pertain
to tithes and offerings, shall be open to inspection at all times by any member of the church.
All books shall be considered the property of the church. In the event of question of tithes
or offerings, the church may appoint an outside accountant to investigate the matter.
Upon rendering the annual account at the end of each fiscal year, and upon its acceptance
and approval by the church, the same shall be delivered by the Treasurer to the Church
Clerk who shall keep and preserve it as a part of the permanent records of the church. The
church shall annually elect a Treasurer and an Assistant Treasurer. The Assistant Treasurer
shall assist the Treasurer and perform the duties of the Treasurer in the Treasurer’s absence.
Subject to the discretion of the church, the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer are eligible to
succeed themselves. When a successor is elected, the Treasurer and/or Assistant Treasurer
shall promptly deliver to the active Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer all books, records,
and accounts in his/her possession pertaining to his/her office.
SECTION 4.05—OFFICERS OF CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS
(A) Church Organizations
All organizations of the church shall be under church control, and all officers being elected
by the church shall report regularly to the church. It is understood that the Pastor is ex-officio head of all the organizations named, and his leadership is to be recognized in them all.
He is to be notified of any and all special events other than regular meetings conducted by
any organization of the church prior to their taking place.
(B) Employees and Staff Members
(1) Janitor, caretaker, hostess or similar employed persons, shall be recommended to
the church by the Deacons/Trustees and approved for employment or dismissal by
church action. Employees and staff members shall be under general direction of the
Pastor, aided by the Deacons/Trustees of the church.
(2) Assistant Pastor, Educational Director, Minister of Music, and other similar employed persons, will be recommended to the church by the Deacons and will be
under the control of the Pastor, aided by the Deacons.
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 15
(3) All of the officers, teachers, or employees of the church shall be required to meet
any and all requirements of the position held as set forth, in writing, by the Pastor
and Deacons/Trustees and/or the church.
ARTICLE 5
COMMITTEES
SECTION 5.01—NOMINATING COMMITTEE
This committee shall consist of the Pastor and the Deacons/Trustees. The purpose of this committee is to aid in the nomination of the church officers, teachers, ect. of the church.
SECTION 5.02—OTHER COMMITTEES
Other committees may be appointed as needed, by the Pastor and/or action of the church. They
shall terminate as soon as their duties are completed.
ARTICLE 6
FISCAL YEAR
The calendar year shall serve as the fiscal year for the church.
ARTICLE 6
CHURCH FINANCE
This church recognizes and adopts the scriptural method of Tithes and Offerings as its plan of
finance. The finance committee shall consist of at least three (3) members elected annually by the
church. The duties of this committee shall be:
(A) To provide input for the preparation of an annual budget.
(B) To supervise the raising of all money for the church.
(C) To ensure that all financial matters are carried out in a manner consistent with approved
financial practices.
(D) To recommend to the church an “in-house” or “outside” audit of the financial records when
it deems necessary.
16 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
ARTICLE 7
MEETINGS
SECTION 7.01—WORSHIP
(A) Public worship services shall be held, on the Lord’s Day and on some regular weekday
evening each week, preferably Wednesday.
(B) The Lord’s Supper shall be observed as often as deemed necessary by the Pastor.
(C) Occasional religious meetings may be appointed by the Pastor at his discretion, or by vote
of the church.
SECTION 7.02—BUSINESS
(A) At any regular meeting for worship, the church may act upon the reception of members, in
accordance with the by-laws concerning new members, or upon the dismissal of members
to other churches.
(B) The Pastor or acting Moderator may, and shall, when he deems necessary, or, when requested by the Deacons/Trustees, or by church request, call from the pulpit a business meeting.
(C) Fifty-five percent (55%) of the active membership must be present to constitute a quorum
in a regular or called business meeting for the purpose of calling or dismissing a pastor. At
all other meetings a quorum will consist of those active members present and voting.
ARTICLE 8
PROPERTY
SECTION 8.01—OWNED ASSETS
Should division of membership occur for any reason, the title to and possession of all property and
assets owned by this congregation shall remain with the group holding the doctrinal position of the
Bible and this church as outlined by this Constitution and By-Laws.
SECTION 8.02—PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Parties of the outgoing group in custody of physical properties shall immediately relinquish same
to proper church officers.
SECTION 8.03—VACATED POSITIONS
All officers and positions held by the outgoing group shall automatically be declared vacated at
the time of division.
Faith Baptist Church Bylaws 17
ARTICLE 9
GENERAL OVERSIGHT
The Pastor and the Deacons/Trustees shall have the oversight and supervision of any branch services of the church such as: Christian School, Day Care, ect.
ARTICLE 10
TAX-EXEMPT PROVISIONS
SECTION 10.01—PRIVATE INUREMENT
No part of the net earnings of the church shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its
members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the church shall be authorized and
empowered to pay reasonable compensation for the services rendered and to make payments and
distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Section 1.02 hereof.
SECTION 10.02—POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
No substantial part of the activities of the church shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. The church shall not participate in, or intervene in
(including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any
candidate for public office.
SECTION 10.03—DISSOLUTION
Upon the dissolution of the church, after paying or making provision for payment of all the liabilities of the church, the trustees shall dispose of all of the assets of the church to such organizations
formed and operated exclusively for religious purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt
organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or
the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). Assets may be
distributed only to tax-exempt organizations which agree with the church’s Statement of Faith.
SECTION 10.04—LIMITATION OF ACTIVITIES
The church shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or
the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
SECTION 10.05—EXEMPT ACTIVITIES CLAUSE
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other
activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of
any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or by an organization, contributions to which are
18 Faith Baptist Church Bylaws
deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding
provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
ARTICLE 11
AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be revised or amended by a majority vote of the members present and voting
at any regular church administration meeting, provided that said revision or amendment has been
submitted in writing and announced from the pulpit fourteen (14) days before the vote is taken.
ADOPTION
I, the undersigned officer of the church, certify that this Constitution was adopted by a two-thirds
majority vote of the members present and voting at a duly called meeting of the church in which
a quorum was present.
This Constitution supersedes any and all previous constitutions of Faith Baptist Church.