In 1969, on the 28^th of January, Anza Avenue Baptist Church (hereafter “the Church”, or “the Corporation”) was incorporated as a religious Corporation, under the leadership of Reverend Clarence D. Scott, who was the founding pastor of the church, at the present location. Since that time the church has been a faithful witness of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

It is discussed, evaluated, and concluded that the original Constitution and Bylaws of the Anza Avenue Baptist Church shall be revised herein to reflect some changes, which occurred from the founding of the church to the present time, for the efficacy of the Body of Christ. Thus, the following articles (in total, fourteen articles and two appendices) shall contain proper provisions for this Church.

 

 

Name: The name of this corporation shall be Anza Avenue Baptist Church Corporation as set forth in its Articles of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the state of California.

 

 

Location of Offices: The Anza Avenue Baptist Church shall be located at 4527 Spencer Street, Torrance, California 90503.

 

 

Purpose: The purpose of Anza Avenue Baptist Church is to cultivate, promote, and promulgate the teachings and precepts of Jesus Christ as contained in the Holy Bible, so that God is glorified.

   

 

Summary of Doctrines and Statement of Faith: The summary of doctrines and statement of faith of the Anza Avenue Baptist Church are exhibited in the Appendix A of the Bylaws.

 

 

Section 1. Church Government

Subject to limitations of the Constitution and the Bylaws, and of pertinent restrictions of the Corporations Code of the State of California, all the activities and affairs of the Corporation shall be exercised by or under the direction of the Board of Elders (hereafter “the Board”), who are responsible for shepherding and having oversight of the flock. There shall be no specified requirement as to the number of Elders.

 

Section 2. Term and Recognition of Elders

The Elders, including the Pastor who is the standing member, will serve at any given time. The recognition process of new Elders is exhibited in the Appendix B of the Bylaws.

 

 

Section 1. Corporate Members

The Corporation shall have no members. Those admitted to the church membership do not constitute a legislative body, nor do they constitute members in the Corporation and they cannot vote, pass resolutions binding upon the Corporation, nor shall they have any equity in the real property of the Corporation, or rights to vote on its disposal. Said property of the Corporation is dedicated to religious and charitable purposes as outlined in the Articles of Incorporation.

 

Section 2. Members of the Church

The membership of the church shall be open to all persons eighteen (18) years of age and older, who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, who have received believer’s baptism, and who are in agreement with the doctrinal statement of the church. As exhibited in the Appendix A of the Bylaws, this church shall practice baptism by immersion.

 

Section 3. Application for membership shall be made in writing to the Board of Elders for its approval.

 

Section 4. Resignation of membership shall be made in writing to the Board of Elders.

 

Section 5. Responsibilities of Members

Members shall seek to honor God with lives of faithful Christian living in obedience to the Word of God. Members shall seek to exercise their spiritual gifts for the mutual benefit of all the church body and shall submit to the loving rule of the Elders.

 

Section 6. Church Restoration

The purpose of church restoration (commonly known as church discipline) is to effect a return to a biblical standard of conduct and doctrine in the life of professing Christians who have willfully gone astray (cf. Galatians 6:1) from a life of faithfulness, and failed to maintain purity in the local church (1 Corinthians 5:6).

 

Professing Christians who willfully err in doctrine or conduct and persist in refusing to repent shall be subject to removal from the local fellowship as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:1-18. Before such dismissal, however, and in accordance with Matthew 18, it shall be the duty of any member of this church who has knowledge of such a sinning brother/sister to seek out that person with a spirit of humility and compassion and seek it in private to bring him/her back to a biblical position. If this person refuses to heed this warning, then the concerned member shall go again to the sinning member along with two or three witnesses to seek winning the erring member back to a God-honoring state. If the sinning member refuses to listen, the member shall be brought to the attention of the Elders. The Elders will seek every biblical means possible to try and win the sinning brother/sister to repentance before dismissing from the fellowship.

 

In the absence of repentance, the Elders, upon careful and prayerful investigation, shall announce the sin and unrepentant attitude of such a person to the church as directed by Jesus in Matthew 18:17. As indicated by our Lord, the purpose is to win back the heart of a sinning person by calling upon all the members to reach out to this person and call him/her back to the Lord. If said erring member refuses to heed the warning of the Elders of the church, he or she shall be publicly dismissed from the church. There shall be no appeal to any court (civil) from that decision. It is understood that this process will continue to conclusion even if the erring member leaves the church, or seeks to withdraw from membership to avoid the discipline process.

 

If said member, after dismissal, heeds the warning, demonstrates repentance, and requests reinstatement, he or she shall be publicly restored to membership.

 

Section 7. Removal from Roll

A member of this church who shall willfully, without plausible reason or excuse, absent himself/herself from the services of this church for a period of six (6) months shall be removable at the discretion of the Board of Elders.

 

Section 8. Regular Meetings

A regular annual meeting of the church members shall be held at the principal office of the church (as the same shall be from time to time designated in the minutes of the Board) in January of each year. At such regular annual meeting, the members shall consider reports of the affairs of the church, transactions, and such other business as the Elders determine to bring before the meeting, including but not limited to the recognition and recommendations made by the Elders of those who shall serve as Elders pursuant to Article VII of Appendix B. If the nomination and evaluation phases of the Elder selection go beyond January, the recognition of any new Elders shall take place during one of the worship services following the recommendation made by the Board of Elders.

 

Section 9. Special Meetings

Special meetings of the members may be called at any time by order of the Pastor-Teacher, the President of the Board of Elders (if any), or by a simple majority of the members of the Board.

 

Section 10. Notice of Meetings

Notice of regular meetings shall be given from the pulpit by the Pastor for two successive Sundays prior to the meeting. In addition thereto, notice shall be published in the regular church bulletin for two successive Sundays prior to such meeting. Notice of special meetings shall be given from the pulpit at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting and shall also be published in the regular church bulletin on the Sunday immediately preceding the meeting.

 

Section 11. Voting Rights

Each person in attendance whose name stands on the membership record of the church on the day of the meeting shall be entitled to one vote.

 

Section 12. Quorum

At all meetings of the members, whether regular, special, or adjourned, the members present shall constitute a quorum.

 

The aforementioned Section 11 (Voting Rights) and Section 12 (Quorum) shall be applied only to Section 1 (Election) of Article VIII of these Bylaws.

 

 

Officers, Councils, and Committees

 

To promote efficient handling of the church matters, the Board may appoint various officers, councils, and committees from the church at large. These officers, councils, and committees shall perform tasks solely in accordance with the duties and with powers specifically delegated by the Board.

 

The general functions of officers, councils, and committees are:

 

(A)   To bring considered recommendations to the Board concerning ministries.

(B)    To provide a wider base of counsel to the Elders for having the oversight of specific ministries.

(C)   To conduct proper transaction of business and maintenance of the church properties.

 

All officers, councils, and committees shall exist for the period specified by the Board.

 

 

The Pastor-Teacher

 

Section 1. Election

The Pastor-Teacher shall be selected by the Board and confirmed by the members of the church at its annual meeting; such a confirmation shall be a three-fourths (3/4) majority of all the votes cast. He shall remain in office an indefinite period of time subject to the following reservations: The Elders reserve the right to dismiss the Pastor-Teacher upon giving him one month’s written notice of its intention to dismiss. Such dismissal is subject to a two-third (2/3) majority vote by the members of the church. This vote shall take place at a special meeting prior to giving the written notice and shall be recommended by the Board. The Pastor-Teacher must give one month’s notice if he intends to resign. The time limit of a Pastor-Teacher’s resignation or dismissal is subject to a lesser time if both the Pastor-Teacher and the church by mutual agreement provide otherwise.

 

Section 2. Duties

The Pastor-Teacher shall be an ex-officio member of all councils and committees and he shall be the standing member of the Board of Elders. The Pastor-Teacher shall arrange for and conduct all public and regular services of the church and shall be responsible for general oversight of the spiritual welfare of the church.

 

 

Section 1. Settlement of Disputes

In any dispute arising between church members, pastors, elders, or officers pertaining to any matters of spiritual teaching or practices, church finances, or title to property purchased with church contributions, the dispute shall be resolved by the Board of Elders of the church. A decision shall be reached after prayerful consideration in a spirit of humility, with each Elder regarding one another before himself.

 

 

Other Provisions

 

Section 1. Endorsement of Documents, Contracts

The Board of Elders, except as in the Bylaws otherwise provided, may authorize any officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized by the Board of Elders, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or agreement, or to pledge its credit, or to render it liable for any purpose or to any amount.

 

Section 2. Unless the context otherwise requires, the general provision, rules of construction and definitions contained in the general provisions of the California Nonprofit Corporation Law and in the California Nonprofit Religious Corporation Law shall govern the construction of these Bylaws.

 

Section 3. Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended, and new and additional Bylaws may be made from time to time at any time by the Board of Elders in the exercise of the power granted to said Board of Elders in these Bylaws.

 

Section 4. Record of Amendments

Whenever an amendment or new Bylaw is adopted, it shall be copied in the book of minutes with the original Bylaws, in the appropriate place. If any Bylaw is repealed, the fact of repeal with the date of the meeting at which the repeal was enacted or written assent was filed shall be stated in said book.

 

 

Receipt, Investment, and Disbursement of Funds

 

Section 1.

The Corporation shall receive all money or other properties transferred to it for the purposes for which the Corporation was formed (as shown by the Articles of Incorporation), However, nothing contained herein shall require the Board of Elders to accept or receive any money or property of any kind if it shall determine in its discretion that receipt of such money or property is contrary to the expressed purposes of the Corporation as shown by said Articles.

 

Section 2.

The Corporation shall hold, manage, and disburse any funds or properties received by it from any source in a manner that is consistent with the extended purpose of this Corporation.

 

 

Corporate Records and Reports

 

Section 1. Records

The Corporation shall maintain adequate and correct accounts books, and records of its business and properties. All such books, records, and accounts shall be kept at its principal place of business in the State of California, as fixed by the Board of Elders from time to time.

 

Section 2. Inspection of Books and Records

Every Elder shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to inspect all books, records, documents of every kind, and the physical properties of the Corporation, and also of its subsidiary organizations, if any.

 

 

Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Corporation, the Board of Elders shall cause the assets herein to be distributed to another Corporation with purposes similar to that identified in Article III of these Bylaws and Article II of the Articles of Incorporation (dated January 28 1969).

 

Section 1. Instruments in Writing

All checks, drafts, demands for money and notes of the Corporation and all written contracts of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents, as the Board of Elders may from time to time by resolution designate.

 

 

                                               

I.                    THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

            We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired revelation to mankind and that it was given by God without error. We believe the Bible to be the highest and sole authority for the church,

 

II.                 THE GODHEAD

            We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (the Trinity). We believe that each member of the godhead possesses all the attributes of deity, and that each member of the godhead is worthy of our full worship and adoration.

 

III.               MAN

            We believe that mankind was created on the sixth day in sinless perfection but fell into a state of condemnation through Adam’s sin. Consequently, every person born to Adam, with the exception of Jesus Christ in His virgin birth, comes into the world in a state of sin. Man can do nothing on his own to escape this sinful condition and its consequences (total depravity).

 

IV.              SALVATION

            We believe that salvation is entirely by God’s unmerited grace and is received only through faith in the death and resurrection of God’s divine Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

V.                 THE CHURCH

            We believe that every person who has become a Christian since the day of Pentecost is a part of Christ’s body. The full number of these believers from Pentecost to the time of the rapture is known as the church – Christ’s bride.

 

VI.              ANGELS

            We believe that in the six-day creation process God created a fixed number of spiritual beings (angels) to serve him. We believe that one-third of these angels followed God’s mightiest angel (Lucifer) in rebellion and that all of these angels are now in an unredeemable state of condemnation.

 

VII.            GOD’S REDEMPTIVE DISPENSATIONS

            We believe that the Bible clearly indicates various ages or dispensations in which God has dealt with men in various and specific ways. Though we believe in various continuities in these dispensations (e.g., salvation has always been by grace through faith in God’s Messiah), we also believe that there are various discontinuities as well. We believe that one important primary distinction we need to recognize is the one that exists between national Israel and the church along with the distinct plans that God has for the future of each of these two entities.

 

 

 

I.                    HOLY SCRIPTURES

            We believe that the Bible is God’s written revelation to man, and thus the sixty-six books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the verbal (the words themselves were given by God) and the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) Word of God (I Cor. 2: 7-14; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). This canon of sixty-six books is the highest and sole authority of the church in all areas of faith and practice and provide the church with all that she needs to bring men and women into a proper relationship with God and to live lives of godliness (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

 

II.                 THE GODHEAD

            We believe in one triune God (the Trinity), eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection which God alone possesses (Duet. 6:4; Is. 43:10-11; 45:5-7: Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 8:4: 2 Cor. 13:14).

 

A.     God the Father

                                          We believe that the first person of the trinity orders and disposes all things according to his own purpose and grace (Ps. 145:8-9: Eph, 1:5, 9, 11). He is not a created being, but is the Creator of all things (Gen. 1: 31: Eph. 3:9; Heb. 2:10). He has sovereign control over all events (1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 103:19; Rom. 11:36). In His sovereignty, He neither approves of, nor promotes anything that is sinful (Hab. 1:13; John 8:38-47), nor does He abridge the accountability of His mortal creatures (1 Pet. 1:17). In His eternal plan of redemption, He has chosen to save those whom He would have as His own children (Eph. 1:4-6). He receives all who come to Him in repentance of sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, making them His own children (John 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Heb. 12:5-9).

 

B.     God the Son

                                          We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ever ceasing to be God (John 1:1, 2, 14, 18; 5:17-18; 8:24. 58; 10:28-33; 14:9). We believe that Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man (Is. 7:14; 9:6; Heb. 1:1-10). We believe that Christ is the Creator of all things (John 1:3; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:2). We believe that in His incarnation Christ never lost the attributes of deity, but willingly and temporarily laid the independent exercise of those divine prerogatives (John 5:19-22; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 2:9). Therefore, because Christ is the eternal God, He is to be given the full worship that is due to God alone (Ps. 2:2; Matt. 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; John 5:23; 9:38; 20:28; Rev. 19:10; 22:9). We believe that Jesus was born by a supernatural act of the Holy Spirit who granted conception to the Virgin Mary (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23, 25; Lk. 1:26-35). We believe that Jesus is the only man who ever lived without sin and that His death on the cross was the means by which God was making forgiveness of sin for mankind (john 10:15; Rom. 3:24-25; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 2:24; 3:18). We believe that Jesus died for the sins, of mankind, that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day, all in accordance with God’s prophesied plan of redemption (1 Cor. 15:1-4). We believe that Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father, from which place He mediates between God and man as a heavenly High Priest (Matt. 28:6; Lk. 24:38-39; Acts 2:30-31; Rom. 4:25; 8:34; Heb. 7:24-25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1). We believe that Jesus is going to return to this earth for the rapture of His church whom He will take to heaven until His visible return after the seven-year tribulation period (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:50-55; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 19:7-14).

 

C.     God the Holy Spirit

                                          We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity – a divine person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). We believe that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration who makes salvation a reality by giving life to those who believe (Titus 3:4-6). We believe that He has the attributes of personhood such as intellect (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-13), emotions (Eph. 4:30) and will (1 Cor. 12:11). We believe that He indwells each believer (John 14:16-17; Rom. 8:9, 11; 2 Cor. 13:5), seals each believer as belonging to God (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30), and places (baptizes) each believer into the body of Christ (Lk. 3:16; 1 Cor. 12:13). When a Christian submits to God’s will and allows the Holy Spirit to control his thought, feelings, and attitudes, the Holy Spirit fills that believer, i.e., controls and guides him (Acts 6:3; Eph. 5:18). We believe that it is a prime desire of the Holy Spirit to exalt Jesus Christ, the One who accomplished redemption for fallen man (John 15:26; 16:14-15). We believe that it is the Spirit of God who brings men into conformity with Christ and His glory through the Word of God (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 13:17-18). We believe that the Holy Spirit is the divine agent who, according to His sovereign will, grants spiritual gifts to each believer (1 Cor. 12:11f). We believe, therefore, that believers are not to seek gifts or try and generate gifts since they are gifts which are given according to His will. We believe that these gifts are for the purpose of building up the body of Christ in spiritual maturity (1 Cor. 12:7; 14:26; Eph. 4:7-12). We believe that the revelatory gifts of the apostolic age (1 Cor. 12:8-11) ceased with the completion of the New Testament, never to come upon the church again (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Eph. 4:11; Heb. 2:1-4). These temporary gifts which accomplished and accompanied the giving of God’s prophetic Word included the gifts of apostle, prophet, tongues, interpretation of tongues, the gift of miracles and healing, the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. The primary purpose of these temporary gifts was the giving and attesting to of the message of Jesus Christ as Messiah (1 Cor. 9:1; 14:22; 2 Cor. 12:12). Every believer possesses one or more of the non-revelatory edification gifts in a unique capacity. It is the responsibility of each believer to use these gifts for the edification of others (1 Pet. 4:10-11).

 

 

III.               MAN

            We believe that man was created directly by God on the sixth day of creation as literally described in Genesis chapters 1-2. Man was created by God as a rational creature with all the attributes of personhood; intellect, emotions, and will.

 

A.     His created position

                                    Man was created without sin in the image and likeness of God. God’s purpose for man was to bring glory to God and to enjoy a perfect relationship with Him (Is. 43:7).

 

B.     His fall from grace

                                    We believe that Adam’s sin of disobedience (Gen. 3) resulted in a state of alienation and separation from God. This condition consisted of an immediate spiritual death and eventually issued forth into a physical death. Adam’s sin has resulted in all men being sinners from the moment of conception when they come into being (Ps. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).

 

C.     His current state of depravity

                                    Man’s fall from grace leaves him in a spiritual state that is irreversible apart from the intervening grace of God. Man can do nothing to remove the curse into which he is born. All men are born sinners by nature and are also sinners by choice, thus demonstrating their fallen nature. The only man who has escaped this corrupt nature is Jesus Christ who came into the world through virgin birth, thus escaping the curse that is imputed through Adam.

 

IV.              SALVATION

            We believe that salvation is entirely by the unmerited grace of God on the basis of the saving work of Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

 

A.     Election; The ultimate cause of salvation

                                    We believe in God’s election of men unto salvation (predestination) and that this election was a free choice made by God in eternity past without regard to any external conditions or upon man’s merit (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4-11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Pet. 1:1-2). We believe that God’s election does not contradict the doctrine of man’s personal responsibility to repent and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 6:37-40, 44; Acts 13:48; James 4:8). None whom God elects will fail to believe the Gospel.

 

B.     Regeneration

                                    Regeneration is that act by which the Holy Spirit of God gives life to souls which are spiritually dead (Titus 3:5). It is an instantaneous act accomplished by the free grace of God, but occurs only when a sinful man responds in repentance and faith to the truth of God’s saving message (John 5:24). The result of man’s response to God’s saving activity is spiritual birth from above (John 3:3-7). True regeneration shows itself through a changed life which manifests the fruit of new life (1 Cor. 6:19-20; Gal. 6:19-23; Eph. 2:10).

 

C.     Justification

                                    We believe that initial salvation is actually an act of justification whereby the condemned sinner is declared not guilty by a holy God (Rom. 8:33). That is, salvation occurs when a man is declared not guilty because he has believed in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ (Is. 55:6-7; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor 7:10). Thus, justification is not a process of becoming righteous; it is God’s declaration of innocence upon guilty men (Rom. 3:20; 4:5-6). Justification takes place only because Jesus Christ bore the condemnation of those whom he would save as a substitute sacrifice (1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Col. 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:24).

 

D.     Sanctification

                                    We believe that every believer is immediately sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy. In this sense, sanctification can be seen as a positional truth (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 6:11; Heb. 2:11, 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12). We also believe in the doctrine of progressive sanctification whereby every true believer enjoys a growing degree of personal holiness. This growing sanctification comes through personal obedience to the truth of God’s Word by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 17:17, 19; Rom. 6:1-22; 2 Cor. 3:18). A growing life of holiness is God’s will for every Christian (1 Thess. 4:3-4). Until we enjoy resurrection glory, every Christian will struggle with sinful temptations, yet God’s Spirit and God’s Word provide us with a perfect provision to live a holy life (Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; 2 Pet. 1:3-4). Thus, when we do sin, it is only because of the lingering effects of a corrupted human nature and we bear full responsibility. According to the Bible, a life without sanctification is the evidence of a soul that has never experienced true regeneration (Matt. 7:15-23; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).

 

E.      Glorification

                                    We believe that the day will come for every believer, regardless of what age they have lived in, when they will be brought into perfect conformity with the moral image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29-30; Phil. 3:20-21), and we call this final stage in the redemptive process, glorification. In our glorified state we will have resurrection bodies that will never again be subject to sin, corruption, or moral decay (1 Cor. 15:42-44). Glorification for the church will occur at the moment of the rapture when the church receives resurrection and her formal judgment/reward (1 Cor. 15:50-58; I Thess. 4:13-18).

 

F.      Eternal Security

                                          Because salvation is entirely based upon the unmerited grace and favor of God, we believe that every true believer is eternally saved and cannot lose his salvation (John 10:27-30). From the moment of faith, God’s people enter into a realm of life from which they can never again go back to spiritual death (John 5:24; 6:37-40; Rom. 8:1, 31-39; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25; 13:5; Jude 24).

 

V.                 THE CHURCH

            We believe that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ from the time of Pentecost (Acts 2) until the time of the rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18) are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual body, the church (1 Cor. 12:12-13).

 

A.     The nature of the church

                                    We believe that the church is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers in this present age, whether living or deceased (Eph. 2:11-3:6). The church is a spiritual body that is distinct from national Israel (1 Cor. 10:32) and is a NT “mystery” which was not revealed until this present age (Eph. 3:1-6; 5:32). We believe that this universal invisible church finds its visible manifestation through individual local churches which assemble together for corporate worship and edification (Acts 14:23, 27: 20:17; 1 Cor. 11:18-20; Gal. 1:2). It is God’s stated will that all believers be a part of a local church (Heb. 10:25).

 

B.     The head of the church

                                    Jesus Christ is the supreme Head of the church (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18). Therefore, every aspect of ministry must be conducted according to His Word.

 

C.     The leadership of the local church

                                    We believe that the local church is to be governed by the truth of God’s Word under the leadership of biblically qualified men (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). The Bible calls this one office of leadership by several different titles: elder, overseer (bishop), pastor-teacher (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-5). These leaders are to lead the church in humility as servants of Jesus Christ. The Bible calls upon the church to submit to its own (Heb. 13:7, 17). God has also provided the second church office of deacon. Deacons are biblically qualified men who have been recognized by the church as official servants and serve the church in various capacities under the direction of pastors/elders. The main distinctions between an elder and a deacon are that an elder must be able to teach Scripture skillfully and that an elder is given the role of authority and leadership. A failure to meet the qualifications of either office requires resignation from the office.

 

D.     The purpose of the church

                                    We believe that the chief and ultimate purpose of the church is to glorify God (John 15:8; 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 3:21). We believe that the church glorifies God through four main areas and that all of the church’s ministry should fall within these four areas.

 

1.      Worship of the Lord

                  We believe that one of the main purposes of the gathered assembly of God’s people is for corporate worship and prayer (Ps. 150:6; John 4:23-24; Acts 1:13-14; Eph. 5:19; Rom. 13:15; Rev. 4:8-11; 5:9-14; 19:10).

 

2.      Edification of the body

                  We believe that a second way the church glorifies God is through the building up of its members through sound Biblical teaching (John 17:17). It is God’s stated desire that each member be built up in the truth of God’s Word and grow in spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:11; 5:1; Col. 1:29; I Pet. 1:15-16).

 

3.      Evangelism of the lost

                  A third way in which the church fulfills its purpose is through the evangelization of the unsaved. We believe that direct outreach to unbelievers is the first step of fulfilling the great commission to make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). The church’s responsibility is to faithfully live out the truth of God’s Word and make the gospel known (1 Cor. 15:1-4) so that men might hear the truth and be saved.

 

4.      Fellowship of the saints

                  We believe that an important part of Christian growth is the quality of Christian friendships and that fellowship with other believers is to be encouraged (Acts 2:46-47).

 

E.      The ordinances of the church

                                    We believe that there are two ordinances which Christ gave to His church. These are baptism by immersion for believers (Acts 8:36-39) and communion or the Lord’s Table (Acts 2:38-42). We believe that baptism is a public declaration of an individual that he or she has placed faith in Jesus Christ. This outward act symbolizes the inward reality of the believer’s union with the crucified and resurrected Savior (Rom. 6:1-11). We do not believe in infant baptism or baptismal regeneration. Neither do we believe that any kind of grace is communicated through the Lord’s Table. We believe that the Lord’s Table is commemorative of the death of Christ. We do believe, however, that Christ does fellowship with His people during this time (1 Cor. 10:16). Therefore, this time should always be preceded by self-examination (1 Cor. 11:28-32).

 

F.      The purity of the church

                                    Because the church is part of Christ’s body, it is the responsibility of every believer to live a life of purity.

 

      1.      Purity from holy lives of those within the church

                  The first way the church maintains purity is when individual members strive against sin in their own lives. It is God’s explicit will that each member of the body strive to live a pure life (Rom. 6:15-22; 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13. 25-26; Titus 2:11-14).

 

2.      Purity from worldly influences

                  The Bible also teaches that the church is to remain separate from worldly and sinful ways which lead to spiritual defilement (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb. 12:14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 2:15-16; 3:1-10; 3 John 11). This does not mean that Christians should not have friendships with unbelievers (1 Cor. 5:10), but that intimate or spiritual friendships should not be maintained with those who deny Christ wither in word or in deed (Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9-13; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14; Titus 3:10; 2 John 10-11).

 

VI.               ANGELS

                                A. Their nature

                                    We believe that angels are created spirits which are created by God to carry out His will. Being created beings, angels are not to be worshipped nor seen as any kind of mediator (Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:9).

 

B. Their purpose

Angels are created by God/Christ (Col. 1:16) to glorify Him and carry out His will. Much of their service consists of direct ministry to elect men who are destined to inherit God’s salvation (Heb. 1:6-7, 14; Rev. 19:10; 22:9).

 

C. Their current status

1.      At this time angels fall into two classes:Holy angels

                  Holy angels, or elect angels (1 Tim. 5:21), are those which maintained their fidelity to God at the time of Satan’s rebellion and were confirmed to their state of holiness (Job 1:6-7; Ps. 89:5, 7). Angels are spiritual beings which cannot marry or procreate (Matt. 22:30).

 

2. Fallen angels

                  We believe that somewhere between the sixth day of creation (seen in Gen. 1-2) and Genesis 3 God’s most powerful and privileged angel fell into condemnation and became the demon we know as the devil and Satan (Is. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19). We believe that Satan was able to lead one third of the angelic hosts with him in this rebellion against God (Rev. 12:4) and that all of these rebellious spirits are now known as demons or unclean spirits. We believe that it was Satan who came and deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-15) and that Satan and his demons are the avowed enemies of God (Is. 14:13-14; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 12:9-10). We believe that every one of these demons will ultimately be tormented eternally in the Lake of Fire (Is. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10). In this present age demons are able to use strong powers of deception to lead men into error and sin (2 Cor. 4:4; 11:14).

 

VII.            GOD’S REDEMPTIVE DISPENSATIONS

We believe that the Bible clearly teaches that God has worked and still does work in unique and distinct dispensations. We believe that even though there are certain elements of continuity between the dispensations, there are nevertheless certain discontinuities as well.

 

A.The era before Christ’s incarnation

                                          In a broad sense, the era commonly known as the Old Testament era extended from Adam unto the birth of Christ. We believe that even though God gave special legislation through Moses under which the people had to live, they were still saved by grace through faith just as saints today.

 

B.The era after Christ’s incarnation

                                          The birth of Christ ushered in what is known as the “last days” or “messianic days” (Heb. 1:1-3). As seen in Acts 2, the birth of the church began with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon believers in the Christ on the day of Pentecost. This church age will continue until the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18) at which point the church (Christ’s bride) is taken to heaven for the wedding of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-10). The Second Coming of Christ will bring in the end of this present age and usher in the new age of Christ’s kingdom.

 

C.Death

                                          We believe that death was not a part of God’s original creation which God called “very good” in Gen 1:31. Death did not enter the creation until Adam sinned (Rom. 5:12-19). Thus, before sin entered the world through Adam’s transgression (Gen. 3), there was no sin and consequently no death. We also believe that this one concept clearly refutes any sort of evolutionary philosophy which would require any kind of death before the existence of man. Death can be viewed from several perspectives: (1) Adam brought immediate spiritual death upon himself (separation from God) and all men through sin with the result that every human being is born into a state of spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-5; Titus 3:5), (2) when a man suffers physical death the immaterial aspect of his personhood is temporarily separated from his body, (3) when the final judgment comes as depicted in Revelation 20:11-15, the unsaved of all ages will be given resurrection bodies and judged, being cast into the Lake of Fire. This final bodily judgment of the wicked is called “the second death” (Rev. 20:14). Ultimately, the reason for all death is sin itself (Rom. 6:23).

 

1.      Believers

                                          For the believer, physical death results in the soul being in the immediate presence of God (2 Cor. 5:8). We reject the concept of “soul sleep”, for the Bible indicates that God’s people are blessed in this state (Phil. 1:21-23). The Bible also calls heaven by the expression “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22). “the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2), and “paradise” (2 Cor. 12:4). As Jesus Himself indicated, death ushers the believer into the immediate and conscious presence of God (Lk. 23:43).

 

2.      Unbelievers

                                          The souls of the unsaved go immediately into a place of torment (Lk. 16:19-36) in which disembodied state they await final bodily judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). This final judgment will involve excruciating unbroken agony which goes on forever and ever (Matt. 25:41, 46; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:10; 21:8; 22:15). The Lake of Fire is the final destiny for all wicked, both men and demons (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).
 

D.The Rapture of the Church

We believe that the first aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be the rapture of His church (1 Cor. 15:50-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 2:1). In a moment of time every believer of the church age will meet Christ in the air and be given a resurrection body in which they will live forever. We believe that this rapture phase of the “first resurrection” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:22; Rev. 20:4-5) begins before the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period and day of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:1ff; 2 Thess. 2:1ff.) We believe that at the time of resurrection all saints receive their eternal rewards and that these rewards are in accordance with their faithfulness during life (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10). A lack of faithfulness results in a loss of eternal reward. We believe that this reward involves an eternal capacity to radiate God’s own glory and thus glorify Him (Dan. 12:3; Matt. 13:43; Rev. 21:9-11ff, 23; 22:5).

 

E. The tribulation period

The seven-year tribulation period cannot begin until the initiation of the covenant spoken of in Daniel 9:27. This covenant is arranged by the Antichrist and is executed immediately after the rapture occurs (2 Thess. 2:1-9). That seven-year period is known as “the final period of indignation” (Dan. 8:19; cf. Dan. 11:36) and will be one of great judgment upon the whole earth (cf. Rev. 6-19). The entire period will be one of extreme distress (Dan. 12:1) as God’s wrath is poured out upon the earth (Rev. 6:17). The persecution will be particularly intense upon the nation of Israel during the last half of that period (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 7:21, 25; 12:7; Matt. 24:21).

 

F. The Second Coming of Christ

We believe in a literal, bodily return of Jesus Christ which occurs at the end of that seven-year tribulation period (Rev. 19:11-21). His return will be visible to the entire world (Rev. 1:7) yet will actually occur in the land of Palestine (Zech. 14:4; cf. Is. 63:1-6). At that time Christ will destroy all who oppose Him: (1) The Antichrist and false prophet are cast directly into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20), (2) All other unbelievers are either killed (Rev. 19:21) or immediately removed through angelic ministry and cast into temporal judgment (Matt. 13:39-42, 49-50; 24:37-41; 25:32).

 

G.The millennial kingdom

                                          We believe in a literal kingdom that God will bring to this earth in fulfillment of all His promises to Israel (Gen. 17:6; 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16). We believe that His Son Jesus Christ will reign on David’s throne in this kingdom (Ps. 2:4-9; 22:22-31; 89; 110; 132; Is. 2:1-4; 4; 9:6-7; Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:24-28). We believe that this kingdom exists on the present earth for 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-6) and that it will include a multitude of mortal believers who enter the kingdom to repopulate the earth (Is. 65:21-23; Matt. 25:34).

 

H.The judgment of the lost

                                          We believe that the end of this kingdom age will come with one final rebellion by those who were born during that age but did not come to Christ in repentance and faith (Rev. 20:7-9). At that time God will destroy the physical universe and execute His final judgment as the climactic aspect of the day of the Lord which began with the tribulation period (2 Pet. 3:10-12; Rev. 20:11-15). At this point God will totally abolish all remaining effects of the curse, even death itself (1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 20:14).          

 

I.    The eternal state

                                          We believe that Christ’s rule and kingdom are eternal and that the end of His millennial reigns on the present earth simply issues forth into an eternal rule which comes in the new creation (Rev. 21-22). This long-anticipated eternal state will be free from the curse of sin and death (Rev. 21: 3-4; 22:3) and will result in the saints of all ages dwelling in the immediate presence of God Himself forever and ever (Rev. 7:15-17; 21:3; 9-10; 22; 23:3, 14).

 

 

PROCEDURES FOR ESTABLISHING AND PERPETUATING AN ELDER BOARD

 

I.                    THE BIBLICAL PRECEDENT AND MANDATE FOR ELDER LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH:

It is important to bear in mind that when a church recognizes elders for church leadership, it is following the pattern that God established for His church.

 

a.       Acts 14:23: “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” As is evident, it was the apostolic pattern for the leadership of the church to come from those who met the qualifications of an elder and had been recognized as such by the church.

 

b.      Acts 20:17, 28: “[Paul] sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church….Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the flock of God.”

 

c.       Titus 1:5: “For this reason I (Paul) left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.”

 

d.      Thus, we see that the biblical pattern for spiritual leadership is that of elder leadership. The responsibility of the elder is to oversee and shepherd God’s flock. It must also be born in mind that the Bible teaches that an elder is one and the same with pastor, overseer, and bishop. All three of these terms are used in an overlapping sense in various passages.

 

II.                 NOMINATION:

 

a.       The first step in establishing elder leadership is the nomination of the names of those men who might serve in the position of elder. This nomination should come form both the existing leadership as well as the entire congregation.

 

                                                             i.      During the first month of each year, nominations will be taken and collected for the office of elder, and/or deacon.

 

                                                             ii.      As one makes recommendations, he or she should only do so based upon biblical qualifications as noted in the section titled “Qualifications for Servant Leaders”.

                                                            iii.      These qualifications come out of Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy chapter 3:1-13.

b.      Any man who desires to serve may submit his own name for nomination if his name has not already been submitted.

 

c.       It is good for the congregation to be active in recommending those men in whom they see the qualities that the Bible calls for.

 

III.               EVALUATION:

 

a.       After the one-month period of nominations, the men who have been recommended will be consulted by the existing leadership about their willingness to serve in this office.

 

b.      The seriousness of the call should lead one to prayerfully consider serving in such a capacity.

 

c.       Nominees should also consider the pressures of this spiritual responsibility before accepting their nomination. There are many burdens and responsibilities that one must willingly and joyfully bear when serving in the capacity of elder or deacon.

 

 

d.      Those men who accept their nomination will be evaluated by the existing elder leadership for possible recommendation to the church.

 

e.       The criteria for evaluation will be the teaching of God’s Word for qualifications of elders.

 

 

                                                   i.      This will be carried out with much prayer.

 

                                                   ii.      This will be carried out with much discussion of the nominees by the existing elders.

  

                                                   iii.      As seen in those passages that give qualifications, the focus will be on the individual’s character, including his ability to measure up to the standards set in God’s Word, and his ability to bear this burden.

 

f.        Any decision to recommend for leadership will be based upon a unanimous agreement by the elders and through the application of Biblical criteria.

 

g.       Through this procedure, the board will be able to guard the reputation of nominees so that if there is any reason why one cannot serve, it will be handled in the most discreet manner.

 

 

h.       Once agreement by the board has been reached on which nominees are to be recommended, a minimum of a one-week time period will be allowed to pass before final decisions are made known.

 

IV.              RECOMMENDATION:

 

a.       When the board has come to agreement on which nominees should be recommended for leadership offices, it will publish this information in the church bulletin and on the church bulletin board.

 

b.      A two-week period of time will be allowed to pass so that the entire church might be duly notified of those men who are being recommended.

 

c.       During this period, the church will be asked to prayerfully consider the men who have been recommended for the office of elder or deacon.

 

d.      If someone in the congregation is aware of a biblical reason why someone should not be serving as an elder or deacon it is during this time that the person must go in private to the elder board and make his or her concern known.

 

e.       The board will then discuss this issue with the nominee to ascertain the factuality of the claim. Again, the issue must be related to the spiritual qualifications outlined in God’s Word. The board will not entertain unbiblical issues. If a negative accusation is not found to have biblical warrant, it will be dismissed by the board.

 

f.        If a nominee is found to fall short of the biblical standard, his name will be withdrawn from recommendation (this simply means they do not meet the biblical criteria for elder or deacon).

 

g.       If the nominee disagrees with the claim made by someone in the congregation or denies any alleged sin which would otherwise prevent him from serving, the board will arrange a meeting during which the nominee can speak with that person about the issue. This meeting will be witnessed by at least two of the existing elders.

 

h.       If such a situation ever arose as is outlined in points “d” through “g” this will allow the board to handle the matter in the most discreet manner possible. In this way the issues can be handled with a minimum exposure to the church. No vote will be taken by the congregation to place men into positions of church leadership.

 

V.                 RECOGNITION:

 

a.       After the passing of one month, the board will formally recognize the new leaders and present them to the church.

 

b.      The names of the new leaders will be listed in the Sunday morning bulletin, and there will be a congregational prayer during the morning service for God’s blessing on these men.

 

 

VI.              FUNCTION:

 

a.       The elders will give spiritual oversight on behalf of the church by meeting together not less than once every two months to discuss issues such as, but not limited to:

 

                                                    i.      Spiritual needs within the body

                                                    ii.      Teaching and discipleship needs within the body

                                                    iii.      Ministry planning

                                                    iv.      Building and maintenance projects

                                                     v.      Budget establishment and evaluation

                                                     vi.      Personal issues within the body

 

b.      The board will seek to gain wisdom from the congregation at large and through congregational meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to gain the advice and input of the entire body on significant church issues, in which such advice is necessary for good planning.

 

c.       These meetings will not be for the purpose of voting on leadership decisions. Such decisions will come by the elder board with due consideration of congregational input.

 

d.      The board will make information known to the congregation through a printed summary of its decisions and plans. This information will be available after it has been compiled and printed, and will not contain anything that the board feels is inappropriate for general dissemination.

 

e.       Deacons will serve the board through their ministry to church needs. Deacons will be allowed in the elder meetings at the discretion of the elder board. Deacons will not be considered to hold the oversight authority of the elders.

 

VII.            LENGTH OF OFFICE AND REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

            As long as a man continues to meet the qualifications set forth in the Bible and has the desire to serve the church in one of these offices, he will continue to be recognized in his respective office. If at some time he fails to meet the aforementioned guidelines, he will be asked to step down.

 

QUALIFICATIONS FOR SERVANT LEADERS

 

The following provides a summary of biblical qualifications for those who would be placed into recognized positions of church leadership. Qualifications for pastors/elders and deacons are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9.

 

I.                    In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 the Bible lists fifteen (15) qualifications which a man must possess to be considered for recognition as pastor/elder. Titus provides a similar picture.

 

a.       Above reproach: An over-arching principle of godliness and blameless living does not mean sinless perfection, but refers to a general pattern of holiness.

 

b.      Husband of one wife: There are two main components to this qualification. First, the man must not be divorced. Second, he must be fully devoted to his wife.

 

c.       Temperate: With a root idea of soberness, this word means that an elder must be alert, watchful, and clear-headed.

 

d.      Prudent: An elder must be sensible and sound minded.

 

e.       Respectable: An elder must be one whose life is decent and orderly.

 

f.        Hospitable: This word tells us that an elder must be outgoing and friendly to strangers, willing to reach out to people he does not already know.

 

g.       Able to teach: This is the one qualification which is related primarily to function. An elder must be grounded in biblical doctrine for both teaching the truth and refuting error.

 

h.       Not addicted to wine: An elder must not be a drinker.

 

i.         Not Pugnacious: An elder cannot be someone who resorts to violent behavior to get his way. This is true whether in the physical or verbal sense.

 

j.        Gentle: As opposed to one who resorts to violence to get his way, an elder must be characterized by a disposition that is moderate and fair – he promotes peace.

 

 

k.      Uncontentious: An elder must not be someone who is quarrelsome, contentious, or argumentative.

 

l.         Free from love of money: An elder must not be controlled by the desire for wealth.

 

m.     Manages household well: If the man has a family, he must have his own home in order. His ability to lead his family should be evident by a wife and children who exhibit a respectable pattern of godliness.

 

n.       Not a new convert: The general principle is that an elder should be saved long enough to develop a solid grounding in the Word of God and a tested faith which will not be swayed by sinful influences.

 

o.      Good reputation in community: An elder must be someone whose life is above reproach outside the church as well.

 

II.                 In 1 Timothy 3:8-13 Paul provides a list of ten (10) qualifications for deacons.

 

a.       Men of dignity: Deacons must be reverent and respectable in their conduct.

 

b.      Not double-tongued: A deacon cannot be gossipy or prone to spreading false testimony.

 

c.       Not addicted too much wine: Deacons cannot be drinkers.

 

d.      Not fond of sordid gain: A deacon cannot be one whose standards are such that he would accept money from anything that is ethically questionable.

 

e.       Clear conscience: A steady pattern of consistent godly living must be evident. A deacon must both profess godly doctrine and live it.

 

f.        Tested men: A deacon cannot be a new convert. Younger Christians should be observed in life and ministry for some time before receiving any kind of official recognition by the church.

 

g.       Above reproach: As with the elder, there must be an over-arching pattern of godliness which would not allow this man to be exposed for significant moral failures.

 

h.       Godly wives: Wives who are dignified, not gossipy, but temperate and faithful. A deacon’s wife must be respectable, sound minded and faithful, and not gossipy.

 

i.         Husbands of one wife: A deacon cannot be divorced.

 

j.        Must be a good manager of their children and household: A deacon must be someone who has led his wife and children into a reasonable pattern of godly living.