CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS FOR FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF RIVERVIEW, FLORIDAJuly, 2010
CONSTITUTIONPreambleWe declare and establish this constitution to preserve and secure the principles of our faith and to govern the body in an orderly manner. This constitution will preserve the liberties of each individual church member and the freedom of action of this body in relation to other churches.
I. NameThis body shall be known as First Baptist Church Riverview, Florida Inc.. First Baptist Church Riverview, Riverview, Florida, Inc. was established in 1893 and incorporated on September, 26, 1978 according to the laws of the State of Florida.
II. ObjectivesTo be a dynamic spiritual organism empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ with as many people as possible in our church, community, and throughout the world; To be a worshiping fellowship, experiencing an awareness of God, recognizing His person, and responding in obedience to His leadership; To experience an increasingly meaningful fellowship with God and fellow believers; To help people experience a growing knowledge of God and man; To be a church that ministers unselfishly to people in the community and the world in Jesus’ name; To be a church with the purpose of being Christ like in our daily living by emphasizing total commitment of life, personality, and possessions to the lordship of Christ.
III. PurposeOur purpose at First Baptist Church of Riverview is to Love God and Love Others. We do that by bringing people to Jesus and into His fellowship, nurturing and equipping them for the glory of God.
IV. Statement of Basic BeliefsWe affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired word of God and the basis for our beliefs. This church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of “The Baptist Faith and Message” as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000.We voluntarily band ourselves together as a body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ personally committed to sharing the good news of salvation to lost mankind. The ordinances of the church are believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. (See Article V of the Bylaws.)
V. Church CovenantHaving been led as we believe by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 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, doctrines, and discipline; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations. We also engage to maintain family and individual devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and anger 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 one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay. When we move 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.
VI. Polity and RelationshipsThe government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose it. Persons duly received by the members shall constitute the membership. (See Article I of the Bylaws.) All internal groups created and empowered by the church shall report to and be accountable only to the church, unless otherwise specified by church action. This church is subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but it recognizes and sustains the obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation common among Southern Baptist churches. Insofar as is practical, this church will cooperate with and support The Tampa Bay Baptist Association, the Florida Baptist State Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
BYLAWS
I. Church Membership
Section 1. GeneralThis is a sovereign and democratic Southern Baptist church under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the exclusive right of self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church. The membership reserves the exclusive right to determine who shall be members of this church and the conditions of such membership.
Section 2. CandidacyAny person may offer himself or herself as a candidate for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:(1) By profession of faith and for baptism according to the policies of this church.(2) By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Southern Baptist church.(3) By restoration upon a statement of prior conversion experience and baptism (immersion) in a Southern Baptist church when no letter is obtainable. Should there be any dissent as to any candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the Elders for investigation and the making of a recommendation to the church within thirty (30) days. A 75 percent vote of those church members present and voting shall be required to elect such candidates to membership.
Section 3. New Member OrientationNew members of this church are expected to participate in the church’s new member orientation.
Section 4. Rights of Members(1) Every member of the church, (16 years and older) is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the church in conference. (2) Every member (18 and older) of the church is eligible for consideration by the membership as candidates for elective offices in the church. (3) Every member of the church may participate in the ordinances of the church as administered by the church.
Section 5. Termination of MembershipMembership shall be terminated in the following ways:(1) Death of the member.(2) Transfer to another Southern Baptist church.(3) Exclusion by action of this church.(4) Erasure upon request or proof of membership in a church of another denomination.Section 6. DisciplineIt shall be the practice of this church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The pastor, other members of the church staff, elders and deacons are available for counsel and guidance. The attitude of members toward one another shall be guided by a concern for redemption rather than punishment. Should some serious condition exist that would cause a member to become a liability to the general welfare of the church, the pastor, the elders and the deacons will take every reasonable measure to resolve the problem in accordance with Matthew 18. The 3 step rule will be used. Step 1 - Bring all parties in to meet with staff, or elders. If the condition is not resolved then move to Step 2 - Offending parties will not be allow to lead or serve in their ministries. If still no resolution then Step 3 - The matter will be brought before the church to take action to exclude a member, a 75 percent vote of the members present is required; and the church may proceed to declare the person to be no longer in the membership of the church. All such proceedings shall be pervaded by a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance.
7. RestorationThe church may restore to membership any person previously excluded, upon request of the excluded person, and by majority vote of the members present upon evidence of the excluded person’s repentance and reformation.
II. Church Officers and CommitteesAll who serve as officers of the church and those who serve on church committees shall be members of this church at least for one year (excluding the Pastor and Church Staff).
Section 1. Church OfficersThe officers of this church shall be:(1) The pastor(2) The church staff(3) The elders(4) The deacons(5) A moderator(6) A clerk(7) A treasurer(8) The trustees (See Church Policies and Procedures Manual and Personnel Manual and Job Descriptions, for job descriptions and duties.)
Securing a Pastor and Electing Elders and Deacons
The Pastor:The Pastor is the shepherd of the flock. He must be a person called of God. He must be loyal to the Southern Baptist Doctrine, policy, and program concepts. The pastor is responsible for leading the church to function as a New Testament church. The pastor will lead the congregation, the organizations, and the church staff to perform their tasks. The pastor is leader of pastoral ministries in the church. As such he works with the elders, deacons and church staff to:(1) Lead the church in the achievement of its mission.(2) Proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers.(3) Care for the church’s members and other persons in the community.He shall have a general oversight of the work of the Church, conduct the worship services, and administer the ordinances. He shall serve as an elder and be an ex-officio member of the Deacons, Trustees and all committees.The Pastor shall supervise the work of the staff and work with the Personnel Committee to establish policies, job descriptions, and staff evaluation. A Pastor shall be chosen and called by the Church when vacancy occurs. The election shall be by secret ballot and take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least one week's public notice has been given to the resident Church Membership. The Pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request or the Church's request.In the event of a vacancy of the pulpit, the elders and deacons shall nominate a Pastor Search Committee to be elected by the Church. This committee shall make recommendations for a Pastor to the Church and its recommendation will constitute a nomination. The name of one prospective Pastor at a time shall be considered by the Church. The calling of a Pastor shall be by a 85 percent majority vote of the members of the Church present at any regular meeting called for that purpose and after the members have been given no less than a week's notice of said meeting.The Pastor may relinquish the office of Pastor by giving at least two weeks' notice to the Church at the time of resignation. The Church may declare the office of Pastor to be vacant. Such action may take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least one week's notice has been given to the resident Church Membership. This meeting may be called by a recommendation of a 75 percent majority of the Elders and Deacons, or by a written petition signed by not less than 75 percent of the resident Church Membership. The moderator of this meeting shall be the Chairman of the Elders or his designate. The vote to declare the office of Pastor vacant shall be a secret ballot and an affirmative majority vote of the members present shall be necessary to declare the office vacant.Except in instances of gross misconduct by the Pastor so excluded from the office, the Church will compensate him with not less than three months of his total annual compensation. The termination shall be immediate.
EldersThe elders will be chosen from the body of deacons after a full deacon rotation. There shall be one more elder than ministerial staff elders. The elders, in accordance with the meaning of the work and practice of the New Testament, the overseers of the church. The Elder should set a commendable example in good church membership. The Elder should regularly attend the Sunday morning and Sunday evening services, the Wednesday evening service, and any other meeting that may be called for the advancement of the fellowship and the Kingdom of God. The Elder should be of sound doctrine, with high morals, and adhere to the principles of the Church Covenant (see Article IV of the Constitution). Also, those set forth in I Timothy 3:8-13. The body of elders shall assist the pastor in caring for the administrative needs of the church’s variousministries as requested by the pastor. They shall provide the pulpit supply and choose a moderator forchurch meetings if the pastor is unavailable or the office of pastor is vacant. Upon the death,resignation, or dismissal of the pastor, the elders may recommend to the church a pastor search committee.
The body of elders will oversee Doctrine, Direction, and Discipline of the church.
DeaconsChurch adopted qualification for Deacons:Likewise the Deacon, in accordance with the meaning of the work and practice of the New Testament, is the servant of the church. The Deacon should set a commendable example in good church membership. The Deacon should regularly attend the Sunday morning and Sunday evening services, the Wednesday evening service, and any other meeting that may be called for the advancement of the fellowship and the Kingdom of God. The Deacon should be of sound doctrine, with high morals, and adhere to the principles of the Church Covenant (see Article IV of the Constitution). Also, those set forth in I Timothy 3:8-13. The Deacon should be zealous to guard the unity of the Spirit within the church in the bonds of peace. Method of selection of a Deacon Selection Committee: The Elders will make nominations as needed identifying those who are worthy and qualified to serve and be ordained as Deacons. The Elders will be guided by church adopted qualifications for deacons found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 when selecting candidates to become deacons. Church members may also recommend individuals they think qualified to become deacons to the Elders for consideration. Nominations shall equal the number of Deacons who will rotate off the Deacon Council each year and other vacancies which may have occurred during the year. The Elders will make their recommendations to fill vacancies to the church and the Deacons will be elected by secret ballot. The election of new deacons will be determined by need. There shall be a minimum of five deacons serving on the Deacon Body. The Deacons shall serve on a rotation basis. Each year the term of office of one third of the number of Deacons shall expire, and election shall be held to fill the vacancies. An individual must be off at least one year before being eligible for re-election.The ordination of new Deacons: If any person is elected to the Deacon Council who has not been ordained as a Deacon in a Southern Baptist church, then a committee composed of the Pastor and selected Deacons will sit down with this person and family in an effort to thoroughly acquaint them with the scriptural qualifications demanded of one who hold the high office of deacon. If this person, with his family, feel they can meet these requirements, then and ordination service shall be conducted as soon as possible. If they feel they are not ready to meet these requirements, then the person receiving the next largest number votes at the election of Deacons shall be considered elected.The body of deacons will oversee the Budget, Buildings and Benevolence of the church.
Trustees The body of Trustees shall constitute the board of trustees of the corporation. The board of trustees shall exercise only the following specific powers, upon authorization by a majority vote of the members present at a duly called church business meeting:
To purchase, hold, lease, or otherwise acquire real and personal property on behalf of the church, andto take real and personal property by will, gift, or bequest on behalf of the church;To sell, convey, alienate, transfer, lease, assign, exchange, or otherwise dispose of, and to mortgage,pledge, or otherwise encumber the real and personal property of the church, to borrow money andincur indebtedness for the purpose and the use of the church; to cause to be executed, issued, anddelivered for the indebtedness, in the name of the church, promissory notes, bonds, debentures, orother evidence of indebtedness; and to secure repayment by deeds of trust, mortgages, or pledges; and
To exercise all powers necessary for the dissolution of the church corporation.
They shall serve until their successors shall be elected. Trustees shall serve as Corporate Directors of the Corporation.
It is the function of the Trustees to affix their signatures to legal documents.
The Trustees will be elected as Corporate President, Corporate Vice-President, and Corporate
Secretary.
Section 2. Standing Church Committees and Teams
The standing committees or teams of this church shall be:Ministry CouncilNominating CommitteePersonnel CommitteeFinance CommitteeCounting CommitteeTrustees
A description and term limits of each standing committee can be found in the Policies and Procedures Manual.And other regular and special committees as the church shall authorize. Additional regular committees may be added by the amendment procedure prescribed within these bylaws. All church committee members shall be recommended by the church Nominating Committee and elected by the church unless otherwise specified within these bylaws. Each committee shall elect its own chairman.
III. Church Program OrganizationsThe church shall maintain programs of Bible teaching; church member training; church leader training; new member orientation; mission education, action, and support; and music education, training, and performance. All organizations related to the church programs shall be under church control, all officers being elected by the church and reporting regularly to the church, and all program activities subject to church coordination and approval. The church shall provide the human resources, the physical resources, and the financial resources for the appropriate advancement of these programs.
IV. Ministry CouncilThe Ministry Council shall serve the church by leading in planning, coordinating, conducting, and evaluating the ministries and programs of the church.The primary functions of the Ministry Council shall be to recommend to the church suggested objectives and church goals; to review and coordinate ministry and program plans recommended by church officers, organizations, and committees; to recommend to the church the use of leadership, calendar time, and other resources according to program priorities; and to evaluate achievements in terms of church objectives and goals.Regular members of the Ministry Council shall be the pastor, other church staff members, directors of church ministries, and chairmen of church committees. All matters agreed upon by the council that call for action not already approved shall be referred to the church for approval or disapproval.
V. Church Ordinances
Section 1. BaptismThis church shall receive for baptism any person who has received Jesus Christ as Savior by personal faith, who professes Him publicly at any worship service, and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Lord.(1) Baptism shall be by immersion in water.(2) The pastor, or whomever the church shall authorize, shall administer baptism. The Baptism Ministry shall assist in the preparation for, and the observance of, baptism.(3) Baptism shall be administered as an act of worship during any worship service of the church.(4) A person who professes Christ and is not baptized after a reasonable length of time shall be counseled by the pastor and/or staff or deacons. If negative interest is ascertained on the part of the candidate, he or she shall be deleted from those awaiting baptism.
Section 2. The Lord’s SupperThe church shall observe the Lord’s Supper quarterly, the first Sunday of the quarter, unless otherwise scheduled by the church. The observance shall alternate between the morning and the evening services of worship. The pastor, elders and deacons shall administer the Lord’s Supper.
VI. Church Meetings
Section 1. Worship ServicesThe church shall meet regularly each Sunday morning for the worship of Almighty God. Prayer, praise, preaching, instruction, and evangelism shall be among the ingredients of these services. The pastor shall direct the services for all the church members and for all others who may choose to attend.
Section 2. Special ServicesRevival services and any other church meetings essential to the advancement of the church’s objectives shall be placed on the church calendar.
Section 3. Regular Business MeetingsThe regular church business meeting shall be held on the Third Sunday evening of each month unless otherwise schedule with due notice. On matters of major importance such as calling a pastor, a business meeting of the church can be held on a Sunday morning as agreed upon with due notice given.
Section 4. Special Business MeetingsThe church may conduct called business meetings to consider matters of special nature and significance. At least one week notice must be given for the specially called business meeting unless extreme urgency renders such notice impractical. The notice shall include the subject, the date, and time and place; and it must be given in such a manner that all resident members have an opportunity to know of the meeting.
Section 5. QuorumThe quorum consists of those members who attend the business meeting.
VII. Church Finances
Section 1. BudgetThe Finance Committee, in consultation with the deacons, shall prepare and submit to the church for approval an inclusive budget, indicating by items the amount needed and sought for all local and other expenses.Offering envelopes will be provided for members’ use. It is understood that membership in this church involves financial obligation to support the church and its causes with regular, proportionate gifts.
Section 2. Accounting ProceduresAll funds received for any and all purposes shall pass through the hands of the church treasurer, or financial secretary, and be properly recorded on the books of the church. A system of accounting that will adequately provide for the handling of all funds shall be the responsibility of the Finance Committee.
Section 3. Fiscal YearThe church fiscal year shall begin January 1 and ends on December 31.VIII. Church Policies and Procedures ManualThe church secretary shall maintain the manual. The Personnel Committee shall review the manual at least annually, with authority to recommend changes for the church to consider. Any church member or church organization may initiate suggested changes in the manual. Addition, revision, or deletion of church policies requires:(1) Recommendation of the church officer or organization to whose areas of assignment the policy relates.(2) Discussion by the elders and deacons.(3) Approval by the church.
IX. AmendmentsChanges in the constitution and bylaws may be made at any regular business meeting of the church provided each amendment shall have been presented in writing at a previous business meeting and copies of the proposed amendment shall have been furnished to each member present at the earlier meeting. Amendments to the constitution shall be by 75 percent vote of church members present. Amendments to the bylaws shall have a concurrence of a majority of the members present and voting.
Comments and Suggestions
