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SECTION TWO
CONSTITUTION OF CHURCHES IN THE
BEREAN FELLOWSHIP
Recitals
We,
the members of the Berean Fundamental Church, do ordain and establish
the following Constitution, to which we voluntarily submit ourselves.
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Name
A.
The legal name of this organization shall be the Berean Fundamental
Church.
B.
Churches may use a local name that has been approved by their District
Council and reported to the Board of Directors.
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Affiliation
A.
Organizational
This church shall be affiliated with other Berean Fundamental Churches
through membership in the representative bodies known
as the District Council
and the General Council. The whole of this affiliation
shall be called the
Berean Fundamental Church Council, Inc.
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Purpose
and Doctrine
A.
The purpose of this organization is to establish a church fellowship
in which
Christians through united effort will
1. Preach Jesus Christ.
2. Support Bible-based ministries and missions.
3. Promote healthy relationships among Christians.
4. Obey the Great Commandment and the Great
Commission.
B.
Doctrine
See "Articles of Faith" above
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Membership
A.
Qualifications
1. The membership of this organization shall
consist of those who give clear
evidence of faith
in Jesus Christ as Savior and a sincere desire to live a
godly life.
B.
Procedure
1. Those desiring to unite with this church
will read its constitution and agree
to live under its authority.
2. Each person will then be examined, and
upon approval by the official
church board, will be received into the membership
of this church.
C.
Privileges and Duties
1. Members shall have voting privileges
for specific provisions made in this
constitution.
2. It is the duty of members to make progress
in their daily relationship with
Christ, to keep growing in their scriptural knowledge,
to be consistent in
their conduct, and to be faithful in church attendance.
(Hebrews
10:24,25)
3. It is the duty of members to honor, love,
and pray for their pastor and
other spiritual leaders. They are to manifest a tender
regard for their
reputations and support them in the scriptural exercise
of their authority
and ministry. (Hebrews 13:7)
4. It is the duty of each member to meet
all personal obligations, to live in a
peaceful manner, to respect the biblical liberty
of others, and to witness
faithfully. (Titus 2:11-14)
5. It is the duty of all members to support
the ministries of their local church
and the Berean Fellowship of Churches while at the
same time
understanding their great responsibility to the universal
church to which all
genuine believers belong. (1 Corinthians 12:26,27)
D.
Auxiliary Memberships
The official board may develop auxiliary, non-voting memberships
for such
groups as missionaries, military personnel, college
students, and those who
have differing opinions on matters of belief but
understand the value of being
under the authority of a local church.
E.
Membership Covenant
When joining the church, the members agree to the following covenant:
"As members of a Berean Church, we covenant together that as we
have
opportunity we will do good unto all men, especially
unto them who are of the
household of faith, that we will submit to God and
resist Satan, and that we
will abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the
soul. As long as we continue
in the membership of this church we will gladly cooperate,
making its testimony
honoring to Christ. We will pray for one another
and refuse to participate in
gossip. We will assist those who have authority over
us and who preach the
Word of God. We will give, as God prospers, to the
work of our church,
realizing its needs first and the needs of other
Christian works subsequently.
Finally, confident that we have been led of God,
we wholeheartedly affirm
our commitment to this fellowship and submit to its
constitutions and biblical
authority."
F.
Transfer and Removal of Membership
1. Any member in good standing desiring
to withdraw from the
membership
of this church will be granted a letter of recommendation
upon request.
2. Those uniting with another church may
be dropped from the membership
of this church.
3. Members who develop irreconcilable differences
with the doctrinal
position or policies contained in this Constitution
shall quietly resign their
membership without attempting to cause any trouble.
4. Those absent from church services for
six months without a satisfactory
reason may be removed from membership.
5. Disciplined members may have their membership
terminated at the
discretion of the official board.
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Church
Discipline
The
purpose of church discipline is the restoration of the sinning member
to Christ and the church body.
A.
Discipline of Members
1. Biblically, believers are responsible
before God to examine
themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:31)
2. If they fail to examine themselves, the
local church has this responsibility.
(1 Corinthians 11:32)
3. In disciplinary actions it is imperative
that we be sensitive to the Holy
Spirit's leading and follow scriptural guidelines.
4. Church discipline is for specific sins,
not for differences in opinion. (1
Corinthians 5:1; 11-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:13-14;
1 Timothy 5:19-21)
B.
Restoration
1. The one who is aware of the offense is
to be the first one to prayerfully
confront the sinning member.
2. If the sinning member refuses to repent,
the first person is to take one or
two witnesses for a second meeting.
3. If the matter remains unresolved, it
is to be brought to the official church
board.
4. If the errant members still refuses to
repent, the official church board may
bring the matter to the attention of the members
of the church.
5. The specific sin does not need to be
mentioned unless decided otherwise
by the official board.
6. At any time when a sinning member repents,
he should immediately be
restored to fellowship and lovingly affirmed by those
involved.
C.
Discipline of Non-Members
1. Non-members are those, other than members,
who by attendance or
participation identify themselves with the ministries
of a Berean
Fundamental Church.
2. They may be disciplined for specific
violations of Scriptural conduct that
are considered by
the official board to be disruptive to the harmonious
and effective function of the church. (Matthew
18:15-20)
3. The same steps will be taken as in the
preceding policy for members.
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Senior
Pastor
A.
Calling a Senior Pastor
1. The official church board shall appoint
a search committee consisting of
three to five members that may include both men and
women.
2. The search committee shall secure the
names of prospects with the
assistance of their District Leader.
3. The search committee shall send a copies
of the Berean Fundamental
Church and the Berean Fundamental Council Constitutions
and a request
for a resume to the prospect.
4. The committee shall review the resumes
with the assistance of the District
Leader and make recommendations to the official church
board.
5. The official church board shall extend
to the prospect an invitation to visit
the church, meet with the official church board,
and preach.
6. If the official church board has a favorable
response to his ministry, it will
set up a time with their District Leader for the
district to examine the
prospect.
7. The District Council will be provided
with the prospect's resume and
credentials.
8. The district will examine the prospect
concerning his life, doctrine,
experience, and agreement with the Berean Fundamental
Church and
the Berean Fundamental Council Constitutions.
9. The District Council will give a recommendation
concerning the prospect to
the official church board. Without a favorable recommendation,
the
church may not proceed with the prospect.
10. Upon an affirmative vote of at least
three-fourths of the official church
board members, the candidate shall be presented to
the congregation
for a vote.
11. Upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths
of the church members present
at a specially called meeting, a call shall be extended
to the candidate.
B.
Licensure
Any pastor not ordained shall be licensed as set forth in the Berean
Fundamental Church, Inc. Constitution.
C.
Duties
1. The Senior Pastor shall provide spiritual
leadership to the church and shall
perform all duties usually associated with that office.
2. The Senior Pastor is a voting member
of the official church board.
3. He shall be the chairman of the official
church board, or he may
delegate this responsibility to a current church
board member.
4. He shall be an ex-officio member of all
committees and other organized
groups within the church.
5. He shall attend the District Council
meetings and the annual General
Council meetings.
D.
Pastor's Covenant
When accepting a call, the pastor agrees to the following covenant:
"As a pastor of a Berean Fundamental Church, I will strive to exercise
the
duties of my office in such a way as to have a clear
conscience before God
and man. Being in a position of spiritual leadership,
I will prayerfully seek to
maintain the qualifications as given in 1 Timothy
3. I will strive to lead the flock
of God in a balanced ministry of shepherding, teaching
and evangelizing. I
will maintain a wholesome relationship with the Berean
Fellowship and keep
the local church informed of its activities. Furthermore,
I will seek above all
things to promote the unity of the Spirit, being
ready always for suggestions
when given for the glory of God and the furtherance
of His work. I will seek to
be sensitive to God's leading to know when my present
ministry is completed
and will graciously resign. If at any time I am unwilling
to submit to the
authority of the official board or the Berean Church
Constitution, I want the
official board to call it to my attention. If I fail
to be reconciled, I will resign
immediately, and will quickly and quietly leave the
field, causing no trouble
which would damage the church."
E.
Term
A pastor shall serve as long as mutually agreeable with him and
the church,
provided that he can continue to affirm the Pastor's
Covenant.
F.
An interim pastor has the same duties and covenant as a Senior Pastor
and
must be chosen by vote of the official board and
the approval of the District
Council.
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Additional
Staff
A.
Associate pastors, assistant pastors, youth pastors, secretarial
staff, custodians,
etc. can be added at the discretion of the local
church.
B.
All staff shall agree to work under the authority of both the Berean
Fundamental Church Council, Inc. and the Berean Fundamental
Church
Constitutions and agree to quietly resign if they
are unwilling to submit to its
authority or the authority of the official church
board.
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Official
Board
A.
The official board shall be the Board of Directors for each local
church.
B.
Mission churches
1. The preliminary official board of a mission
church will consist of at least
three individuals from the membership of the District
Council of the Berean
Fundamental Church Council in which it is associated.
2. The District Leader of that district
shall appoint the members of the
preliminary official board and report these appointments
to the
Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Berean
Fundamental Church
Council.
3. The District Leader shall make timely
appointments to fill any vacancies in
the preliminary official board and report changes
in the membership to
the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Berean
Fundamental
Church Council.
4. The preliminary official board shall
serve until the District Council shall
appoint the initial official board of the church.
5. The preliminary official board shall
annually appoint from its membership
a President, Vice-President, and Secretary.
6. The preliminary official board will provide
spiritual leadership and
conduct the business affairs of the church. All other
organizations and
committees of the church are accountable to this
board.
7. This preliminary official board shall
meet monthly unless otherwise
decided.
8. A quorum shall exist when two-thirds
of the members of the preliminary
official board are present.
9. Decisions will be by majority vote of
those present unless previously
stipulated by the preliminary official board. Each
member has one vote.
10. A preliminary official board member
shall serve until his death,
resignation, or removal by the District Council in
the event of heresy,
immorality, misconduct, incompetence, or failure
to maintain a good
testimony.
11. A committee consisting of the pastor
as chairman and at least two male
church members will conduct all routine business
of the local church and be
accountable to the preliminary official board.
12. This committee should meet monthly and
report regularly to the
preliminary official board concerning its present
progress and future
plans.
C.
Organized churches (1Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)
1. An organized church is one that has an
official board from the
membership of the local assembly.
2. An official board is composed of at least
three male members of the
local church in addition to the pastor.
3. Board members must be biblically qualified
as either elders or deacons.
4. The official board will provide spiritual
leadership and conduct the
business affairs of the church. All other organizations
and committees of
the church are accountable to this board.
5. This official board shall meet monthly
unless it is otherwise decided.
6. A quorum shall exist when two-thirds
of the members of the official board
are present.
7. Decisions will be by the majority vote
of those present unless previously
stipulated by the official board. Each member has
one vote.
8. An official board shall be established
as soon as practical after the
incorporation of a local church.
9. The District Council will appoint the
initial official board based on the
recommendation of the pastor of the local church.
10. The first official board shall be established
as a self-perpetuating board.
Existing official boards have the option of choosing
a rotating system of
membership.
11. An official board member shall serve
until his death, resignation, end of
his term, or removal by the official board in the
event of heresy,
immorality, misconduct, incompetence, or failure
to maintain a good
testimony.
12. The official board shall choose additional
board members from the
membership of the church to fill vacancies or enlarge
the board.
13. When the number of official board members
becomes fewer than three
(not including the pastor), the church shall revert
to a mission church status,
and the District Council shall become the official
board of the church.
D.
Official Board Member's Covenant
When joining the official board, the board members agrees to the
following
covenant:
"As a board member of a Berean Fundamental Church, I realize that
the
office is a governing position in the church and
that an officer must first comply
with the government before he can lead others into
willing submission. I
intelligently covenant to defend the faith and to
gladly accept as the standard
of my conduct the letter and spirit of this constitution.
Being in a position of
spiritual leadership, I will prayerfully seek to
maintain the qualifications as
given in 1Timothy 3. I will seek to be faithful in
my family relationships, my
witness, my giving, my conduct, and in my ministry
with the pastor in any work
consistent with this constitution. If at any time
I am out of harmony with the
official board or the Berean Constitution, and if
we cannot be reconciled, I will
resign from the board immediately, causing no trouble
that would damage
the church."
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Corporate
Church Officers
A.
A president, vice-president, and secretary will be appointed annually
from
the membership of the official board.
B.
The secretary of the corporation shall be the church clerk. He shall
keep a
record of all church business and any official board
or church meetings. He
shall be responsible for any correspondence associated
with his office.
C.
Treasurer(s)
1. The treasurer(s) shall be appointed annually
from the membership of the
official board to oversee the disbursement of funds
for regular church
expenses. The official board shall approve major
expenditures.
2. The treasurer(s) will keep the official
board acquainted with financial
records of the church and be prepared for an audit
when requested by
the board.
3. The treasurer(s) shall annually see that
a report is prepared for the
General Council as directed by the Board of Directors.
D.
The official board will annually appoint church officers for each
calendar year.
E.
An officer shall serve until his appointment is completed, resignation,
or
removal by the official board in the event of heresy,
immorality, misconduct,
incompetence, or failure to maintain a good testimony.
F.
In the event of a vacancy the official board will appoint a replacement
to
complete the remainder of term for that calendar
year.
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Officers,
Boards, Committees, Department, and Bylaws
A.
Elders, deacons, and deaconesses
Churches may further distinguish these offices.
B.
Other officers, boards, committees, departments, and bylaws may
be
developed as needed by the local church.
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Church
Property
A.
Use
1. All church properties are to be held
by the local incorporated body in
accordance with laws of the state in which the property
is held.
2. Property held by the local incorporated
church shall be for the use of
church ministry consistent with the doctrine, practice,
and ministry
contained within the Berean Fundamental Church and
the Berean
Fundamental Church Council Constitutions and the
Articles of Faith.
B.
Titles
All titles to church property, real or personal, shall be held by
the local
incorporated church, subject to the Berean Fundamental
Church and Berean
Fundamental Church
Council Constitutions and the Articles of Faith in their
present forms and as they may be amended.
C.
Dissolution
1. Of church plants: In the event
of an unsuccessful church plant, all
properties,
real and personal, shall revert to the Berean Fundamental
Church Council, Inc.
2. Of existing churches: If at any
time there are insufficient members to
continue a viable work in a community and a decision
is taken to close the
church, the church property, real and personal, shall
revert to the Berean
Fundamental Church Council, Inc.
D.
Disaffiliation
1. If a church votes to disaffiliate from
the Berean Fundamental Church
Council, as provided in Article V,C of SECTION THREE,
the Constitution of
the Berean Fundamental Church Council, the church
may leave the
Fellowship with the continued ownership of its church
property, real and
personal.
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Annual
Meeting of Members
A.
Purpose
An annual church meeting will be held that includes reports considered
necessary by the church board.
B.
Notice
Notice of the date of the annual meeting shall be given in the church
bulletin at
least two Sundays prior to the meeting.
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Interpretation
A.
Matters of clarification and interpretation of this constitution
shall be done by
the Board of Directors of the Berean Fundamental
Church Council, Inc.
B.
All interpretations shall be recorded in the official minutes of
the Board of
Directors Berean Detail, which is maintained at the
home office of the
Fellowship.
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Amendments
A.
This constitution may be amended upon three-fourths vote of the
General
Council at which a quorum is present. (See
SECTION THREE, the Berean
Fundamental Church Council Constitution, Article
III, 5, h.)
B.
Recommendations for proposed amendments to this constitution may
originate
from the local church or departments and shall be
submitted to their District
Council for action and presentation to the Board
of Directors.
C.
Upon approval, the Board of Directors will present the recommendation
at the
next convening or specially called General Council
meeting.
D.
Written notice of the proposed amendment shall be mailed to all
General
Council members at least thirty days prior to the
meeting of the General
Council at which the amendment is to be considered.
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Prior
Constitutions
This
Constitution of the Berean Fundamental Church supersedes and replaces
all prior constitutions.
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