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SECTION THREE
CONSTITUTION OF THE
BEREAN FUNDAMENTAL CHURCH COUNCIL, INC.
Name
of Organization
A.
The official name of this organization shall be the Berean Fundamental
Church
Council, Inc.
B.
Other designations for this organization in this document will include
Berean
Church Council and Berean Fellowship of Churches.
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Theme,
Purpose, Vision, and Doctrine
A.
Theme: "Plant a Church, Make Disciples, Reach the World"
B.
Purpose Statement:
"The Berean Fellowship of Churches exists to establish and nurture
a fellowship
of interdependent churches and related ministries
in strategic areas."
C.
Vision:
"To glorify Christ in our generation through aggressively establishing
churches
worldwide, training believers in Christlikeness,
and reaching the lost with the
hope of the gospel."
D.
Doctrine: See SECTION ONE, Articles of Faith
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Organization
of the Berean Fundamental Church Council
A.
General Statement
1. The Berean Fellowship of Churches shall
be composed primarily of locally
incorporated Berean Fundamental Churches.
2. The local churches shall participate
in the affairs of the organization
through representative participation in the District
Council and the
General Council.
3. The Berean Fellowship of Churches may
include subsidiary organizations.
Such organizations may be regional, national, or
international.
B.
Governing Body
1. The Berean Fundamental Church Council,
Inc. shall be incorporated and
organized according to the Nebraska Non-Profit Corporation
Act.
2. The Board of Directors
a) The Board of Directors shall be the governing
body of the Berean
Church Council
b) Its organization, election, powers, duties,
and privileges shall be as
stated in this constitution
c) The Board of Directors will conduct the
business affairs of this
corporation, formulate its policies, and administrate
its organization.
d) The membership of the Board of Directors
shall consist of not fewer
than ten male members.
e) The voting members of the Board of Directors
will be the executive
officers of the Berean Fundamental Church Council,
the
departmental directors, the district leaders, the
assistant district
leaders, and any others elected by the Board of Directors.
f) The Board of Directors shall meet at
least quarterly unless otherwise
decided.
g) A quorum shall exist when two-thirds
of the members of the Board
of Directors are present.
h) Decisions will be by the majority vote
of those present unless
previously stipulated by the Board of Directors.
Each member has
one vote.
3. Executive Committee
a) The executive officers of the Berean
Fellowship of Churches shall
consist of a President, an Executive Vice-President,
a Secretary, a
Treasurer, a Director of National Church Planting,
a Director of
International Church Planting, a Director of Planned
Giving, a
Director of Pastoral Development, and other officers
considered
necessary by the Board of Directors.
b) The President shall be recommended to
the General Council by the
Board of Directors and elected by a two-thirds vote
of the General
Council. He shall serve until his death, resignation,
or removal by the
Board of Directors for event of heresy, immorality,
misconduct,
incompetence, or failure to maintain a good testimony.
c) All other executive officers shall be
recommended by the President
to the Board of Directors for appointment and shall
serve at the
pleasure of the Board of Directors or until their
deaths or
resignations.
d) All executive officers shall be authorized
to sign legal papers on
behalf of the Berean Fundamental Church Council,
Inc.
e) A quorum of two-thirds of the executive
officers shall be authorized
to transact urgent business on behalf of the Berean
Fellowship of
Churches between the scheduled meetings of the Board
of Directors.
f) The Board of Directors shall have authority
to provide its own
methods of further organization and to provide procedures
to
implement its constitutional mandate.
4. Executive Officers
a) The President shall be the head of the
entire organization, an
ex-officio member of all committees and groups, the
presiding
officer of the General Council, and the chairman
of the Board of
Directors. He will provide oversight to the annual
convention and the
General Council.
b) The Executive Vice President shall perform
the duties of the
President in the absence or disability of the President.
In the case of
death, resignation, or removal of the President,
the Executive Vice
President shall succeed to the office of the President
until the next
meeting of the General Council. He will be an ex-officio
member of
all committees and groups. He will chair the Department
of
Mediation.
c) The Director of Pastoral Development
will encourage the
educational and spiritual development of Berean pastors.
He will
chair the Department of Pastoral Life and will provide
oversight to
the annual Pastors' Retreat.
d) The Director of National Church Planting
will chair the Department
of National Church Planting and oversee the National
Church
Planting Committee of the Berean Fellowship of Churches.
e) The Director of International Church
Planting will chair the
Department of International Church Planting and oversee
the
International Church Planting Committee of the Berean
Fellowship of
Churches.
f) The Director of Planned Giving will perform
all the duties pertaining
to the office of planned giving of a religious organization,
including
such things as assisting with charitable gift planning,
developing
financial stewardship, and other fund-raising activities.
g) The Secretary shall keep an accurate
record of the acts and
proceedings of all General Council and Board of Directors
meetings, give all notices required by law or by
this constitution,
maintain the corporation's correspondence in a manner
directed by
the Board of Directors, and perform all the duties
usually pertaining
to the office of a secretary of a religious organization.
h) The Treasurer shall oversee the reception
and disbursement of funds
as approved by the Board of Directors. He shall see
that proper
books are kept of the accounts of the corporation,
including any
securities belonging to or held by it. He shall present
financial
reports as required by the Board of Directors, including
a current
report at the quarterly Board of Directors and annual
General
Council meetings or as otherwise directed by the
President. An
external audit shall be conducted annually.
5. General Council
a) The Board of Directors shall give a printed
report of its actions to the
members of the General Council at the annual convention.
b) The membership of the General Council
will include two
representatives from each Berean Fundamental Church,
normally
one pastor and one delegate.
c) When a Berean Fundamental Church does
not have a pastor to
represent it on the General Council, it may send
two delegates.
d) Each church may also have additional
delegates when its yearly
average attendance exceeds 99. For every 100 additional
attendees, or portion thereof over 99, it may have
an additional
delegate. The average attendance will be based on
the previous
year's published average weekly worship service attendance
in the
annual report of the Berean Fundamental Church Council.
e) Delegates shall be men selected by the
official board of each
church from its own church membership to further
the purpose of the
Berean Fellowship of Churches in planting churches
and making
disciples.
f) Members of the Board of Directors who
are not pastors or delegates
of the local church are "at large" voting members
of the General
Council and not representatives of any specific local
church.
g) The General Council shall be responsible
for electing the President
of the Berean Fellowship, voting on matters requested
by the Board
of Directors, and authorizing all constitutional
changes.
h) A quorum will exist when the number of
delegates present is at least
two times the number of Berean Fundamental Churches
multiplied
by two-thirds.
i) Decisions will be by the majority
vote of those present unless
previously stipulated by the Board of Directors.
Each member has
one vote.
6. Departments and Committees
a) The Fellowship, through its Board of
Directors, may be organized
into departments which may be created or dissolved
as desired.
b) The departments shall submit reports
to the Board of Directors as
requested.
c) The standing departments will be the
Department of Mediation, the
Department of Pastoral Development, the Department
of National
Church Planting, and the Department of International
Church
Planting.
d) The departmental committees will normally
consist of pastors and
other members of Berean Fundamental Churches. Special
advisors
from other sources may be included by appointment
by the Board
of Directors.
7. Miscellaneous
a) Official spokesbody: The Board
of Directors shall be designated as
the official spokesbody for the Berean Fellowship
of Churches. No
person, paper, organization, or other church body
has this authority.
Any written public policy statement issued by anyone
other than the
Board of Directors shall clearly contain appropriate
statements
indicating that the statement represents only the
position of the
particular author or local church and not necessarily
the position of
the Berean Fellowship of Churches.
b) Revolving Fund: The Berean Fellowship
of Churches shall maintain a
fund for ministry expansion. The Board of Directors
shall establish
policies for the use of this fund.
c) Annual meetings: The meeting
of the General Council shall be held
annually to receive a report from the President on
the State of the
Berean Fellowship of Churches.
d) Berean Detail: The Board of Directors
shall designate a place
where the Berean Detail shall be safely kept and
preserved. The
Detail shall contain all official documents including
the minutes of the
General Council, the Articles of Faith, the interpretations
of the
constitution, and other documents, records, and statements
as the
Board of Directors shall consider necessary.
C.
Districts
1. The intermediate level of the Berean
Fellowship of Churches if the District
Council.
2. The District Council shall be composed
of all senior pastors and any other
staff pastors of the Berean Fundamental Churches
in a given geographic
area. The District Council may also include lay delegates
if desired by
the district.
3. The general purpose of the District Council
shall be for the fellowship,
accountability, and encouragement of the churches,
to grow in grace,
and to plant churches.
4. The Board of Directors may give additional
responsibilities to the District
Council. The district shall organize itself to carry
out those duties.
5. The District Council shall be accountable
to the Board of Directors.
6. Each District Council shall have a District
Leader, an Assistant District
Leader, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Secretary
and Treasurer may
be the same person. These officers shall be recommended
by the District
Council and appointed by the Board of Directors.
They shall serve as
long as mutually agreeable.
7. The District Council shall meet at least
quarterly unless otherwise decided.
8. A quorum shall exist when two-thirds
of the members of the District
Council are present.
9. Decisions will be by the majority vote
of those present unless previously
stipulated by the District Council. Each member has
one vote.
10. The District Council shall have the
general oversight of all district matters,
including mission churches and other duties as are
given it by the Board of
Directors.
11. District Council pastors' wives are
encouraged to attend district meetings f
or mutual encouragement and support.
12. The District Council shall assist district
churches in securing pastors.
D.
Local Churches
1. The legal or corporate name of the Berean
Fellowship of Churches shall
be "The Berean Fundamental Church of _______" (insert
the name of the
local community or area served).
2. Any other names used for local identification
must be approved by the
District Council and reported to the Board of Directors.
3. The locally incorporated body as outlined
in this constitution shall hold all
church properties.
4. The local churches shall have one common
constitution written and
approved by the Berean Fellowship of Churches.
5. The requirements, responsibilities, duties,
and organization of the local
church shall be as contained the Berean Fundamental
Church Constitution
and in the Berean Detail.
6. Local churches operating under the Berean
Fundamental Church
Constitution have the liberty to write specific policies,
practices, and
positions for their churches providing that such
does not violate the Berean
Fundamental Church Constitution and that it is reported
to their District
Council.
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Department
of Mediation
A.
The Berean Fellowship of Churches shall provide a method of mediation
for
churches and subsidiary organizations affiliated
with the Fellowship in matters
pertaining to properties, authority, policy, procedure,
heresy, immorality, or
constitutional violation.
B.
The Department of Mediation will include all the District Leaders
and be
chaired by the Executive Vice President.
C.
Disputes
1. A committee from the Department of Mediation
will be designated by
the Executive Vice President to hear each dispute.
2. The committee will consist of no fewer
than three men. Decisions will be
by majority vote.
3. Any disputes not resolved at either the
local church or District Council level
shall be brought to the Department of Mediation for
reconciliation.
4. Any disputes between districts or other
organizations of the Berean
Fellowship of Churches, except the Board of Directors,
shall be brought
directly to the Department of Mediation for reconciliation.
5. A special mediator appointed by the Board
of Directors shall mediate
disputes involving the Board of Directors.
D.
Mediation Process
1. The purpose of this mediation process
shall be to settle disputes in a
manner that brings glory to God.
2. The request for mediation shall be given
to the leader of the district in
which the request originated and shall be forwarded
by him to the
Department of Mediation.
3. Requests from Fellowship departments
or organizations not associated
with a particular district will be given to the Executive
Vice President.
4. Mediation records will be filed with
the official Fellowship records.
5. Should the mediation effort fail to settle
the dispute, all parties involved
have the right to appeal to the Board of Directors.
6. All decisions of the Board of Directors
shall be given in writing and shall
be final and implemented as directed.
7. All parties involved shall equally share
the cost of all hearings.
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Affiliation
of Churches
A.
The establishment of new churches
1. All new churches will be established
under the direction of the Department
of National Church Planting.
2. Berean church planters who start new
churches without an existing group
of people will establish Berean Fundamental Churches
that are
immediately under the authority of the Berean Church
Constitution.
3. When a group of people desires to have
a Berean Fundamental Church,
it shall meet with a representative of the National
Church Planting
Committee. It will be given a copy of the Berean
Fundamental Church
Constitution as well as a detailed explanation of
the Berean Fellowship's
history, purpose, constitution, doctrinal positions,
and church government.
4. Following the meeting, the group shall
vote on becoming a church that is
organized and affiliated with the Berean Fundamental
Church Council.
With a favorable vote of at least ninety percent
of those present and
voting, the request will be taken to the Board of
Directors for action.
B.
Existing churches desiring affiliation
1. At a specially called meeting, the membership
of the organization shall
vote on a "motion of intent to join" the Berean Fellowship
of Churches. The
motion will require a favorable vote of at least
ninety percent of those
present and voting.
2. Following the passage of a "motion of
intent to join" the Berean
Fellowship of Churches, the congregation will meet
with a representative
of the National Church Planting Committee. They will
be given a copy of
the Berean Fundamental Church Constitution as well
as a detailed
explanation of the Fellowship's history, purpose,
constitution, doctrinal
positions, and church government.
3. Following the meeting of the congregation
with the representative of the
National Church Planting Committee, the membership
of the church shall
vote on becoming affiliated with the Berean Fellowship
of Churches. With
a favorable vote of at least ninety percent of those
present and voting,
the representative shall take their request to the
Board of Directors for
action.
C.
Existing churches desiring to disaffiliate
1. At a specially called meeting the membership
of the congregation shall
vote on a "motion of intent to disaffiliate" with
the Berean Fellowship of
Churches. The motion will require a favorable vote
of at least ninety
percent of those present and voting.
2. Following the passage of a "motion of
intent to disaffiliate" with the
Berean Fellowship of Churches, the church congregation
shall meet with
their District Leader, or a representative of the
Board of Directors, who
shall be given an adequate opportunity to address
the reasons given for
disaffiliation.
3. Following the meeting of the church congregation
with the District Leader
or a representative of the Board of Directors, the
membership of the
church shall vote on becoming disaffiliated with
the Berean Fellowship of
Churches. With a favorable vote of at least ninety
percent of those
present and voting, the District Leader shall take
their request to the
Board of Directors for action.
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Ordination
and Licensure
A.
Ordination
1. The Berean Fellowship shall have the
authority to ordain and license men
to the Gospel ministry according to the procedures
established in this
constitution along with any other requirements considered
necessary by
the Board of Directors.
2. Ordination is for men who have served
at least one year as a full-time
licensed minister of the Gospel.
3. Upon the request of the official Board
of an affiliated church, the Board
of Directors shall instruct its District Leader to
convene the Ordination
Council, with no fewer than three ordained Berean
pastors, to examine
the candidate for ordination.
4. Additional men who are not members of
the District Council or the Berean
Fellowship may also be invited to sit on the Ordination
Council.
5. The examination will be conducted in
four areas: personal life and
character, Bible knowledge and doctrinal position,
church history and
church government, and the Berean Fundamental Church
Constitution.
6. When the examination is completed, the
Ordination Council shall make its
recommendation to the requesting church and candidate.
7. The recommendation shall be in one of
three categories with an
explanation as to why the category was chosen:
a) Denial - the candidate is not yet qualified
for ordination.
b) Approval with conditions - the candidate
is presently not qualified
but could qualify if conditions were met.
c) Approval - the candidate appears qualified.
8. Upon approval of the candidate by the
Ordination Council, the
requesting church will be notified of approval for
ordination. The church
will arrange for the public ordination of the candidate
and shall provide
the certificate of ordination. The District Leader
shall forward a copy of
the ordination certificate to the Secretary of the
Board of Directors.
B.
Pastoral Licensure
1. A license for pastoral ministry in preparation
for ordination may be
conferred upon any man living a godly life. He must
show fitness for
Christian service and give testimony of being called
of God to serve as a
pastor in a local church. It shall be an endorsement
of the character of the
one licensed and shall serve as a recommendation
to churches.
2. The official board of the local church
of which he is a member shall
recommend the candidate and request the license.
Following a favorable
vote of the District Council the District Leader
shall authorize the license.
The church shall provide the certificate of license.
3. The license shall not exceed three years
before renewal is required. The
District Leader shall forward a copy of the license
to the Secretary of the
Board of Directors.
C.
Vocational Licensure
1. A license for vocational ministry may
be conferred upon any man who
meets the criteria established by the official board
of the local Berean
Fundamental Church where he is a member. It will
be licensure to a
specific vocational ministry (e.g., camping, music,
administration) and is
not to be considered in preparation for ordination.
It shall be an
endorsement of the character of the one licensed
and shall serve as a
recommendation to churches.
2. The official board of the local church
of which he is a member shall
recommend the candidate and request the license.
Following a favorable
vote of the District Council the District Leader
shall authorize the license.
The church shall provide the certificate of license.
3. The license shall not exceed three years
before renewal is required. The
District Leader shall forward a copy of the license
to the Secretary of the
Board of Directors.
D.
Lay Licensure
1. A license for non-vocational ministry
may be conferred upon any man
who meets the criteria established by the official
board of the local
Berean Fundamental Church where he is a member.
It will be licensure to
non-vocational ministry and is not to be considered
in preparation for
ordination. It shall be an endorsement of the character
of the one licensed
and shall serve as a recommendation to churches.
A lay license does not
confer the privileges of an ordained or of a full-time
vocational minister.
2. The official board of the local church
of which he is a member shall
recommend the candidate and request the license.
Following a favorable
vote of the District Council the District Leader
shall authorize the license.
The church shall provide the certificate of license.
3. The license shall not exceed three years
before renewal is required. The
District Leader shall forward a copy of the license
to the Secretary of the
Board of Directors.
E.
Revocation
An ordination or license may be revoked or canceled by the Board
of
Directors in the event of heresy, immorality, misconduct,
or failure to maintain a
good testimony.
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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 Constitution
and
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 Constitution and Articles
of Faith in its present form
and as it 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.
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 or personal, shall
revert to the Berean
Fundamental Church Council.
D.
Disaffiliation
1. If a church votes to disaffiliate from
the Berean Fundamental Church
Council, as provided in Article V,C, the church may
leave the Berean
Fundamental Church Council with the continued ownership
of its church
property, real and personal.
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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 Berean
Fundamental Church Council.
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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, 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 Council, Inc. supersedes
and replaces all prior constitutions.
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