CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF TRUE NORTH COMMUNITY CHURCH Effective Date July 1, 2017 PREAMBLE We establish this constitution for the preservation and security of the principles of our faith, and so that this body may be governed in an orderly manner. This constitution will preserve the liberties of each individual member of this church and the freedom of action of this body in its relation to other churches.
It is the goal and guiding principles of the members True North Community Church that all decisions made regarding the church are derived from the Holy Spirit and are in line with Jesus being the Head of this church. All mankind has fallen short of the glory of God and as members of mankind we are prone to continue to fall short. With those two statements in consideration, the True North Community Church presents the following Constitution and Bylaws not in an attempt to hinder Jesus in running His church but rather to hinder mankind from getting in the way of His work.
ARTICLE I
NAME This body shall be known as TRUE NORTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF PETOSKEY (formerly AGAPE BAPTIST CHURCH OF PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN). The church is located in Petoskey, Michigan. The primary offices will be located at 3003 East Mitchell Rd, Petoskey, MI 49770.
ARTICLE II
MISSION STATEMENT Engage the lost, build up the convert and send out the believer.
ARTICLE III
OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT True North Community Church exists to obey God, expand the Kingdom, and change lives.
In obedience to God, as a Christ-centered body of believers, we commit to the presentation of the Gospel of Christ to the Northern Michigan Community in a way which is understandable, relevant and relational. As the Word of the Lord brings forth converts, a vibrant, missional and engaged community emerges. This community is realized as believers choosing to live out their lives together for the Glory and Purposes of God.
Five primary strategies are central to our success:
We exist to Change Lives: Evangelism is the communication of God’s Word to a lost world. The Bible declares that God is not willing for anyone to perish and that God’s desire is for His house to be full. The Bible places the responsibility of evangelism on the church. “His intent was that through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known.” (Ephesians 3:10, II Peter 3:9)
We exist for Discipleship: Discipleship is the education of God’s people in God’s Word. Discipleship brings about fulfillment and maturity in the church. “Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.” (Hebrews 6:1)
We exist for Service: Ministry is the “hands on” demonstration of Christianity to one another and to the community we serve. God has put a high priority on ministry. The Bible says, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples -- that you have love for one another,” (John 13:35)
We exist for Celebration: Celebration occurs every time we enter the presence of God. Scripture call this worship, and there are many expressions of worship including: singing, commitment, praying, hearing the Word of God, giving, baptism, meditating, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 4:10, John 4:23-24)
We exist for Prayer: The first thing the early church did when they assembled was pray together. Prayer is the fuel that drives the ambitious priorities of the church, and the spiritual power that changes the world. Christ demonstrated the power of prayer by making it a priority of His earthly ministry. If the Church is going to be effective, it must pray. (Acts 1:14, John 17, I Peter 5:7)
ARTICLE IV
STATEMENT OF FAITH The Holy Bible, the inspired word of God, is the basis for any statement of faith. These are the core beliefs of the membership of True North Community Church. This Statement of Faith is in harmony with the Baptist Faith and Message of 2000.
About God, God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal, co-eternal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1,26, 27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2)
About Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Son of God. He is fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory, and is coming again soon as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to redeem His bride, the church. (Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6: 14,15; Titus 2:13)
About the Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with the power for living, enables understanding of Biblical truth, and guides the Christian in righteous living. He provides every Christian with spiritual gifts for service at the moment of salvation. We seek to live under His control daily. (2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, 14: 16-17; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18)
About the Bible, The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors who were under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. The 66 canonical books, as they were originally written, are inspired by God, and are the truth without any mixture of error. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1: 20-21, 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:150, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
About Human Beings, People are the supreme object of God’s creation, created in the image of God. Although every person has potential for good, all of us are marred by our own attitudes and acts of disobedience against God, called “sin”. By one man (Adam), sin entered into the world, and death passed upon all men, for all have sinned. This separates people from God and causes spiritual death along with many other problems in life. (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:3-6, 51: 1-8, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Isaiah 59:1-2)
About Salvation, Salvation is by grace through faith and is God’s free gift to us. But we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or by good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offering for forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9, John 14:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26, Romans 5:1)
About Eternal Security, Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. The believer cannot lose his or her salvation. Salvation is sustained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. (John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
About Eternity, Heaven is a literal place where God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. Believers will live forever in God’s presence. We also believe in a literal hell, which is a place of physical and spiritual torment, experienced as a result of eternal separation from God. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (John 3:16; John 14:7; Romans 6:23; Romans 8: 17-18; Revelation 20:15, l Thessalonians 4: 16-17)
About the Church, We believe that the true Church is composed of all who have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We also believe members of the true Church, which is the bride of Christ, are eligible for membership in the local church. God primarily ministers on earth through the local church. Christ alone -- not any person, group, or religious organization -- is the head of the true Church and the local church. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe that the local church should be independent, self-governing, and free from any denominational control. (Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 12: 12-14; Hebrews 10:25; Colossians 1:18)
About the Christian Home, We believe that God has given parents the responsibility to bring their children up in the nurture and discipline of the Lord. We believe that it is the parents’ responsibility to educate and disciple their children in the truth of God. We believe that the church must work to complement the parents’ efforts and facilitate Godly living within the home. (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Joshua 24:15)
About Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, Jesus instructed His disciples to remember His death and resurrection. He gave the Church two visible symbols (called “ordinances”) as reminders. These two ordinances are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. While we respect all acts of spiritual obedience, the Bible teaches that Baptism is to be done by immersion, following salvation, as a one-time act of obedience and identification with Jesus Christ as Lord. The Lord’s Supper is an ongoing symbol remembering our Lord’s death, burial, resurrection and promised return. Each individual must decide their own participation in these ordinances. Regardless, we do not regard anyone’s participation in these practices as a means of salvation. (Matthew 28:18-20, 26:26-29; I Corinthians 11:23-32, Colossians 2:12)
About the Christian Life, We believe that God calls us with a holy calling -- to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. God wants us to live in the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, so we will not fulfill the lusts of our physical bodies. We believe that the fallen, Adamic nature of the flesh cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, keeping ourselves constantly in subjection to Christ, we must allow God’s Holy Spirit to live through us in a daily “walk” of faith. Otherwise, the flesh will certainly demonstrate its presence in our lives, to the Lord’s dishonor. It is the responsibility and privilege of every Christian to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek and to make growing disciples. (Leviticus 26:30, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 5:18, 1 Peter 3:15, Galatians 5:16)
ARTICLE V
MEMBERSHIP COVENANT As a member of True North Community Church, having made profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and been scripturally baptized, I do covenant before God as I am enabled by His Holy Spirit to:
Live my life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area.
Accept the Word of God as my authority for faith and everyday living.
Follow and be equipped for service by the church leadership as they are led by the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the Word of God,
Maintain the unity of the Body by acting in love toward other members and finding my place of service within this part of the Body of Christ.
ARTICLE VI
POLITY AND RELATIONSHIPS The government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose it. All internal groups created by and empowered by the church shall report to and be held accountable to the church membership unless specific action is taken by church membership as outlined in the bylaws.
ARTICLE VII
AFFILIATION True North Community Church is autonomous and maintains the right to govern its own affairs, independent of any denominational control. However, the Bible teaches that local churches should seek voluntary fellowship with other doctrinally sound churches. This association is to provide help and encouragement while working together as the Lord directs. This is a voluntary association that in no way involves the surrender of the individual church’s freedom or dependence on God.
True North Community Church has chosen to affiliate itself with the Southern Baptist Convention through the Northwest Baptist Association and the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. We continue this relationship, believing that it is God’s will to do so. Fundamental to this affiliation is the understanding that the Southern Baptist Convention is a fellowship of autonomous, biblically sound churches that choose to work together to further God’s Kingdom. Voluntary contributions to local, state, national, and international mission projects maintain this affiliation. Support may also be provided by sending messengers to the associational, state, and annual convention for voting on doctrinal, ethical, and procedural positions. (Acts 15:2; 21:17-18; III John 10; Philippians 4:15, 18; I John 1:3; Ephesians 4:3-6)
ARTICLE VIII
CONDUCTING CHURCH AFFAIRS The conduct of the affairs of True North Community Church not addressed in the Articles of Incorporation or this Constitution will be outlined in the bylaws of True North Community Church. These bylaws define the church's organizational structure, the rights of members in the structure, and the procedures by which these rights may be exercised.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION This Constitution or any of its provisions may be altered, amended, or repealed, and a new constitution may be adopted at any time with an affirmation of change, as reflected by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at any special or regular business meeting at which a quorum is present, all as further defined in the bylaws of True North Community Church.
True North Community Church Bylaws
ARTICLE I: CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. General This is an autonomous Baptist church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the right of exclusive self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church.
Definitions:
The church is a body of Believers of Jesus Christ who have covenanted to live out their lives together in obedience to the leadership of Jesus Christ. Together they:
Regularly assemble in order to profess and give evidence that they have been saved by God's grace alone, for His glory alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone;
Agree to commit themselves to Christ and to commit to each other as a local, living, and loving group; and
Seek to bring glory to God and to fulfill His purposes in this world. (Ephesians 3:10).
Church membership signifies all the following:
True North Community Church’s corporate endorsement of a person’s salvation, witnessing to the fact that the new member increasingly displays the fruits and characteristics of a genuine Christian;
Commitment of the individual member to building up and supporting one another in the church in mutual love and discipleship; and
Commitment of the individual and the group to fulfill, regularly, their responsibility to be involved in each other’s lives for the purposes of sharing the gospel.
Responsibilities of active church members include:
To continually grow in the knowledge of God, in godly relationships, and in obedient service;
To explore how God has uniquely equipped the member for ministries and for joining in the work of spreading Christ’s Gospel;
To regularly attend worship and other assemblies of the church;
To support the ministries of the church;
To praying regularly; and
To participate in the business of the church.
Membership in this church shall consist of all persons who have met the requirements for membership, as provided in Article I, Section 2, been approved by the congregation, and are listed on the membership roll.
Section 2. Candidacy All persons offering themselves for membership shall be required to complete a New Member Class. A person may offer himself as a candidate for membership in this church by any of the bases listed below:
By profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and Scriptural baptism, or
By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church of like faith and practice and previous scriptural baptism from another like faith congregation, or
By statement of prior conversion experience and Scriptural baptism, or
For Scriptural baptism from another denomination, or
By restoration as provided in Article I, Section 6.
A three-fourths vote of those church members present and voting shall be required to elect such candidates to membership. Membership election shall occur before the congregation at any worship service. Any dissent shall be resolved according to Article I, Section 6 of these bylaws.
Section 3. Responsibilities of Members In order to be a responsible member True North Community Church, members must:
Be in basic agreement with the church’s statement of faith and purpose.
Discover, develop and deploy their spiritual gifts in the ministries of the church.
Be diligent to live according to the statements of the church covenant.
Be faithful in attendance to worship services and Bible study.
Become a student of the Word of God and of prayer.
Make a commitment to personal evangelism and discipleship.
Encourage scriptural stewardship of time, talents, and tithes, and offerings.
Section 4. Voting Responsibilities of Members Only active members of the church body (formerly known as Agape Baptist Church of Petoskey, michigan and now known as True North Community Church OF PETOSKEY) are entitled to vote on questions submitted to the church in conference. An inactive member is defined as a member whose predominant attendance is at another church, or a member who has not attended the church in twelve months with exceptions available through approval of pastors. Members must be present to vote. Any questions of eligibility will be referred to the church clerk.
Section 5. Inactive Membership and Membership Termination Membership shall be moved to the inactive member list which has a non-voting status if they are absent from attendance for a period greater than one year. Exceptions are available via approval through the Pastoral staff. Membership shall be terminated by any of the following ways:
By death.
By dismissal to another Baptist church.
By disciplinary action of this church as provided in Article I, Section 6.
By joining with a church of another denomination.
By personal request for name to be removed from church membership.
By remaining on the inactive member list for a period of 3 years.
As the result of an administrative audit of the membership rolls. This audit shall be conducted within 6 months of the ratification and acceptance of these bylaws and periodically at least once every seven years. The audit shall be initiated at the request of the Senior Pastor and shall be accepted for action after approval by the Church counsel.
Note: Letters of dismissal shall be granted only to other churches of like faith and order and not to individual members requesting termination of membership.
Section 6. Discipline It shall be the basic purpose of True North Community Church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The senior pastor, other members of the church staff, and deacons are available for counsel and guidance. Reconciliation rather than punishment should be the guideline that governs the attitude of one member toward another.
Should some serious condition exist which would cause a member to become a liability to the general welfare of the church, every reasonable measure will be taken by senior pastor and by the deacons to resolve the problem in accordance with Matthew 18:15-35, I Corinthians 5:1-13, II Corinthians 2:1-11.
All such proceedings shall be pervaded by a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance. If it is determined that the welfare of the church will best be served by the exclusion of the member, the church may take this action by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a meeting called for this purpose; and the church may proceed to declare the offender to be no longer in the membership of the church.
Any person whose membership has been terminated for any condition which has made it necessary for the church to exclude him may, upon his request and upon evidence of his repentance and reformation, be restored to membership by the recommendation of pastor and deacons and an affirming vote of the church.
Article II: Church Officers and Ministry Teams
Section 1. Senior Pastor The senior pastor is responsible for leading the church to function as a New Testament church. The senior pastor is the under-shepherd of the church in divine worship, aggressive evangelism, deliberate discipleship, and compassionate ministry. As such, he will lead the congregation, the organizations, and the pastoral staff to perform their tasks. The senior pastor has the sole authority to determine what he preaches, how he preaches and the pastoral counseling philosophy he adopts. He can also sit in on any deacon, trustee or ministry meeting as either an observer or a voting participant. The Senior Pastor is accountable to the trustees for matters concerning church finances. He is accountable to the congregation for the overall welfare of the church. The senior pastor is ultimately accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ in all things.
Section 1.a Senior Pastor Search Upon the death, Incapacitation, retirement, resignation or dismissal of the senior pastor, a new senior pastor shall be called according to the process as outlined below.
In the pursuit of a new senior pastor, the congregation shall select a Pastor Search Team to seek out a pastor, and its recommendation will constitute a nomination. The affirmation of the new senior pastor shall be at a duly called meeting in accordance with Article III, Section 2 and 3. The Pastor Search Team shall bring to the consideration of the church only one name at a time.
Election shall be confirmed with an affirmative vote of eighty-five percent (85%) of those members present being necessary for a call. After consideration of this vote the Pastor Search Team shall proceed with the call of the senior pastor. The senior pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request or the church’s dismissal action as provided herein.
Section 1.b Senior Pastor Dismissal The church may declare the office of senior pastor vacant. Such action shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which the membership has been given two weeks written notice.
A vice-moderator shall preside at the meeting. The vote to declare the office vacant shall be by secret ballot. A quorum of at least 51% of the church membership eligible to vote as provided in Article 1, Section 4, must be present in order to declare the office of the senior pastor vacant. An affirmative vote of eighty-five percent (85%) of the members present shall be necessary to declare the office vacant. If the membership votes the office vacant, the termination of pastoral duties shall be effective immediately upon publication of the results of the vote. The leadership of the church council will determine a fair separation package; in rare cases will less than 30 days salary be honored. If the affirmative does not prevail, the same question cannot be presented to the church until the lapse of at least three (3) months from the date of the vote.
Any written agreements entered into between the church and pastor shall be honored by the church regardless of the nature of the termination of the relationship.
The senior pastor shall give at least two (2) weeks’ notice at the time of resignation before terminating his responsibilities as pastor. Upon the resignation of the senior pastor, a new senior pastor shall be called according to the process as outlined on Article II Section 1.a.
Section 2. Church Staff The church staff shall include both pastoral staff and non-pastoral staff members.
Section 2.a. Pastoral Staff (Associate Pastors) All pastoral staff members shall be recommended to the church by the senior pastor and employed by a vote of the membership. All pastoral staff members will be directly responsible to the senior pastor. All pastoral staff members are considered associate pastors.
At the time of resignation of an associate pastor, at least two (2) weeks’ notice shall be given to the church.
The church may terminate a pastoral staff member by majority vote upon the recommendation of the Senior Pastor. The termination of the duties shall be effective immediately upon publication of the outcome of the vote. Compensation shall continue for thirty (30) days after written notice is given to the pastoral staff member at which time termination shall be complete.
Section 2.b. Non-Pastoral Staff The senior pastor and the Board of Trustees shall have the authority to employ and terminate approved and budgeted non-pastoral staff members. Such employment and termination of services shall be with the recommendation of the immediate supervising staff member and, as appropriate, with consultation of related teams of the church.
Section 3. Deacon Ministry Fellowship In accordance with the meaning of the work and the practice of the New Testament, deacons are to be servants of the church. The task of the deacon is to serve with the pastor and staff in performing ministry tasks and to support the proclamation of the gospel to unbelievers by care for church members and other persons in the community.
Deacons may be nominated for candidacy by the senior pastor or the church council and may serve provisionally while completing the deacon training program. Upon completion of training, the candidate will be confirmed by the congregation for a designated term of service.
DEACON QUALIFICATIONS Each deacon must:
Be born again of the Spirit of God and be willing to give and live their Christian testimony before the church membership and the world.
Believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God, and subscribe to the Articles of Faith of True North Community Church.
Believe that it is every Christian’s responsibility to be a personal soul winner and to lead the church in outreach visitation.
Believe that it is the obligation of every Christian to obey the Great Commission as found in Matthew 28: 19-20.
Not have any serious domestic troubles. A deacon must know how to lead in their own home well before becoming a leader in their church.
Know how to hold their tongue against spreading gossip or talking critically about others
Handle their own business affairs in a way that is above reproach, possessing a good name among the people of their community.
Have a teachable spirit to learn and apply the Scriptures to their life.
Be an active peacemaker, seeking to put down murmuring and complaining as they would smother a fire: facing disturbances frankly, dealing with disputes fairly and standing loyally with the majority of the church in their decisions.
Be willing to serve when service is needed, to the best of their ability. They should be willing to work at an assigned task conscientiously, and, if unable to carry out the assignment, will so indicate and resign the responsibility. And, will resign from their position if they cannot or will not carry out their responsibilities as an elected deacon.
Attend the services of their church, supporting the local church body with their good will, presence, prayers and contributions.
Be an active member of True North Community Church; a mature follower of Christ.
Have been a member of True North Community Church for at least one year. This condition is waived at the adoption of this constitution and under certain special circumstances with the approval of the Senior Pastor.
Section 4. Moderator The moderator shall be the senior pastor. In the absence of the senior pastor, any member of the pastoral Staff or a deacon chosen by the senior pastor shall serve. If there is a vacancy in the position of senior pastor, then the senior member of the pastoral staff shall serve as the moderator. In the case that there is neither a Senior Pastor nor member of the pastoral staff then the chairmen of the fellowship of deacons will serve as moderator.
Section 5. Clerk The church shall elect a clerk by ballot annually. A nominating team will present qualified names for consideration at the annual meeting.
Section 6. Treasurer The church shall elect a church treasurer by ballot every three years. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to have the oversight responsibilities to receive, preserve, and pay out, upon receipt of vouchers, approved and signed by authorized personnel, monies, or things of value paid or given to the church, keeping at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.
The treasurer shall make available such records as deemed necessary by the Finance Team, to provide for an annual certified audit.
A nominating team will produce qualified names for consideration at the annual meeting.
Section 7. Trustees At least three trustees, one-third(1/3) of whom shall be elected by the church annually to serve for three years, and, until their successors shall be appointed, will hold in trust the property of the church. They shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any real property valued at more than $10,000 without a specific vote of the church authorizing each action. It shall be the function of the trustees to affix their signatures to legal documents involving the sale, mortgaging, purchase or rental of property or other legal documents where the signatures of trustees are required. The trustees will serve as the officers of the corporation.
Should a trustee be unable to complete the term of office, a successor will be appointed to serve the remainder of the term. Should the remaining term be less than one year, the successor will be eligible for appointment for an additional term of office. Should the remaining term be greater than one year, the successor may not be elected to a successive term.
Only one active deacon may serve as a trustee. A pastor shall not serve as trustee.
The nominating team will provide qualified names for church consideration at the annual meeting. The senior pastor in cooperation with the pastoral staff and with the advisement of the fellowship of deacons will appoint a replacement in the case of an unexpected vacancy.
Section 8. Church Ministry Teams Church Ministry teams shall be formed to accomplish specific tasks and purposes of the True North Community Church. The ministry team has the freedom to self-organize in a manner which will most likely support the success of their specified tasks or purposes. Ultimately a Church Ministry Team functions under the guidance and leadership of the Pastoral Staff in order to work within the overall strategy of the Church. The leader of a ministry team may be identified as a team leader or as a minister. The title “minister” in this case is an administrative honorific and does not signify the licensing or ordination of the individual by this congregation.
A Church Ministry team may be dissolved in any of the following circumstances:
Forming task or purpose is completed.
Senior pastor decides to disband ministry team because:
resources need to be prioritized elsewhere, or
strategically the ministry is not accomplishing the tasks and purposes of the ministry, or
Another ministry team may better fulfill the mission.
The congregation may dissolve a ministry by vote in a church conference to no longer support the ministry.
The ministry team chooses to dissolve.
There are no longer enough ministry team members available to conduct the ministry.
.
Section 9. Church Council The primary function of the church council is to advise the senior pastor and church staff. They may suggest church goals and objectives; review and coordinate program plans recommended by the church pastoral and administrative staff, church officers, organizations, and teams; maintain the church calendar; evaluate programs achievements in terms of church goals and objectives; communicate the above to the membership; and make certain that the constitution and bylaws are followed.
The church council will designate a regular meeting time no less than twice a calendar year. The following, shall be members of the church council: the senior pastor and all associate pastors, the ministerial and pastoral staff, at least one representative from the deacon ministry for every fifty active church members, the Treasurer, and the Clerk.
Other members may be added by the selection of the Senior Pastor and the confirmation of a majority of church council members. Any team leader, or their designated representative, may attend a church council meeting at any time. The senior pastor, or his designated representative, will serve as the chairman of the church council.
The church council will review all recommendations of the church proposed by any team or any group having representation on the church council. An evaluation of the recommendations in terms of church goals and objectives will be made. The church council will also be available to perform this function for any individual, group, or the entire church body upon request.
An annual report shall be given by the church council to the church in conference during the first quarter of the calendar year. This report shall include a statement of church goals and objectives, an evaluation of program achievements in terms of church goals and objectives, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the constitution and bylaws, and recommendations for changes in church programs and organization which will move the church toward the recommended church goals and objectives.
Section 10. Officers of the Corporation Because True North Community Church is formed as a corporation in the state of Michigan, officers of the corporation are required. The office positions will be filled in the following ways. The President is the senior pastor; The Vice-President is an appointed member of the board of trustees; the Secretary is the clerk; the Treasurer is the treasurer; and the directors are the elected trustees.
Article III: Church Meetings
Section 1. Worship Services The church shall meet regularly at least each Sunday morning, for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of Almighty God.
Section 2. Church Conference Any other church meetings, which will be essential in the promotion of the objectives of the church, shall be placed on the church calendar. These meetings will be open for the entire membership of the church and for all people The business of the church shall be conducted through two types of meetings:
The Annual Church Conference The church will assemble each year on or about two months prior to the end of the fiscal year to approve the budget for the coming year, hear reports from any teams, organizations and ministries of the church, conduct miscellaneous business as needed, and pray for the church.
Special Church Conference The church will assemble for conference upon the request of the senior pastor, fellowship of deacons, or the church council. Any church member may submit a request to the church council for a special conference.
Special church conference will be announced two weeks prior to the date of the conference through the service announcements and any publication mailed to members. On rare occasion an emergency may arise making the two-week notice impractical.
Section 3. Quorum The quorum consists of those who attend the church conference, provided it is a calendared meeting or one that has been properly called.
The only exceptions would be in the event: • Action was being proposed to declare the office of senior pastor vacant as provided in Article II. Section 1.b., thereby requiring a quorum as denoted in Article II, Section 1.b., or • Action was being proposed to fill the office of senior pastor as provided in Article II, Section 1.a. This requires a quorum of not less than ten per cent (10%) of the total membership eligible for voting as provide in Article I, Section 4.
Section 4. Parliamentary Rules Roberts’ Rules of Order, Revised, is the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all church conferences. The moderator shall select a parliamentarian.
Section 5. Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the church shall begin on October l and end on September 30 of the following calendar year.
Article IV: Ordinances Section 1. Baptism A person who receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by personal faith, who professes Him publicly at any worship service, and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Lord shall be received for baptism. • Baptism shall be by immersion in water. • Baptism shall be administered by the pastor or any active baptized member in good standing to whom the Pastor delegates this ordinance. • Baptism shall be administered as an act of worship during any service, regular or specially called for this purpose.
Section 2. The Lord’s Supper The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers of the true Church, through partaking of the bread and fruit of the vine, commemorate the death of Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming. • The Lord’s Supper shall be observed at least quarterly. The Lord’s Supper shall be observed in the Sunday morning or any other service deemed appropriate. • The pastor and deacons shall be responsible for the administration of the Lord’s Supper. • The deacons shall be responsible for the physical preparations of the Lord’s Supper.
Article V. Designated Funds
All donations accepted by the church will be allocated to the general fund unless it is designated to an established designated fund. Procedures for establishing designated funds will be published by the finance team.
Article VI. Amendments
It is the responsibility of the senior pastor, staff and church council to review the constitution and bylaws, proposing any revisions or adjustments necessary to maintain their effectiveness, and to bring these changes to the church in church conference.
New bylaws may be adopted or these bylaws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast at a meeting called for such purpose.
The church membership shall be given two weeks advance notice of the time of such meeting. Further, a copy of the proposed changes shall be made available to members at two consecutive weeks of Sunday morning worship services in advance of the meeting.