Calvary Baptist Church

Durant, Oklahoma

 

CONSTITUTION

 

 

PREAMBLE

 

This document declares the establishment of Calvary Baptist Church. The church is authorized under warrant of the Holy Scriptures and is incorporated under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Oklahoma. It shall have no capital stock and is not organized for material or monetary gain. The principle place of ministry shall be located at 715 West Louisiana, Durant, Oklahoma. The Church has an official corporate seal bearing the words "Calvary Baptist Church, Durant, Oklahoma" around its circumference. Calvary Baptist Church proclaims that in its original autographs the Holy Bible is truth without any mixture of error. The Church has Jesus Christ as its head, the Holy Spirit as its guide, and is not subject to the control of any other ecclesiastical body.

 

 

ARTICLE I - PURPOSE

 

United by the Grace of God in Christian experience, we the members of Calvary Baptist Church proclaim our adherence to the doctrine and teachings of the Holy Bible and agree that it shall be our sole rule of faith and practice. We state our purpose to be:

 

Section A. To worship God and practice the Christian ordinance of the Lord's Supper and Baptism by immersion.

 

Section B. To study the Holy Bible in order to learn God's precepts and to follow those precepts in our lives.

 

Section C. To promote Christian growth, discipleship, and fellowship for all our members.

 

Section D. To proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

 

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

 

The membership of this Church shall consist of individuals who confess Jesus Christ to be their Savior and Lord, who have been accepted by majority vote of the Church, and who have followed the Lord in baptism by the authority of this Church or a Baptist church of like faith and order consistent with the teachings of the Holy Scripture concerning baptism.

 

 

ARTICLE III - POLITY

 

Section A. The government of the Church is vested solely in the congregational body of its members. All Church authorities and/or privileges are derived from the congregational body and shall be in accord with the will of the Church as expressed by vote thereof. In no event shall any action of the Church be construed as irrevocably vesting power or authority in any individual, committee, or organization other than the congregational body. The Church shall have sole right to determine qualifications for membership and to discipline its members.

 

Section B. All members of the Church shall enjoy equally the privileges of voting.

 

ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATION

 

Section A. The officers of this Church shall be the Pastor, all others called by the Church to an office of ministry, the Deacons, the Church Clerk, and the Trustees.

 

Section B. All officers shall be members of this Church and shall be elected by and accountable only to the Church.

 

Section C. The Church shall elect Trustees annually whose number, manner of election, terms of office, and duties shall be determined by the Church.

 

Section D. The Church Council of this Church shall be chaired by the Pastor and composed of all others called by the Church to an office of ministry, Chairman of the Deacons, Sunday School Director, Brotherhood Director, Women's Missionary Union (WMU) Director, the Church Treasurer, and the Church Clerk.

 

Section E. Committees. Certain special functions shall be performed through standing or ad hoc committees, each with defined duties, terms of office, and authority as the Church may direct.

 

 

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

 

Section A. The meetings of the Church shall be as follows:

1. Services of worship shall be held each Sunday, both morning and evening;

2. Mid-week services shall be held on Wednesday evening of each week;

3. Christian education activities;

4. Special event services or activities as the Church may direct; and,

5. Business meetings.

 

Section B. All meetings of the Calvary Baptist Church organization are open to all members and non-members alike. Only members shall have the privilege of voting in matters of business conducted by the Church. The church reserves the right to remove those seemed disruptive from any meeting.

 

 

ARTICLE VI - FISCAL POLICY

 

Section A. Finances. The financial needs of the Church, organizations, and causes fostered by it shall be supported by voluntary, free gifts that shall be paid into and disbursed from the Church treasury.

 

1.     The Church believes that all Christians have a responsibility of Christian stewardship and that it is obligated by Scripture to teach and encourage its members to practice scriptural tithing.

 

2.     The Church shall operate on a budget determined and adopted annually by the Church. Proposals for raising designated funds must be recommended by the Church Council and authorized by the Church.

3.     The budget shall be the limitation and authority for the disbursement of funds. A monthly statement of income and disbursement will be made in writing to the Church.

 

4.     A financial audit shall be conducted at least every two years and a report provided to the members.

 

5.     All monetary or non-monetary gifts offered for non-budgeted purposes designated by the donor must have Church approval before acceptance.

 

6.     All contributions given to this Church will be used exclusively for charitable purposes in accordance with laws governing a tax-exempt organization, organized under the provisions of Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Church reserves the right to distribute all funds contributed to the area of greatest need.

 

Section B. Property. All property, both real and personal, all monies, and all equities shall be held and controlled by the Church.

 

Section C. Obligations. No debt, commitment, or other obligation shall be created except by specific authority and vote of the Church.

 

Section D. Fiscal Year. The Church year shall be, for fiscal purposes only, from January 1 through December 31.

 

 

ARTICLE VII - ORDINANCES

 

Section A. The ordinances of the Church, as set forth in the Holy Scriptures, are Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

 

Section B. The ordinance of Baptism shall be by immersion of the professed believer and shall be administered on authority of an in the presence of the Church.

 

Section C. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper shall be observed regularly with such frequency, as the Church shall determine. Any person who accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord, and who has been baptized by immersion will be invited to share in the Lord's Supper.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII - LICENSING, ORDAINING, AND COMMISSIONING

 

Section A. Licensing. Any member of the Church who by his piety, zeal, experience, and aptness to teach, gives evidence that he is called of God to the work of the ministry, may, by a vote of a majority of the members present and voting at any business meeting, be licensed by the Church to the Christian ministry.

 

Section B. Ordination of Ministers. When a Church of like faith and order or this Church shall have called as a minister a member of this Church, and shall request in writing that he be ordained, this Church shall consider such request. If the Church by a vote of the majority of the members present and voting at a business meeting, approve the request, then it shall authorize and direct the Pastor to assemble an Ordaining Council of ordained Ministers of the Gospel and Deacons of like faith and order, who shall examine the candidate and if he is qualified, perform the ceremony of ordination in the name, and in the presence, of the Church.

 

 

 

Section C. Ordination of Deacons. The Church shall nominate a member, or members, as prospective deacons to serve for a probationary period with the number nominated to be determined by the Pastor and Deacon body based on the needs of the Church. During this probationary period, the prospective deacons shall receive training by the Pastor and the Deacon body regarding the duties and responsibilities of being a deacon. At the close of this period, the Deacon body may recommend the prospects to the Church for ordination based on the scriptural qualifications set forth in 1Timothy 3:8-13. If the Church by a vote of the majority of the members present and voting at a business meeting, approves the recommendation, then it shall authorize and direct the Pastor to assemble an Ordaining Council of ordained Ministers of the Gospel and Deacons of like faith and order. The Ordaining Council shall examine the candidate and if he is qualified, perform the ceremony of ordination in the name, and in the presence, of the Church.

 

Section D. Commissioning to Christian Service. If the Church, at a business meeting shall nominate a member, or members, to be commissioned for Christian Service, which does not require licensing or ordination, it shall authorize and direct the Pastor to assemble a Commissioning Council of Church Members. The Commissioning Council shall examine the candidate(s) and if the candidate(s) is/are found qualified, perform the commissioning ceremony in the name, and in the presence, of the Church.

 

 

ARTICLE IV - COOPERATION

 

Section A. This Church shall cooperate with other Baptist Churches of like faith and order through conventions, associations, and the like, organized for, and devoted to, the propagation of the Gospel, religious education, healing of the sick, benevolence, and other Christian efforts. Activities of cooperation shall be manifested by:

 

1.     Contribution of money through the regular treasuries of such organizations or directly to the causes fostered by them.

 

2.     Electing and sending Messengers to participate in their deliberations.

 

3.     Services of the Church staff or members, when invited to do so, as participants of boards, committees, and the like.

 

4.     Adopting at a business meeting, if the Church deems proper, such recommendations or actions as may have been made or taken by the convention, association, or like organization.

 

5.     The Church shall have no obligation to accept the decision of any organization with which it cooperates.

 

 

ARTICLE X - APPLICATION AND INTERPRETATION

 

Section A. Constitution. This Constitution shall have precedence in the governance of this Church, over all By-Laws, or Rules within or without the Church.

 

Section B. By-Laws. The Church shall adopt By-Laws to give practical effect to this Constitution, which shall be in every particular subject to and in harmony with the letter and intent of this Constitution.

 

Section C. Interpretation. Interpretation of the meaning and intent of this Constitution and of the By-Laws shall be the responsibility of the Church Council. Any member dissatisfied with such interpretations; however, shall have the right of appeal to the Church in business meeting and the decision there reached shall be final and binding.

 

 

ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS

 

Section A. This Constitution, adopted by the Church in regular business meeting held November 15, 2000, shall supersede all prior resolutions, precedents, and actions of the Church not in harmony with its provisions.

 

Section B. Amendments to the Constitution. This Constitution may be amended by a vote of three-fourths of the members present and voting at a business meeting, provided the amendment shall have been offered in writing at a previous business meeting, and not less than sixty days and three readings of the amendment at business meetings shall have transpired before final consideration.

 

Section C. Amendments to the By-Laws. The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting at any business meeting, providing the amendment shall have been offered in writing at thirty days prior to the voting and a date of consideration announced at the time of offering.

 

Section D. Two complete official copies of the Constitution and By-Laws together with all amendments thereto, shall be kept, the one by the Clerk, and the other in the Church Office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastor Chairman of the Deacons

 

 

 

Church Clerk