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Article I: Article II: Article III: Article IV: Article V: Article VI: Article VII: Article VIII: Article IX: |
Article X: Article XI: Article XII: Article XIII: Article XIV: Article XV: Article XVI: Article XVII: Article XVIII: |
PREAMBLE Receiving by faith the Lord Jesus Christ and relying wholly on Him for salvation, believing the Bible to be the divinely inspired, plenary, infallible, and authoritative Word of God; accepting Biblical Baptistic principles; and knowing that all things should be done decently and in order; we do voluntarily band ourselves together as a body of immersed believers and adopt this constitution as a declaration of our faith and practice.
1. I will protect the unity of my church By acting in love toward other members By refusing to gossip By following the spiritual leadership Romans 14:19; Romans 15:5, I Peter 2:22; Ephesians 4:29; Hebrews 13:17 2. I will share the responsibility of my church By praying for its growth By inviting the unchurched to attend By warmly welcoming those who visit I Thessalonians 1:2; Luke 14:23; Romans 15:7 3. I will serve in the ministry of my church By discovering my gifts and talents By being equipped to serve the Lord By developing a servant’s heart I Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:11,12; Philippians 2:3-7 4. I will support the testimony of my church By attending faithfully By living a godly life By giving regularly Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 1:27; I Corinthians 16:2; Leviticus 27:30 We engage, therefore, as the Holy Spirit directs us, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines, to contribute regularly and cheerfully to support this ministry, the church expenses, the missionary work, and the relief of the poor. We also seek to maintain family and secret devotions; to spiritually train our children; to seek salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings; faithful in our engagements; and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling and backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and/or use of intoxicating drink as a beverage, and from the sale and/or use of non-prescribed drugs; and to zealously promote the cause of Christ in every aspect of our lives. We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love, to remember each other in prayer, to aid one another in sickness and distress, to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
Section 2. Doctrine of God: A. God the Father: We believe that God the Father is Father only to those who receive Jesus Christ as Savior, that He is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from Hell all who come to Him by faith through Jesus Christ. John 17:11; I John 3:2; Matthew 6:26,28-30; Romans 5:8; I Timothy 2:5; John 14:6. B. God the Son: We believe in the absolute Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His eternal existence as God, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, His incarnation by the virgin birth, His sinlessness, His vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross, His literal bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension, His present high-priestly ministry in Heaven for believers, and His personal, visible return to the earth. I John 5:20; John 1:18; Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; I Peter 2:22; Romans 3:25; Acts 10:40,41; Acts 1:9, Luke 24:51; Hebrews 8:1,2; I John 2:1; I Thessalonians 4:16. C. God the Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and Son, that He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. He bears witness to the truth. He is the agent of the New Birth. He baptizes all true believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sanctifying all of them, sealing and thus securing them unto the day of redemption. He endues. guides, teaches and strengthens believers. It is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit, the evidence being love, joy, peace, and soul-sinning power, and not in the speaking of tongues. Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:26; John 16:7-13; Acts 1:5,8; Ephesians 1:13,14; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18; I John 2:20,27. Section 3. Doctrine of Creation: Section 4. Doctrine of Man: Section 5. Doctrine of Sin: Section 6. Doctrine of Salvation: A. Regeneration: We believe that a man is born again instantaneously at salvation; that the one dead in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature, and receives eternal life; and the person becomes a new creature and Son of God. Ezekiel 11:19,20; John 3:7; Titus 3:5. B. Sanctification: We believe Sanctification is the process whereby a believer becomes more like Christ as he submits himself to the power of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 1:2; I Corinthians 6:11; I Thessalonians 3:12,13; I Thessalonians 4:1-12; II Peter 3:18. C. Glorification: We believe this is the final, eternal, incorruptible state of the redeemed, and it will occur when Christ comes for the Church, at which time we will be like Christ when we see Him. I Corinthians 15:51-54; I John 3:2.D. Two Natures: We believe every saved person possesses two natures; the sinful nature received at birth, and the holy, righteous nature received at the time of the new birth. The new nature will be victorious when we yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Romans 6:13; Romans 8:12,13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:14-16; I John 3:5-9. Section 7. Doctrine of the Church: Section 8. Doctrine of Church Ordinances: A. Baptism: We believe Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that it sets forth in picture the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that it gives outward testimony to what has taken place in the heart of a believer; death to sin and resurrection to walk in newness of life. There is no saving power in baptism but it is an act of public obedience and a prerequisite for local church membership. Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:26-29. B. The Lord’s Supper We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes again; that the elements-bread and grape juice (the fruit of the vine) - are symbols of His broken body and shed blood; and that our observance of it is a pictorial testimony of the believer’s fellowship with the crucified Savior; and that the Lord’s table is open to all regenerated persons after self-examination. Luke 22:14-20; I Corinthians 10:16-21; I Corinthians 11:17,34. Section 9. Doctrine of Satan: Section 10. Doctrine of Spirit Beings: Section 11. Doctrine of Future Events: Section 12. Doctrine of Missions: Section 13. Doctrine of Stewardship: Section 14. Doctrine of Separation: Section 15. Doctrine of the Lord’s Day: ARTICLE V A. By profession of faith in Christ followed by baptism. B. By statement of Christian experience if already a baptized believer. C. By a letter of recommendation from another church which holds to similar faith and practice. D. By restoration, if having been excluded from this church, and upon confession of his/her errors, giving evidence of repentance. Section 2. Dismission of Members: A. By death. B. By letter of recommendation. Such a letter shall be granted by vote of the church in a regular business meeting for any member in good standing to any church of like faith and practice which requests it. C. By erasure in the case of a member who unites with another church to which Heritage Baptist Church cannot grant a letter of recommendation. D. Discipline - Jesus Christ commanded for the church to exercise discipline, including the exclusion from its fellowship of any member who persists in sin and disobedience to God’s Word. Matthew 18:15-20; I Corinthians 5. 1. Grounds - Any member who is an offense to the church and a stumbling block to the ministry, by reason of immoral and unchristian conduct, by consistent breach of his/her covenant vows, or by reason of heretical beliefs, the church may terminate his/her membership. 2. Procedures: a. In all considered cases of church discipline, the pastor and deacons shall exercise every spiritual means of persuasion to draw the errant member back into the fellowship with Christ. Matthew 18:15;16; Galatians 6:1. b. There shall not at any time be an open church trial in the regular church services as this could be a stumbling block to those who know not our Lord Jesus Christ. c. Once a person is discharged, the church shall deal lovingly with him/her and seek to win him/her back into fellowship with Christ and the church. II Thessalonians 3:13,14. E. Inactive Membership. Any member failing to attend one church service or to contribute financially to the church for any six (6) month period shall be placed on the inactive list of member with a loss of voting privileges. The pastor and deacons will counsel with any such member, according to Matthew 18:15-17, and if the situation does not improve, they shall be removed in the next business meeting. This only applies to those members who are not providentially hindered from attending.
A. Sunday services. B. A mid-week prayer and Bible study service. C. Baptismal services, when needed, usually in conjunction with the regular services. D. The Lord’s Supper shall be commemorated on the first Sunday of each month or such times as the pastor and deacons determine. E. Special meetings such as Bible conferences, missionary conferences, evangelistic or revival services, etc. can be held as the pastor is directed of the Lord. Section 2. Business Meetings A. Regular business meetings shall be held as the pastor and deacons see fit. B. Annual business meeting for adopting the church budget shall be held once each year. The church fiscal year shall begin on January 1 and conclude on December 31. C. Moderator - the pastor shall moderate all business meetings. D. Voting - All members will be allowed to vote on any items of business of a minor nature. Only those members 16 years or older may vote on major items of business, such as calling a pastor, dismissal of a member, incurring major indebtedness, disposal of church property or acceptance of the church budget. Section 3. Quorum In all business meetings, twenty percent (20%) of all voting members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 1. Pastor: A. Qualifications - Must be a male called of God to preach, meeting the Scriptural standards as set forth in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. B. Call - If necessary a pulpit committee, composed of deacons, shall recommend a qualified man to the church. After hearing him preach and sufficiently viewing his life, a three-fourths (3/4)-majority vote of the quorum is necessary to call a new pastor. Only one man may be considered at a time. C. Tenure - The pastor shall be elected for no specific term. The church may request his resignation upon three-fourths (3/4) majority vote in a special meeting for that purpose and announced at least two weeks in advance. When the pulpit is vacated, except on moral grounds, the departing pastor is entitled to one month’s pay. D. Responsibility - As under-shepherd responsible to Jesus Christ, the pastor is to preach the Word, administer the ordinances, advance the spiritual life of the church, and oversee all phases of the church work. The pastor is ex-officio member of every committee and organization of the church. The pastor has the right to call the man he feels led of the Lord to hold meetings and fill the pulpit in his absence. Section 2. Staff: The pastor along with the deacons have liberty to fill salaried and unsalaried positions with qualified personnel in areas such as church secretaries, music directors, youth directors, etc. The pastor has responsibility of dismissing staff members who violate expected conduct. Section 3. Deacons: A. Qualifications - Males meeting the qualifications in I Timothy 3:8-13 who have been active members for at least six (6) months. B. Election and Tenure - The pastor and present deacons shall present a list of nominees for the office at the annual business meeting. The vote will be by secret ballot and the term of office last for three (3) years. C. Responsibilities - The deacons assist, help, and advise the pastor in the spiritual interests and advancement of the church, assist in administering church ordinances, examine candidates for membership, labor with wayward members, and involve themselves in the soul-winning activities of the church. Deacons will also serve as the legal trustees of the church. Section 4. Other Officers: The pastor and deacons acting together have the discretionary right to appoint or request the election or hiring of such officers as church clerk, treasurer, financial records secretary, and Sunday School Superintendent, etc. Section 5. Committees: The pastor and deacons acting together have the discretionary right to appoint church members to function on whatever church committees may be deemed necessary.
Section 1. Christian School: In the event Heritage Baptist Church shall have a day school, kindergarten, elementary and high school, it shall be operated as a branch of the overall church program. The school’s board of directors shall be approved by the deacons and the church, and its chairman shall be the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church. Section 2. Other Ministries: Other ministries such as bus ministries, radio or television ministries, etc. shall be added as the Holy Spirit leads. Lay ministries can be established by members of Heritage Baptist Church as God leads and directs them. Every believer is a minister for Jesus Christ. These ministries must maintain doctrinal agreement with the church and be united in purpose with Heritage Baptist Church. (Visitation, Small Group Bible Studies, Children Bible Clubs, Tape Ministry, Hospital Visitation, etc.)
Section 1. Tithes, offerings and love gifts shall be the only plan of finances. Section 2. The church shall not be supported by door-to-door solicitation, bake sales, auctions or bingo. Section 3. Budgets: The annual budget shall be observed for financial allocations. Major changes may be made in advance if approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the congregation at a regular business meeting.
A. All cults - Those which teach contrary to the Scripture and deny the Deity of Christ, the blood and supreme place of Jesus Christ. B. Neo-Orthodoxy C. Neo-Evangelicalism - A spirit of toleration and co-operation with liberalism. D. Liberalism - An outright denial of fundamental Biblical truth. E. Pentecostalism - An emphasis upon healing and tongues speaking. F. Ecumenical Movement - A desire to unite with all denominations and religions.
Section 1. Adoption: Section 2. Amendments:
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