Monitor Bible Church
Constitution
Adopted May 1, 2016 by vote of the church membership
I. Preamble
Grateful to Almighty God for the gift of salvation through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and humbly invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we declare our belief in the need of this fellowship of unqualified loyalty to the Gospel of Christ as revealed in the Word of God. Having established a place of worship in this community and showing our desire to foster unity in our fellowship, we do hereby establish the following Constitution by which we endeavor to function as a New Testament assembly.
II. Name
The name of this assembly shall be “Monitor Bible Church”.
III. Purpose
Monitor Bible Church shall exist as an Oregon nonprofit organization solely for religious purposes. No member shall profit financially from the operation or assets of the church. As a Bible-based congregation, the purpose of this church shall be:
1. To preach the Word of God to mutual edification, instruction and discipline of its members and other believers;
2. To win the unsaved to Christ;
3. To instruct Christians and develop their spiritual lives;
4. To instruct the children in the Scriptures;
5. To strengthen the Christian home;
6. To extend a ministry of the gospel unto all the earth through missionary endeavor.
IV. Association
Monitor Bible Church shall not be affiliated with any denomination or organization other than a current association with Village Missions where Village Missions provides pastoral leadership to the church. This association may be dissolved by a three-fourths majority vote of the church membership.
V. Statement of Faith
• We believe the Bible to be the Word of God, eternal, immutable, verbally inspired, supreme, authoritative, authentic and infallible in the original autographs. We believe that the Bible is the source of true doctrine and practice. II Peter 1:20-21, II Timothy 3:16-17.
• We believe in one Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory and having precisely the same attributes and perfections. Matthew 28:18-19, II Corinthians 13:14.
• We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sin nature and consequent alienation from God, and came under the judicial sentence of physical, spiritual and eternal death. Genesis 1:26, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12.
• We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man through His sacrificial death on the cross. Romans 3:24-25, Luke 1:25.
• We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His ascension into heaven, where He is now exalted at the right hand of God, where as High Priest for His people, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate. Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, I Corinthians 15:3-4.
• We believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to receive the living and the dead in Christ who will be given imperishable bodies to live with the Lord forever and in our Lord’s kingdom reign on earth and in heaven. I Corinthians 15:50-56, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Zechariah 14:4-11, Revelation 20:1-6.
• We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates the heart, indwells, guides and bestows spiritual gifts upon the believer. His baptism unites all believers to the body of Christ and seals them unto the day of redemption. John 16:7-11, Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:30, I John 2:20-27.
• We believe in justification by faith and by faith alone. A man is declared righteous before God only on the ground of faith in the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ. True faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will result in a change of mind toward God, sin and self and in good works pleasing to God. Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 5:1.
• We believe the Church, which is the body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons of this present age irrespective of the affiliation with Christian organizations. I Corinthians 12:12-14, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 5:25-27, I Peter 1:3-5.
• We believe that the local church is the visible manifestation of Christ’s body on earth and that all believers should attend and support their local, Bible believing assembly. Hebrews 10:25.
• We believe the Word of God commits two ordinances to the local church for perpetual observance: The Lord’s Supper and Water Baptism. I Corinthians 11:23-30, Matthew 28:19.
• We believe in the personality of Satan, who is the open and declared enemy of God and man. Job 1:6-7, Matthew 4:2-11.
• We believe in the future resurrection of the bodies of men and the eternal existence of all men, either in heaven or hell. Revelation 20:11-15, Luke 16:19-26, Matthew 25:46.
VI. Position on Family Values
• We believe that God has ordained marriage as the foundation of human society, and that He has established it as a sacred and permanent covenant between one man and one woman, symbolizing the union between Christ and the Church. Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-12; Ephesians 5:22-33.
• We believe that God creates each person in His image as either male or female and that these two distinct and complementary genders fully reflect that image. To deny or reject one’s biological sex is to reject the image of God as that person was created. Genesis 1:26-27.
• We believe that God has established sexual union as a sacred part of the marriage relationship and that it is not to be engaged in outside of the marriage between a man and a woman. We consider any form of fornication, adultery, homosexuality, child molestation, pedophilia, or pornography to be a perversion of God’s gift of sex. Genesis 2:22-24, 19:5-13; Leviticus 18:1-30; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:26-29, 7:2; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; Galatians 2:21; Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4.
VII. Church Membership
A. Qualifications for Membership
Monitor Bible Church shall receive as members those who have acknowledged the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ as the only salvation from their sins as described in the Bible, been baptized, publicly profess Christ as their Savior, state their agreement with and willingness to abide by this Constitution and Statement of Faith and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives. A member must be at least 18 years old to vote in church business meetings.
B. Procedure for Membership
Persons desiring to unite with this church shall make a statement to the Executive Board of their personal faith in Jesus Christ as described above. The Board will interview the candidate. If the candidate shows a genuine Christian walk the Board will then recommend them for a vote by the church members.
C. Annual Review of Membership
The Executive Board shall review the church membership roll once a year or as needed and shall recommend to the congregation removal from membership those who no longer meet the above requirements or those who have notified the Executive Board that they are attending another church. The church membership list is a public record. The Executive Board may release the list to any person, church or agency making a reasonable and valid request.
D. Termination or Transfer of Membership
1. A member may, at any time, request that their membership be terminated. A request for termination of membership shall be made in writing to the Executive Board and will be effective immediately upon the Board’s receipt of the request.
2. Members may be removed from the membership roll if they fail to attend at least one regular church meeting in the most recent twelve month period and have become inactive in the life of the church. The Executive Board shall contact members who have stopped attending to determine their wishes. Those who are on long-term absence may be retained as members at the discretion of the Board.
3. Members may also request from the Executive Board a letter of transfer of membership. The Board shall provide a letter attesting to the character and membership status of the person requesting the transfer. Members requesting a transfer will be removed from the membership roll once the Board has delivered the letter of transfer.
E. Church Discipline
1. When a church member by word or deed fails to meet the membership requirements stated in Article VII Section A, the Executive Board may after prayerful consideration bring appropriate recommendations to the church membership for church discipline. Any recommendations may include removal from church membership and/or other requirements. All procedures shall be in accordance with Matthew 18:15-17 and Galatians 6:1 with the goal of restoring the member to good standing.
2. Unless requested by the member himself or required by subpoena from governmental authorities, the Board shall not divulge any other information relating to any church member.
VIII. Church Officers
The Officers of Monitor Bible Church shall be Pastor, Deacons, and Treasurer. Other positions may be created as needed but are not officers of the church.
A. Pastor
1. Qualifications
Pastors shall meet the qualifications for church membership stated in Article VII. They shall also meet the Biblical qualifications in I Timothy 3:1-7. The Pastor must be of irreproachable character and having a good report.
2. Duties
a. The Pastor shall serve as the primary spiritual leader of the church body. He will lead worship services, preach the Gospel, administer the ordinances, visit the sick and shut-in, pray diligently for the church family, and be available to those who would seek his counsel.
b. The Pastor shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Board with voting privileges but may not serve as chairman.
c. The Pastor will present a report at the annual business meeting of the activities of the church which are under his supervision.
3. Term of Office
The Pastor is not an elected office. He shall serve indefinitely as agreed by church membership and Village Missions. When necessary, the Executive Board will negotiate in good faith with Village Missions concerning the assignment or termination of the pastor.
4. Compensation
The Pastor shall receive compensation and benefits in accordance with the agreement with Village Missions while that agreement is in force.
5. Hiring
If the agreement with Village Missions is terminated, the Executive Board shall:
(1) Notify the church membership of the termination.
(2) Advertise the need for a pastor.
(3) Interview candidates.
(4) Recommend a candidate to the church membership.
(5) If the candidate is approved by 2/3 of the members, extend an offer of employment to the candidate.
(6) Negotiate details of compensation and contract with the candidate.
B. Deacons
1. Qualifications
Deacons must be members of Monitor Bible Church and of irreproachable character having a good report. They shall also meet the Biblical qualifications in I Timothy 3:8-13 and Titus 1:5-9.
2. Duties
The Deacons shall constitute the Executive Board as required by Oregon law for non-profit corporations. The Deacons also serve, along with the Pastor, in the role of spiritual leadership for the body and assist the Pastor in his duties.
3. Term of Office
The Deacons shall be elected by the church membership at the annual business meeting and serve one year terms.
C. Treasurer
1. Qualifications
The Treasurer must be a member of Monitor Bible Church and shall be of excellent character and demonstrated integrity.
2. Duties
a. The Treasurer shall be responsible for accounting for all monies received by the church and for paying from those funds all debts and obligations of the church that have been approved by the Board or church membership.
b. The Treasurer shall maintain adequate financial records to show the management of church funds.
c. The Treasurer will hold the church checkbook but shall not be a signatory on the bank account.
d. Each month the Treasurer shall prepare a financial statement showing income and expenses for the month and the status of all church bank accounts. An annual report summarizing the finances for the year shall be presented at the annual business meeting.
e. The Treasurer shall maintain confidential records of giving and provide suitable reports to donors for tax purposes.
3. Term of Office
The Treasurer shall be elected annually.
IX. Church Government
A. Items requiring a membership vote
Unless a greater membership vote percentage is required elsewhere in this Constitution, the election of church officers, calling a pastor, approval of spending greater than $2000, or other matters referred to a vote of the membership shall require a majority vote of members casting a vote. No vote is valid unless at least 50% of the membership participates in the vote. All votes shall be by secret ballot unless 60% of members vote to allow a voice vote or show of hands.
B. Meetings
1. Regular Meetings
a. Monitor Bible Church will meet every Sunday for worship unless prevented by weather or other temporary circumstances.
b. Unless prevented by unusual circumstances Monitor Bible Church shall meet annually on the last Sunday in January to elect church officers, receive reports from the Pastor, Deacons, and Treasurer and conduct any other necessary business.
2. Special Meetings
Special Meetings may be called by a majority vote of the Deacons or by a petition signed by 50% of the church membership. The date and time of the Special Meeting shall be posted and announced for at least two consecutive Sunday worship services.
3. All votes or decisions made by church membership or the Executive Board are public record.
4. Committees for specific purposes may be elected by church membership vote or appointed by the Executive Board.
C. Executive Board
1. The Executive Board (or “Board”) shall consist of not less than three (3) members who are Deacons as described in Article VIII Section B.
2. It is the primary governing body of the church and the trustees of the non-profit corporation.
3. The Executive Board shall meet monthly, barring emergencies, at a day and time agreeable to the members of the Board.
4. The Executive Board shall supervise the economy of the church. They shall assume full charge of the church property and be responsible for its care and maintenance in arranging for needed repairs and additions.
5. Each year the Board shall elect from among its members a chairman. The Board shall select from its members one member as secretary who shall keep accurate record of the procedures and decisions of all board meetings and business meetings of the church.
6. The Executive Board is authorized to spend church funds up to $2000. Amounts greater than that must be approved by a vote of the church members. In an emergency situation, where delay would cause further expense or hardship, the Board may spend larger amounts. These emergency expenditures must be presented to the membership as soon as possible.
7. The Executive Board will make a report at the annual business meeting of its activities throughout the year.
8. The Executive Board shall serve as the Nominating Committee and announce the nominations for church officers for the coming year at least 4 weeks prior to the annual meeting.
X. Finances
A. All funds and gifts received by Monitor Bible Church shall be used to further the work and ministry of the church. Fund-raising for non-church activities will only be permitted in the church with the approval of the Executive Board.
B. The church will maintain a bank account with at least two signatories. All funds received for any purpose shall be deposited in the church bank account or disposed of by the Treasurer as directed by the Executive Board or a vote of church membership.
C. Offerings shall be counted by two church members and a record kept of amounts received.
D. Monitor Bible Church will only accept designated giving to specific functions previously specified by the Executive Board. Monies given to such designated purposes will only be spent for their original purpose unless the original giver agrees to a different use. If the original giver does not allow them to be re-assigned, Monitor Bible Church will return the original amount to the giver.
E. In-kind gifts to the church will be accepted only with the agreement of the Executive Board.
F. No items within the church will be marked as memorials to a specific person.
G. The fiscal year for Monitor Bible Church shall run from January 1 to December 31.
H. The Executive Board shall arrange for an audit of the church books no less frequently than every two (2) years.
I. Any member of Monitor Bible Church may view the church books upon request.
XI. Property
All property, real or chattel, shall be held in the corporate name of Monitor Bible Church
XII. Amendments
This Constitution may be amended at any annual or called business meeting of the church, by three-fourths (75%) of the members. Proposed amendments shall be posted and announced for at least two consecutive Sunday worship services stating the article to be amended and giving the proposed amendment.
XIII. Dissolution
A. In the event of the dissolution of Monitor Bible Church, all outstanding bills and obligations shall be settled in compliance with Oregon law.
B. Any remaining money or assets shall be donated to a registered non-profit Christian ministry designated by a vote of church membership.