Osoyoos Baptist Church Constitution September 2018

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1 Osoyoos Baptist Church Constitution September 2018 Section 1 Name The name of this Society is: Osoyoos Baptist Church. Section 2 Purpose The purpose of this society is to fulfill the commission given by Jesus to His followers, which is to go into all the world, make disciples, baptize them and teach them the precepts of the Holy Bible, as recorded in Matthew 28:19,20 and to co-operate with existing evangelical churches and evangelical para-church organizations who embrace this great commission. 1

2 Osoyoos Baptist Church By-Laws ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP Section 1 - Definition of Memberships 1. A Member of OBC shall be a person who; A. has been accepted according to the requirements of Art.1.Sec.2 B. is fulfilling the responsibilities of Art.1.Sec.3 C. has the right to vote in person on all items of business of the church D. has the right to hold positions that are restricted to members by the constitution and these bylaws. 2. An Associate Member A. shall be a person who has been accepted according to the requirements of Art.1.Sec.2 B. shall not be allowed to vote or hold a position in the church that is restricted to members C. shall not be counted as members in determining quorum, D. shall be an Associate Member because they are one of the following; 2.D.i. under the age of D.ii. not living in the area but desiring to maintain a relationship with our church 2.D.iii. living in the area but unable to fulfill the responsibilities of Art.1.Sec.3 due to health 2.D.iv. living in the area but unwilling to fulfill the responsibilities of Art.1.Sec.3 but expressing a desire to maintain a relationship with our church for one year, as explained in Art.I.Sec.6.2 By Erasure.. Section 2 Acceptance of Members A person may become a member of the church by a recommendation of the board, an affirmative vote of the church members and one of the following. 1. By baptism through immersion on confession of their personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; 2. By letter of transfer from a Church of like faith and practice; 3. By experience, on the believer s statement of Christian experience of previous baptism by immersion on confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; 4. By restoration, on satisfactorily clearing the cause for exclusion of membership see Art 1, Section 6-3. Section 3 Responsibility of Church Members It shall be the obligation of members to: 1. Endeavor with all earnestness to model the Church Covenant (go to ARTICLE IX, Church Covenant: ); 2. Regularly attend the services of this church; 3. Participate in the organized work of the Church in both time and effort; 4. Familiarize themselves with the Church Constitution and by-laws. Section 4 Grievances between Members In all cases of grievances between members, the persons involved shall proceed with the principles laid down in Matthew 18: If attempts at reconciliation fail, the grievances shall be made in writing and submitted to the Moderator for proper study by the board which shall make a recommendation to the Church members when required. 2

3 Section 5 Change of Membership Status 1. Upon reaching the age of 18, an Associate member in good standing will automatically become a Member. 2. A member may request his status be changed to Associate member 3. An Associate member may become a member by fulfilling the requirements of Art.I.Sec.3 and requesting membership. 4. A member who is not fulfilling the responsibilities of Art.1.Sec.3 may have their status changed from member to Associate member status by recommendation of the board and affirmative vote of the membership. (Art.1.Sec.1.2.D.iv.) Section 6 Termination of Membership A person shall be removed from membership or associate membership of this Church: 1. By letter of transfer to a Church of like-faith and practice. Any member in good standing shall, on request, by vote of the board be granted a letter of transfer or commendation. Such a letter will be sent to the Church which the member plans to join; 2. By Erasure. ( click to Definition of members) Any inactive member, who has been communicated with by the Board and has failed to respond, shall on recommendation of the Board be erased from the membership roll by affirmative vote of the Church members. Any inactive member, living in the area, responding to the communication and requested to retain a relationship with the church, shall be allowed to hold Associate membership for one year. If at the end of that time their relationship to the church has not changed, their names will then be erased from the membership roll and they will be notified by letter of the action taken; 3. By exclusion. A member who is clearly and persistently unchristian in conduct, who disregards his membership responsibility, or who promotes discord or who injures the unity, or effectiveness of the Church shall be disciplined in love, in accordance with the New Testament scriptural obligations to both the Church and the member. If such a member cannot be reclaimed, that member shall be dismissed from membership upon recommendation of the Board and by affirmative vote of the Church members; 4. By promotion of beliefs that are not in accord with our Constitution. By affirmative vote of the Church members; 5. By death; 6. By request. A member may request his membership to be withdrawn. This shall be granted upon an affirmative vote by the Church members. ARTICLE II CHURCH MEETINGS Section 1 Devotional/Fellowship Meetings The devotional/fellowship meetings shall include: 1. Services of Worship, which shall be held every Lord s Day; 2. Bible studies and prayer meetings, which the church members are encouraged to attend; 3. Regular observance of the Lord s Supper, typically once per month; 4. Other meetings as decided by the membership in keeping with the Church covenant. 3

4 Section 2 Business Meetings The Fiscal Year of the Society shall be from January 1 to December 31 and the annual meeting shall be held pursuant to the Society Act. Members shall be notified two Sundays in advance of all business meetings and their proposed agendas. Business meetings shall include the following: 1. The Financial Business Meeting of the church shall be held no later than the end of February for the purpose of considering last year s financial statements and voting on a budget for the new year. 2. The annual election of church officers and all other committee positions shall take place during the Annual Elections Meeting before the end of June of each year. 3. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Society in September of each year for the purpose of: A. Recognizing those involved in the growth and life of the church; B. The presentation of Annual reports given by previous year s leaders C. The presentation of goals and direction for the coming year by the current leaders. 4. Special business meetings may be called at any time by the board or by the Moderator upon written request by a quorum of the Church members. Section 3 Votes and Conduct A. All business meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert s Rules of Order. B. The Spirit of Christ shall prevail in all discussions and sessions of the Church. C. A quorum for a business meeting shall be 12 eligible members. D. The Chairperson of all Church meetings shall be the Moderator, and in the Moderator s absence, the chairperson shall be any member as agreed upon by the members in attendance at the meeting. E. Unless otherwise indicated in the bylaws, a simple majority of votes shall constitute a decision. F. Each member who has reached the legal age of 18 years shall be entitled to one vote on each issue in a business meeting. G. Voting by proxy is not permitted however advanced ballots shall be permitted for special business. H. Non-members are welcome to attend business meetings. Non-members may speak to an issue but do not have voting privileges, except by special provision by the Church members. ARTICLE III ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION The government of the Church, under Christ, is vested in the body of believers. The power of excluding from fellowship, of approving officers and of deciding all matters of special interest to the Church shall be vested in the membership. Section 1 The Church Board (see Policy and Procedures Manual for Organization Chart) The term Church Board shall also be known as the Leadership Team 4 The Leadership Team shall give oversight to the ministries and business of the Church. Each Leadership Team member is a mentor to the boards and committees they represent. They will help the people in their area to understand, to define and plan effective accountability, and to evaluate their mandate. They shall annually review the ministries of the church for their effectiveness and relevance for our church and community by understanding, evaluating and challenging or concurring with the Church s plans, goals and objectives. The Leadership Team shall oversee the preparation and presentation of a budget for the coming year to the Church. The Leadership Team shall meet at least ten times per year.

5 1. Qualifications. The elected members of the Leadership Team (Elders) shall: A. Be members of the Church and B. Have attended regularly for a minimum of 1 year, and C. Have an intimate relationship with God and display Christ-like qualities as seen in I Tim. 3:1-7 and D. They must already be recognized by the church family as a godly man E. They must have shown themselves capable, through talents and services, of heading a ministry area of the Church and F. They shall be elected by a two-thirds majority of votes cast at a Church Business Meeting called for the purpose of electing Church officials. 2. Formation of the Leadership Team: The Leadership Team shall consist of the individuals as outlined in Article 3 Section 1, 1. Senior Pastor and the Elders. 2. Members of the Leadership Team, excepting the pastor(s), shall be comprised of Elders elected for a term of two years and as far as possible, half of the Leadership Team elders shall be elected each year. 3. Availability of godly men shall determine number of Elders elected, not vacancy of role. 4. The Leadership Team shall consist of the following members: A. The Senior Pastor; B. One (1) Associate Pastor; C. The Moderator D. Leadership Team Elders responsible for: Staff Discipleship Worship and Music Missional Outreach Congregational Care Finance Facilities and Grounds Administration One elder may be responsible for more than one area of ministry. Leadership Team areas of ministry may be added or deleted as needed by the Leadership Team 3. Accountability: The Leadership Team is responsible to the membership of Osoyoos Baptist Church. All Leadership Team Members shall report at each general meeting on the activities occurring within their respective area of Ministry. A copy of this report must be submitted to the Moderator prior to the meeting. 4. General Duties and Responsibilities: (see Policy and Procedures Manual for Specific Details of Duties and Responsibilities) Elder leaders of Staff, Discipleship, Missional Outreach, Congregational Care, Finance, Facilities and Grounds and Administration shall: a. Present the needs/concerns of their area of ministry to the Leadership Team; b. Communicate the vision and directives of the Leadership Team to their area of Ministry; c. Be the final point of contact for individuals, with reference to their area of Ministry; and, d. Be an ex-officio member of all committees in their area of Ministry. 5

6 Section 2 The Church Directors and Signing Officers 1. The Elders shall be the voting members of the Church board 2. The Church Signing Officers shall be the members of the board, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. One of the pastoral staff is permitted to be one of the signing officers. Individuals must excuse themselves from signing if there could be a real or perceived conflict of interest Section 3 Additional Church Positions A list of all other positions, including their duties and responsibilities shall be outlined in the Osoyoos Baptist Church Policy and Procedures Manual. Other than the Deaconate, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Auditors, Church Clerk and Nominating Committee there will be no elected positions. Additional positions will be by appointment of the Leadership Team. The nominating committee will be composed of one pastor, one member of the leadership team (board) and two members of the congregation, who will be selected at the annual elections meeting. A. Moderator: 1. He must be an Elder in order to be elected as Moderator 2. Call business meetings, prepare the agendas for the meetings, and preside at Leadership Team meetings and Church business meetings; 3. Be free to attend meetings of all Boards and Committees as ex-officio; 4. Assist in the administration of the Church; and, 5. Be thoroughly familiar with Roberts Rules of Order or appoint a parliamentarian who may be called upon to rule on procedures at any meeting. B. Clerk: 1. The Church Clerk, or their designate, shall record the minutes of all general business meetings of the Church and of the Leadership Team; 2. Keep a complete roll of the membership of the Church and their addresses and telephone numbers; 3. Preserve and properly file all letters, reports and other documents pertaining to the office of the clerk; and, 4. The Clerk shall maintain an official copy of the Constitution and Bylaws and any amendments, and make copies available as needed. C. Treasurer: 1. The Church Treasurer shall keep a record of all monies contributed to the Church and pay out such monies as authorized by the Leadership Team; 2. The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts and shall present to the Church at each regular business meeting, a statement of receipts and disbursements for all regular, missionary, special projects and other funds of the Church; 3. All contributions shall be deposited in a financial institution in the name of the Church as directed by the Leadership Team. All disbursements shall be paid by cheque and signed by the Treasurer or any other signing officer appointed by the Leadership Team; 4. The Treasurer shall attend to the proper completion of all reports and documents related to the financial requirements of the Church to fulfill the statutory requirements and store the records appropriately; 5. Issue receipts of yearly donations to the membership; and, 6. The Treasurer may delegate the above responsibilities to the Assistant Treasurer as necessary. 6 D. Senior Pastor/Associate Pastor(s): (see Article IV )

7 Section 4 Termination of Church Officers A. Resignations shall be submitted in writing, to the Church clerk. Vacancies in any office may be filled for the unexpired term at any regular or special business meeting of the Church; B. The membership may on recommendation of the Church board remove an officer before the expiration of term in office. Notice of intention must be given at least two Sundays in advance and the resolution must pass by a majority of not less than 75% of votes cast. Section 5 Other Boards/Committees New Boards or Committees: A. A new board or committee or ministry may be formed upon presentation of its purpose, budget requirements, outline of responsibilities, and accountability to the Leadership Team. Such boards or committees must be approved by vote of the Church members. B. The Leadership team will ensure suitable guidelines shall be made for any new board or committee. These guidelines would be added to the Policy and Procedures Manual. ARTICLE IV PASTORAL STAFF A pastor is the spiritual leader of the Church as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is recognized as a person who is uniquely called of God to full-time service and equipped with pastoral gifts for ministry within the congregations. The direction of the church shall rest largely with the Pastor(s) and the Church board, in cooperation with the membership. Section 1 Qualifications The Pastoral Staff must: A. Be eligible for membership in the Osoyoos Baptist Church; B. Be a preacher of the Gospel and teacher of the Faith as embodied in the Scriptures; C. Be ordained, or he must have the necessary training and/or experience to qualify for, and be prepared to seek ordination; and, D. Be a man of good standing, who has an intimate relationship with God, an aptitude for this ministry, and displays the characteristics set forth in Titus 1:6-9 and I Timothy 3:1-7. Section 2 Calling a Pastor A. When a vacancy occurs in the pastorate, the Leadership Team shall be responsible for initiating and guiding a search. B. The method of calling a Pastor shall be in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the Osoyoos Baptist Church Policy and Procedure Manual. Section 3 Confirmation of Ministry and Tenure A. The Pastor(s) shall in cooperation with the Leadership Team, complete a Personal Performance Review bi-annually, as outlined in the Policy and Procedure Manual. The details of such a review shall not be publicized except as released by the Pastor. B. If at any time the Pastor concludes that the tenure relationship should be dissolved, he shall make such a request known to the Leadership Team prior to informing the congregation. Such a request made by the Pastor shall be honored. C. An accusation against an elder (including pastors), initially would be in private with the said elder. If reconciliation is not achieved the matter will be dealt with in accordance with I Timothy 5:19. (Two or Three witnesses approach the board) A ballot vote of 75% of votes cast with a quorum present at a meeting called specifically for that purpose shall be required for the Church to terminate the services of the Pastor. 7

8 D. Written notice of termination of services by either the Pastor or the Church shall be at least one month except in exceptional circumstances. By mutual agreement between the Pastor and the Leadership Team this time limit may be changed. Section 4 Duties and Responsibilities of Pastors (see Policy & Procedure Manual for more details). A. It is the duty of the Senior Pastor to occupy the pulpit and provide spiritual guidance and leadership to the Church. In consultation with the Leadership Team, it is his privilege to invite to the pulpit, from time to time, those whom he believes can/will provide a valuable ministry to the congregation. B. He shall preach the Gospel, teach the Scriptures, oversee the administration of the ordinances, promote and nurture the spiritual interest of the Church and shall with the Leadership Team give leadership in organizing, training and developing the Church for the best possible service in the Kingdom of God. C. The Senior Pastor will act as the administrative guide over all other pastoral/ministerial staff and administrative support. D. He shall be free to attend and participate ex-officio in the meetings of any board, committee or Church organization. E. His teaching shall reflect the basic doctrines and beliefs set forth in the Statement of Faith and promote the adherence to the standard conduct in the Church Covenant. F. He shall participate in the preparation and implementation of the goals and objectives of the Church. G. He may call a meeting of the Leadership Team. H. He shall be free to participate on any board, association etc. that he sees as beneficiary to the Church body and community with Leadership Team affirmation. I. He shall be subject to the Policies, General guidance of and be accountable to the Leadership Team. Section 5 Duties and Responsibilities of Other Staff (see Policy & Procedure Manual for details) A. A detailed job description that reflects the goals and objectives of the new position shall be prepared before new staff is hired B. Their beliefs shall reflect the basic doctrines and beliefs set forth in the Statement of Faith and promote the adherence to the standard conduct in the Church Covenant. C. All staff will be accountable to the Leadership Team through the Lead Pastor ARTICLE V OTHER PROVISIONS Section 1 Inspection/Access to Books and Records A. All necessary books of account, records and minutes of all meetings shall be duly and regularly kept together with such further and other books of account and records as are required by any applicable governmental body of statute. B. The said books of account may be inspected by any member at such time and place as is designated by the Leadership Team, upon receipt of a written request from any such member desiring to inspect the same. Section 2 Audit of Accounts Subject to, and in addition to, the provisions of these bylaws as herein set out, the Society may from time to time appoint an Auditor or Auditors to examine and audit all books of account of the Society. The auditor(s) will hold office for such a period of time as the Society may determine. Section 3 Custody and Use of the Seal The Society shall have a seal on which shall be inscribed the name of the Society, and it will be kept in the church office. Its use shall be overseen by the Leadership Team Section 4 Borrowing Powers 8

9 For the purpose of carrying out the objects of the Society, it may borrow, raise, or secure the payment of money in such a manner as it thinks fit, with the approval of 75% of the members present and entitled to vote at any Membership Meeting of the Church duly and regularly called. Without limiting the foregoing, the Society may borrow, raise, or secure money by the issuance of debentures or bonds, only with a special resolution of the Society passed at a special Membership Meeting of the Church called for that purpose with a majority of not less than 75% of the votes cast by the members of the Society. Section 5 Remuneration of Officers A. Except the Pastor(s) and Church Staff, no Officers of the Church shall be remunerated for work in their office. B. The Pastor(s) shall receive a predetermined salary. C. The Leadership Team shall review such salaries yearly Section 6 Offerings and Solicitations No individual or group shall be given the privilege of receiving an offering or solicitation in the name of the Church without the approval of the Leadership Team. Section 7 Honorarium The Leadership Team shall decide the amount of the honorarium given to any guest speaker. Section 8 Branch Societies Osoyoos Baptist Church authorizes the formation of Branch Societies for the purpose of augmenting the Outreach Ministries of the Society. Impromptu offerings taken without the prior knowledge of the Leadership Team may not be receipted or deemed to be in the name of Osoyoos Baptist Church. Section 9 Policy & Procedure Manual Osoyoos Baptist Church will maintain a Policy & Procedure Manual to provide more detailed information and guidance for the Society s operation. This Policy & Procedure Manual shall be ratified by the Members of the Osoyoos Baptist Church. ARTICLE VI BYLAWS Section 1 Amendments These bylaws shall not be altered or added to except by special resolution at a duly called membership meeting. Section 2 Required Majority 75% majority of the members present at the meeting shall be required to amend these bylaws or constitution. ARTICLE VII This Society will carry on its operations in the area of Osoyoos and the areas adjacent thereto, provided always, that this Church holds as its imperative duty to propagate pure biblical Christianity throughout the world. This provision is unalterable. ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION In the event of discontinuance of operations or dissolution of this Society for any reason whatsoever, all assets of the Society shall be transferred to and become the property of a registered Canadian Charity, specifically the British Columbia Association of the North American Baptist Conference. 9

10 ARTICLE IX - Church Covenant This Society has as its church covenant the following: The Osoyoos Baptist Church is a local visible part of the Church of Jesus Christ. As a local Church it seeks to be Christ s servant to this community. We exist to worship God, to care for one another, to reach out to the people of the world, and to disciple believers to maturity in Christ Jesus. We will promote the purposes of this Church: By WORSHIPPING GOD for who He is and what He has done: Through personal and corporate fellowship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit; Through recognizing the primary importance of teaching and preaching the Bible; Through praise, music and prayer; and, Through the offering of all we are: By REACHING OUT To our community, surrounding areas and nations of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ; Through developing every member as a minister in serving as it applies to every area; Through loving people where they are; Through evangelism; and, Through sending of our means and ourselves to the un-reached peoples of the world. By DISCIPLING BELIEVERS to become holy and Spirit-filled: Through the teaching of and the obedience to God s word, the Bible; and, Through calling new disciples to a firm decision shown by believer s baptism and a commitment to maturity in Christ s Body, the Church. By CARING ABOUT AND FOR ONE ANOTHER Through sharing in each other s joys and needs; Through praying for each other; Through recognition, development and use of our spiritual gifts; and, Through giving sacrificially of our time, talent and finances to meet one another s needs, expenses of the Church, and support of its ministries. This we will do to the glory of God, through commitment to Jesus Christ and by the empowerment of His Holy Spirit. This provision is alterable. (Go back to Article I.3 ) (Jump to 'Responsibilities of Pastors and staff': ) 10

11 ARTICLE X - Statement of Faith The Society has as its Statement of Faith the following: 1. We believe the Bible is God s Word given by divine inspiration, the record of God s revelation of Himself to humanity (II Timothy 3:16). It is trustworthy, sufficient, without error-the supreme authority and guide for all doctrine and conduct (I Peter 1:23-25; John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16-17). It is the truth by which God brings people into a saving relationship with Himself and leads them to Christian maturity (John 20:31; I John 5:9-12; Matthew 4:4; I Peter 2:2). 2. We believe in the one living and true God, perfect in wisdom, sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy and love (I Timothy 1:17; Psalm 86:15; Deuteronomy 32:3-4). He exists eternally in three coequal persons who act together in creation, providence and redemption (Genesis 1:26; I Peter 1:2; Hebrews 1:1-3). a. The Father reigns with providential care over all life and history in the created universe; He hears and answers prayer (I Chronicles 29:11-13; Matthew 7:11). He initiated salvation by sending His Son, and He is Father to those who by faith accept His Son as Lord and Savior (I John 4:9-10; John 3:16; John 1:12; Acts 16:31). b. The Son became man, Jesus Christ, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (John 1:14; Matthew 1:18). Being fully God and fully man, He revealed God through His sinless life, miracles and teaching (John 14:9; Hebrews 4:15, Matthew 4:23-24). He provided salvation through His atoning death in our place and by His bodily resurrection (I Corinthians 15:3-4; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:23-25). He ascended into heaven where He rules over all creation (Philippians 2:5-11). He intercedes for all believers and dwells in them as their ever-present Lord (Romans 8:34; John 14:23). c. The Holy Spirit inspired men to write the Scriptures (II Peter 1:21). Through this Word, He convicts individuals of their sinfulness and of the righteousness of Christ, draws them to the Savior, and bears witness to their new birth (James 1:18; John 16:7-11; I Thessalonians 1:5-6; Romans 8:16). At regeneration and conversion, the believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit indwells, seals and gives spiritual gifts to all believers for ministry in the Church and society (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 12:5-8; I Peter 4:10). He empowers, guides, teaches, fills, sanctifies and produces the fruit of Christ-likeness in all who yield to Him (Acts 4:31; Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 2:10-13; Ephesians 5:18; II Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 5:16; 22-23) We believe God created an order of spiritual beings called angels to serve Him and do His will (Psalm 148:1-5; Colossians 1:16). The holy angels are obedient spirits ministering to the heirs of salvation and glorifying God (Hebrews 1:6-7, 13-14). Certain angels, called demons, Satan being their chief, through deliberate choice revolted and fell from their exalted position (Revelation 12:7-9). They now tempt individuals to rebel against God (I Timothy 4:1; I Peter 5:8). Their destiny in hell has been sealed by Christ s victory over sin and death (Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10). 4. We believe God created man in His own image to have fellowship with Himself and to be steward over His creation (Genesis 1:26-28). As a result, each person is unique, possesses dignity and is worthy of respect (Psalm 139:13-17). Through the temptation of Satan, Adam chose to disobey God, this brought sin and death to the human race and suffering to all creation (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21; 8:22). Therefore, everyone is born with a sinful nature and needs to be reconciled to God (Romans 3:9-18, 23). Satan tempts people to rebel against God, even those who love Him (Ephesians 4:27; II Corinthians 2:11; Matthew 16:23). Nonetheless, everyone is personally responsible to God for thoughts, actions and

12 12 beliefs and has the right to approach Him directly through Jesus Christ, the only mediator (Romans 14:12; I Timothy 2:5). 5. We believe salvation is redemption by Christ of the whole person from sin and death (II Timothy 1:9-10; I Thessalonians 5:23). It is offered as a free gift by God to all and must be received personally through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 20:21). An individual is united to Christ by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27). As a child of God, the believers is acquitted of all guilt and brought into a new relationship of peace (Romans 5:1). Christians grow as the Holy Spirit enables them to understand and obey the Word of God (II Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15; I Thessalonians 3:12). 6. We believe the Church is the body of which Christ is the head and all who believe in Him are members (Ephesians 1:22-23; Romans 12:4-5). Christians are commanded to be baptized upon profession of faith and to unite with a local Church for mutual encouragement and growth in discipleship through worship, nurture, service and the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world (Acts 2:41-42; Luke 24:45-48). Each Church is a self-governing body under the lordship of Christ with all members sharing responsibility (Acts 13:1-3, 14:26-28). The form of government is understood to be congregational (Matthew 18:17; Acts 6:3-6, 15:22-23). The ordinances of the Church are baptism and the Lord s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of the believers in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer s identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5). The Lord s Supper is the partaking of the bread and of the cup by believers together as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. It is an act of thankful dedication to Him and serves to unite His people until He returns (I Corinthians 11:23-26). To express unity in Christ, local churches form associations and a conference for mutual counsel, fellowship and a more effective fulfillment of Christ s commission (Acts 15; I Corinthians 6:1-3). 7. We believe religious liberty, rooted in Scripture, is the inalienable right of all individuals to freedom of conscience with ultimate accountability to God (Genesis 1:27; John 8:32, II Corinthians 3:17; Romans 8:21; Acts 5:29). Church and state exist by the will of God. Each has distinctive concerns and responsibilities, free from control by the other (Matthew 22:21). Christians should pray for civil leaders, and obey and support government in matters not contrary to Scripture (I Timothy 2:1-4; Romans 13: 1-7; I Peter 2:13-16). The state should guarantee religious liberty to all persons and groups regardless of their religious preferences, consistent with the common good. 8. We believe Christians, individually and collectively, are salt and light in society (Matthew 5:13-16). In a Christ-like spirit, they oppose greed, selfishness and vice; they promote truth, justice and peace; they aid the needy and preserve the dignity of people of all races and conditions (Hebrews 13:5; Luke 9:23; Titus 2:12; Philippians 4:8-9; I John 3:16-17; James 2:1-4). We affirm the family as the basic unity of society and seek to preserve its integrity and stability (Genesis 2:21-25; Ephesians 6:1-4). 9. We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring all things to their appropriate end and establish the new heaven and the new earth (Ephesians 1:9-10; Revelation 21:1). The certain hope of the Christian is that Jesus Christ will return to the earth suddenly, personally and visibly in glory according to His promise (Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:7, 3:11;

13 John 14:1-3). The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge mankind in righteousness (John 5:28-29). The unrighteous will be consigned to the everlasting punishment prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:10). The righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and dwell forever with the Lord (Philippians 3:20-21; II Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 4:13-18). (Jump to 'Responsibilities of Pastors' and staff: ) Adopted by the North American Baptist Conference delegates, August 10-15, 1982, at Niagara Falls, New York. This provision is alterable. ARTICLE X1 Affiliation This Society intends to become and remain affiliated with the North American Baptist Conference through the North American Baptist Conference Association of British Columbia Churches, and cooperate with its program where and when possible without violating the distinctive principles of this church. This provision is unalterable. Adopted at Osoyoos, B.C. this 30th day of September,

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