Constitution and Bylaws
ARTICLE 1 - GENERAL
SECTTION 1 - NAME
The name of this church shall be called Calvary Baptist Church
SECTION 2 - PURPOSE
This congregation is organized as a church exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Revenue Law), including but not limited to, for such purposes, the establishing and maintaining religious worship, the building of churches, parsonages, schools, chapels, radio stations, TV stations, rescue missions, print shops, daycare centers, and camps; the evangelizing of the unsaved by proclaiming of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; the educating of believers in a manner consistent with the requirements off the Holy Scriptures, both in Sunday and weekday schools of Christian education; and the maintaining of missionary activities in the United States and foreign country.
ARTICLE II - STATEMENT OF FAITH
SECTION 1 - BELIEFS
CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES
We believe in the Holy Scriptures and accept fully the writings of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God. We believe that the Word of God is verbally inspired in all parts, our infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice. 2Tim. 3:16. 2 Pet. 1:21
CONCERNING THE TRUE GOD
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jn. 1:1-2; I Tim. 3:16; Mt. 3:16.
THE FATHER is recognized as God, I Peter 1:2, and is all the fullness of the Godhead invisible, Jn. 1:18.
THE SON is recognized as God, Heb. 1:8 and is all the fullness of the Godhead manifested in the flesh Jn. 1:14
THE HOLY SPIRIT is recognized as God, Acts 5:3,4, and is all the fullness of the Godhead acting upon man, convicting him of sin, Jn. 16:7-11 and guiding the believer into all truth, Jn. 16:12-15.
CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His shed blood for atonement, His death, His descent into hell, His bodily resurrection, His ascension into Heaven, our intercessor and coming King, Mt. 1:18Rom. 5:6-11, Rev. 1:18, 6:6.
CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirt convicts of sin, and by His indwelling, enables Christians to live A godly life. We believe the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, abides in the believer forever, The Spirit of Truth, our Teacher (John 14), Our Guarantee of salvation by His seal of promise (Eph. 1:13), He will reprove the world of sin, righteousness and of judgment. And "He shall glorify me, " Jn. 15; 16:14.
CONCERNING THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that all men by nature and choice sinful and lost and have within themselves no possible means of salvation. Gen.3; Rom. 3:10-19
CONCERNING SALVATION
We believe in salvation by grace through faith; that salvation is the free gift of God, not by any virtue or works of man, received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; that all believers possess the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish. Eph. 2:8,9; Jn.3:16; Rom. 8:28-39.
CONCERNING SATAN
We believe in the existence of Satan, the deceiver and god of this present world; that he was defeated and judged at the cross, and therefore his final doom is certain. Rev. 12:9, Jn. 16:11, 2Cor. 4:4
CONCERNING THE RAPTURE OF CHURCH
We believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. Christ will return for His Bride, the Church, before the seven years of tribulation (the 70th week of Daniel.) IThes. 4:16-17; I Cor. 15:51-57.
CONCERNING THE SECOND COMING
We believe in the second coming of Christ; that His return from heaven will be bodily, visible and glorious. Jesus will set up His Kingdom after the tribulation period, and reign for one thousand years on earth, from the new Jerusalem. Rev. 21
CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION
We believe that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven; at the Rapture (I Thes. 4) their bodies will be raised, their works will be judged (I Cor. 3) and rewards determined.
That the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hell until the Great White Throne judgment, at which their bodies shall be raised from the grave, judged and cast into the Lake of Fire, the place of final and everlasting punishment. Rev. 20:11-15
CONCERNING THE PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS
We believe in the priesthood of all believers, that Christ is our Great High Priest, and through Him every born-again person has direct access into God's presence without the need of a human priest, Heb. 8. That the believer has the right and responsibility to personally study and receive interpretation of the Scriptures, guided by the Holy Spirit, 2Pet.1:20.
CONCERNING THE LOCAL ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS
We believe that the New Testament church is a living organism of born-again baptized believers, corporately worshipping God through the Spirit and truth. This is done through preaching, music, and prayer, practicing Scriptural ordinances, and actively engaged in fulfilling the Great Commission, Acts 2; Jn.4:23-24;
Mt.28:18-20.
CONCERNING ORDINANCES
We believe that the two Scriptural ordinances given to the local church are baptism by immersion of believers only, and the Lord's Supper, to be partaken of by obedient Christians, Acts 2:41; ICor.11:23-26.
CONCERNING MUSIC
We believe that music should reflect the character of God. The word "new" in the Greek is "KAINOS" meaning something like which has never existed before.
The pattern that emerges from Scripture is clear. When an individual, a company of people, or an entire nation is brought to salvation, the new identity is made clear to a listening world by a "new song" that is decidedly different from the old music from the outside world, II Cor. 5:17. Music is trichotomous as God is and people are. The Spirit is the melody, the soul is the harmony or the accompaniment, and the body is the rhythm. Music must always be led by the melody with a supporting accompaniment (harmony) and a rhythm that moves the music but is the least noticeable. Any other order will emphasize the flesh... Paul exhorts the churches to "put off" the old and "put on" the new. Eph 4:22-24, Col. 3:4-14, Gal. 5:19-23.
SECTION II - CHURCH COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly most solemnly, and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ (i.e. :church).
We engage therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote it's prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, and relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to religiously educate our children, to seek the 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; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer, to aid each other in sickness and distress, to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.
If a member is found to be living in, or promoting this lifestyle, (mentioned in the following paragraph) their membership would be terminated, after all attempts have been made for restoration.
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between on man and one woman. We believe that any form homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, beastiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are all sinful perversions of God's gift to sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one's gender by surgery, or appearance. Gen. 2:24, 19:5, 26:8-9; Lev.18:1-30; Rom.1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1, 6:9;
I Thes. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4.
We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman, Gen.2:24; Rom.7:2; I Cor.7:10; Eph.5:22-23.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
SECTION I - RECEPTION OF MEMBERS
(1) Any person professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and being baptized by immersion and holding the views of faith and practice in conformity with those of this church, may be received into its membership.
Membership by Restoration - Persons who have been members of this church from whom the hand of fellowship
has been withdrawn, or whose membership has lapsed due to dereliction of their part, may, upon recommendation,
of the Pastor, Elders, and Deacons, be received into the membership of the church.
(2) All applicants for membership shall appear before the Pastor, Elders, and Deacons for consultation and examination. Applicants recommended to the church by the Pastor, Elders, and Deacons shall be presented to the church and received into its membership by majority vote of the church members at any business meeting of the church. The candidate shall absent himself from the meeting at the time of the vote.
(3) Each person seriously interested in church membership shall be given a copy of the Calvary Baptist Church Constitution and By-laws and a current Annual report.
SECTION II - RESPONSIBILTIES OF MEMBERS
(1) To themselves - It is the member's responsibility to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God's Word and live a consistent Christian life.
(2) To the Church - It is incumbent upon each member to support the church as far as possible in all fields of Christian endeavor by his or her attendance, both spiritually and materially. Members should be attentive to the needs of others, ready to assist in any way possible; to pray, edify, or give materially for their good.
(3) To the pastor and Elders - Members should honor, esteem, and pray regularly for them, and manifest a tender regard for their reputation.
SECTION III - DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS
(1) By Transfer - a member transferring from Calvary Baptist Church for good and proper reasons may be granted a letter of transfer from the Pastor, Elders, and Deacons:
a. upon request from the member.
b. upon request from a church of like doctrine
(2) By Dual membership - Should a member of this church become a member of, join or unite with any other church, his membership at this church shall be terminated automatically.
(3) By death
(4) By Termination - Should a member become an offense to the church and to its good name, by reason of immoral or un-Christian conduct, or by persistent breach of church covenant, the church may terminate membership. Termination may take place only after faithful efforts have been made by the Pastor, Elders and Deacons to bring such member to repentance and amendment, see sec. 4-4.