Consitution

  • Our Belief
    PDF File

    1

     

    CONSTITUTION OF SCHOOL CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH

     

    ARTICLE I. NAME

     

    This body shall be known as and operate under the corporate name of "School Creek Baptist

     

    Church.” The church is located at 11228 CR 3420 in the county of Lampasas, Texas.

     

    ARTICLE II. PURPOSES

     

    The purpose or purposes for which the corporation is organized are:

     

    A. General Purposes. To establish and operate a Church dedicated to the worship of Jesus

     

    Christ. It is therefore organized exclusively for religious purposes, including for such purposes,

     

    the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section

     

    501 (c)(3) and exempt from taxation under Section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code, as now

     

    in force or afterwards amended.

     

    B. Ancillary Purposes. To do and engage in all lawful activities in furtherance of one or more of

     

    the general purposes of the corporation.

     

    C. Statutory Powers. To have and to exercise the general powers specified in Article 2.2 of the

     

    Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act, subject to the limitation that only such powers shall be

     

    exercised as are in furtherance of the exempt purposes of organizations set forth in Section 501

     

    (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as now in force or afterwards amended.

     

    ARTICLE III. RESTRICTIONS

     

    The following additional provisions are inserted for the regulation of the affairs of the

     

    Corporation.

     

    A. Legislative and Political. The Corporation shall not, directly or indirectly, attempt to

     

    influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise nor shall it participate in or intervene in

     

    (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in

     

    opposition to any candidate for public office.

     

    The Corporation shall not engage in any of the prohibited transactions described in Section 501

     

    (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as now in force or afterwards amended.

     

    B. Accumulation of Income. The Corporation shall not unreasonably’ accumulate income

     

    within the meaning of Section 504 of the Internal Revenue Code, as now in force or afterwards

     

    amended.

     

    C. Distribution of Earnings. No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the

     

    benefit of any individual within the meaning of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code,

     

    as now in force or afterwards amended.

     

    D. Compensation. No compensation shall be paid to any member, officer, director, creator, or

     

    organizer of the Corporation or substantial contributor to it except as a reasonable allowance for

     

    services actually rendered to or for the Corporation.

     

    2

     

    E. Public Purpose. The Corporation is organized to serve the public interest. Accordingly, it

     

    shall not be operated for the benefit of private interests, such as contributors to the Corporation,

     

    or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests.

     

    ARTICLE IV. ARTICLES OF FAITH

     

    The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God and is the basis of our faith. This

     

    church accepts the "The Baptist Faith and Message" of 1963. The church is a committed body of

     

    baptized believers in Jesus Christ and is committed to personally sharing the good news of

     

    salvation to lost mankind and strengthening the members of this church. The church follows our

     

    Lord Jesus Christ in the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper.

     

    ARTICLE V. CHARACTER

     

    The government of this church is vested in the members who compose it. This church will be,

     

    and is always to be a sovereign, autonomous Baptist church, self-governing on all matters by a

     

    majority of the body of members who compose it.

     

    ARTICLE VI. DOCTRINE

     

    This church receives the scriptures (Holy Bible) as its authority of faith and practice. Its

     

    understanding of Christian truth as contained therein is in essential accord with the belief of the

     

    Baptist churches as indicated in the Articles of Faith referred to in Article IV.

     

    ARTICLE VII. MEMBERSHIP

     

    SECTION 1. GENERAL

     

    This is a sovereign and democratic Baptist church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The

     

    membership retains unto itself the right of exclusive self-government in all phases of the spiritual

     

    and temporal life of this church.

     

    The membership reserves the executive right to determine who shall be members of this church

     

    and the conditions of such membership (see Attachment A).

     

    SECTION 2. CANDIDACY (QUALIFICATIONS)

     

    Any person may offer himself/herself as a candidate for membership of this church. All such

     

    candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular worship service for membership in any

     

    of the following ways and in accordance with Attachment A.

     

    1. By profession of faith and for baptism by immersion according the policies of this church.

     

    2. By promise of letter from another Baptist church.

     

    3. Upon statement of prior conversion experience through faith followed by baptism by

     

    immersion in a church of like faith. A church of like faith shall always be determined at the sole

     

    discretion of the Pastor and/or Deacon Body. Should there be any question that might require

     

    prayer, thought or study or if there is any dissent as to any candidate, such question or dissent

     

    3

     

    shall be referred to the Pastor and Deacon Body for the making of a recommendation within

     

    thirty (30) days to the church.

     

    The membership of this church shall consist of such persons as confess Jesus Christ to be their

     

    Savior and Lord and receives the scriptures (Holy Bible) as its authority of faith and practice and

     

    (1) after due examination by the church as to their Christian experience, and if coming from

     

    other churches, the receipt of an acceptable letter of recommendation or satisfactory therefore,

     

    and

     

    (2) have been accepted by affirmation of the church and have been baptized, and

     

    (3) enter into this covenant.

     

    SECTION 3. DUTIES

     

    Members are expected to be faithful and obedient in all areas of the Christian life, attend the

     

    services of this church, give regularly to its support, and participate in its ministries.

     

    SECTION 4. RIGHTS

     

    Members in good standing, as defined in Sections 2 and 3 above, may participate in the

     

    ministries of the church, vote in church conference, hold office and exercise leadership and

     

    service.

     

    SECTION 5. TERMINATION

     

    Membership will be canceled in one of the following ways:

     

    1. Death.

     

    2. Transfer to another Baptist church.

     

    3. Affiliation with a church of another denomination.

     

    4. Exclusion by action of the church (Matthew 18:15-22).

     

    5. By request of member desiring termination.

     

    All requests for recommendations as to the termination of a member under paragraph (4) shall

     

    first be brought to the attention of the Pastor who shall, after consideration of the matter, either

     

    himself or his duly appointed representative, confer with the individual subject to said

     

    termination and only after faithful efforts have been made to bring such member to repentance

     

    shall the Pastor recommend to the church that the membership of said person be terminated. The

     

    member subject to termination will be notified in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to the

     

    recommendation that his/her membership be terminated. Such recommendation will be presented

     

    to the church at a church conference. Action to terminate will be taken upon an affirmative vote

     

    of the church in conference.

     

    4

     

    SECTION 6. RESTORATION

     

    Any person whose membership has been canceled may be restored upon evidence of his/her

     

    repentance and reformation by recommendation of the Pastor and affirmative vote of the church.

     

    SECTION 7. RECORD OF MEMBERSHIP

     

    A recording secretary, at the direction of the Church Clerk, shall keep an accurate roll of all

     

    members, and insofar as possible, an up-to-date record of addresses.

     

    ARTICLE VIII. MARRIAGE

     

    We believe the word "marriage" means only a legal union between one man and one woman as

     

    husband and wife, and the word "spouse" refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a

     

    husband or wife. Marriages outside of these parameters will not be performed by church

     

    ministers on church owned or rented property (See Attachment A).

     

    ARTICLE IX. DURATION

     

    The period of its duration is perpetual.

     

    5

     

    ATTACHMENT “A”

     

    SEXUAL MORALITY POLICY

     

    The purpose of School Creek Baptist Church (the "Church") is to glorify God by introducing

     

    Jesus Christ, as Lord, to as many people as possible, and to develop them in Christian living, as

     

    defined in Article IV of the Constitution and Covenant of School Creek Baptist Church (Page 2),

     

    using the most effective means to impact the world, making an eternal difference. In fulfillment

     

    of its mission as the Body of Christ, the Church shall operate under the Lordship of Jesus Christ

     

    and be governed by His laws. The Bible (Scripture) is the authority for all matters of faith and

     

    practice in the Church, and the Church shall operate in accordance with Scriptural principles

     

    specifically relating to marriage, the family and sexual morality. We believe the Church's Sexual

     

    Morality Policy is based upon God's will for human life as conveyed to us through the Holy

     

    Scriptures, upon which this Church has been founded and anchored, and this policy shall not be

     

    subject to change through popular vote; referendum; prevailing opinion of members or the

     

    general public; influence of or interpretation by any government authority, agency, or official

     

    action; or legal developments on the local, state, or federal level.

     

    We believe God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is

     

    comprised of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption. Marriage is the

     

    uniting of one genetic male (hereinafter referred to as "man") and one genetic female (hereinafter

     

    referred to as "woman") in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal

     

    the union between Christ and His Church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage,

     

    the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to

     

    biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. The exercise of sexual

     

    expression outside the biblical definition of marriage in any manner, including, but not limited

     

    to, homosexuality, adultery, or extramarital sex or cohabitation, is contradictory to the teachings

     

    of Scripture and the principles governing the Church. The Church will address circumstances

     

    involving deviation from these biblical principles in accordance with Scripture as interpreted by

     

    the Pastor and the Constitution of the Church.

     

    Specifically, the Church will adhere to those conditions of membership set forth in Article VII of

     

    the Constitution Bylaws, including, but not limited to, the requirements that all members accept

     

    the principles of faith and practices of the Church and pursue a growing and continuing

     

    fellowship and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

     

    In the event a member or applicant for membership is engaged in any sexual practices or other

     

    activities contradictory to Scripture, the Church may attempt to counsel or minister to such

     

    person in a spirit of love and compassion but tempered with justice and the requirements of the

     

    Church. The Church may elect to deny a request for membership and/or exercise appropriate

     

    Church discipline as outlined in Scripture and the Bylaws. In the event the person demonstrates

     

    satisfactory evidence of repentance and resolution of the condition at issue, the Church may elect

     

    to accept the person's request for membership or restore the person's membership pursuant to the

     

    Constitution.

     

    Likewise, if it reasonably appears to the Church that the general welfare of the Church, its

     

    members or employees, is jeopardized by the conduct of any person inconsistent with the

     

    mission or principles of the Church, including, but not limited to, those principles described

     

    herein including the exercise of sexual expression outside the biblical definition of marriage in

     

    any manner, the Church may take those actions it deems appropriate and necessary in accordance

     

    6

     

    with Scripture and the Bylaws, including, but not limited to, disallowing the person from

     

    accessing or entering the facilities and/or property belonging to the Church (the "Property").

     

    Accordingly, it is expected that individuals will use the restroom facility that is designated for

     

    their genetic makeup.

     

    Additionally, it is the policy of the Church that all of the Church's assets and Property shall be

     

    used to glorify God in fulfillment of the mission of the Church. Accordingly, the Church may

     

    disallow any use of the Property, formal or informal, by those affiliated with the Church or

     

    otherwise, for any purpose that is inconsistent with the mission or principles of the Church,

     

    including, but not limited to, those principles described herein. For example, the Church may

     

    refuse to host a wedding, civil union, or any other type of ceremony in which the man and

     

    woman are acting outside the biblical definition of marriage, or the Church may refuse to allow

     

    groups who do not hold the values or adhere to the principles of the Church to utilize the

     

    Property.

     

    Should any action be taken by any governmental body that is contrary to Scriptural Authority

     

    then School Creek Baptist Church will follow the Authority of God’s Word as stated in Holy

     

    Scripture.