PREAMBLE
We the members of Woodlawn Baptist Church of Rome, GA,
Inc. in
This church is a congregation of baptized believers in
Christ, united by covenant for the worship of Almighty God, associated in the
faith and the fellowship of the Gospel to practice its precepts, to recognize
Jesus Christ as the Supreme Law Giver and Ruler, and to take the Bible alone as
the standard by which all matters of belief and conduct are to be tried. The government of this church shall be
vested in the body of its members and is subject to the control of no other
ecclesiastical body, but enjoys mutual counsel and cooperation with other
churches of like faith and order.
This church shall be known as the WOODLAWN BAPTIST
CHURCH OF ROME, GA, INC. located at
This Church is formed to support public worship, and
individual discipleship, and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through such
ministries as may be determined by this Church.
We believe:
1.
The Holy Bible was
written by men divinely inspired and in the original manuscript is free from
error. The Holy Bible is the final
authority in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Tim 3:16).
2.
In the unity of the
Godhead there are three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with distinct
personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being. (Matt 28:19).
3.
By the one man’s
disobedience all men became sinners.
(Rom 5:19).
4.
The salvation of
sinners is wholly of grace. (Eph
2:8).
5.
The Great Gospel
blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification. (Acts 13:39).
6.
The blessings of
salvation are made free to all by the Gospel. (Rev 22:17).
7.
In order to be
saved, sinners must be born again.
(John 3:3).
8.
Repentance and
faith are sacred duties and also inseparable graces wrought in our souls by the
regenerating Spirit of God. (Mk
1:15; 1 Jn 5:1).
9.
Election is the
eternal purpose of God. (2 Tim
1:8-9; 2 Thes 2:13-14).
10.
Sanctification is
the process by which we are made partakers of His Holiness. (1 Thes 4:3;
5:23).
11.
Real believers
endure to the end. (Jn 8:31; 1 Jn
2:19).
12.
The Law of God is
the eternal rule. (Rom 3:31,
8:2-4).
13.
The
14.
The Church has two
scriptural ordinances: Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer. (Matt 28:19; Rom 6:4). The Lord’s Supper is a memorial
commemorating the death of Christ.
(1 Cor 11:26; Lk 22:19-20).
15.
The Lord’s Day is
the first day of the week. (Acts
20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2).
16.
Civil government is
of Divine appointment. (Rom 13:1-7;
Matt 22:21).
17.
There is a
difference between the righteous and the wicked. (Mal 3:18; 1 Jn 5:19; Jn 8:21-24; Jn
3:36).
18.
At the end of this
world judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell. (Acts 24:15; Matt 13:49,
25:46).
Additionally, we support the 2000
edition of the Baptist Faith and Message.
Having been led as we believe by the Spirit of God to
receive the Lord Jesus as our Savior and on the profession of our faith having
been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we do now
in the presence of God, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into
covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
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 its 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, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel to all
nations.
We engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to
religiously educate 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, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of
intoxicating drinks as beverage; 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 one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and
distress, to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian 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.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place,
we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church of like faith and
order where we can carry out the Spirit of this covenant and the principle of
God’s Word.
This sovereign
ARTICLE I, Members
The membership of this church shall consist of those persons who have made a profession of their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and have been baptized by immersion in accordance with the scriptures, and have been presented to the body of this church as a candidate for membership, and have been accepted by the membership in accordance with the guidelines contained herein.
This Church shall receive members as follows:
1. By a public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord followed by baptism by immersion according to the scriptures.
2. By statement of previous conversion and baptism by immersion according to the scriptures and receipt of letter from another Baptist church. They shall be under the watch care of the church until said letter is received, read, and accepted by the church in accordance with the guidelines set herein.
3. By statement of previous conversion and following baptism by immersion according to the scriptures when coming from another denomination.
4. Any member may object to the reception of any applicant for membership, in which case the applicant shall not be received until the church has resolved the objection. If there is any such objection it shall be handled thusly:
a. No discussion shall be held at the time the candidate presents the request for membership.
b. The pastor, along with two deacons appointed by the church body to aid the pastor, shall act as a committee and investigate the objection of the objector and report to the church at its next regular conference meeting.
c. If the committee reports that there is no basis for rejecting the candidate then they shall recommend to the church that the candidate be received.
d. If the committee finds that there exists legitimate basis for not accepting the candidate then it shall recommend to the church that the candidate be rejected.
e. The church shall then vote in conference to accept or reject the candidate for membership.
Part II. Duties of
Members
It shall be the duty of every member of this church to:
1. Attend its regular meetings appointed by its authority.
2. Cultivate personal Holiness and family devotion and live a consecrated life, not bringing shame or reproach upon Christ or this church.
3. Sustain the public worship of almighty God and spread the Gospel at home and to all nations.
4. Aspire to contribute out of the “first fruits” of God’s provision, the minimum of such being the tithe or ten percent according to the scriptures for the operation and expenditures of His church.
5. Participate in the relief of the poor and to watch over and counsel one another in brotherly love.
6. Strive for growth of the whole body in Christian knowledge, holiness, and to govern one’s actions, speech, and hearts by the precept’s of God’s word.
7. Faithfully observe the church covenant.
Part III. Rights and
Privileges of Members
It shall be the right and/or privilege of every member of this church who is not subject to church discipline and who meets the designated requirements set forth herein to:
1. Vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the Church in conference provided that the member is present and unless providentially hindered has attended one regular meeting in the six months prior to the meeting at which they vote. Cumulative voting shall not be allowed on any matter to be voted upon. Those members who have been excluded may not vote.
2. Be considered for any office or position in the church provided the requirements for that office or position as set forth herein are met by the individual member.
Section II. Termination
of Membership
Membership shall be terminated in the following ways:
1. Death of the member.
2. Dismissal to another Baptist church.
3. Exclusion by action of this church.
4. Proof of membership in a church of another denomination.
Section III.
Letters
Letters of dismissal may be granted at any
business meeting of the church. The
church clerk has been given the authority to issue letters when asked from
another Baptist church of the same faith and order unless the clerk has been
notified by the chairman of the deacons or pastor that the member is subject to
church discipline.
Section IV. Church
Discipline
In all cases of personal difficulty between members of the church, the parties involved shall endeavor to bring about reconciliation in the manner laid down by our Lord as recorded in Matthew 5:23-24 and 18:15-16.
Part II. Exclusion of a Member
1. Any member who shall be guilty of conduct unbecoming a Christian shall be scripturally visited by either a pair of deacons or one deacon and the pastor. If he continues in his conduct he shall then be subject to church disciplinary procedures.
2. When a member is accused of any offense against the requirements and discipline of the church as set forth herein, the pastor in cooperation with the board of deacons shall at once give notice to the person(s) accused and shall proceed immediately to investigate it.
3. In every case in which a member is charged with an offense that would subject him or her to expulsion, the pastor and/or deacons shall invite any such one to meet with them and hear the charges against them and offer such explanation and evidence as may be desired.
4. After a thorough investigation and reviewing all evidence the pastor in cooperation with the deacons shall express a judgment with recommendations or explanation to the church at the next regular conference.
5. The pastor or deacon board shall notify the accused of their intentions. If the accused cannot be contacted within thirty days a registered letter shall be sent to his last known address and the obligation to notify shall be considered fulfilled.
6. The deacon board shall present in conference their recommendation to the church.
7. The church shall adopt or reject without discussion, unless the accused is present and demands an immediate hearing before the church in which case the examination before the church shall be conducted in the same manner as the examination before the deacon board with the pastor presiding. Upon conclusion of the examination the church shall then adopt or reject the recommendation of the deacon board. The vote of the church shall be the conclusion of the matter.
ARTICLE II, Church Meetings
The regular worship services of this church shall be on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday Evenings. The Pastor and/or deacons shall have the discretion that upon dangerous weather or travel conditions or other mitigating circumstances a service may be cancelled.
Section II. Special
Services
The pastor, or in the case of no pastor the deacon board, shall have the discretion from time to time to call special worship or praise services.
Section III. Regular
Business Meetings
The regular business meeting (also known as conference) of this church shall be in the evening on the second Sunday of every month or at such other times as voted on by the church in any regular service. A quorum must be present in order for the meeting to be held. The pastor may call for the postponement of a regular business meeting due to mitigating circumstances with a majority vote of the congregation present at any service of the church prior to the scheduled meeting.
Section IV. Special
Business Meetings
The pastor and/or deacons may call a special business meeting. Special business meetings (also known as a called conference) shall be announced in any three worship services of the church prior to occurring. A quorum must be present for the meeting to be held. Only the business at hand for which the meeting was called may be discussed at the special business meeting.
Section V.
Quorum
A minimum of ten members and two of those being deacons shall constitute a Quorum.
Section VI. Rules of
Order
The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the final authority for parliamentary procedure during conference. A copy of the latest edition shall be kept in the church office for reference.
ARTICLE
III, Officers and Committees
The pastor shall be called in accordance with Article III, Section III, Part II (1) of this document.
1. The pastor must be a man, who has been called by God to be a minister of the Gospel.
2. If married, he must be the husband of one wife- the only exception being re-marriage as a result of the death of his first wife.
3. Likewise, the pastor’s wife must not have been married previously, excepting for the death of a former husband.
4. He shall give himself to the ministry of the Word and the leadership of the congregation.
5. He shall be the chief executive and operating officer of the church.
6. He shall be the moderator of all meetings for the transaction of business excepting in matters in which case he may choose to disqualify himself as moderator only for that matter of business and the chairman of the deacon board or another deacon in his absence shall preside.
7. He shall have general supervision of all activities and all staff of the church.
8. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
9. He shall examine all candidates for baptism as to their conversion, and instruct all new members in the duties and privileges of membership.
Part II.
Deacons
1.
There shall be at
least one active deacon per every 25 resident members. However, there shall be a minimum of
four active deacons.
2.
In an attempt to
identify all potential candidates for deacon, the church shall nominate by written
ballot men to be considered for the office of deacon in January of each year or
whenever a vacancy occurs or is about to occur on the active deacon
board.
3.
The current deacon
board will review the list of nominees and act as a committee in accordance with
its own rules to examine each candidate to see whether he meets the biblical
qualifications for a deacon.
4.
In
No later
than June of that same year, the
deacon board submits to the church the names of those nominees who have been
tested and found to meet the requirements of scripture as
candidates.
5.
The body of the
church then selects by secret ballot the number of men from the candidates
submitted by the deacon board needed to fill the vacancies in the deacon
board.
6.
The votes will be
counted and the men contacted prior to the next Sunday morning service when the
results shall be read to the church body.
7.
Throughout this
document, the term active deacon shall be understood to
apply to a deacon who is currently serving on the deacon board. The term deacon shall be understood to apply
to all ordained deacons who have been invited to serve as deacon
shepherds.
Sub-Section II. Length
of Term
1. A deacon shall serve a three-year term or the remainder of an unexpired term he is elected to fill on the deacon board coinciding with the church calendar upon his election. At the conclusion of his term he shall remain inactive for at least one year before serving again. No deacon shall serve more than five continuous years on the deacon board.
Sub-Section III.
Qualifications
1. A deacon must be a man, who has been called by the church and led by God to serve as a Deacon.
2. If married, he must be the husband of one wife- the only exception being re-marriage as a result of the death of his first wife.
3. Likewise, the deacon’s wife must not have been married previously, excepting for the death of a former husband.
4. He must be a man of unimpeachable character with those inside and outside the church
5.
To be eligible to be elected as a deacon, a man must
have been a member of
6. A Deacon should:
1. Follow the Bible plan of stewardship, the tithe as the minimum.
2. Co-operate with the pastor and the entire church.
3. Take part in the entire church program and all services of the church unless his work prevents.
4. Meet all scriptural qualifications as outlined in I Timothy 3.
7. The deacons shall cooperate with and assist the pastor in the prosecution of all interests of the church.
8. The deacon board shall meet at least once per month for consideration of their specific duties and the general welfare of the church.
9. The deacon board shall make such recommendations to the church for action as to them seems expedient.
10. The chairman of the deacon board or the pastor may call a special meeting of the deacon board at any time.
11. The deacons shall assist in the administration of the Lord’s Supper.
12. The deacon board shall specifically be charged with promoting peace, harmony, and cooperation among the membership of the church.
13. The chairman of the deacon board shall serve as moderator in the absence or disqualification of the pastor. Another deacon shall serve in the absence of the chairman.
14.
All deacons of
15.
16. The board of deacons shall have the authority to establish its own rules and by-laws governing its own meetings and duties.
Part III.
Trustees
1. As needed, the church body shall elect from among the membership of the church three trustees who each shall be at least 25 years of age to serve as legal officers of the church
2. Upon a specific vote of the church authorizing each action, the trustees shall be charged with the duty of executing such legal documents as may be required by law, loan documents for the purpose of borrowing money, and such other documents as they from time to time may be empowered and directed by the church.
Part IV. Church
Clerk
The church clerk shall be nominated by the nominating committee and approved by the church in conference.
1. The church clerk shall serve a one year term and may be re-elected to serve an unlimited number of terms.
2. The Church Clerk shall be the secretary of the meetings of the Church in conference and shall keep a fair and intelligible record of all such meetings and duly inscribe it in a permanent record of the membership.
3. The church clerk shall grant letters of recommendations to other churches upon authorization of the church to do so.
4. The church clerk shall conduct all correspondence which relates to duties and perform such other duties as may arise in the execution of clerkship.
Part V. Sunday School
Director
The Sunday school director shall be nominated by the nominating committee and approved by the church in conference.
1. The Sunday school director shall serve a one year term and may be re-elected to serve an unlimited number of terms.
2. The Sunday school director shall see that each class has a qualified teacher, and that adequate space, materials, and equipment are made available.
3. The Sunday school director shall see that records are properly kept.
4. The Sunday school director shall make reports of the condition of the Sunday school to the church in conference for adoption, and shall make such recommendations as deemed necessary for the best interests of the Sunday school.
5. The Sunday school director shall submit to the finance committee a proposed budget in February for the following fiscal year.
Part VI. Church
Treasurer
The church treasurer shall be nominated by the nominating committee and approved by the church in conference.
1. The church treasurer shall serve a one-year term and may be re-elected to serve an unlimited number of terms.
2. The church treasurer shall pay all salaries and other items provided for in the budget without special order.
3. The church treasurer shall report to the church in conference once each month and publish a financial statement of the church once each quarter to be made available to every member of the church.
4. The church treasurer or designee shall sign all checks
5. The Treasurer shall be a member of the finance committee.
Part VII. Music
Director
1. The music director shall be responsible for leading the congregation in hymns and songs and for directing the church choir(s).
2. The music director shall submit to the finance committee a proposed budget in February for the following fiscal year.
3. The music director shall have authority to spend allocated funds without special order.
Part VIII. Other
Ministerial, Staff, or Officers of the Church
1. As the need arises, from time to time, the church may by recommendation of the deacon board or nominating committee in conference create other ministerial or staff positions and officers of the church.
2. The duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of such positions shall be drawn up by the deacon board and pastor or their designee(s) and approved by the church in conference.
3. Persons to fill these positions shall in the case of a ministerial position be sought out by a search committee (see Article IV, Section II, Part II, (2)) created for such purpose. In the cases of other staff or officer position, the nominating committee shall nominate the person(s) to fill the position.
Part VIII. Head Usher
A Head Usher shall be nominated by the nominating committee and approved by the church in conference.
1. The head usher shall serve a one year term and may be re-elected to serve an unlimited number of terms.
2. The head usher shall solicit volunteers each Sunday morning to take up the offering.
3. The head usher shall count the offering with another usher present to verify the count.
4. The head usher shall deposit the offering in the bank or designate someone to make the deposit.
5. The head usher shall give the offering envelopes (receipts) to the tithing secretary.
Section II. Nominating
Committee
This committee shall be
charged with filling all vacancies within the church and all of its
organizations unless otherwise specified herein. This committee shall be made up of three
persons. The members of this
committee shall serve for a period of one year. The current year’s Nominating Committee
shall nominate the members of the next year’s committee. The new committee’s term begins with the
new church year. ,
beginning at the start of the church’s year. The pastor nominates the members of the
nominating committee. This
committee shall submit to the church for approval its nominees at the June conference least 30 days prior to the
start of the new church year unless otherwise specified herein.
Section III. Committees of the Church
The pastor and nominating committee may recommend and the church elect in conference standing committees to serve for the ensuing church year. The chairperson of each committee shall be selected by the members of that committee unless otherwise specified. Any vacancies created during the term of a committee shall be filled in the following manner:
· The nominating committee shall nominate a replacement member within 60 days of the vacancy.
· The church in conference shall vote upon the nominee.
Part II. Special
Purpose Committees
The following committees shall be created as they may from time to time be needed. They shall serve until the need has been met when at such time they shall be disbanded.
1. Pulpit Committee-
a. This committee shall consist of the chairman of the deacon board (or a designee of his choice from the active deacons) who shall serve as chairman of the pulpit committee and the chairpersons of every standing committee or their designees from the members of their respective committees.
b. It shall be the charge of this committee to fill the pulpit each Sunday and Wednesday and to find an interim pastor.
c. An interim pastor shall be called upon the nomination of the pulpit committee and approval of the church in conference until a new pastor has been secured.
d. It shall be the charge of this committee to search for and present to the church for consideration candidates for pastor. This committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one man at a time.
e. Upon the recommendation to take a vote by the pulpit committee, the active members present shall vote by ballot to call or not to call the candidate. An affirmative vote of 2/3 of the active members present is necessary to constitute a call.
f. If the candidate is called and accepts the call, he shall then serve as pastor until either party terminates the relationship.
g. The pastor may relinquish the office of pastor by giving at least two weeks written notice to the church of his resignation.
h. The church may declare the office of pastor to be vacant and the pastor’s employment terminated. Such action shall take place at a special meeting called for that purpose. The meeting may be called upon the recommendation of a majority of the deacons. The moderator of this meeting will be the chairman of the deacon board or another deacon. The vote to declare the office vacant shall be by secret ballot. The affirmative vote of 2/3 of the active members present shall be necessary to declare the office vacant and the pastor’s employment terminated.
i. Except in instances of gross misconduct by the pastor, upon the church declaring the office to be vacant, the church will compensate the pastor with no less than one-twelfth of his total annual compensation. The termination shall be immediate and the compensation shall be rendered in not more than thirty days.
2. Search Committee-
a. The charge of this committee is to fill ministerial positions other than the pastor of the church as the need arises.
b. This committee shall consist of three lay people and one deacon who shall be nominated by the pastor and approved by the church. The pastor shall serve as the fifth member and chairman of the committee. The nominees of this committee shall be presented to the church for a vote in conference on whether or not to call the nominee.
c. Anyone called and subsequently hired due to the actions of this committee shall serve until either party terminates the relationship.
d. The man called may relinquish his office by giving at least two weeks written notice to the church of his resignation.
e. The church may declare his office to be vacant and his employment terminated. Such action shall take place at a special meeting called for that purpose. The meeting may be called upon the recommendation of a majority of the deacons. The vote to declare the office vacant shall be by secret ballot. The affirmative vote of 2/3 of the active members present shall be necessary to declare the office vacant and his employment terminated.
f. Except in instances of gross misconduct, upon the church declaring the office to be vacant, the church will compensate him with no less than one-twelfth of his total annual compensation. The termination shall be immediate and the compensation shall be rendered in not more than thirty days.
ARTICLE
IV, Church Ordinances
Christian baptism is the immersion of a
believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing
the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s
death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in
newness of life in Christ Jesus. It
is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. It is a prerequisite to the privileges
of church membership and participation in the Lord’s
Supper.
Section II. Lord’s
Supper
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of
obedience whereby baptized believers, through partaking of the bread and the
fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His
second coming. The Lord’s Supper
shall be observed by this church once per quarter at the discretion of the
pastor.
ARTICLE V, Church Finances
A budget for
the church for the fiscal year shall be completed by the pastor and budget
committee to be submitted to the church at the December business meeting and if adopted shall become
effective January 1.
Section II. Accounting
Procedures
Section III. Fiscal
Year
The church’s fiscal year shall be
from January 1 to December
31.
ARTICLE
VI, Regulations for Use of Church Property
1.
All
church buildings and grounds are to be respected as having been dedicated to the
Lord’s ministry.
2.
There
shall be no alcoholic beverages on the premises.
3.
There
shall be no smoking in any building.
4.
Modest
and appropriate dress shall be worn.
5.
All
games, skits, and activities shall be chosen with discretion with respect given
to the church’s expressed convictions; for example, no dancing in any
building.
6.
At the
discretion of the deacon board, a fee will be charged – the amount to be set at
the time of use- by persons using the church facilities for any purpose. A portion of this fee may be refundable
upon finding the church in satisfactory condition.
7.
The keys
must be picked up from the chairman of the deacons.
8.
The
fellowship hall may be used for social functions such as receptions, showers,
anniversary celebrations, etc.
9.
The
facilities of our church can only be reserved by a member of our church and this
is to be approved by the board of deacons.
The member making the reservation or another member must be present at
the function.
10.
All
personal activities, even those made in advance, must yield to church-wide
activities such as revivals, etc.
No activities can conflict with the normal services of the
church.
11.
Every
member family should be given a copy of these regulations and copies are to be
made available to anyone seeking to use the building or
grounds.
12.
Equipment of the church may be borrowed at
the discretion of an active deacon or the pastor.
ARTICLE
VII, Guidelines for church-sponsored activities
1.
There is
never to be fewer than two adults present when transporting or supervising the
activities of children.
2.
When
transporting children, one of the supervising adults must have a mobile phone
that is kept on and whose number is known by someone at the
church.
3.
The
church must have on record, in an accessible place, emergency contact
information for each child present.
4.
We will
conform to any and all federal, state, and local safety
requirements.
5.
Any
incident, regardless of how “minor” must be reported to the pastor or in his
absence a deacon or the sponsoring program’s director as soon as
possible.
ARTICLE
VIII, Amendments
These rules may be amended at any regular
business meeting of the church by a two-thirds vote, provided that the proposed
amendment was submitted in writing at the previous business meeting. However, any rule of order may be
temporarily set aside to meet an extreme emergency by unanimous
consent.