Constitution for

Grace Covenant Church

August 2003

PREAMBLE:

We, the members of Grace Covenant Church, do hereby establish and submit ourselves to the following   constitution to govern this church.

ARTICLE I.  Name:

This church body shall be known as Grace Covenant Church (GCC), of Texarkana, Arkansas.

ARTICLE II.  Aims, Standards and Objectives

Grace Covenant Church is a body (“corpus,” corporation) of Christian believers who are united for the chief purpose of glorifying the Triune God by striving to proclaim and obey His revelation as found in the primary standard of the Old and New Testament Scriptures.  As the inspired rule of faith and life for the Christian, the Scriptures are recognized by GCC as the unchallengeable authority and supreme judge to which all religious controversies or creeds, as well as all opinions and regulations of men, must be subordinate.

                     GCC, standing within the distinct religious history of the Reformed churches of the Protestant Reformation, recognizes the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms (originally adopted in Scotland in 1647 and 1648 respectively) as its formal creed and secondary standard of doctrine and life.

                    GCC is a Presbyterian church and as such is ruled by a session of elders.

Should any conflict arise between this constitution and any of the above standards (or between the above standards themselves), the controlling authority for resolution of the conflict shall be, in this order:  a) Scripture, b) the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, c) the constitution, and d) the Constitution of the Confederation of Reformed Evangelicals (CRE).  Further, the session, which is to adjudicate and resolve alleged conflicts (or controversies pertaining to such allegations) shall always be the first court of adjudication before any recourse is made to higher church courts or civil courts.

The general objectives of GCC are to make disciples of all nations, promote submission to God’s Word in all areas of human life and endeavor, nurture and educate believers and their households in the Christian faith, administer the sacraments and moral discipline within the church, and lead the congregation in united worship, encouragement, fellowship, and charitable service.

GCC has a special interest in working with other Christian churches and groups throughout our community and the world.  We welcome opportunities to labor with them in common goals in the name of Christ.  In addition, we look forward to entering into informal and/or formal fellowship and association with like‑minded churches who have common aims, standards, and objectives. GCC is a member of the Confederation of Reformed Evangelicals.

ARTICLE III.  Determination of Members

                            Communicant members shall be those individuals who have been received by the Session on the basis of:

Trinitarian baptism,

a credible profession of faith,

a transfer of membership letter from an acceptable church, or

reaffirmation of faith.

All communicant members must have been baptized under a Trinitarian, evangelical ministry.  Decisions regarding previous baptisms shall be made by the Session.

The names of members shall be removed from the rolls of the church only by order of the Session on the basis of death, transfer to another church, or moral discipline.

ARTICLE IV.  Expectations of Members

Members of GCC shall devote themselves to both the private and public means of grace including the regular attendance of all appointed church services and fellowship meetings, special meetings or conferences, private and family devotions with Bible reading and prayer, and the showing of hospitality to the saints.

Members of GCC shall devote themselves to the service of their fellow Christians and church members, sharing both material and spiritual blessings with one another.

Members of GCC shall, in obedience to the Word of God and as a token of God’s gift to us, give cheerfully and regularly a tithe (10%) of their increase to the ministry and labor of this church.

Members of GCC shall conduct themselves with godly attitudes, speech and conduct toward their fellow church members, being slow to take offense and ready to resolve conflicts according to the instruction of Scripture (Cf. Matt. 5:23‑24; 18:15‑20).

Members of GCC shall recognize, respect, and submit to the elders of GCC in obedience to Hebrews 13:17.

ARTICLE V.  The Calling and Conduct of Congregational Meetings

All meetings shall be conducted following the guidelines of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Scheduling and Notice of Meetings:

Congregational meetings shall be at the call of the Session of the church.

Public notice of any such meeting shall be made at worship services on the two Sundays preceding the meeting (meaning 14 and 7 days prior to the meeting) or by circular letter posted fourteen days in advance of the meeting.

Regular and Special Meetings:

A regular meeting of the congregation shall be held at least once every calendar year (date set by the Session) at which any relevant and legitimate business of the members may be transacted.

The Session shall call special meetings of the members of the congregation when they deem it best to do so, or upon written request by one‑fourth of the communicant members.  At specially called meetings no business shall be conducted except that which is stated in the notice of the meeting.

Quorum and Voting in Meetings:

Only male heads of households, who have been communicant members for at least six months, and who have been approved by the Session, shall be entitled to vote at its congregational or corporation meetings. 

Female communicant members that do not have male voting representation shall communicate their concerns and opinions by way of the elders.

The Session may grant unmarried males voting status upon approval.

There shall be a minimum quorum of fifty percent of the voting members for the transacting of business at a duly called meeting of the congregation. Proxy votes shall be used in determining a quorum.

A printed agenda shall be made public at least seven days prior to the meeting. Only items on the agenda shall be considered at a duly called meeting.

Legitimate motions made at a meeting of the members of the congregation shall pass by a simple majority, unless otherwise stipulated in this constitution.

Eligible voters who are present but abstain from voting shall not be counted for the purposes of determining voting percentages.

The election of elders and deacons shall always be by signed ballot.

Voting by proxy shall be permitted by approval of the elders based on need (e.g., illness, job, etc.) and delivered through an elder.

5.         Presiding Officer and Secretary

One of the church officers (elder or deacon) shall serve as presiding officer in meetings of the members of the congregation.  The presiding officer has authority to keep order in and direct the operations of the meetings of the members of the congregation.

The presiding officer of a meeting of the members of the congregation may vote in the decisions of that body.

The elders shall appoint a secretary—either male or female— of GCC who shall serve in the meetings of the members of the congregation.  If he is absent or unavailable, the elders shall appoint another person to serve in his place. 

The secretary shall keep a correct record of all business transacted at the meetings of the members of the congregation.  Toward that end the minutes of the meeting shall be approved by the members of the congregation prior to the close of any meeting.  The secretary shall preserve such minutes with the records of the elders and grant extracts from them when requested.

ARTICLE VI.  Prerogatives of the Members

The business which may be transacted by the communicant membership of the congregation at its duly called meetings shall include, but not be limited to the following:

Establishing, terminating, and/or altering the terms of contracts which involve future or continuous financial obligations pertaining to leases, rentals, mortgages, and employment within the congregation.

Approving the yearly budget.

Approving expenditures for non-budgeted items and the acquisition or disposition of any Real Property.

Reviewing the yearly report of all financial transactions by the elders and offering non‑binding advice to them in matters pertaining to the budget, purchases, and/or sale of church property.

Voting to grant funds from the general bank account of the congregation to a specific specialized ministry of the congregation under the oversight of the elders.

Voting on salary and benefits proposals for church officers and employees.

Taking action to call men to serve as elders (pastors, teachers, or evangelists), or deacons for the congregation,

by nominating members of the congregation to serve as either deacons or elders and/ or

(when necessary) calling qualified men from outside the congregation, and

upon approval of the qualification of such candidate(s) by the Session, voting on the election of such officers.

taking action to remove an officer or officers from their position(s) in the congregation, either by:

voting to have an elder or deacon divested of his office; such a vote must pass by a three‑fourths majority of those voting, and it may be taken only after having been petitioned by one‑fourth of the communicant members of the congregation, announced in the call of a congregational meeting, and the challenged officer(s) has (have) been given opportunity to defend his (their) continuance in the office; or

voting to request and/or concur with the resignation of an elder or deacon from his ministerial charge in the congregation.

approving the secretary’s minutes of the congregational meeting.

From time to time the elders or the deacons may call for a poll (a non‑binding vote) of all members, or some special portion of the membership (e.g., the youth, the men, or the women), in order to gain input from them concerning a particular matter.

Membership in any formal association with other churches shall require a two‑thirds majority vote of the congregation and the approval of the elders.  

ARTICLE VII.  Church Discipline

One of the marks of a true church of Jesus Christ is that it maintains discipline.  The purpose of church discipline is, through biblical means, to prevent, restrain, or even to remove any evil that may threaten the church and to promote and encourage that which is good and glorifying to God.  Church discipline, in all its forms—preventative, formative, corrective, and final, is the line of demarcation between the church and the world; without it, we cannot distinguish between the two.

Preventative Discipline:  This aspect of church discipline guards the entrance into the church and seeks to prevent unbelievers from becoming a part of the local assembly (Cf. Act 9:26‑27).

The church is established for the feeding and care of believers and their households.

The elders will examine those who request baptism and church membership.

Formative Discipline: Once a person has become a member of the church, he immediately comes under the primary work of the church, which is formative discipline.

This aspect of church discipline is the means whereby church members are instructed and trained in the Christian faith by,

both public and private means,

through both formal and informal methods,

with the goal of presenting every person mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28‑29).

Words (God’s and then man’s) are the primary means of formative discipline;

through private counsel, instruction, rebuke and admonition,

through the public ministry of the Word.

This is the routine work of the local church (Ephesians 4:11‑16).

It is under this formative discipline of the local church where disciples

are given more of the Word of God by which they are built up in the faith (Acts 20:28);

are to be sanctified and cleansed by the washing of the water and the Word (Ephesians 5:25‑27);

are to be helped to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior (II Peter 3:18);

are rebuked and reproved and called back to the path of righteousness (II Timothy 4:1‑2);

are stimulated to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24);

are taught to observe the commands of God (Matthew 28:19);

are equipped for the work of service (Ephesians 4:12);

are equipped for every good work (II Timothy 3:17);

and where they become workmen who need not be ashamed because they can rightly divide the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15).

Corrective Discipline:  A third aspect of church discipline is corrective discipline whereby the church applies lawful (i.e., biblical and constitutional) pressure to a wayward member

By means of:

informal action (e.g., counsel, reproof, rebuke, etc., cf. II Timothy 4:1-2)

and formal action (e.g., public rebuke or censure, cf. II Thessalonians 3:14-15),

and hoping to see the wayward member restored to a place of conformity to Christ’s rule (Galatians 6:1).

If the church has been faithful in maintaining preventative and formative discipline, then the need for formal corrective discipline will be rare.

Corrective discipline is to be applied by the elders, as they deem appropriate for the case, in those situations where formative discipline has failed to accomplish its purposes.

The elders must perform this duty with love and humility for the good of the wayward member, the good of the local church in general, and for the sake of Christ’s glory (Cf. Matthew 18:15‑20).

Final Discipline: A final aspect of church discipline, which is the church’s responsibility to perform, is the removal of a member by judicial action, commonly called excommunication.  The church has no choice but to obey Christ in these matters (Matthew 18:17).

In the exceptional cases where this discipline becomes necessary,

a church member who persistently refuses to yield to the formative and corrective discipline of the church is declared, by judicial action of the elders, to be excommunicate, which means they are no longer members of this church and are considered to be unbelievers.

Final discipline decisions may be formally appealed by:

making a written request to the elders for a court of appeals.

once requested, this appeal is irrevocable and the court’s decision is final.

c)         The appellate court shall be according to CRE guidelines.

Final church discipline has as its goal the elimination of the unrepentant person from the church (I Corinthians 5:9‑13), and with the hope of restoring the spiritual life of one who has fallen into habitual sin (I Corinthians 5:5).

Likewise, the church must be faithful to forgive and receive back anyone who repents (Matthew 18:21‑22), and grant full restoration upon such repentance     (II Corinthians 2:6‑8).

The procedure to be followed depends upon the nature of the offense; however, the following procedure shall be followed in most cases, unless otherwise directed by the elders:

The directions of Matthew 18:15‑16 shall be followed in their proper order.

If restoration of fellowship is not accomplished by these means, then formal charges shall be filed with or by the elders (Matthew 18:17‑18).

All formal charges shall stated in terms of God’s law (the Bible) and shall be supported by citing which portions of God’s law have been violated.

After a fair and impartial hearing of all witnesses accessible and all fact ascertainable, the elders shall make a judicial ruling in the case by unanimous decision.

Any decision by the elders to discipline a member, whether to formally correct or to excommunicate, shall be announced to the congregation.

ARTICLE VIII.  Church Officers

Congregational Officers and Corporate Directors

The Congregational Officers:  The officers of the congregation in their capacity as functioning church ministers are the congregation’s duly elected, ordained, and installed elders and deacons.  The congregation shall always (so far as it is possible) provide for itself a minimum of two elders.

The Corporate Directors:  The Directors of the corporation are the elders.  The corporation is the congregation acting in any capacity pertaining to property, business transactions, or civil and corporate law

Terms of Office

Upon election, ordination and installation, the officers of the congregation shall hold office for their lifetimes, unless removed from such office as stipulated below.

Officers of the congregation shall surrender or be removed from their office(s) under any of the following conditions:

resignation of an office by an elder or a deacon in which the congregation and elders concur;

dismissal of an elder or a deacon, which is requested by the congregation by a three‑fourths majority vote.

excommunication from membership in the congregation by judicial action.

Ordination of Officers

Doctrine of Ordination:

Those who have been recognized by the church to have been called and equipped by God to hold office in the church are to be ordained by the Session and the Session’s appointed board of examination.

The elders may appoint board members from among male communicate members.

The elders may, in addition, appoint board members from among ministers from other congregations.

Ordination is the authoritative admission of one called to an office in the church, accompanied with examination, prayer and the laying on of hands.

Only males shall be admitted to ordination and church office.

As every ecclesiastical office, according to the Scriptures, is a special charge, no man shall be ordained unless it is to the performance of a definite work.

The offices requiring ordination are:

Elder (pastor)

Deacon

Evangelist (missionary)

Trainees for the Gospel Ministry

Men, who show promise and interest in the work of the ministry, shall present themselves to the elders for examination and consideration to be placed under the care and training of the Session.

Upon receiving the Session’s approval, the trainee shall be presented to the congregation of GCC and recognized as one who has placed himself under the guidance and training of the elders.

The Ordination and Installation of Officers:

Elders:

A candidate for ordination to the office of elder shall be examined and approved by the elders and the examining board concerning:

His walk with Christ, especially his personal character and family management (based on the qualifications set out in I Timothy 3:1‑7 and Titus 1:6‑9).

His knowledge of Bible content, theology, the sacraments, church history, and the principles and rules of the government and discipline of the church.

If a candidate is denied approval by the elders and/or the examining board:

a list of deficiencies or areas of concern, stated in biblical terms, shall be provided for the candidate.

a proposed course of action for remedying these concerns shall also be provided for the candidate.

Approved candidates for elder shall be nominated and voted on by the congregation.  Election shall be by three-fourths vote. 

The candidate, having been approved by the Session and their board and elected by the congregation, a day of ordination shall be set by the Session, wherein they shall establish an appropriate order for that service.

Deacons:

The elders should set before the congregation the biblical requirements for the office of deacon as found in Acts 6:1‑6 and I Timothy 3:8‑13.

The congregation shall then nominate from among the communicate men of the church candidates who meet the qualifications for the office of deacon.

Candidates for deacon must be approved by the Session.

If a candidate is denied approval by the Session:

a list of deficiencies or areas of concern, stated in biblical terms, shall be provided for the candidate.

a proposed course of action for remedying these concerns shall also be provided for the candidate.

Approved candidates for deacon shall be nominated and voted on by the congregation.  Election shall be by three-fourths vote.

The candidate, having been approved by the Session and elected by the congregation, a day of ordination shall be set by the Session, wherein they shall establish an appropriate order for that service.

Evangelist (Missionary):  The ordination of an evangelist (missionary) shall follow a similar order as that of the office of elder.

Powers and Duties of the Officers

Elders:

The authority and duties of the elders shall, in general, be those entailed in pursuing or securing the aims and objectives of the church. (Cf. ARTICLE II.)

The authority and duties of the elders specifically include but are not limited to: maintaining the government of the congregation, adding and removing names from the membership rolls of the church, overseeing all matters concerning the conduct of public worship, administering the sacraments, promoting the spiritual growth of church members, resolving questions of doctrine and discipline reasonably proposed to the elders, acting upon complaints addressed to the elders, exercising moral discipline over members (by sitting in judgment of charges of offense, obtaining evidence and applying discipline), arranging and supervising the evangelistic and educational projects of the church, overseeing the work of the deacons and all other organizations within the church (including specialized ministries of the congregation).

By resolution the elders may authorize other officers, members or employees to execute and deliver contracts for and in the name of the congregation.  Any such contracts when so executed shall be deemed conclusive in favor of any purchaser or seller dealing with said other authorized agents in good faith and for value.

The elders may appoint, reappoint, remove and replace various chairmen within the congregation who will assist the elders in carrying out specific aspects of the church program and functions.  All such chairmen shall operate in submission to the oversight and final authority of the elders and, in relevant cases, to the direction of the deacons.

The elders may establish or remove specialized ministries within the congregation, as well as boards to manage such operations, which are dedicated to a select line of service within the church under the authority of the elders.

The actions and policies of the elders shall be available to the congregation.

Deacons:

The responsibilities of the deacons shall be those duties delegated by the elders of GCC.

Diaconal ministries include, but are not limited to, showing compassion and mercy toward saints and strangers who are in need or distress; collecting and disbursing funds for the relief of the needy; visiting, praying with, and/or meeting the physical needs of the sick and sorrowing; organizing and encouraging church members to engage in such services to others; and caring for the property, grounds, and buildings owned or used by the congregation.

Deacons, in conjunction with the church treasurer, shall establish the church budget prior to the yearly business meeting.  Deacons shall also periodically review church finances.

Deacons shall review salaries and benefits of church officers and employees annually and make recommendations to the congregation at the annual business meeting for any needed adjustments.

Treasurer

The treasurer (and/or assistant treasurer) shall be appointed by and responsible to the elders and deacons in all financial matters pertaining to the church.  He (or she) shall have custody of, and be responsible for, all church funds and securities, and shall deposit all such funds in the name of the congregation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as shall be selected by the elders.  He shall receive and, when needed, give receipt for contributions of value (or monies due and payable), to the congregation.  He shall disburse the funds of the congregation as directed by the elders, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements.  He shall keep and maintain adequate and correct records of the congregation’s business transactions, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, and disbursements.  He shall give:

upon the request of the elders he shall give a report to the elders, covering revenues, expenditures and balance on hand.

a quarterly financial report of receipts and transactions to the members of the congregation for the previous quarter.

The fiscal year for the congregation shall begin the first day of July and end on the last day of June.

ARTICLE IX. The Sacraments

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper:

The baptized children of communicant members are communing members of the church. 

They are to be taught to love God, and to obey and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. All children of church members should be earnestly reminded that it is their duty and privilege to personally repent of their sins, to receive Christ as their Savior, and to confess Him before men.

Baptism

When unbaptized persons apply for admission into the communing membership of the church, they shall, ordinarily, make a public profession of their faith, in the presence of the congregation, and thereupon be baptized.

<!--[if !\The form of baptism practiced by GCC is sprinkling or pouring.  Baptism by immersion

            is accepted by GCC, since it is deemed an issue of form rather than substance.

The Administration of the Lord’s Supper:

The Communion, or Lord’s Supper, is to be observed weekly.

Elders administering the Lord’s Supper shall instruct or make notification to those present concerning who is qualified to partake of the Lord’s Supper, pointing out that those who are under any church discipline are not admitted to the Lord’s Supper. Likewise, they must admonish all professing believers to examine themselves, to discern the Lord’s body, and to partake of the Supper in a worthy manner.

Visitors to GCC will be invited to participate in the Lord’s Supper, as long as they have been baptized and are members in good standing with a local Christian church.

ARTICLE X.  Amendments

This constitution may be amended or altered by a three‑fourths affirmative vote of the members at a duly called congregational meeting, but only provided that:

the purpose to amend or alter the constitution has been previously announced in the call for the meeting; and

the specific wording of any proposed amendment has been available for inspection to the members of the church for seven days preceding the meeting.

The above restrictions, having been observed, shall not forbid members present at a duly called congregational meeting from perfecting or reformulating, in terms of the specific issue or subject matter stated in them, those amendments which have been previously proposed and announced.  Previously proposed amendments that have been altered at the duly called meeting of the members of the congregation may be voted upon at that same meeting.

A constitutional review committee shall be appointed by the elders every five years, beginning in the year 2005, in order to review the constitution and make recommendations for possible changes to the congregation.