This Constitution is current and up to date as of January 2007.

CONSTITUTION OF

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE, MINNESOTA

ARTICLE I Name

The name of this church shall be: Calvary Baptist Church of Cambridge, Minnesota, hereafter called the "Church". The same shall meet in Cambridge, Minnesota.

ARTICLE II Purpose

It shall be the purpose of Calvary Baptist Church of Cambridge:
  1. To Worship God;
  2. To be taught His Word so that we may grow in Him;
  3. To promote evangelism both at home and abroad;
  4. To have Christian fellowship.

ARTICLE III Covenant

As a bond of unity and having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 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. 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; and to contribute cheerfully and regularly by storehouse tithing to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations. We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to Biblically educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to live carefully in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, gossip, and excessive anger, to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating beverages, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour. 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 the Saviour, 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 where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.

ARTICLE IV Doctrinal Statement

Section I. Of the Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbal, plenary inspired Word of God and the product of Spirit-controlled men. It is the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original autographs, infallible, and God-breathed. II Timothy 3:16,17; Psalm 119:89,152,160; II Peter 1:19-21.

Section II. Of the True God

We believe in one and only one God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; that He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love, that the unity of the Godhead is divine perfection and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Exodus 15:11; Mark 12:30; Genesis 1:1,2; I John 1:3; Exodus 20:2; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11.

Section III. Of the Virgin Birth

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; that He was born of the virgin Mary, and that He is both the sinless Son of God and God the Son. Matthew 1:18-25; II Corinthians 5:21; John 1:14; 3:16.

Section IV. Of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature, that He was active in the creation, that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil One until God’s purpose is fulfilled, that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, that He is the agent in the new birth, and that He seals, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. We believe that the sign gifts ended with the closing of the Canon. John 1:33; 3:5,6; 14:16, 17, 26; 16:8-11; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; 24:49; Genesis 1:1-3; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; Romans 8:14, 16, 27; II Thessalonians 2:7,8; I Corinthians 13:4-10.

Section V. Of the Devil, or Satan

We believe in the personality of Satan, man’s greatest tempter, and that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. Matthew 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10; Job 1:6,7; John 8:44.

Section VI. Creation

We believe in the Genesis account of creation and that this account is to be accepted as a literal fact. This includes 24-hour days and man’s instantaneous creation and not evolution. Genesis 1-2; Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3.

Section VII. Of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man now is totally depraved and of himself, is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. I Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Colossians 2:13; Romans 1:26-28; 3:10-19; Genesis 3:1-6

We further believe that homosexuality is sin and is contrary to God’s Word. Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:24-31. I Corinthians 6:9-11.

We further believe that life begins at conception, and that ALL life is sacred to God. Job 31:15; Psalm 139:13; Isaiah 49:5; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41, 44; 2:21.

We further believe that God created a normal family, which consists of a man and woman, who are married to each other, and any children, who are given by God to this union. Genesis 1:27; 2:23 & 24; 5:1 & 2; Ephesians 5:21-23.

Section VIII. Of the Atonement for Sin

We believe that salvation of sinners is wholly by grace through the shed blood of Jesus Christ as our vicarious substitute, and that His atonement was the voluntary substitution of Himself, thereby satisfying God’s holy law. We believe that the new birth is an instantaneous act and results in the sinner being infused with new life as a direct act of God. Ephesians 2:8,9; Hebrews 7:26, 27; 9:12; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 3:24; Philippians 2:7; Isaiah 53:4-7; I John 4:10.

Section IX. Of the Resurrection of Christ

We believe in the literal, bodily resurrection of Christ. We believe that according to His promise He will come again and that it will be personal, visible, and glorious. Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16, 17; James 5:8; John 20:27; I Corinthians 15:4,5.

Section X. Of the Invisible Church

We believe that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons from Pentecost to the Second Coming. Colossians 1:18.

Section XI. Of the Resurrection of Men

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life with God, and the unsaved to judgment and conscious everlasting punishment in the Lake of Fire. I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15: 42-54; Revelation 20:13-15.

Section XII. Of Justification

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life, on principles of righteousness; and that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer and His blood which was shed on Calvary, and His righteousness which He imputed to us and declares us righteous. Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; 5:1,9.

Section XIII. Of the Security of the Saints

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ through the sealing power of the Holy Spirit. Philippians 1:6; John 10:28, 29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1.

Section XIV. Of the Local Church

We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit, that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel, and that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. We believe that on all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final. Acts 2:41, 42; 15:13-18; 20:17-28; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11; 5:23, 24; I Timothy 3:1-7; Colossians 1:18.

Section XV. Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He come, and should be preceded always by a solemn self-examination. Acts 8:36-39; John 3:13; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28.

Section XVI. Of Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. Romans 13:1-7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21, 22; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29; 23:5; Daniel 3:17, 18.

Section XVII. Of the Last Things

We believe in the personal, imminent return of Christ for His Church. This precedes God’s dealings with the nation of Israel through the literal seven years of Tribulation and the 1,000 year reign of Christ during the Millennium. After this reign, God will judge sin once and for all and set up the eternal state where there will be no sin and all will be bliss. I Thessalonians 2:5-8; Revelation 1-4; John 14:3; Acts 1:11.

ARTICLE V. Associations

This Church is sovereign and independent, and owes allegiance to no ecclesiastical powers, councils or conventions. As a sovereign Baptist Church we reserve the right to fellowship with those of like precious faith, and also to sever such fellowship if we deem it for the best interests of our church. It is our present desire to seek fellowship on the local, state, and national levels with the associations of Regular Baptist Churches. This church shall not fellowship with the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals, or any other association which permits Modernism, Liberalism or any of the new systems of Theology such as New-Evangelicalism, New-Orthodoxy, or New-Fundamentalism.

ARTICLE VI. Membership

  1. Anyone professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour, giving evidence of a change of heart from sin and toward God, and declaring himself (or herself) to be submissive to the principles, practices, and doctrines of this Church, may become a candidate for membership.
  2. Candidates may qualify for membership in one for four ways:
    1. Baptism by single immersion, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
    2. Letter from a Baptist Church of like convictions and doctrine.
    3. By experience (a testimony to the fact that he or she is born again, has been Scripturally baptized (by single immersion) following his or her salvation, and is living a life which is consistent with the statement of belief of this Church).
    4. Restoration.
  3. All candidates for church membership shall meet personally with the Pastor and Deacons who shall pass upon their qualifications and prescribe any restrictions they may deem advisable for the best interests of the church.
  4. Names of candidates approved by the Pastor and Deacons will be presented to the congregation at a regularly scheduled Worship Service for a church vote. Candidates will be accepted by unanimous vote of the members present and eligible to vote. Any negative vote shall be given consideration by the Pastor(s) and Deacons. If the reason given shall be found to be sufficient to warrant, membership shall be withheld; if not, the matter shall again be presented to the church and the person or persons shall be received into membership by a majority vote of the members present and eligible to vote. The right hand of fellowship will then be extended to the candidate(s).
  5. Charter members will include those in membership before December 31, 1975.

ARTICLE VII Membership Classification

  1. ACTIVE MEMBERS: All those who are actively participating in the Church and its activities.
  2. INACTIVE MEMBERS: All those who are not actively participating in the Church or its activities for a period of 6 months for reasons that would not merit other church action.
    1. Those who are placed on the inactive roll may not vote on any issue.
    2. Placement on the inactive list will be at the discretion of the Pastor(s) and Deacons. At that time a letter will be written and restoration will be sought.

ARTICLE VIII Membership Duties

  1. Every member should walk and conduct himself or herself in daily life as to give evidence of being possessed of the Spirit of Christ and in agreement with our Doctrinal Statement.
  2. Every member should attend the services of the Church and participate regularly in the giving of his means as the Lord may prosper through storehouse tithing. I Corinthians 16:1&2.
  3. Only members who have reached the age of 18 years of age shall be privileged to vote in any church business session.

ARTICLE. IX Membership Withdrawal

  1. Death
  2. Departure.
    1. Letter of Transfer. May be granted any member in good and regular standing. Such letters must be addressed to a particular church of the same faith and order as this, and sent by the clerk to the Pastor or clerk of the church with which he desires to unite. Members not in good standing or those desiring to unite with a church not of our faith and order may request a certificate of their membership to be sent to the church with which he desires to unite.
    2. By Request. Any member, upon presentation of a written request to the Deacons, and upon an approving vote of the church, shall be allowed to withdraw from the membership.
  3. Discipline.
    1. Lack of Attendance. See Article VII:B:
    2. Conduct. The discipline committee, which shall be the Pastor(s) and the Deacons, is urged to take prompt action against any member of the church whose words or actions violate the Statement of Belief, the Church Constitution, or the Church Covenant, seeking first to secure restoration of such, and if unsuccessful, to recommend to the congregation his prompt dismissal from the church. In cases involving morals or issues which would seriously disturb the peace of the church, the recommendations of the deacons shall be approved by a vote of the church. Failing to approve the recommendations, the church must hear the case for themselves. Any member may appeal his case to the church and be heard in his own defense if the church votes to permit this. A proving period of at least six months is necessary before anyone can be reinstated after discipline. Matthew 18:15-17; II Thessalonians 3:6-15; Titus 1:1-4.

ARTICLE X Church Ordinances

  1. Baptism. Those professing saving faith in Jesus Christ as personal Saviour shall, by the Pastor or some person authorized by the church, be immersed in water in accordance with the Scriptural teaching.
  2. The Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper (Communion) shall normally be served to the assembled church by the Pastor or some person designated by the church and the deacons on the second Sunday morning of each month, and/or at the discretion of the deacons. Since it is the Lord's Table, none who are His shall be barred, but the Pastor shall on occasion state the Scriptural order, which places a consistent Christian life as a prerequisite to Communion, and shall explain the meaning of the ordinance.

ARTICLE XI Church Offices

There shall be two offices of the Church; the office of the Pastor and the office of Deacon. The qualifications for the persons filling these offices, namely the Pastor(s), and Deacons, shall be such as are prescribed and set forth in the New Testament. We hold to interpret "The husband of one wife" to exclude polygamy, divorce where the partner is still alive, and to include the necessity to be married or to have been married. Acts 6:3; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 2.

Section I. The Pastorate

  1. Acceptance. Upon the pastor's leaving, the Deacons shall without any unnecessary delay, confer with possible candidates for the office. From the candidates conferred with, the Deacons shall make their recommendations to the Church by presenting the candidate they feel God would have candidate at that time. No further consideration of candidates will be made until that candidate should be turned down by the church or refuse to accept the call from the church.
  2. Duties of the Pastor. The Pastor(s) shall have charge of the spiritual welfare of the Church. He shall preach the Gospel and care for the flock. He shall be the moderator of the Church, and shall be an ex-officio member of all boards, committees, and organizations. He shall be a faithful leader as the under-shepherd of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, recognizing the awesome and godly responsibility he has before God. He must give unwavering heed to the Spirit's admonition through the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 2:10-15 concerning the building of the Church and the accounting he must give before God concerning this building. He must be in agreement with our Doctrinal Statement.
  3. Vacation time. The church-stipulated vacation for the Pastor shall be four weeks including three (3) Sundays. At the discretion of the Deacons and their unanimous vote, this vacation maybe lengthened or shortened. This shall not include church approved conferences and camping programs.
  4. Term of Office. The Pastor shall be called for an indefinite term which shall be terminated upon 60 days notice by either the Pastor or the church.
  5. No election or dismissal of a Pastor shall take place except at a special meeting called for that purpose by the Board of Deacons.
  6. A ¾ ballot vote of eligible voters present are needed to call or dismiss a Pastor.

Section II. Deacons

  1. Number. At least five (5) men shall serve as Deacons, with at least one(1) man for every 15 members or part thereof.
  2. Duties. It shall be the duty of the deacons to:
    1. Prepare the elements and the table for the Lord's Supper and assist in serving the same;
    2. Assist the Pastor in administering baptism, in the spiritual supervision of the church, carefully examining all candidates for church membership, recommending to the church such as they consider eligible for membership;
    3. Have charge of all matters of discipline of members; and
    4. Have the general oversight of the Church.
  3. The Deacons shall choose from their group a chairman, church clerk, and a church treasurer.
    1. Chairman
      1. Preside at all deacons' meetings.
      2. Preside over church in the absence of the Pastor(s).
    2. Clerk. The clerk shall be a Deacon and shall keep a complete record of all the official acts of the church. The clerk shall keep a complete and accurate registry of the active, absentee, and erased membership. The clerk shall keep a record of the minutes and proceedings of all meetings of the Pastor and Board of Deacons.
    3. Treasurer. The treasurer shall be a Deacon and shall have the duty of receiving all monies. The treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all monies received and disburse them only by the approval of the Church. He shall give a report of the treasury at the regular business meetings of the Church, all of which shall be kept on file. No designated funds shall be diverted from their purpose except by vote of the church.
  4. The deacons shall be responsible for seeing to it that those addressing the Church shall agree with the doctrinal position of this Church.
  5. Election.
    1. During the month of November the pastor(s) will meet with the Deacons to discuss and appoint needed Deacons for the coming year.
    2. Said appointments will be posted by December 1st, on the church bulliten board.
    3. Said Appointments will be presented to the church for it's approval of each individual appointed by a simple "yes" or "no" vote done by secret ballot at the Annual Business Meeting.

    ARTICLE XII. Other Positions

    Other church positions shall be set up at the discretion of the Deacons and the positions filled by appointment of the Pastor and the approval of the Deacons. All appointed positions must only be filled by Church members.

    ARTICLE XIII. Meetings

    Section I. Sunday Meetings

    The Church shall meet regularly every Lord's Day for public worship of the Almighty God.

    Section II. Mid-week Meetings

    The Church shall meet at least once during each week for Prayer and Bible study.

    Section III. Lord's Supper Meetings

    The Church shall observe the ordinance of the Lord's Supper on the second Sunday of every month or at any other time as ordered by the pastor or Board of Deacons.

    Section IV. Quarterly Business Meetings

    A regular Quarterly Business Meeting shall be held by the Church on the second Sunday after the first of each of the first three quarters of the year. A financial update will be given.

    Section V. Special Meetings

    Special meetings may be called by the Pastor or Board of Deacons for other reasons.

    Section VI. Expenditures

    The Church shall be given prior notice at least one week before action can be taken on any project which involves the expenditure of more that $500.00 (not covered by insurance) whenever such expenditure is not clearly provided for in the Church Budget.

    Section VII. Annual Business Meeting

    The Annual Business Meeting shall be held during the third week in January of each year. The fiscal year shall be the calendar year. A written financial statement of the previous year shall be presented to the members.

    ARTICLE. XIV Quorum

    A Quorum shall consist of 30% of the active members of voting age for previously announced business. This does not include routine business. A secret ballot vote must be taken in all elections and on any other matter if requested by any one member.A quorum for a meeting for the call or dismissal of a Pastor shall be 50% of the active members of voting age. See Article XI, Section I, F.

    Article XV MISSIONS

    It shall be the policy of this church to regularly support only missionaries engaged principally in evangelism, or other church approved organizations. They shall be known to be in hearty agreement with our confession of faith, both in doctrine and practice, and be Baptist in name as well as in policy.

    Article XVI Departments of the Church

    Section I. Departments by Purpose

    1. Educational Functions
      1. Sunday School
      2. Calvary Baptist Academy
      3. Others as needed
    2. Ladies Bible Study and Missionary Circle.
    3. Youth Groups and Adult Fellowships.
    4. Men's Missionary Fellowship
    5. Nursery

    Section II. Leadership

    Leadership of each of these groups is contingent on the approval of the Pastor(s) and Deacons. At the discretion of the Deacons these leadership positions maybe filled at the annual business meeting.

    Article XVII Order of Business

    1. The moderator shall call the meeting to order and open in prayer.
    2. The moderator shall keep order, state and explain propositions.
    3. The moderator shall call for the business of the church in the following order.
      1. Read the minutes of the previous meeting.
      2. Present candidates for membership.
      3. Receive letters of dismissal from other churches.
      4. Grant letters of dismissal to those requesting them.
      5. Hear reports and other unfinished business.
      6. New Business.
    4. All business proceedings of the church shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order.

    Article XIII Amendments

    This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at any annual business meeting, or at a called business meeting, providing that notice of proposed amendment shall have been given from the pulpit for the two Sundays prior to the meeting at which action is desired.

    Article XIX Dissolution

    If this corporation should dissolve, all properties, real and monetary would become the property of the Minnesota Association of Regular Baptist Churches, 39725 225th Street, Winnebago, MN. 56098 (507) 893-3249.



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