ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this
church shall be the Chinese Christian Church at Clemson.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of
this church is to glorify God. To this end it exists for: the worship and
service of God; the teaching of His Word; the proclamation of His saving grace;
the building up, fellowship, and discipline of those who believe the Son; the
practice of holiness without which no one shall see God; and the rendering of
compassionate service to all regardless of social class or race.
ARTICLE III: STATEMENT
OF FAITH
1. We believe in
the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and that they are inspired of
God, inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in
faith and life (II Tim. 3:16; II Peter 1:21; Psalms 119:89; John 12:47-48;
Rev. 22:19).
2. We believe in
one God existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, coequal and
eternal (Gen. 1:1, 26-27; Isa. 44:6; Matt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; Deut.
6:4).
3. We believe
that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred
not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God;
and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in the case of
those who reach moral responsibility, show themselves to be sinners in thought,
word, and deed (Gen. 1:27; Rom. 1:18, 3:23, 5:12; Psalms 51:5).
4. We believe
that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary,
and is true God and true Man (Matt. 1:18, 22-23; John 1:14; Phil. 2:6-7).
5. We believe
that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a
representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him
are justified on the ground of His shed blood (Rom. 5:8, 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9).
6. We believe in
the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His Ascension in the
heavens and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate (I
Cor. 15:1-4; Acts 1:9; Heb. 7:22-25).
7. We believe in
the blessed hope, the personal and visible return of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ to reign (Acts 1:11; I Thess. 3:13, 4:14-17; Rev. 19:7, 20:15).
8. We believe
that all who are born again of the Holy Spirit receive by faith the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thereby become children of God (John 1:12-13, 3:3, 5, 7).
9. We believe in
the eternal security and everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the eternal
conscious punishment of the lost (John 3:16-18; I John 5:11-13; Rev. 20:15;
Mark 9:48).
10. We believe
that Christ instituted the ordinance of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, to be
observed until He comes (Matt. 26:26-29; I Cor. 11:23-26; Matt. 28:19-20).
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Membership in
this church shall be based upon an individual personal acceptance of the Lord
Jesus Christ as Savior. Each candidate for membership should be able to give a
testimony of faith in Christ and a desire to live a consistent Christian life.
The candidate should be baptized, if not baptized previously. Such persons show
evidence of a satisfactory attitude toward the doctrinal standards of this church
and its Constitution, and are willing to be in submission to the church. The
church through its officers shall examine and receive candidates for membership
upon affirmation of their faith.
ARTICLE V: GOVERNMENT
This church
recognizes Jesus Christ as the Head and supreme authority for all its actions
and functions. Under Christ the government of this church shall be vested in
its members acting through an Executive Board which consists of pastor, elders
and deacons. In all matters, the goal shall be to function by consensus of
opinion and in unity, seeking to know and follow the mind of Christ.
ARTICLE VI: AFFILIATION
This church
shall be organizationally unaffiliated with any denomination. However,
fellowship and cooperation with other churches and groups of like faith and
purpose shall be encouraged.
ARTICLE VII: DISSOLUTION
This church is
organized exclusively for religious, educational, and charitable purposes
within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. If this
organization is ever dissolved, all the assets thereof shall be transferred to
an organization or organizations, chosen by the members, organized exclusively
for religious, educational, and charitable purposes within the meaning of
Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code as it now exists, or as it may
be amended. The provisions of this article shall remain irrevocable.
ARTICLE VIII:
AMENDMENTS
This
Constitution may be amended only by three quarters (3/4) of the members present
and voting at a meeting duly called and announced at least 4 weeks before,
provided that the subject for change is announced in writing.
BY-LAWS OF THE CHINESE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA
The by-laws are
established in accordance with the Constitution of the Chinese Christian Church
at Clemson as standards for the administration of the ministry of the church.
ARTICLE I: CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
1.1 Qualifications
Church membership is an
expression of a believer's loyalty to a church in a particular locality. A
person qualified for membership in the Chinese Christian Church at Clemson must
be one who:
(1)
confesses Jesus Christ to be his / her Savior and Lord and has shown
satisfactory evidence of the new life in Christ in his / her daily life;
(2)has
been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit;
(3)has
attended the church regularly for the past three (3) months;
(4)is in general agreement with
the constitution, purpose, direction, administration, and discipline of the
church; and
(5)is of age sixteen (16) or
older.
1.2 Responsibilities
of Members
Each
member should:
(1)Desire to share the
responsibility of maintaining and developing of the church through regular
attendance and frequent prayer, financial giving, and whatever ministries the
Lord enables;
(2)Maintain a regular daily
devotional time in Bible reading and prayer to seek God's will and blessings both
for his / her individual life and for the church and its leaders;
(3)Regularly ask the Lord to help
him / her and all members to grow in obedience in all areas of life, especially
in the love for one another and fulfillment of the Great Commission; and
(4)Actively participate in the
decision making process in membership meetings.
1.3
Procedure of Application for Membership
One
who desires membership in the church must complete an application form from the
church for this purpose. The Executive
Board will approve the application in a timely fashion, and notify the
applicant of the results. Membership privileges will be effective immediately following
the approval.
1.4 Church Discipline
If
the life or conduct of a member is contrary to the Word of God, he / she may be
asked by the Elders Board for explanation, and disciplinary action in
accordance with the principles set forth in the Bible may be taken.
1.5
Termination of Membership
A
member may withdraw his / her membership voluntarily by giving notice to the
Executive Board.
If
a member has moved permanently out of this locality, his / her membership will
be terminated. Such person is encouraged to affiliate himself with a church of
like faith and practice in his / her new locality.
If
a member is absent from the worship service of the church for one year in
succession, or has failed to keep up with the membership qualifications, his /
her membership shall be terminated.
1.6
Types of Church Membership
Church
membership at the Chinese Christian Church at Clemson shall be either Full
Membership or Associate Membership. Full Membership is given those who desire
membership at the Chinese Christian Church at Clemson. Associate Membership is
reserved for individuals with all of the following conditions: 1) one who is to
stay locally for a short-term, 2) one whose home church is outside the local area,
3) one whose desire is to be a member in the ministry of the Chinese Christian Church
at Clemson, and 4) one whose home church does not allow membership in any other
church, with the exception being an Associate Membership. Full Members and
Associate Members have the same membership privileges.
ARTICLE II : ORDINANCES
2.1 Baptism
Baptism
by immersion, or sprinkling, or pouring is recognized as a scriptural ordinance
to signify the union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.
However, baptism by immersion is to be practiced in this church whenever
possible. Those who are baptized in this church and meet the qualifications in
Article I.1.1 of the By-Laws will become members. Those with circumstances that
would not allow participation as a member of the church may receive exemption
from membership as approved by the Executive Board.
2.2 The Lord's Supper
(Communion)
The
ordinance of the Lord's Supper (Communion) shall be observed regularly.
Everyone who is redeemed by the blood of Christ and has received baptism is
welcome, but believers should be advised to participate after self-examination.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
3.1 Annual
Meeting
A
membership meeting should be conducted on the third or fourth Sunday of
December every year, to elect officers, to approve annual budget, to receive
ministerial and financial reports from the boards, and to pray, to seek the
will of the Lord and consider matters concerning the church as a whole, such as
the calling of a pastor, the securing of a new church building, etc.
The
date, the agenda, and the proposals should be announced and posted by the
Executive Board three weeks before the meeting. Other proposals and amendments
must be submitted to the Board at least two weeks before the meeting by two or
more members. These proposals shall be posted by the Board, along with whatever
counter-proposals or amendments the Board may have, at least one week before
the meeting.
3.2 Special Meetings
Special
membership meetings may be called by the Executive Board whenever the Board
considers it necessary and should be announced at least two weeks before the
meeting. In case of an emergency, the Board may call a meeting in less than two
weeks.
3.3 Quorum &
Voting
A
Quorum shall be a simple majority of the church membership. If a quorum is not
met, the meeting may adjourn to a stated time at least two weeks later. Notice
of the adjournment shall be announced and posted on the intervening Sunday(s).
If a quorum cannot be met after three trials, the proposal will be dropped.
ARTICLE IV: GOVERNMENT
4.1Executive
Board
The
Executive Board shall consist of the pastor, the elders and the deacons with
one of the Board member acting as the chairperson, and another member as vice
chairperson. The chairperson will assist the pastor in planning and execution
of church ministries. The chairperson will also call and conduct board
meetings. In case that the chairperson cannot perform his or her functions, the
vice chairperson should step in to call and to conduct board meetings.
The
Board shall hold monthly meetings for prayer and business. The monthly meeting shall also include the
coworkers that are involved in the discussed church business. The Board shall report the meeting results to
the members of the church annually and at whatever time the need may arise.
The quorum of
the regular monthly Executive Board meeting shall be three quarters of active
Board members. The term active Board
member refers to those who were duly elected to serve on the Board and are
expected to be able and willing to continue in their duties as Board members
without impairment. The quorum of any
Executive Board meeting including special meetings called for special
discussions shall also be three quarters of active Board members. A special Board meeting requires three days
advanced notice to be legitimate.
Emergency Board
meetings may be called without advanced notification when there is an emergency
situation. Examples of emergency
situations include high likelihood of severe impairment to church interest upon
inaction, such impairment may include high probability of harm or danger to
life or safety of individuals, or high probability of significant loss in value
or substantial damages to properties, or other significant adverse events. Emergency meetings can be held over telephone
or other reasonable means of communication.
Quorum for
emergency meeting is either (a) two Board members with one of them being either
a pastor or chairperson of the Board, or (b) if neither a pastor nor
chairperson of the Board is available, the quorum for emergency meeting shall
be three Board members.
Decisions made
during emergency meeting need to be unanimous.
Active Board members who did not participate in the emergency meeting
are to be informed about the called emergency meeting and any decision(s) made,
such information may be conveyed by any reasonable means of communication, e.g.
e-mail or telephone, if practically possible, within a reasonable time
period. Decisions made during emergency
meetings are to be ratified during next regular Board meeting if possible. Decisions made during emergency meeting may
also be modified during subsequent regular Board meeting as situation changes
or there are differing opinions.
4.2Pastor
The
pastor is to oversee the complete ministry of the church. He is an ex-officio
member of all Boards and Committees. He must accept the responsibility as from
the Lord to equip the believers through preaching, teaching, training and
shepherding for the work of the Gospel ministry and for the edification and
building up of the Body of Christ. He must meet the qualifications of an elder
as stated in I Timothy 3:1-7. The Executive Board shall provide feedback to the
pastor regarding his ministry every year.
In
case of a vacancy, the Executive Board shall appoint a Pastoral Search
Committee to search for prospective candidates who are called to the ministry,
meet the scriptural qualifications of an elder, and be able to carry out the
stated purpose of the church. The Pastoral Search Committee should consist of
representatives from the present Executive Board and from the congregation. One
half affirmative votes in a membership meeting are required for this Pastoral
Search Committee. The choice of the pastoral candidate should be confirmed by
three quarters (3/4) votes in a membership meeting, provided that the total
affirmative votes exceed half (50%) of the membership. A special period of
prayer by the whole church shall be conducted before that special meeting.
A
renewable contract shall be entered between the pastor and the church
specifying the terms of office for two to five years. The contract shall be
recommended by the Executive Board and confirmed by at least three quarters (3/4)
affirmative votes in a membership meeting.
Resignation
of the pastor requires at least a six month notice to the Executive Board,
unless he is asked to resign by the Executive Board and three quarters (3/4)
votes of all members due to heretical teaching, or life and testimony contrary
to the Word of God. In case that the Executive Board intends to recommend the
removal of a pastor, it should pray fervently to seek God’s will, and actively
consult with experienced pastors and elders to seek their help.
The
church may ordain the pastor if such a need arises. The candidate must have served
in the church for at least one year, have the recommendation of the Executive
Board, and affirmative votes of at least three quarters (3/4) of quorum
provided that the total affirmative votes exceed half (50%) of membership. The Executive
Board shall then invite at least three pastors or elders to form an examination
committee to examine the candidate's faith and gifts. After the examination committee
has given its approval, the Executive Board shall arrange for the ordination.
4.3Elders
Elders
shall meet the qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7 and I Peter 5:1-4.
Elders and the pastor shall faithfully share their responsibilities as
overseers of the church and shepherds of the congregation. Elders should prayerfully
seek the direction of the ministry, and provide biblical and spiritual guidance
for doctrinal clarification and disciplinary actions should such actions are
needed.
Candidacy
to Elders includes recommendation of the Executive Board and individually confirmed by a three quarters
(3/4) vote in a membership meeting, provided that the total affirmative votes
are cast by more than half (50%) of the membership. The Executive Board shall
invite at least three pastors or elders to further examine the qualifications
and gifts of the candidate. Once the invited pastors and elders confirm the
qualifications and gifts of the candidate, the Executive Board shall arrange
for the ordination.
Owing
to ill health, moving out of the locality or other personal reasons, an elder
may resign from active service.
It
shall be within the power of the Executive Board to recommend to the
congregation to revoke the ordination credentials of any elder found guilty of
doctrinal heresy or immoral conduct. Such a recommendation shall be confirmed
by three quarters (3/4) votes of a membership meeting. In case the Executive
Board intends to revoke the ordination of an elder, it should pray fervently
for the guidance from God, and actively seek the unity of the church.
4.4Deacons
A
minimum of five deacons are individually confirmed according to qualifications in
I Timothy 3:8-13. They shall be assigned to specific offices in order to assist
the pastor or elder(s) in the administration of church ministries. The
nomination of deacons shall be determined by a Nomination Committee which
consists of the pastor, an elder, a deacon and at least a church- member-at-large
who is approved by a simple majority in a membership meeting. The Nomination
Committee shall pray for God’s will to find faithful servants for Christ’s
body, and seek inputs from church members. Nominated candidates are
individually confirmed by three quarters (3/4) vote in a membership meeting.
Deacons
serve for one year, and maybe re-elected consecutively for no more than three
years. After serving for three years consecutively, a deacon has to step down
for at least one year. After stepping
down for at least a year, the deacon may be re-elected to serve.
4.5General
Guidelines
In
the event that the number of elders has fallen below the minimum required, or
that the pastor's position is vacant, special committee(s) shall be created by
the Executive Board to temporarily take up the needed responsibilities.
ARTICLE V: OFFICES & OFFICERS
The main
responsibilities of the various offices are listed in below. The officers are
to be elected among the members of the Executive Board. An officer may assume
more than one office if needed.
5.1 Chairperson
The
chairperson is responsible for convening and presiding over the meetings of the
Executive Board. The individual, together with the Executive Board, will draw
up the agenda for such meetings and coordinates the efforts of all the offices.
In the event that the pastor’s position is vacant, the chairperson shall work
with the Executive Board to take up the needed responsibilities of the church.
5.2 Christian Edification
This
office is responsible for all the planning and activities pertaining to
Christian Edification, including, Sunday School, Prayer Meetings, Retreats,
Special Meetings, Bible Study Groups, and Children’s program.
5.3 Worship
This
office is responsible for all matters pertaining to worship programs such as
schedules for Sunday worship, music, choir, and sacraments.
5.4 Missions
This
office is responsible for all mission policy, mission effort, missionary
training, missionary support, administration of mission education, and
promotion of missions locally, regionally and internationally.
5.5 Caring
This
office is responsible for arranging caring, visitations, contacts, and church
activities aiming at reaching out to church members. It is also in charge of preparing newcomers’
cards and welcome parties for new members, as well as other activities.
5.6 Secretary
and Librarian
This
office is responsible for writing the minutes of the general meetings and the
meetings of the Executive Board, keeping the records of the membership of the
whole church, the publication of the church directory, the sending of church circulars
and letters to members notifying them to attend meetings, managing the church
literature, and the safekeeping of the relevant documents belonging to the
church.
5.7 Treasurer
and Accountant
This
office keeps the accounts of the church, takes care of the offering from the
congregation, publishes monthly statements of income and expenditure and draws
up the church budget. When the year is over, the treasurer must publish a clear
account of the amount of offering and expenditure of the whole year in a timely
manner.
5.8 General
Services
This
office supports the work of other offices, supervises meals, provides
maintenance for church possessions, prepares venue for meetings, cleans up
venue after meetings and makes necessary purchases for above prposes.
ARTICLE VI: FINANCE
The
church ministry shall be supported by the tithes and the free-will offerings to
the Lord. Regular tithing and cheerful giving as unto the Lord are encouraged.
There shall be no solicitation of money from non-believers (Prov. 15:8). God's
work, done in God's way, shall never lack God's supply (2 Cor. 9:8; Phil 4:19).
ARTICLE VII: CHURCH PROPERTIES
Church
properties include all the real estate and possessions which are legally owned
by the church.
Church
properties shall be used for church purposes and activities, and shall not be
loaned to any person or organization for any other purpose without the approval
of the Executive Board. Use of church properties and their maintenance are
administered by the officer of General Services.
Any
purchase or sale of church real estate requires a recommendation from the
Executive Board and a three quarters (3/4) vote approval in a membership
meeting provided that the total affirmative votes exceed half (50%) of the
membership.
ARTICLE VIII: SPECIAL PROVISION
The
Executive Board has the final authority to address special situations not
stated in the by-laws.
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS
All
proposals are to be posted two (2) weeks before the membership meeting for such
purpose. Proposals from church members consisting of at least three (3)
voting members from different families should be presented to the Executive
Board in writing four (4) weeks before the membership meeting. Any amendment
requires a three quarters (3/4) vote of approval in a membership meeting.
(Revision 2, June 29, 2008)