Constitution

The Constitution of Harlingen Bible Church

Revised January 28, 2007

Article I—General

Harlingen Bible Church, chartered under Texas law as a nonprofit organization, was founded because of the trend today toward liberalism and modernism in the present church age. Realizing that God called Christians to separate themselves from this very thing, yet to fellowship with other churches and denominations of like precious faith, we, gladly and without reservation or apology, seek to stand for the “faith once delivered to the saints.”

Harlingen Bible Church is autonomous in the governing of her affairs, exercising complete control of all property in her elected officers.

Article II—Name

The name of this church shall be Harlingen Bible Church.

Article III—Purpose

The purpose of this church is to preach and teach God’s word so that the hearers will receive Jesus Christ as their Savior; grow in grace and the knowledge of Him; serve and worship God in love; and enjoy Christian fellowship.

Matt. 18:20; I Thess. 5: 11-15; Acts 20:7; Eph. 4: 11-16; Heb. 10:25

Article IV—Doctrine

I. Doctrinal Statement

A. The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Bible in the original writings of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic to be the verbally inspired Word of God. It is inerrant, infallible, God-breathed, and of supreme and final authority in all matters of life and faith. II Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; I Pet. 1:23; II Pet. 1:21

B. The Godhead

We believe in One Triune God, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternal in Being, identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possessing the same attributes and perfection. By way of simple illustration, we believe in God the Father as the source of all blessings, God the Son as the channel through which this blessing comes, and God the Holy Spirit as the agent Who makes this blessing available and real. Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18; 4:4-6

C. The Person and Work of Christ.

We believe in Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, Who is the Eternal Word manifested in the Flesh. We believe:

    1. That He eternally exists as God. Micah 5:2; John 1:1-3, 14; 10:30; 14:9; Col. 1:15-19; 2:9
    2. That He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Matt. 1:18
    3. That He was born of the virgin, Mary. Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 2:4-7
    4. That He is true God and true man and that He was tempted in every way as we are, yet He was without sin. Matt. 4: 1-11; Heb. 4:15
    5. That He died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice, fulfilling the Scripture. Matt. 27: 31-54; Rom. 5: 8-10; I Cor. 15:3
    6. That He literally, bodily, arose from the dead. Luke 24: 1-9; I Cor. 15:3
    7. That He ascended into heaven and is now seated at His Father’s right hand, assuring us of the perfection of His work and redemption. Acts 1: 9-11; Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 3:1; Heb. 12:2
    8. That He is the Head of His Church and leads in activities, and on behalf of the individual believer, He now intercedes for our weaknesses and appears as our advocate when we sin. Rom. 8: 34; Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 7: 25; 9:24
    9. That He will return for His saints who are to be raptured or resurrected prior to earth’s great tribulation period. I Thess. 4: 13-17; 5:4-9; Rev. 3:10
    10. That after the tribulation period He will personally return to earth in glory, to judge the rebellious and to establish His millennial reign on earth. Isa. 11; Matt. 24:29; Rev. 19: 11-20:15; Matt. 24: 30-31

D. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, convicts men of sin, calls them to salvation, regenerates, baptizes, indwells, seals, and sets believers apart unto a holy life, that He keeps and empowers believers day by day and bestows spiritual gifts for service, that He is the Teacher of the Word of God and Guide for our daily lives. John 3:5-8; 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 12:4-13; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18.

E. The Total Depravity of Man

We believe that a man was created in the image of God and that he sinned through willful disobedience to God and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which has been imparted to the whole human race. We believe that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word, and deed. Therefore all are in need of redemption. Gen. 1: 26-27; Gen. 3; Psalm 51:5; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 1:18-32; 3:9-18, 23; Eph. 2: 1-5; Col. 1:21.

F. Salvation

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 through a personal act of receiving Him as Savior are justified on the basis of His shed blood. We believe in justification by faith alone. John 1:12-13; 3:16; Rom. 5:1-9, 11; 8:1; 10:9-10; I Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-9.

    1. Salvation is by grace, a free gift of God apart from works. Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5
    2. Salvation is by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 16:30-31.
    3. All who receive Him are regenerate and indwelt by the Holy Spirit and become children of God. John 1:12; Rom. 8:9, 14-16.
    4. All who are truly saved will be kept forever. John 3:15-16; 5:24; 10:27-29; Rom. 8:38-39; Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:15.

G. The Church

We believe the Church:

    1. In her invisible form is the true body of Christ on earth and all who are born again of the Holy Spirit of God are true members regardless of their organizational affiliation. I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-30.
    2. In her visible form is composed of those who organize according to the Word of God, or associate themselves for the purpose of worship, edification, and service. Matt. 18:20; I Thess. 5:11-15; Heb. 10:24-25.
    3. Has been commissioned by Christ to propagate and proclaim the Gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth, and it is the personal responsibility of each of her members to do this by means of prayers, giving of their means and witnessing. Matt. 28:19-20; II Cor. 5:18-20; 9:6-8; Col. 4:2-3.

H. The Future

We believe in the personal pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Acts 1:10-11.

    1. Jesus Christ will return for His saints, to gather them unto Himself. I Thess. 4:13-17
    2. Jesus Christ will return with His saints, to judge the nations and to establish upon the earth His Messianic Kingdom. Matt. 24:29-30; II Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 19:11; 20:6.
    3. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just to eternal abode in the glory of His presence, and the eternal damnation of the wicked in the lake of fire. I Cor. 15; Rev. 20:4; 22:5.

I. Christian Living

We believe Christian living includes Christian worship and service and that every believer should seek to live a holy life and separate himself from all that dishonors God. I Cor. 3:9-16; Rom. 6:11-13; Gal. 5:16-21; Eph. 4:17-29.

J. Ordinances

We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-32.

    1. Water baptism is for those who have a) received Jesus Christ as their own Savior; b) requested to be baptized and c) their request has been affirmed by the Board of Elders. The mode of baptism will be immersion.
    2. The observance of the Lord’s Supper shall be at times designated by the Board of Elders. Recognizing that the Scripture teaches that the Lord’s Supper is for every true believer in Christ, this ordinance is open to every believer in Christ regardless of church membership.

Article V – Government

I. Authority

For purposes of carrying out our Lord’s will in the life of this church, the congregation shall have the responsibility to recognize qualified men in the Church and delegate the management of its government to a Board of Elders. The Board of Elders shall select its own chairman, and shall have responsibility for, and the authority over, all of the ministries of the Church, including the pulpit ministry, the finances, and facilities of the Church. The operating procedures for the Church and the Board are contained in and further elaborated in this constitution.

II. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of this congregation shall be from January 1st through December 31st.

III. Congregational Meetings

A.  Annual Meetings

The annual congregational meeting shall be held during the last week of January each year at a time to be established by the Board of Elders. The annual meeting shall be announced prior to the meeting both from the pulpit and in the bulletin at the previous Sunday’s services. Regularly scheduled business at the annual meeting shall include reports concerning the previous year’s activities from the various ministers, board and organizations of the congregation and confirmation of leaders of the flock. Other current and necessary business will also be transacted.

B. Special Congregational Meetings

    1. Special congregational meetings shall be called by the Board of Elders a) upon a majority vote of the Board, or b) upon the presentation to the Board of Elders of a written petition stating the reason for the meeting signed by at least fifteen percent of the voting members of the congregation. The Special Congregational Meeting will be held within three weeks of the vote or the reception of the petition.
    2. An announcement of the special congregational meeting stating the time and reason shall be made both from the pulpit and in the bulletin on two consecutive Sundays prior to the meeting.

C. Emergency Congregational Meetings

Emergency congregational meetings shall be called by a 2/3 majority of the Board of Elders. Such meetings may be convened as soon as a conscientious effort has been made to notify all active members in the local area.

IV. Membership

A. Active Members

Any person who had, by faith, received Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior; gives assurance of his or her desire to trust the Lord for a biblical Christian life; is willing to abide by this constitution; and has, except for extenuating circumstances (determined by the Board of Elders), attended services regularly and whose permanent residence is in the Rio Grande Valley shall be eligible for active membership in this congregation. Active members, age 18 and older, may hold office and have both voice and vote in congregational business.

B. Inactive Members

Any member who has not attended church service nor contributed to the work of the congregation for a period of six months, may, by action of the Board of Elders, be designated an inactive member. Inactive members have neither voice nor vote in the congregation and, except for Elder Emeritus, may not hold office. Inactive members may be restored to active member status by action of the Board of Elders.

C. Admission to Membership

Candidates for membership shall make that desire known to the Board of Elders. They shall give personal testimony to the Board or its representatives as to their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and to their Christian experience; affirm their willingness to abide by this constitution; give positive testimony to their willingness to submit to the statement of faith and state their place of permanent residence. Being satisfied as to their qualifications, the Board of Elders shall accept them into membership, and they shall be publicly welcomed on a Sunday following this meeting.

D. Duties of Members

Members are expected to conduct themselves according to the light given to them by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word, and to support wholeheartedly the services and activities of the church.

E. Minors

Minors, who have reached the age of moral accountability and are able through due examination by the Board of Elders or its appointed representative to show a thorough understanding of their faith in Christ as their personal Savior, may be received into the membership of the church.

Article VI – Officers

I. Identification of the Officers

The leaders of the congregation shall consist of the pastor, elders, and deacons and any other leader or leaders duly appointed by the elders.

II. Qualifications and Duties of the Officers

A. Pastor

    1. The pastor shall give evidence of the appointment of God on his life as a pastor (Eph. 4:11-13) and shall meet the qualifications for elders in the following paragraph. Upon assuming his duties, he is automatically a member of the congregation and an elder.
    2. It shall be the duty of the pastor to advise and lead the elders in the general oversight of the spiritual life of the church; to study the Word of God diligently; to preach the Word of God in regular services of the church; to counsel the needy; and to visit both members and non-members, devoting special attention to the sick, the poor, the afflicted and the dying. The pastor may vote in all matters considered by the Board of Elders, except items pertaining to his salary, benefits, or status. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees of the church, and may sit in on the various meetings in an advisory capacity.

B. Elders

    1. The Elders are the spiritual and administrative leaders of the congregation (Acts 20:28; Gal. 6:1; I Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17; Titus 1:6-9) and function as the executive, policy making board of the membership. They shall be in complete agreement with the doctrinal statement and constitution of this church. To them is given general oversight of the spiritual life and function of the congregation. They shall guard the purity of the doctrine and life of the congregation and, if necessary, discipline the membership in accordance with God’s Word (cf. Matt. 5:23-24; Matt. 18:15-17). They shall examine or appoint representatives to examine all candidates for membership and shall act for the church in the reception and dismissal of members. They shall minister to believers with spiritual advice, counseling, visiting and comforting the flock. They shall be an example to the church in their walk with the Lord, shepherding the congregation according to the will of God (I Peter 5:1-4) and keeping watch over the soul’s entrusted to their care (Heb. 13:7, 17).
    2. The Elders are trustees of the church. They shall authorize and oversee the expenditure of funds (the purchase and sale of land or buildings and the expenditure of $10,000 or more shall require congregational consideration) and the presentation of a twelve month budget at the annual meeting. They shall act as search committee for a pastor, hire and define the duties of any needed employees, and, in general, establish and carry out the policies of the church as found in the Scripture and this constitution. They shall maintain a current list of active and inactive members. They shall, in accordance with Scripture and this constitution, recommend candidates for elder and deacon for confirmation by the congregation. They shall also appoint as many other leaders as the needs of the congregation dictate and delineate their duties and responsibilities. They shall post a monthly report of their activities for the benefit of the congregation and make an annual report to the congregation.
    3. Scripture indicates that a man is an elder as long as he is in conformity with the biblical qualifications as found in I Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. Because of this, an elder shall be eligible to serve on the Board of Elders if he is an active member of the congregation, as long as he a) evidences a conscientious attempt to meet, and b) maintains a satisfactory level of conformity to those biblical qualifications, and c) endeavors to lead a spiritual life.
    4. The normal regular meeting of the Board of Elders shall be once a month, and a quorum shall be at least 2/3 of its members. All decisions shall be by majority vote, except as otherwise provided by this constitution, but conscientious effort shall be made to insure that action is accomplished by unanimous agreement. At the first meeting of the Board after the annual meeting, it shall choose its chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, a treasurer for the congregation (normally a deacon) and any other officers it considers desirable. If able the Chairman of the Board of Elders shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Elders and congregation.
    5. The Board of Elders may have the deacons join with them in their deliberations at their discretion but must do so when the number of elders serving on the Board of Elders is less than three. The number of members serving on the various boards and committees shall be determined by the Board of Elders.
    6. The Board of Elders may direct one of more of their number to sit on any board or committee of the congregation as an ex-officio member of that board or committee.
    7. An elder who is no longer able to serve regularly because of age, infirmity, or similar reasons, may be designated Elder Emeritus by the Board of Elders and after initial confirmation by the congregation, may serve on the Board whenever able to do so.

C. Deacons

    1. Deacons are to be confirmed by the congregation upon recommendation by the Board of Elders. The lives and Christian experience of such men shall conform to the biblical qualifications as found in I Tim. 3:8-13. Deacons shall serve on the Board of Deacons, if they are active members as long as they a) evidence a conscientious attempt to meet and b) maintain a satisfactory level of conformity to those biblical qualifications and c) endeavor to lead a spiritual life.
    2. The deacons are servants of the church entrusted with the delegated responsibility of assisting in the spiritual oversight of the congregation and supervising the physical and material aspects of the ministry of the local church. As such the Board of Deacons is responsible for the care, repair, maintenance and management of the church buildings, properties and equipment. The Board of Deacons may authorize the church treasurer to pay regularly recurring church bills and may authorize additional expenditures up to $1000 that are neither routine nor authorized by the Board of Elders.
    3. The Treasurer will be appointed by the Board of Elders. The Treasurer shall care for and keep a record of all monies, receipts and expenditures in a legally recognized form or book and pay all authorized bills promptly, funds permitting. The Treasurer shall make regular monthly reports to the Board of Elders and shall, upon authorization by the Board of Elders, provide such financial information and data to other boards and committees as they may request. The Treasurer shall make both a monthly and annual (at the annual meeting) financial report to the congregation. An annual audit of the treasurer’s books shall be made by someone other than the Treasurer.
    4. A quorum shall consist of no less than 2/3 of the members of the Board of Deacons. Decisions shall be by majority vote, except as otherwise provided in this constitution. At the first meeting of the Board after the annual meeting, it shall choose its Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary. The normal regular meeting of the Board of Deacons shall be once a month.

III. Selection of Officers

A. Pastor  

The Pastor shall be recommended to the congregation by the elders. Candidates shall give evidence of their theological and personal beliefs and shall be in complete agreement with the doctrinal standards and constitution of this church. If approved by ¾ vote of the congregation, the candidate shall be called by the Board of Elders.

B. Elders and Deacons

These shall serve as members of their respective boards upon confirmation by the congregation.

C. Teachers

These shall be appointed as needed and shall be in complete agreement with the doctrinal statement of this church.

IV. Installation of Leaders

As soon as practicable after the selection and during a Sunday service, the pastor, elders and deacons shall be installed into their ministries by the incumbent elders and pastor with the laying on of hands and the standing affirmation of the congregation.

Article VII – Termination of Members and/or Leaders

I. Members

A. Request

Any member may request to have his or her name removed from membership or transferred to another church and such requests shall be handled by the Board of Elders.

B. Inactivity

Any member who has been absent from the church for a period of six months without manifesting interest by attending services or contributing to the church’s support, may, by recommendation of the elders be placed on the inactive roll.

C. Discipline

    1. Discipline in the congregation shall be conducted in accordance with the steps outlined in Matthew 18:15-17, where it is understood that “the church” means, first of all, its spiritual leaders, the Board of Elders, and, ultimately, if necessary, its membership.
    2. No action of church discipline shall be brought against any member until there has been a determined effort on the part of the Board of Elders, assuming the first two steps mentioned above have failed to reconcile the said member to the Lord through personal prayer, counsel, and loving effort. Action by the Board of Elders shall take place when it is evident that failure to act will result in harm to the church. The Board of Elders shall consider carefully charges brought against a member and, in every case, the member shall be given, and urged to take, the opportunity to respond to such charges. Those involved in the first two steps outlined in Matthew 18:15-17 and any others with first hand knowledge of the situation shall be heard before final action is taken by the Board of Elders. No charges shall be brought against any member of the church in a public meeting except by action of the Board of Elders.
    3. No accusation shall be brought against the pastor or an elder except by the separate and factual witness of two or more persons (I Tim. 5:19).

D. Disharmony

By a 2/3 vote of the Board of Elders, a member out of harmony with the practices or beliefs of this congregation, may be removed from the membership or designated an Inactive Member (Titus 3:10-11).

II. Pastor

A. If the pastor should be led to resign, he must give the Board of Elders at least two months notice.

B. If the pastor is dismissed, he shall be given clear Scriptural grounds for his dismissal, relative to his moral and spiritual qualifications and/or his quality of ministry to the church

C. If the Board of Elders in a duly called elders meeting votes to dismiss the pastor they shall call a congregational meeting to consider the removal of the pastor from his office.

D. The Pastor shall normally be given at least two month’s notice. If the resignation is due to difficulties he may be having in the congregation or with the Board of Elders, he may be relieved of his duties sooner but shall be given at least one month’s compensation. He shall have vacated the parsonage by the end of his compensation period unless other arrangements are made with the Board of Elders.

III. Elders and Deacons

A. By a 2/3 vote of the Board of Elders, an elder or deacon may be removed from office if his or her behavior a) does not conform to the biblical qualifications as found in I Tim. 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9, and b) does not evidence a conscientious attempt to meet those qualifications and c) does not endeavor to lead a spiritual life. If the person under discussion is an elder, he shall not have a vote in his own case, but shall be allowed ample defense before the other elders.

B. An elder or deacon who fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of his Board shall be dropped from serving on his respective Board. He may be reinstated by the action of the Board of Elders.

Article VIII – Finances

This church shall be financed according to the Scriptures – “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (II Cor. 9:7). There shall be no bazaars or other commercial enterprises to raise money for the church.

Article IX – Use of Facilities

Church facilities shall not be used for political activities. Any use of the facilities for other than church affairs shall be after approval of the Board of Elders.

Article X – Amendments

Amendments to this constitution will be considered at a congregational meeting called under the provision Article V, Section III of this constitution. The proposed amendments shall be given at the same time the meeting is announced.

Article XI – Interpretation of this Constitution

Questions concerning the interpretation of the meaning of this constitution shall be resolved by action of the Board of Elders.

Article XII – Dissolution of Assets

This congregation pledges its assets for use in performing the stated purpose of the congregation in Article III and directs that upon discontinuance and/or dissolution of this organization any and all assets are to be transferred to a Christian organization whose doctrinal statement is in harmony with this constitution.