EMMANUEL CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE 1 - NAME

The legal name of this church will be the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Bloomington, Indiana,

Incorporated having been organized February 9, 1958 and incorporated May 19, 1963. The

church is also referred to as Emmanuel or Emmanuel Church.

ARTICLE 2 - PURPOSE

Emmanuel exists to glorify God. We purpose to make Him known in our community and the

world by proclaiming and living God's Word. Therefore, by God's grace, nonbelievers will trust

the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and believers will be established in the faith and equipped for

ministry to others.

ARTICLE 3 - ASSOCIATIONS

This church is associated with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, the

Crossroads Fellowship of Churches and the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana. Emmanuel

can only be associated with other ministry organizations if the council of elders determines that

such associations are in agreement with our Statement of Faith.

ARTICLE 4 - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Emmanuel invites any person, at least 16 years old, professing faith in the Lord Jesus

Christ as Savior, having been baptized by immersion after salvation, and willing to be governed

by the Constitution, the Covenant and the Statement of Faith is invited to become a member of

this church. The person will complete a church membership application and complete a

membership interview with a member of the council of elders. If the interview is satisfactory,

the person will be accepted into membership by a majority vote of the council of elders.

Section 2: A member must be subject to the lordship of Christ as revealed in the Bible. A

member must also be regularly involved in the life of the church. Only a member may be the

leader of an ongoing church ministry, and only a member may vote.

Section 3: Any member, not in the process of discipline in accordance with Matthew 18:15-20

and Galatians 6:1-5, may resign without a congregational vote. A member not responding to

discipline in accordance with Matthew 18:15-20 and Galatians 6:1-5 or not regularly involved in

the life of the church will, upon recommendation from the council of elders, be removed from

membership by a majority vote of the church.

Section 4: Associate membership is available for anyone who temporarily comes to

Bloomington for educational, vocational, or personal reasons but wishes to remain a member

of another church. The procedure for becoming an associate member as well as the

responsibilities and the privileges are the same as for regular membership. Associate members

will be removed from membership upon the expiration of their time in Bloomington.

ARTICLE 5 - OFFICERS, MINISTRY TEAMS AND STAFF

Section 1: Officers of this church will include elders, deacons, clerk, treasurer, financial

secretaries and auditors. Elders who are paid by the church for their role as an elder will be

called pastors. The church may have as many elders and deacons as deemed necessary by the

congregation with a recommendation of a minimum of three elders and three deacons. The

council of elders should have at least as many elders as there are pastors. All church officers are

responsible to the oversight of the council of elders.

Section 2: The council of elders will form ministry teams to enable the church to fulfill its

purpose. When necessary, a pastor search team will be formed. All ministry teams are

responsible to the council of elders.

Section 3: All officers, except pastors, must have been a member of the church for at least one

year. Officers' lives must demonstrate spiritual maturity and agreement with the Constitution,

the Covenant and the Statement of Faith. In addition, elders must be men whose lives are

characterized by the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. Deacons’ lives must be

characterized by the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3:8-12. An office will remain vacant if there are

no qualified candidates.

Section 4: Nominations for all officers may be made in writing to the council of elders by any

member. The council of elders will review these nominations according to the qualifications for

the office and formulate a ballot. Nominees will be elected by a majority of votes cast by the

congregation. A member can only hold one office at a time.

Section 5: Nominations for pastors will be made to the congregation by the council of elders. A

congregational meeting for a vote will be announced at least two weeks in advance. A three-

fourths majority of votes cast is required to hire a pastor. Pastors automatically become

members of the church.

Section 6: New paid staff positions may be recommended to the council of elders by any

member. The council of elders will consider the recommendation and may bring a motion to

the congregation. The council of elders will hire persons to fill these positions. Persons hired

will be responsible to a designated church officer.

ARTICLE 6 - DUTIES

Section 1: The council of elders is responsible to lovingly lead, faithfully feed, practically care for

and diligently protect the congregation. This includes but is not limited to: the overall

leadership of the church, the public and private ministry of prayer and God’s Word, the

shepherding of the congregation, the protection of the church from false teaching, the

visitation of those who are sick, the development of an annual budget, the oversight of church

finances according to the approved budget, the evangelistic outreach of the church and the

accountability of the church to God and to the government. The council of elders will also

ensure that the church communicates well at all levels and will be wholehearted champions of

the pastors, paid staff and leaders of the church. The council of elders will meet as often as they

deem necessary to fulfill their responsibilities and will work with the deacons to meet needs in

the congregation and plan for the future needs of the church.

Section 2: Elders will be given specific areas of responsibility and accountability through

ministry descriptions. They are to assist each other in carrying out their assigned duties.

Section 3: The deacons will serve the church through meeting needs according to God’s Word.

This includes but is not limited to: ensuring that adequate property and casualty insurance is in

force, maintaining building and grounds in a state conducive to the ministry of the church,

planning for future needs of the ministry and ensuring that all uses of the church facilities are

consistent with the mission of the church. The deacons will receive designated offerings,

disburse them as needs arise and report receipts and disbursements to the council of elders

and to the congregation in summary form. The deacons will encourage fellowship and

hospitality in the congregation. The deacons will meet as often as they deem necessary to fulfill

their responsibilities and will work with the council of elders to meet needs in the congregation

and plan for the future needs of the church.

Section 4: The church clerk will prepare accurate minutes of all church family meetings.

Section 5: The financial secretaries will count offerings, deposit offerings in the church's bank

account, keep accurate and confidential records of all offerings received, give receipts annually

to donors and report, in summary form, to the council of elders as requested.

Section 6: The treasurer will disburse funds according to vouchers prepared by a church staff

member and approved by a council of elders designee, reconcile the monthly bank statement

with oversight by a council of elders designee; and provide a monthly balance sheet, operating

statement and other reports to the council of elders, as requested, and to the congregation at

quarterly congregational meetings.

Section 7: Auditors will annually audit financial records, using appropriate methods to assure

appropriate financial controls and report their findings to the council of elders. The council of

elders will deliver the findings of the report to the congregation during one of the regularly

scheduled congregational meetings.

ARTICLE 7 - TERMS OF OFFICE

Section 1 There is no time-limit on a pastor's term of office. To resign voluntarily, a pastor must

give at least two months’ notice to the council of elders.

Section 2 Elders, deacons, financial secretaries and auditors will serve a three-year term of

office and may serve consecutive terms. The terms will be staggered so that one-third of the

officers will end each year. The treasurer and clerk will serve one-year terms and may serve

consecutive terms. Should an office be vacated early, a special election will take place to

replace the officer as soon as possible.

Section 3 A person with a charge against an officer must go to the officer in obedience to

Matthew 18:15-20 and Galatians 6:1-5. If the problem is not resolved, the person with the

charge against an officer should immediately go to an elder and request that they go to the

officer together. If the problem is still not resolved, they should go to the council of elders, who

will, if necessary, present the matter to the congregation. The congregation may remove any

officer, other than an elder, with a majority of votes cast. No accusation against an elder will be

considered except on the basis of at least three witnesses, and an elder who continues to sin

will be rebuked publicly (1 Timothy 5:19-20).

Section 4 An elder’s term of office may be terminated involuntarily. Members representing at

least three households may request that the council of elders evaluate an elder’s ministry. The

council of elders must then determine whether a vote of confidence should be taken. Should

they choose to conduct a vote of confidence, the elder must be notified, privately, one week

before any announcement, and must be told the schedule for the meetings required for such a

vote.

A vote of confidence requires two meetings, one for discussion and one for the vote. The vote

of confidence must be announced over three consecutive Sundays. The first meeting will take

place between the second and third announcements. At this meeting, each side will be given

opportunity to present its case fairly and objectively. The second meeting will take place after

the third announcement. At this meeting, a vote will be taken, but no discussion will be

permitted. A two-third’s affirmative vote of members present is required for the elder to

continue his ministry at Emmanuel. Should a vote of confidence not be sustained, or should the

pastor resign after being notified of the vote of confidence but before the date of the second

meeting, his term of office will cease immediately. A pastor who resigns or does not sustain a

vote of confidence will receive two months compensation.

ARTICLE 8 - CHURCH MEETINGS

Section 1 The church will meet regularly on Sunday for public worship. The Lord's Supper will

be celebrated at times determined by the council of elders.

Section 2 Four regular congregational meetings are required throughout the year. Additional

congregational meetings will be held as necessary. Each meeting must be announced at least

one week in advance.

If a vote is to be taken, a quorum consisting of a minimum of 30 percent of members residing in

Indiana must be present at the beginning of the meeting.

Section 3 Congregational meetings will be moderated by an elder. Meetings will follow the

regulations set forth in this constitution and the parliamentary procedure described by Robert's

Rules of Order.

Section 4 The four required congregational meetings will be quarterly meetings held in the

months of January, April, July and October. The vote to approve the annual budget will be held

at the January meeting and the budget will be retroactive to the first day of the year. The

election of officers will be held during the month of December. Newly elected officers will

assume their responsibilities at the beginning of the new year.

ARTICLE 9 - AMENDMENTS

Any member may submit a written proposal for constitutional amendments or revisions to the

council of elders. The council of elders will consider the proposal and report its decision to the

person who submitted it. The council of elders will propose constitutional amendments and

revisions to the congregation. The proposal and the date of the vote must be announced for

two consecutive weeks prior to the vote and the text of the proposal must be available to the

congregation during this time. A two-third’s majority of votes cast is necessary for ratification

or revision of the amendments.