The Evangelical Covenant
Church, Chicago, 1989, pp. 449-457.
and
“Jesus People USA Covenant
Church Constitution and Bylaws,” Chicago, 1989.
Revisions and Emendations
of the denomination’s Model Constitution which are made by the local JPUSA
congregation’s leadership are noted in bold [and bracketed] or noted
as strikeouts.
A Comparison By
Former Members
(with two decades of experience
living in JPUSA)
JPUSA Constitution &
Bylaws
Current as of October 2000
model
constitution
for
local covenant churches--council form
[JESUS
PEOPLE U.S.A. COVENANT CHURCH
CHICAGO,
ILLINOIS]
constitution
preamble
(A
Historical Statement from the Preamble of the Constitution and Bylaws of
The Evangelical Covenant Church as revised in 1957)
"The
Evangelical Covenant Church has its roots in historical Christianity as
it emerged in the Protestant Reformation, in the biblical instruction of
the Lutheran State Church of Sweden, and in the great spiritual awakenings
of the nineteenth century.These
three influences have in large measure shaped its development and are to
be borne in mind in seeking to understand its distinctive spirit.
"The
Covenant Church adheres to the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation
regarding the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, as the Word of
God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.It
has traditionally valued the historic confessions of the Christian church,
particularly the Apostles' Creed, while at the same time it has emphasized
the sovereignty of the Word over all creedal interpretations.It
has especially cherished the pietistic restatement of the doctrine of justification
by faith as basic to its dual task of evangelism and Christian nurture,
the New Testament emphasis upon personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord, the reality of a fellowship of believers which recognizes but
transcends theological differences, and the belief in baptism and the Lord's
Supper as divinely ordained sacraments of the church.While
the denomination has traditionally practiced the baptism of infants, in
conformity with its principle of freedom it has given room to divergent
views.The principle of personal
freedom, so highly esteemed by the Covenant, is to be distinguished from
the individualism that disregards the centrality of the Word of God and
mutual responsibilities and disciplines of the spiritual community."
This
document, which is in harmony with the above preamble, is the constitution
and bylaws of the.............[Jesus People U.S.A.]
Evangelical Covenant Church of ..................(place)[Chicago,
Illinois].
article
i
Name
The
name of this church shall be the............(local name if any)
[Jesus People U.S.A.] Evangelical Covenant Church
of............(town and state) [Chicago, Illinois].
article
ii
Affiliation
The
church is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church and its........[Central]
Conference and is pledged to work in harmony with the Covenant and its
decisions and to support its program, policies, and institutions.
article
iii
Confession
of Faith
The
church believes in the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, as the
Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.
article
iv
Purpose
Section
1.The purpose of this church shall
be to unite Christians in fellowship for spiritual development, for the
winning of persons to Christ, and for the propagation of the gospel of
Jesus Christ to serve one another, this community, and the world through
Christian education, home and world mission, and the institutions conducted
by the Evangelical Covenant Church and its local regional conferences.
Section
2.In order to achieve this purpose,
the church, in the unity of the Spirit, shall use the gifts that God has
given it and the means of grace which God has placed at its disposal:the
Word of God, baptism, and Holy Communion.
article
v
Membership
Membership
in the church is granted on application to those who through faith in God's
son, our Lord Jesus Christ, have been born anew to a living hope, have
been baptized according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to live a Christian
life, and promise to support the total ministry of the church and to share
its fellowship and obligations.
article
vi
Officers
The
officers of the church shall be a chairman, a vice-chairman, a secretary,
a financial secretary, and a treasurer.
ARTICLE
VII
Church
Council
Section
1. The general administration of the church shall be vested in a body known
as the Church Council.In circumstances
or where law requires action(s) by “Trustees” the council shall be known
as “the Board of Trustees” and the members of it as “trustees.”The
council shall serve as a board of deacons [elders]
to supervise the spiritual life of the church, as stated in 1 Timothy
3:8-13.
Section
2. The council shall consist of the officers of the church (chairman, vice-chairman,
secretary, financial secretary, and treasurer) and other
members as specified in the bylaws.The
senior pastor shall be an ex-officio member of the council.
Section
3. The council shall organize itself in a manner specified in the bylaws.
article
viii
Congregational
Business Meetings
Section
1. Congregational business meetings shall be held at stated intervals,
but not less than semiannually.The
annual congregational meeting shall be held as near the first of the year
as feasible.At the annual meeting,
written progress reports shall be submitted by the pastor and by each committee
of the church.Audited financial
reports shall be submitted by the treasurer for the church and each of
its organizations.Officers of the
church and council members for the ensuing year shall be elected by ballot
.The church budget shall also be
submitted for action.
Section
2.Notice of all congregational business
meetings shall be mailed to members not less than two weeks prior to the
meeting and shall include the date, time of the meeting, and an annotated
agenda of business to be transacted.
article
ix
Property
In
the event of schism within the church, from which we earnestly pray God
to spare us, the title of all church property, real or personal, shall
remain with the group which abides by this constitution, as determined
by the executive board of the conference.In
the event of dissolution, the property and all assets of the church shall
become and be the property of The Evangelical Covenant Church and the.................Conference.
article
x [VIII]
Amendments
Amendments
in harmony with this constitution and the Model Constitutions for Local
Covenant Churches and not in conflict with Covenant principles and policies
may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting
in an annual meeting of the congregation, providing the
proposed amendment
was presented in written form at the preceding annual meeting.Articles
IX and X may be amended only with the approval of the executive board of
the regional conference. [a quorum of the members of the Church
Council at any regular meeting.]
bylaws
article
1
Membership
Section
1.Admission into membership.
a)Application
for membership.
A
written application for membership shall be placed with the pastor or the
enlistment chairman of the council.The
applicants should complete a course in the inquirers’ classes, after which
they shall appear before the council to give a confession of their Christian
faith, according to Article V of the constitution.When
the council has reviewed their applications and received their testimonies
favorably, their applications shall be submitted to the next congregational
business meeting for action.
Transfer
of membership.
Applicants
from other Christian churches shall submit letters of transfer, when available,
to the pastor and/or the enlistment chairman of the council, who shall
act upon the applications according to the requirements of paragraph a)
of this section.
c)Reception
of new members.
Applicants
who are voted into membership of the church shall be welcomed at the next
service of Holy Communion and make public confession of their Christian
faith, as outlined in a
A Book of Worship for Covenant Churches.
Section
2.Children of members.
Children
of the members of the church and its constituency shall be nurtured under
its spiritual care.When they have
reached confirmation age, they shall receive instruction from the pastor(s)
in the Word of God, Christian doctrine, and the history of the church,
using the confirmation material of the Covenant Church.Following
confirmation, they may apply for church membership as outlined under Section
1, paragraph a), of this article.
[Requirements
for membership shall be as follows: applicants shall be interviewed by
a Council member or another member delegated by the Council during which
the applicant shall be required to read and affirm the principles of faith
as outlined by the Jesus People U.S.A.The
applicant must also be full-time member of Jesus People U.S.A. – Full Gospel
Ministries, a Christian community affiliated with the church, and meet
all of its membership requirements as set out in its Covenant and Bylaws.]
Section
3.[2]Responsibility
of membership.
All
members of the church shall assume the responsibilities and obligations
placed upon them by the Word of God and the church.They
shall, through their witness by life and word, consecrated service, prayer,
and financial support further, the cause of Christ in the local church,
regional conference, and the Covenant.
Section
4. [3]Discipline.
a)Negligent
members.
Members
who willfully neglect their duties or fail to attend services of the church
regularly or to contribute to its support according to their means shall
be admonished by the council.If
this admonition is not heeded, they shall be dealt with as erring members.
b)Erring
members.
Any
member known to err in doctrine or conduct shall be counseled according
to the procedure outlined in Matthew 18:15-18 and Galatians 6:1.Any
member having knowledge of such error shall, in the spirit of Christian
love, seek to restore the brother or sister.If
he or she fails to heed the counsel of the council, the error shall be
brought before a congregational business [council]
meeting.Discipline shall then be
administered in the spirit of Christ with due regard for the welfare of
the individual as well as the church.
c)Dismissal
of members.
Dismissal
of a member under paragraphs a) and b) of this section must be acted
on by the church, which alone has the authority.A
two-thirds vote of those present and voting at a congregational business
meeting is necessary for such action. [by a two-thirds vote
of a quorum of the Council at a regular meeting.]
d)Forfeiture
of rights.
A
member who has been properly dismissed from the church, or has withdrawn
membership, has forfeited all rights and privileges of membership in the
church.
Section
5. [4]Transfer
of members.
Members
who move to another community should soon thereafter identify themselves
with the local Covenant church.If
there is not a Covenant church, they should identify themselves with some
other evangelical Christian church.Application
for transfer of membership shall be made in writing to the pastor, who
shall issue the transfer to the church with which a member is uniting.Withdrawal
of said membership shall be reported through the council to the
next congregational business meeting, where it shall be made a
matter of record.
Section
6.Removal of membership.
Request
for withdrawal from membership in the church shall be made in writing to
the pastor or the council.After
careful consideration the council may present a recommendation for withdrawal
to a business meeting of the church.
Section
7. [5] Non member friends.
Non
member parish friends shall be enrolled by the church as a part of its
total constituency.The church and
its pastor shall serve them in all their spiritual needs, and they shall
be encouraged to consider this as their church home.They
shall be kept informed of the activities of the church.
article
ii
Pastor(s)
Section
1.Qualifications.
The
pastor(s) of the church shall meet the New Testament requirements of their
office (1 Timothy 3:2-7) and be members of the Covenant Ministerium and
follow the Rules and Regulations of the Board of the Ministry.They
shall by virtue of call be members of the church.
Section
2.Duties.
The
minister(s) shall devote themselves to the service of the church, preaching
and teaching the Word of God, administering the sacraments, and faithfully
giving themselves to pastoral work.They
shall provide the church with an accurate record of their pastoral acts
and present a written report to the congregational annual business meeting.They
shall practice good administrative procedures and cooperate with the church
boards.The senior minister
shall be an ex-officio member of all boards and committees of the church.
Section
3.Cooperation.
The
pastor(s) shall, both in word and precept, work in harmony with the Covenant,
the regional conference, and other Covenant ministers.
Section
4.Call.
The
pastor(s) shall be called at a regular or special congregational
business [council] meeting, the purpose of which shall
be announced two weeks in advance.The
pastor(s) shall be nominated by a pastoral search committee.
[members of the council.]This
committee shall be elected by a congregational business meeting.It
shall be representative of the congregation and have five to nine members
and shall work closely with the regional conference superintendent.The
pastor(s) shall be called by ballot with a two-thirds vote required for
a call.The call shall be for an
indefinite period of time with a minimum of six weeks notice required by
the church or the pastor(s) for termination of pastoral duties.
Section
5.Charges against a pastor.
Charges
against a pastor shall be submitted in writing to the church council, charging
a pastor with indiscretion, immorality, doctrinal error, unethical behavior,
or disloyalty to the Covenant (Matthew 18:15-18).If
in the judgment of the church council there is substance to the charges,
the case shall be referred to the regional conference superintendent.The
superintendent shall confer with the Covenant Executive Secretary of the
Ministry.These two officers shall
confer and determine the order of responsibility in pursuing the matter
according to the Rules and Regulations of the Board of the Ministry of
the Covenant regarding discipline, prior to further action by the church.
article
iii
Officers
Section
1.Qualifications.
Officers
of the church shall be members in good standing who are active in the support
of the total ministry of the church, financially, and otherwise.
Section
2.Duties.
a)Chairman.
The
chairman shall preside at all congregational business
meetings of the church and meetings of the council.Care
shall be taken to confer with the senior[other]
pastor[s and council members] in preparing the agenda for such meetings,
and shall utilize the counsel that the pastor[s] can[may]
give by virtue of his or her [their] training,
experience, and calling.The
chairman shall be responsible for the leadership of the church services
in the absence of the pastor.
b)Vice-chairman.
The
vice-chairman shall assist the chairman, and during his or her absence
assume that office and its duties.
c)Secretary.
The
secretary shall keep and preserve the minutes of all the congregational
business meetings of the church and meetings of the
council, and shall conduct and preserve all official correspondence as
shall be delegated to the secretary.The
secretary shall also be responsible for the official seal and documents
of the church.
d)Financial
secretary.
The
financial secretary shall receive, record, and transmit to the church treasurer
all funds contributed to the church.
e)[d)]
Treasurer.
The
treasurer shall be responsible for all funds committed to him or her and
shall make disbursements as authorized by the church or the
council [upon request of the council].The
treasurer shall also present a written report of the receipts and expenditures
to each [the next] regular meeting of the council
and to each congregational business meeting.
Section
3.Election and tenure.
At
the annual congregational business [Council] meeting
[called for that purpose], the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary,
financial secretary, and treasurer shall be elected for
terms of one year and shall serve not more than three
[may serve unlimited] consecutive terms.Any
officer who has served the term limit will be eligible for re-election
to that office after a lapse of one year.
article
iv
Church
Council
Section
1.Qualifications.
Members
of the council shall be members in good standing who are active in the
support of the total ministry of the church, financially, and otherwise.
Section
2.Size, composition, election,
and tenure.
a)The
council shall consist of......[not less than 6 and
not more than 12 members.There are
at the present time 9 members on the council.]members,
both men and women, not including the senior pastor, who is an ex-officio
member.
b)Those
members shall include the five (5) church officers who shall be elected
annually to their specific offices (chair, vice-chair, secretary, financial
secretary, and treasurer) in accordance with Article III, Section 3, and
other members who shall serve for terms of three (3) years in such a manner
that the terms of approximately one-third of the members shall expire each
year.They shall not serve more than
two consecutive terms.
Section
3.Organization.
Following
the annual congregational business meeting the council shall convene to
appoint from its own number chairmen for the administrative committees.
Section
4. [3.]Duties.
The
council in its administrative responsibility in cooperation with
the pastor shall fulfill the functions defined by the constitution
and bylaws, including the following:
a) Supervise
church membership, including recommendations relative to reception or removal
of members.
b)Assist
the pastor in nurturing the spiritual life of the church and in the service
of communion as planned by the pastor, in co-operation with the worship
chairman.[Nurture
the spiritual life of the church.]
c)Establish
administrative and program policies in conformity with the spirit of the
church constitution.
d)Evaluate
the total church program on a continuing basis.
e)Plan
and recommend the annual budget and stewardship opportunities for the church.
f)Review
and approve the schedule of the church activities and personnel.
g)Appoint
administrative committee members and church workers as defined by the bylaws
for the administrative committee, as the council may deem appropriate.
Section
5. [4.]Administrative
Committees
Implementation
of policies and programs established by congregational or
council action may be accomplished through [any or all of] the following
administrative committees:
a)Worship
and Music Committee.
b)Evangelism
and Enlistment Committee.
c)Fellowship
and Service Committee.
d)Education,
Discipleship, and Personnel Committee.
e)Mission
Committee.
f)Social
Action Committee.
g)Stewardship
and Properties Committee.
[h)
or any other committee that the council deems necessary or appropriate.]
Council
members shall serve as chairmen of the committees to which they are appointed
and assume responsibility for directing all congregational activities which
fall within that functional category, in co-operation with the [other
council members and]pastor(s).
ARTICLE
V
Committees
Section
1.Executive committee.
The
executive committee, consisting of the church chair, the secretary, and
the treasurer, together with the senior pastor of the church, shall strive
to promote effective working relations and communication in the church.The
committee shall have no legislative power, but shall function in an advisory
capacity to the council, unless specific responsibilities shall have been
assigned to it by the council or the church.
Section
2.Nominating committee.
The
nominating committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members who
shall be elected at a business meeting at least three (3) months prior
to the annual meeting.The senior
pastor shall be an ex-officio member of the committee.After
being convened by the church chair, committee members shall elect their
own chairman and secretary.The responsibility
of the committee shall include the following:
a)Prepare
a ballot for the annual meeting of the congregation listing at least one
qualified candidate for each office to be filled.
b)Confirm
the willingness of each candidate to serve before listing his or her name
on the ballot.
c)Present
a complete ballot to the annual meeting of the congregation.This
shall constitute completion of the committee's assignment, unless given
specific responsibilities at said annual meeting.
Section
3.Pastoral relations committee.
The
pastoral relations committee shall consist of the members of the executive
committee and shall meet at least semiannually in keeping with the program
and purpose of the Covenant Commission on Pastoral Relations as adopted
by the Annual Meeting.
Section
4.Special committees and task
forces.
Special
committees or task forces for specific purposes may be appointed by any
duly constituted business meeting of the congregation or by the council
according to need, but shall be automatically terminated at the next annual
meeting unless specifically extended by said annual meeting.
article VI [V]
Meetings
Section
1.Public services.
Public
services shall be conducted regularly on Sundays and, when deemed appropriate,
on weekdays for worship, the preaching and teaching of God's Word, and
prayer.
Section
2.Celebrating the sacraments.
The
sacrament of Holy Communion shall be celebrated monthly or as determined
by vote of the church. [council.]The
sacrament of baptism shall be celebrated in keeping with Covenant policies
and according to the needs of the constituency.
Section
3.Congregational business meetings.
Congregational
business meetings shall be held regularly not less than semiannually, as
specified in Article VIII of the constitution.Special
congregational business meetings may be called by the chairman of the church
in consultation with the senior pastor or by the council.
Section
4. [3.]Church
council and administrative committee meetings.
Regular
meetings of the council shall be held not less than monthly.Administrative
committees, special committees, and task forces shall meet not less than
at a frequency specified by the council.Special
meetings of the council, the executive committee, the
administrative committees, and the task forces may be called by their respective
chairman.
Section
5.
[4.] Organizational meetings.
Meetings
and activities of the organizations of the church shall be planned and
conducted regularly under the direction and supervisionof
the council.
article
vii
General
Provisions
Section
1.Quorum.
a)Twenty-five
percent of the membership, but not less than ten members, present and voting
at a congregational business meeting properly called shall constitute a
quorum.
b)The
quorum for the council, committee, and task force meetings shall be a majority
of their respective memberships.
Section
2.Rules of order.
All
business meetings of the church and of the boards, committees, and organizations
of the church shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order.
article
viii
Amendments
Amendments
to these bylaws not in conflict with the constitution or with the Model
Constitutions for Local Covenant Churches may be adopted at any regular
congregational business [council] meeting or
at a special business meeting called for that purpose by a two-thirds
vote of [all] the [existing council] members present
and voting, providing that such amendments have been presented in writing
to the executive committee of the church and at a preceding regular congregational
business meeting.
