GATEWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH
CONSTITUTION
Approved by the Congregation 18 February, 2007
ARTICLE 4: Leadership
Christ is the Head of the church.
Each action and motive of the church should be done with the objective of bringing glory to Him, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18)
God's plan for the leadership of the church is a plurality of godly, gifted leaders, responsible to lead, care for and equip its members. (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11-13; I Peter 5:1-4) Therefore, overall church leadership will be given by the Elders, Deacons and the Pastoral Staff.
Section 1. The Members.
The Membership of the church has full and final authority in the following areas, by 2/3 majority vote:
Section 2. The Elders.
The Board of Elders covenants together with the congregation and the Pastoral staff for the development of the Spiritual life of the church. The functions of the Elders are to support the vision and direction of the Senior Pastor, and to monitor the health and actions of the church body. (Acts 15). The Elders are servants of God and commissioned by God to give Biblical direction and spiritual oversight to the church, along with helping to ‘shepherd the flock’ of God. No church in the New Testament was ruled and managed by one person. Plurality of elders appears to be the norm. (Acts 20:17, 28) It appears that the Biblical model is for male leadership, but in the absence of willing and qualified men, God has used women in roles of leadership. As such, Elders will be sought primarily among men first, but women will not be forbidden from the role if qualified and willing men are not available. (Judges 4-5; Romans 16:1-3)
a) Biblical qualifications for Elders:
i) The qualifications of an elder as found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9.
ii) Candidates must be members in good standing for one year or more.
iii) Have a daily prayer life.
iv) A commitment to regular study of God’s Word (1 Timothy 5:17).
v) Financial stewardship (i.e. honoring the Lord with the first fruits of all his increases and displaying his financial commitment to the local church).
b) Duties and Responsibilities:
i) Prayer. To pray in worship services and upon request, be available to pray with those in need.
ii) Know and guard the body of truth revealed in scripture.
iii) Preach in worship services when requested by the Senior Pastor.
iv) Willing to teach equipping and discipleship classes.
v) Willing to lead a Home Fellowship small group Bible study.
vi) Attend various ministry team activities to show support and to monitor the pulse of what is being taught. Each ministry team will be assigned to a specific elder at the first meeting of the new elder board.
vii) Determine and resolve doctrinal issues as they arise.
viii) Resolve conflicts/disciplinary issues within the church body.
ix) Be available and remain visible to church members and visitors.
x) Recommending and modeling attendance as much as possible at all of the church services.
xi) Caring for the poor, the sick and the needy.
xii) Assisting the Pastor(s) in visitation of church members.
xiii) The Elders will propose the Pastor’s Compensation Package, to be approved by the membership within the annual budget at the November Business Meeting.
xiv) Provide protection and accountability for the Pastor(s) and the congregation:
(1) Support and defend pastor and his family.
(2) Oversee the pastor’s personal and professional growth and conduct.
(3) Insure integrity within the pastoral office: morally, theologically, financially and in every other way.
(4) Oversee necessary discipline of the pastoral staff through the following process:
(a) Personal contact with the pastor regarding the alleged question or misconduct, with the hope of understanding, correction, restoration or clarification.
(b) If two or more Elders are dissatisfied with the result of the personal contact outlined in (a) above, the Elders will contact the Overseers (Section 5 below), asking for their intervention, and the Pastor will be placed on paid leave until the issue is resolved.
(c) The Elders will contact the Great Lakes Baptist Conference District Executive Minister, informing him of the situation, seeking his prayerful consideration, and keeping him informed of the progress of the Overseers.
(d) If the Overseer’s intervention has failed to satisfactorily resolve the issue, the Elders will contact the District Executive Minister for final resolution of the situation. The decision of the District Executive Minster shall be final and binding.
xv) In May of each year, each Deacon will review the previous year’s ministry results, with an Elder, to evaluate the ministry and the ministry leader’s performance, assess needed personnel or resources, and assist with refining or defining goals for the next ministry plan, to be developed between June 1 and September 1.
c) Selection and Appointments:
i) By the November business meeting each year, the Elders will determine the number of positions, if any, to be filled in the following year. There will be a minimum of four (4) Elders in addition to the Senior Pastor and a maximum to be determined according to the size of the congregation, and the availability of qualified leaders as described above. (See Hebrews 13:7; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5)
ii) Throughout the year, the sitting Elders will identify potential Elders, and invite them to “apprentice,” (i.e., attend meetings, join in discussion, but without voting privileges). During that apprenticeship period, the Elders will observe the potential Elder at meetings; in the home with his spouse and family; in the community and in the church.
iii) The Elders will nominate prospective Elders, based on their observations, to the Membership of the church for confirmation at the February business meeting.
iv) Members will have 30 days to notify any Elder and Senior Pastor with information that would disqualify a potential Elder. Notifications must be in writing and signed. Proper notice must be given two weeks prior to the annual meeting. Elders will investigate any allegations or concerns, and make a final determination regarding the eligibility of the nominee.
v) The Elders shall, after a time of fasting and prayer, draw names by lot in accordance with the number of vacancies on the board (cf.: Acts 1:23-26)
d) Terms of Service
i) Each Elder will serve for at least one year. After that period, and prior to the November business meeting, each Elder, with the other Elders present, will determine their renewable commitment for the following year. This renewable commitment will occur every year and shall be reconfirmed by the membership.
ii) Elders will take a sabbatical of at least one year after each 5 years of service, as long as the minimum number of Elders is met as stated above.
e) Removal
i) If an Elder is unable to perform their duties or is living in disharmony with Biblical principles, the Elder may be suspended or dismissed by a majority vote of all other Elders.
ii) An Elder may resign voluntarily at the annual renewal period set by the elders or by filing a written resignation with the Elders.
f) Officers
i) The Elders will select a Chairman at the first meeting of the new board.
ii) The Elders will also appoint a Treasurer who may be an Elder. The Treasurer will serve as a voting member of the Deacon Board.
iii) The Elders will select an individual who will serve as facilitator at the church business meetings. Said person must be a member of the church.
iv) The Elders will select an individual to perform duties as the Clerk of the corporation at church business meetings. Said person must be a member of the church.
v) The Senior Pastor will function as the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation.
g) Elder Meetings
i) Elder meetings will be held monthly; time and place at the discretion of the Elders. Meetings are open to members of the church. At the discretion of the Elders, meetings may move into closed session for discussion of matters that legally require confidentiality.
ii) Public notice of meetings will be made 2 weeks in advance, with a posting of the proposed agenda. Minutes will be posted publicly one week following a meeting.
iii) Any Elder, by proper notice to all Elders, may call special meetings, if necessary.
iv) Telephone communication and/or electronic communication such as email or fax are acceptable for business matters. Decisions made via electronic means shall be reviewed and included in the agenda of the next meeting of the Elder Board.
v) A quorum will be a simple majority of the Elders.
“Deacons” are literally “servants.” Men and women who covenant together with the congregation, to assist the Elders and the Pastoral staff in the Ministry of the church. The functions of the Deacons are to support the vision and direction of the church, overseeing the individual ministries and efforts of the church body. (Acts 6, I Timothy 3:8-13).
a) Deacon Board Members
i) The Deacon Board will consist of the Elder-approved ministry leaders of Gateway Community Church. Those individuals who have been appointed to direct areas of service or ministry within the church shall be de facto members of the Deacon Board.
b) Biblical qualifications for Deacons: Ministry leaders shall be expected to meet the following qualifications and fulfill the following requirements:
i) The qualifications of a leader as found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9.
ii) Candidates must be members in good standing for one year or more.
iii) Must have been “tested” by previous service in the church (I Timothy 3:10)
iv) Have a daily prayer life.
v) A commitment to regular study of God’s Word (1 Timothy 5:17).
vi) Financial stewardship (i.e. honoring the Lord with the first fruits of all his increases and displaying his financial commitment to the local church).
c) Duties and Responsibilities of Deacons:
i) Prayer – for their’ own ministry area and the greater ministry of the church.
ii) Know and guard the body of truth revealed in scripture.
iii) Attend various ministry team activities to show support and unity with the other ministries of the church.
iv) Recruit and train a person to serve as the deacon’s assistant, equipping them to step into the leadership role if necessary.
v) Keep abreast of current trends and training in the area of ministry
(1) Attend conferences and seminars as possible
(2) Read materials, journals and articles related to the ministry
vi) Recruit and train volunteers to serve in their ministry.
vii) Between June 1 and September 1 of each year, prepare an annual ministry plan to be submitted by September 15. The plan will include the following:
(1) The ministry vision and mission, and how it advances the overall mission of Gateway Community Church.
(2) A written ministry plan that outlines the strategies for accomplishing the mission.
(3) A budget proposal, based on the vision, and the cost of fulfilling that vision.
viii) Deacons, or their assistant, are expected to attend Deacon Board meetings, to prepare and present ministry updates on a regular basis to the Board, including upcoming ministry opportunities, and requests for funds in excess of $100.
(1) Funding requests should be sent to the members of the Deacon Board, and the Elders at least one (1) week in advance of the meeting.
ix) Be available and remain visible to church members and visitors regarding their own ministry and the ministry of the church as a whole.
x) Recommend and model attendance as much as possible at all church services and activities.
xi) In May of each year, each Deacon will review the previous year’s ministry results, with an Elder, to evaluate the ministry and the ministry leader’s performance, assess needed personnel or resources, and assist with refining or defining goals for the next ministry plan, to be developed between June 1 and September 1.
d) Selection and Term of Service:
i) Deacons (ministry leaders) and their assistants shall be approved by the Elders.
ii) The addition of new ministries at Gateway Community Church must be approved by the Elders. A new ministry proposal will meet the following guidelines:
(1) Must advance the Mission and Vision of the church.
(2) Will have a written ministry plan outlining strategic steps to fulfill the mission.
(3) Will include an annual budget.
iii) Upon approval, ministry leaders shall be de facto members of the Deacon Board, and will serve in that role as long as they lead their ministry.
e) Removal:
i) If a Deacon is unable to perform their duties or is living in disharmony with Biblical principles, the Deacon may be suspended or dismissed by a vote of the Deacons and Elders.
ii) A Deacon may resign voluntarily, with 2 weeks notice, by filing a written resignation with the Elders.
iii) A Deacon can be removed if a unanimous consensus of the Elders is in agreement.
f) Officers:
i) The Deacons shall select a Head Deacon at the first meeting of the Deacon Board following the February business meeting.
ii) The Deacons shall select a Clerk, who shall keep reliable minutes of the meetings to be made available to the Board, Elders and Congregation within one week of each meeting. Said Clerk shall be a Deacon.
iii) The Church Treasurer, as appointed by the Elders, shall be a voting member of the Deacon Board.
g) Meetings:
i) The Deacon Board shall meet monthly to review, discuss and pray for the various ministries of the church, the time and place to be determined by the Deacons, with adequate communication made to the Elders and the congregation. Public notice of meetings will be made 2 weeks in advance, with a posting of the proposed agenda. Minutes will be posted publicly one week following a meeting. Elders shall attend Deacon Board meetings as often as possible. Meetings are open to members of the church. At the discretion of the Deacons, meetings may move into closed session for discussion of matters that legally require confidentiality.
ii) Special meetings may be called, if necessary, by request to an Elder by proper notice to the Deacons, Elders and the congregation.
iii) The Deacon Board shall, during the course of their meetings, approve spending requests from the various ministries based on the vision and mission of the church, the proper presentation of the request, the approved budget for the ministry involved, and the availability of funds. Requests are to be presented to the Deacons in writing two weeks in advance of the monthly meeting in order to be included in the agenda.
iv) Should there be any indecision or conflict regarding the allocation of available funds, the matter shall be forwarded to the Elders, whose decision shall be final.
v) Telephone communication and/or electronic communication such as email or fax are acceptable for business matters pertaining to agenda and submission of funding requests. Decision-making (i.e., votes, approval of motions, etc.) shall be done only in the course of a duly called and notified meeting of the Board.
vi) A quorum will be a simple majority of Deacons in attendance.
The Senior Pastor is responsible to seek and discern God’s vision for the church, and provide leadership and Biblical instruction toward that vision.
The Senior Pastor shall perform all the Scriptural duties of his office, and, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, shall have freedom of the pulpit. The Senior Pastor shall be a member of the Elder Board and an ex-officio member of all committees of the church.
Because the church is both a spiritual body and a legal corporation, the Senior Pastor is primarily responsible for the spiritual life of the church, and serves as the corporate leader to insure that financial strength is directed toward appropriate ministries.
a) Biblical qualifications for the Pastor:
i) A Pastor will possess the qualifications of an elder as found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, and will demonstrate one or more of the gifts outlined in Ephesians 4:11-12.
ii) The qualifications of a Good Minister are found in I Timothy 4:6-15
(1) Teach the body (vs. 6)
(2) Self discipline toward godliness (vs. 7)
(3) Trust in God (vs. 9)
(4) Command and teach (vs. 11)
(5) Set an example in speech, life, love and purity (vs. 12)
(6) Total commitment (vs. 15)
iii) Have a daily prayer life. (I Timothy 2:1)
iv) A commitment to regular study of God’s Word (1 Timothy 5:17)
b) Duties and Responsibilities of the Senior Pastor:
i) The Pastoral Job Description shall be developed and approved by the Elders.
ii) Provide Biblical vision and direction for the congregation.
iii) Define and communicate the church purpose.
iv) Oversee and coordinate the day-to-day ministry of the congregation and administration of the church.
v) Daily oversight of the support staff for the church, including annual performance reviews and subsequent pay rate adjustments, each September.
vi) Participate as a voting member of the Elder Board. He is “the first among equals” on the team, providing strong leadership, but holding only one vote.
vii) Determine, the times, order and leadership of services, with Elder oversight. No person shall be invited to speak, teach or minister at a service held in church-owned facilities, or in the name of the church, without the approval of the pastor and the Elders. Visiting speakers will be asked to review and affirm the Gateway Community Church Statement of Faith.
c) Selection and Appointments:
i) A Pastoral Search Committee shall be established consisting of the current Elder board and two (2) at large members of the church, to be selected by simple majority of voting members on closed ballots cast at an appropriately called congregational meeting.
ii) The Pastoral Search Committee, working with the Great Lakes Baptist Conference District Executive Minister, will solicit resumes from perspective candidates. Based on these resumes, interviews will be conducted by the committee.
iii) The best available candidate as determined by the Pastoral Search Committee will be presented to the Membership. The candidate will be given a variety of interaction opportunities with members of the congregation, including preaching at a worship service. Then at a special business meeting the congregation will vote whether to extend a call to the candidate. A three-fourths majority of the voting members present will be required to call the candidate.
d) Terms of Service:
i) The Senior Pastor may serve indefinitely; the relationship may be terminated as follows:
(1) By action of the Senior Pastor through a letter of resignation submitted to the Elders two (2) months in advance.
(2) By action of the Elder Board as outlined in Section (2)(xiii)(4)
(3) By action of the church membership, if a written petition requesting the Lead Pastor's resignation, signed by at least 25% of the voting membership is submitted to the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team will review the request and respond in accordance with Section (2)(xiii)(4).
e) Compensation:
i) The Elders shall propose a Pastoral Compensation Package to be approved annually by the members, which shall outline the salary, housing, taxation, reimbursement, vacation, sick, sabbatical, holiday, bereavement, retirement, insurance, termination and severance policies of the church.
f) Annual Review:
i) The Elders shall conduct an annual review of the Senior Pastor’s performance and subsequent salary adjustments each September, for inclusion in the budget submitted to the congregation for approval each November.
Associate pastors shall work with the Senior Pastor as a ministry team to seek and discern God’s vision for the church, and provide leadership and Biblical instruction toward that vision, with special emphasis on their area of responsibility (i.e., youth, worship arts, visitation, evangelism, Christian education, etc.).
Associate Pastors shall perform all the Scriptural duties of their office, and, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, shall have freedom of ministry under the leadership of the senior pastor and elders. Associate Pastors may attend meetings of the Elder Board, as deemed necessary, and may serve as voting members, but the pastoral staff shall not constitute more than 20% of the voting members of the Elder Board.
a) Biblical qualifications for the Associate Pastor(s):
i) A Pastor will possess the qualifications of an elder as found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, and will demonstrate one or more of the gifts outlined in Ephesians 4:11-12.
ii) The qualifications of a Good Minister are found in I Timothy 4:6-15
(1) Teach the body (vs. 6)
(2) Self discipline toward godliness (vs. 7)
(3) Trust in God (vs. 9)
(4) Command and teach (vs. 11)
(5) Set an example in speech, life, love and purity (vs. 12)
(6) Total commitment (vs. 15)
iii) Have a daily prayer life. (I Timothy 2:1)
iv) A commitment to regular study of God’s Word (1 Timothy 5:17)
b) Duties and Responsibilities of Associate Pastors:
i) Fulfill the responsibilities as outlined in the Associate Pastor Job Description, as developed and approved by the elders.
ii) Assist the senior pastor in providing Biblical vision and direction for the congregation, particularly in the area of their specialization.
iii) Review and agree with the ministry purpose and philosophy of ministry of the church. Assist the pastor and elders in reviewing, refining and communicating that purpose.
iv) Assist in the day-to-day ministry of the congregation and administration of the church office and facilities.
v) Attend meetings of the Board of Elders and Deacon Board as required.
c) Selection and Appointments:
i) An Associate Pastoral Search Committee shall be established consisting of the current Elder board and two (2) at large members of the church, to be selected by simple majority of voting members on closed ballots cast at an appropriately called congregational meeting.
ii) The Associate Pastoral Search Committee, working with the Great Lakes Baptist Conference district office, and other sources, will solicit resumes from perspective candidates. Based on these resumes, interviews will be conducted by the committee.
iii) The best available candidate as determined by the Pastoral Search Committee will be presented to the Membership. The candidate will be given a variety of interaction opportunities with members of the congregation, especially in their field of specialization, including preaching at a worship service, if appropriate. Then at a special business meeting the congregation will vote whether to extend a call to the candidate. A three-fourths majority of the voting members present will be required to call the candidate.
d) Terms of Service:
i) Associate Pastors may serve indefinitely. The relationship may be terminated as follows:
(1) By action of the Pastor through a letter of resignation submitted to the Elders two (2) months in advance.
(2) By action of the Elder Board as outlined in Section (2)(xiii)(4)
(3) By action of the church membership, if a written petition requesting the Pastor's resignation, signed by at least 25% of the voting membership is submitted to the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team will review the request and respond in accordance with Section (2)(xiii)(4).
e) Compensation:
i) The Elders shall propose a Pastoral Compensation Package to be approved annually by the members, which shall outline the salary, housing, taxation, reimbursement, vacation, sick, sabbatical, holiday, bereavement, retirement, insurance, termination and severance policies of the church.
f) Annual Review:
i) The Senior Pastor shall conduct and annual review of the Associate Pastor’s performance and subsequent salary adjustments each September, for inclusion in the budget submitted to the congregation for approval each November.
Section 5. The Overseers.
The Board of Overseers is established to provide external guidance to the leadership of Gateway Community Church as necessary. The members of the Board of Overseers must be active pastors of recognized local congregations (BGC or other denomination), who know and love Gateway Community Church, are equally committed to its vision and purpose, and seek foremost the advancement of the Kingdom of God. They must make themselves available at their own expense to serve Gateway Community Church if requested by the Elders or the Senior Pastor, and must be willing to provide spiritual protection to the church through prayer and discernment.
Biblical qualifications for Overseers:
"Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap"
(1 Timothy 3: 2-7).
a) Selection of Overseers:
i) The Board of Overseers will consist of a minimum of three pastors of recognized congregations as nominated by the Senior Pastor and confirmed by the Elders.
ii) Members of the Board of Overseers will serve as long as they continue to meet the qualifications of an Overseer. Each year the Sr. Pastor and the Elders may replace one of the Overseers and enter that change into the minutes of an Elders meeting. If a member of the Board of Overseers resigns, the Sr. Pastor may nominate a new member immediately.
iii) If disciplinary action is being considered, removal of an Overseer by the Board of Elders or the Sr. Pastor may not be made until the work of the Overseers is completed.
b) Function of Overseers:
i) In the event of alleged moral failure, theological disagreement, or other dispute within the leadership of the church, if personal confrontation and internal efforts have failed to resolve the situation, either the Pastor or Elders shall contact the Overseers as a first line of appeal and guidance.
ii) The Overseers shall gather as soon as practical, meet separately with the parties involved, and endeavor to bring understanding, clarity, guidance or discipline as needed.
iii) The Overseers shall keep the District Executive Minister informed of the situation, and seek his guidance as part of their intervention.
iv) The recommendation of the Overseers shall not be binding.
Should the intervention of the Overseers fail to resolve the issue, the decision of the Great Lakes Baptist Conference Executive Minister shall be final and binding.