Constitution

Jesus Christ is the head of all things in general, and is the head of the Church in particular. (Ephesians 1:22-23.) The Church belongs to Him as He bought it with His blood, and He is the source of the church's life. As the head, Jesus Christ gives direction to the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and by the teachings of the Bible. Therefore, all actions of the Church are to be consistent with Jesus Christ's authority and rule as stated in the Bible.

Authority to lead the congregation is given by the Church through the congregation. It is the desire of the Church to be Elder led in accordance with Scripture. (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:1-4.) Elders are affirmed in their positions of leadership by the congregation, and are delegated by the congregation to lead the Church. The affirmation of leadership is a trust given by congregational action.

This Church shall remain free, independent and autonomous and shall not join itself to any denomination or synod. It shall remain its own highest authority and free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. It shall cooperate with the Evangelical Free Church of America and the Western District Conference by authorizing delegates to attend conferences, by supporting home and overseas missions and by uniting in mutual efforts for the furtherance of the Gospel as the Church itself may officially decide.

For the purpose of transacting all legal business, Cornerstone Community Church has been incorporated under the laws of the State of California as a non-profit religious corporation. The Board of Elders shall be the Board of Directors. The Board of Elders shall annually appoint a Church Chairman, from among its members, who shall serve as the chief executive officer of the corporation. The Board of Elders shall annually appoint a treasurer, a financial secretary and a recording secretary, each of whom must be a member of the Church. The Board of Elders shall prescribe the qualifications and duties of each officer and shall provide a description of such qualifications and duties to the congregation on not less than an annual basis. Failure to meet such qualifications or perform such duties may be cause for removal from office. The Congregation shall annually affirm all officers of the Church. Vacancies in offices occurring during the year shall be filled by the Board of Elders pending affirmation of the Congregation at the next quarterly business meeting.

Any person 18 years or older who confesses faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the assurance of salvation, whose conduct is in accord with his confession and with all Biblical teachings and principles, who subscribes to the Statement of Faith set forth in Article 2 and the Cornerstone Membership Covenant, who agrees to abide by the provisions of this Constitution, who is not under Biblical discipline of any other church, and who is willing to support the Church with faithful attendance, prayer, and material means is eligible for membership in this Church.

Any person whose conduct is not in accord with all Biblical teachings and principles is not eligible for membership. Such conduct may include, but is not limited to, unrepentant sin, sexual activity or conduct outside of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman, criminal activity, etc.

1. The Board of Elders shall carefully consider the application of and examine all applicants for membership. The name of all eligible applicants shall be recommended to the congregation by the Board of Elders. This recommendation is to be in written form, included in the Sunday bulletin, for the two weeks prior to the scheduled vote. The congregation shall have these two weeks to submit any questions/concerns about the membership applicants. Questions/concerns are to be submitted to the Elders in writing and signed. The Board of Elders shall then investigate the charge(s) and only if the reason is valid, in the sole discretion of the Board of Elders, will the applicant be barred from membership. After the vote, the new members shall be publicly welcomed into the membership of the Church at a worship service.

2. The Senior Pastor and all associate pastors, along with their spouses, shall be automatically admitted into membership upon their confirmation in accordance with this Constitution.

It is expected that each member who is absent from the regular services of the Church for a period of six (6) months or longer, shall communicate with the Church annually respecting his or her spiritual life and interest in the Lord's work. The membership of any member who is absent from the regular services of the Church for a period of six (6) months or longer, from whom no communication has been received, may be terminated, by the Board of Elders in their sole discretion.

Each member agrees to abide by, and each new member shall sign, the following responsibilities of membership:

1. I am encouraged to regularly attend the services of the Church, daily read the Scriptures, to participate in private and family devotions, personal and public testimony and winning of the lost to Christ. If I am a parent, it shall be my sacred duty to provide Christian instruction for my children. I shall consider it a sacred duty and privilege to make full use of my talents for the Lord's service whenever opportunity affords.

2. I am encouraged to remember each member in prayer, aid each member in sickness and distress, and to be courteous in speech and actions.

3. I am encouraged to pledge myself to a systematic contribution of a portion of my income for the support of the Church, according to the principles laid down in 1 Corinthians 16:2.

4. I am called upon to heed the admonition of the Lord: "Do not love the world or the things of the world," and "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." I will be an "example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." (1 John 2:15; Romans 12:2; 1 Timothy 4:12.) I am expected to abstain from any act or practice that may be harmful in its influence or a stumbling block to the weak. (Romans 14:13, 21.)

5. I shall conduct myself in accord with all Biblical teachings and principles.

1. Any member, including those who serve in positions of leadership, whose conduct, in the studied opinion of the Board of Elders, is not in harmony with all Biblical teachings and principles, and who does not show evidence of repentance, shall be interviewed and counseled by the Board of Elders after the manner clearly indicated in Scripture. (Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5; 1 Timothy 5:19-20; Titus 5:19-20; Galatians 6:1.) The restoration of the erring member shall be the single purpose and love the single motivating force in these interviews.

2. If the member should choose to continue his or her unrepentant condition, he or she shall be deprived of his or her membership. (1 Corinthians 5:26.) Termination of membership under this Section shall be accomplished, upon the recommendation of the Board of Elders, through a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special business meeting of the Church.

1. Qualifications. The Senior Pastor shall be a servant/leader as modeled by Christ. He shall be a man of established and true Christian character, and qualified to preach and teach the Word of God, as described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:12-15; and Titus 1:5-9. He must be qualified to be an Elder of the Church. He must be in full accord with the Statement of Faith set forth in Article 2 and must be willing to perform his duties in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Church.

2. Duties. The Senior Pastor is responsible for discipling and providing vision to the Board of Elders. He shall preach and teach the Word of God and lead the Church in accomplishing its objectives. He shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of all boards and committees of the Church. He shall provide the Board of Elders with at least an annual evaluation of the staff that report to him. He will make necessary recommendations concerning job changes, descriptions, additions and terminations of his pastoral and non-pastoral staff.

3. Authority and Accountability. The authority of the Senior Pastor rests in the office, i.e., steward of the Word of God. Hence, pastoral authority is not that of a person, but the teaching authority of the Scripture. (2 Timothy 4:1-2.) He is accountable to, and shall report to, the Board of Elders. He shall also be accountable to the congregation by submitting a comprehensive written report for the annual congregational meeting of the Church.

4. Selection. The Senior Pastor shall be confirmed by a three-quarters vote of those members present and voting at any regular or special business meeting of the Church. He shall be called for an indefinite period of time. The Senior Pastor shall give two months notice prior to resigning. When the Senior Pastor is dismissed for other than disciplinary reasons by the Church, he shall be given two months notice.

5. Termination. No accusation against the Senior Pastor shall merit consideration unless supported by at least three unrelated members. In no case shall consideration be given to any accusation prior to the personal appearance before the Board of Elders by the accusers. The accusers shall present a signed written statement outlining the nature of the accusation and the evidence of the alleged misconduct or wrongful teaching. Any person presenting a false accusation against the Senior Pastor shall be subject to discipline in accordance with this Constitution.

Should the evidence prove to the satisfaction of the Board of Elders that the Senior Pastor is in grave error in conduct or in doctrine, he shall be admonished in love by the Board of Elders to rectify his ways. If the admonition does not produce the desired results, the matter shall be brought before the membership of the Church, and should he be found uncooperative or unworthy, he shall be dismissed immediately and shall not serve as a Pastor of the Church thereafter. Any summary dismissal of the Senior Pastor resulting from the foregoing procedure shall be immediately reported to the Board of Ministerial Standing of the Evangelical Free Church of America with a full and complete written report of the matter.

1. Definition. Associate Pastors are those Pastors who report directly to the Senior Pastor.

2. Qualifications. Associate Pastors shall be qualified by virtue of their professional training and/or experience for the area of ministry in which they are called to serve. They shall meet the qualifications of the Senior Pastor.

3. Duties. The duties of Associate Pastors shall be prescribed by their respective job descriptions as part of their call to the Church. The Senior Pastor may recommend to the Board of Elders adjustments in the job description of the Associate Pastors.

4. Accountability. Associate Pastors shall be accountable to the Senior Pastor, who is accountable to the Board of Elders. The Senior Pastor shall evaluate the performance of Associate Pastors annually and he shall report to the Board of Elders on these evaluations. Associate Pastors shall also be accountable to the congregation by submitting a written report at the annual congregational meeting of the Church.

5. Selection. The selection of Associate Pastors shall be the same as that of the Senior Pastor.

6. Termination. The termination of Associate Pastors shall be in the sole discretion of the Senior Pastor and the Board of Elders.

The Senior Pastor, in consultation with the Board of Elders, may hire other pastoral staff to assist the Senior Pastor in efficiently carrying out the necessary ministry of the Church. Such staff may include, but are not limited to, worship directors, youth workers, pastoral interns, or specialized ministry directors. Such staff shall be qualified by virtue of their professional training and/or experience for the area of ministry in which they are called to serve, and shall, at a minimum, meet the qualifications for membership in the Church. If not already members, such staff shall seek admission to membership within six (6) months of hiring. The salary, benefits, terms of employment, and working conditions of such staff shall be determined by the Board of Elders, or by a board or committee duly established by the Board of Elders for such purpose. Such staff shall be "at will" and may be terminated by the Senior Pastor, after consultation with the Board of Elders.

1. The Board of Elders shall consist of the Senior Pastor and at least two other members, all of whom shall meet the scriptural qualifications for Elder. (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9.) All existing non-Pastoral Elders shall be affirmed by the congregation on an annual basis. All new non-Pastoral Elders shall be appointed by the Board of Elders and affirmed by the congregation. Any non-Pastoral Elder may be removed by withdrawal from membership, voluntary resignation, or failure to receive annual affirmation by the congregation. The Board of Elders, after prayerful consideration, may also remove a non-Pastoral Elder for any valid reason, including, but not limited to, moral failure, profound doctrinal error, or dereliction of responsibilities, upon the unanimous vote of the other Elders.

2. The goal of the Board of Elders is to function by consensus. When unanimous agreement cannot be met, a two-thirds (⅔) majority shall be required. All Elders have an equal vote.

3. In the unlikely event that a non-Pastoral Elder has an unrepentant moral failure, expresses a profound doctrinal error, or is derelict in his responsibilities, a two-thirds (⅔) majority of the membership may submit a written petition, signed by each member, to the Board of Elders for an early reconsideration of that non-Pastoral Elder. Removal of a non-Pastoral Elder from the Elder Board under these circumstances requires a three-fourths (¾) majority of the membership.

4. If, because of a moral failure, profound doctrinal error, or dereliction of responsibilities, the number of non-Pastoral Elders falls below two, the membership shall nominate the required number of non-Pastoral Elders. After consideration of all of the nominations, the membership shall vote to determine which of the nominees shall be presented to the membership for affirmation. The nominee (or nominees, if two non-Pastoral Elders are needed) receiving the most votes shall be presented to the membership for affirmation. The required number of non-Pastoral Elders shall be affirmed by a three-fourths (¾) majority of the membership. If any nominee fails to receive affirmation by a three-fourths (¾) majority of the membership, the process shall be repeated as necessary to fill the vacancy or vacancies on the Board of Elders.

5. The Board of Elders shall:

a. Govern the Church through their spiritual oversight and managing the business of the Church;

b. Be responsible to the congregation for the process of admission and termination of members, along with matters of discipline, healing, and teaching;

c. Keep informed of the needs of the congregation, remembering those needs in prayer and communicating them, when appropriate, to the congregation;

d. Seek the Lord for vision and direction for the Church, and keep the congregation informed of the vision for the Church, and proposed and finalized plans for the Church;

e. Ensure that every aspect of the Church's ministry is characterized by a faithful proclamation of the Word of God and is undergirded with prayer;

f. Assume responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the Church, corporately and individually;

g. Establish policies and procedures concerning the spiritual direction of the Church;

h. Establish administrative procedures affecting the operation of the Church;

i. Provide oversight for each ministry in the Church, and shall maintain interaction with the ministry leaders for the purpose of discipleship, assistance in problem solving and ensuring that the ministries are making progress toward stated goals;

j. Consider the welfare of the Pastoral staff and their families, and shall establish the salaries and benefits packages of the Pastoral staff. The Church shall approve the salary and benefits packages as part of the budget adoption process at the annual business meeting;

k. Prepare the annual budget of the Church for presentation to and adoption by the Church at the annual business meeting.

The Board of Elders shall establish all Boards and Committees necessary for the operation of the Church and its various ministries, or to accomplish any purpose or task to be undertaken. On not less than an annual basis, the Board of Elders shall provide to the congregation a list of all such boards or committees, along with the names and titles of each board or committee member, the purpose and stated goals of each board or committee, and the qualifications for membership in, and leadership of, each board or committee. All members of each such board or committee shall, at a minimum, meet the qualifications for membership in the Church. Each such board and committee shall implement spiritual policies established by the Board of Elders and shall consider and be responsible for all appropriate matters brought before it.

The Board of Elders shall establish various ministries of the Church. These ministries may be directed to, among others, children and youth, adults, worship, service, and evangelism. In accordance with Section 2 of this article, the Board of Elders may establish any number or boards or committees to accomplish or support these ministries, along with the qualification and duties for members of such boards or committees.

No organization shall be formed within, or considered to be a part of, the Church activities without the approval of the Board of Elders. Organizations within the Church shall confer with the Senior Pastor from time to time regarding their plans and activities. All matters of importance that affect the Church shall be screened by the Board of Elders. No outside organization shall be permitted to function under the name of the Church whose Chairman or Supervisor is not a member of the Church. All funds contributed to home and overseas missions by any organization in the Church or monies collected for purposes such as dinners, trips, etc., shall pass through the financial books of the Church. Methods of fund raising shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Elders.

The Church shall have the power to receive, either by gifts or purchase, and to hold such real, personal, or mixed property as it is authorized by the laws of the State of California that is deemed necessary for the business of the Church, and shall have the power to dispose of such property by mortgage, deed, or otherwise. All property shall be held in the name of the Church.

In event of a division of the Church, the property of the Church shall be retained to those who abide by the terms of this Constitution. In the event that both abide by the terms of this Constitution, then the congregation with the majority of members shall retain the property of the Church.

In the case of dissolution of the Church organization, the property shall be assigned to the Western District Conference of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The Church shall be considered dissolved if so decided by the organization, or when the Church has not held an Annual Business Meeting for a period of three consecutive years, or when less than five members remain.

The Church and/or its property shall not be used for any activity or purpose that contradicts any Biblical teachings or principles, or the Statement of Faith set forth in Article 2 of this Constitution.

The private property of the individual members of the Church shall be exempt from corporate debt.

The Annual Business Meeting of the Church shall be held during the month immediately preceding the end of the fiscal year, preferably during the second week. All pastors of the Church shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a report covering the year's work. The Board of Elders shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a report covering the work of the various boards, committees, and ministries of the Church. The Treasurer shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a financial report. All such reports shall be made available to the congregation for review two weeks prior to the Annual Business Meeting. The Board of Elders shall make the proposed budget available to the congregation for review two weeks prior to the Annual Business Meeting.

Quarterly business meetings shall be held quarterly following the Annual Business Meeting, unless calendar conflicts require rescheduling. Notice of quarterly business meetings must be made in at least two consecutive Sunday services of the Church.

The Chairman of the Church may call special business meetings at any time. A special business meeting may be called upon written request to the Board of Elders signed by a majority of the active voting members of the Church. Such request shall specifically set forth the purpose for calling such special meeting. Notice and purpose of each meeting shall be given from the pulpit in the Sunday morning service one week prior to the date of the meeting or by written notice to the entire membership one week prior to the date of the meeting, except for meetings called to make emergency repair or replacement of Church property. Meetings called for the purpose of selecting or terminating a Pastor or for authorizing the purchase, sale or lease of real property must be announced in at least two consecutive Sunday services of the Church preceding said meetings.

The active voting members present at any given business meetings shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Each member of the Church who is 18 years or older shall be entitled to one vote at all business meetings. All matters shall be determined by a simple majority vote (one more than one half of all votes cast), except when otherwise specified.

Motions requiring a two-thirds (⅔) majority:

1. Affirmation or dismissal of officers;

2. Dismissal from membership for discipline;

3. Restoration to membership subsequent to discipline;

4. Constitutional changes/amendments;

5. Adoption of budget or budget augmentation;

6. The purchase or sale of property;

7. Major building projects.

Motions requiring a three-fourths (¾) majority:

1. Call or termination of Pastor;

2. Call of Associate Pastor;

3. Affirmation or removal of Non-Pastoral Elder.

Voting shall be by written ballot on any item of major importance.

Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the business procedure of the Church as long as they are consistent with this Constitution.