Our constitution

Article 1: Name

The Church shall be known as Redeemer Bible Church of Dallas, Inc.

Article 2: Mission Statement

The mission of Redeemer Bible Church is to glorify God, build up its members in love, and reach out to unbelievers to win them to Christ.

Article 3: Doctrinal Statement

The Scripture: We believe that all Scripture of the Old and New Testaments is verbally inspired by God, and inerrant in the original writings; and that it is of supreme and final authority in faith and life. The Scripture is given to man that he might know God, and that he might know God’s will for man (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:21).
The Godhead: We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of the same confidence and obedience (Matthew 28:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
The Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He came to reveal God to mankind and to redeem our sinful race by giving Himself as a sinless substitutionary sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, satisfying God’s righteous judgments against sin. He then arose bodily from the dead and ascended to the Father’s right hand, where He intercedes on the believer’s behalf (John 1:1-12, 14, 18; Luke 1:34, 35; Romans 3:24-26; 8:34).
Man Created and Fallen: We believe man’s purpose is to glorify God. Man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, but fell because of sin, and as a consequence was separated from God. Therefore, man in his natural state is condemned to an eternal death (Genesis 1:26; 3:1-24; Romans 6:23).
Salvation: We believe that man may have salvation from the guilt and penalty of sin through personal trust in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for man’s sin. Through faith alone in Jesus Christ, man is born again, receives a new nature, and has the promise of eternal life. Salvation cannot come through works, but only through the grace of God. We believe that at death the souls of believers pass immediately into the presence of Christ; the souls of unbelievers pass immediately into torment to be separated from God forever (I Peter 2:24; John 3:3, 26; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Philippians 1:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15).
The Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person of the Trinity who convicts the world of sin, gives eternal life to those who place their trust in Christ, unites all believers in one body, indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him, and empowers and gifts them for service. He seeks to direct their attention not to themselves nor to their experience, but to Christ (John 3:5-8; 14:16, 17; 16:7-14; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18; Acts 1:8).
Eternal Security and the Assurance of the Believer: We believe that those who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation have the promise of eternal life as a permanent possession. It is the privilege of the believer to have a present and continuing assurance that he possesses salvation, and this salvation can never be lost or forfeited (John 5:24; 10:28-30; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 5:11-13).
Satan and Sin: We believe that Satan is a created being and that he fell to his present state because of sin. He has been judged and defeated through the death and resurrection of Christ and will be eternally punished in the lake of fire. He is the author of sin. Sin is anything contrary to or falling short of the glory of God. We recognize that Christians are in a spiritual warfare against Satan and his forces. Though he is a defeated foe, the Christian can have victory in his daily battle only by the enabling of the Holy Spirit. Satan’s desire is to oppress believers and prevent the salvation of unbelievers (Isaiah 14:12-17; Genesis 3:1-19; John 8:44; 12:31; Revelation 20:10; 1 John 5:17; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11-22).
The Church: We believe that all who have placed their faith in Christ are united by the Holy Spirit into one spiritual body, the Church, of which Christ is the Head. This body was formed on the day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own. The members of this one spiritual body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies for instruction, worship, prayer, fellowship, service, and the administration of the ordinances — baptism and the Lord’s supper. They are likewise to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (1 Corinthians 12:1-3; Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Ephesians 4:3).
The Return of Christ: We believe in the imminent, personal return of Jesus Christ. He will descend from heaven to receive to Himself both His own who are alive and remain until His coming, and all who have died in Jesus. This event is the blessed hope set before us in Scripture; for this we should be constantly looking because no man knows the time of His coming (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
The Christian Walk: We believe that the Christian is commanded in the Word of God to live a godly life; in the world, but not of it. This can only be accomplished by living in dependence upon the Holy Spirit to reveal the fruit of the Spirit. The life of the believer should be fruitful in spiritual service and lived for the glory of God (Romans 6:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:18-19; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18; Galatians 5:16-24; John 15: 1-8; Romans 12:1-2).
Spiritual Gifts: We believe spiritual gifts are God-given abilities for service; Every believer is equipped with spiritual gifts to be exercised for the edification of others and for the glory of the Lord. We recognize differences of opinion regarding the present-day validity of the sign gifts, and that the public exercise of them can be divisive and polarize the members of the body of Christ. We will, therefore, refrain from the public exercise or promotion of these sign gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11; Romans 12:8-12; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:11-16).
Baptism: This Church will practice believer’s baptism by immersion, but recognizes other forms of believer’s baptism for membership (Acts 2:38-41; Matthew 28:18-20).

Article 4: Organization

Form of Government: The members of Redeemer Bible Church, through the leadership of the Senior Pastor and elected Elders and Deacons, shall determine the programs and policies of this Church. The congregation will vote on the following important issues: calling or termination of the Senior Pastor, selection of Elders, Deacons, Finance Committee, and three Nominating Committee members, adoption of the annual budget, major facilities decisions, decisions to initiate major new ministries, and amending the Constitution. All other organizational and administrative decisions are delegated to the Senior Pastor, Elders and Deacons.
Leadership Standard: Any person who accepts any of the offices or positions defined in this Article, or who serves in any leadership capacity shall, upon acceptance, give unreserved acceptance to a Leadership Standard. The Board of Elders shall be responsible for the preparation, review, and maintenance of the Leadership Standard. A copy of the most recent text of the Leadership Standard, although not a part of this constitution, shall be maintained with and designated as Appendix to this Constitution.
Structure and Duties:
1. Boards
  1. Definition
    There shall be the following two (2) Boards:
    1. Board of Elders;
    2. Board of Deacons
  2. Composition
    Each Board shall consist of a number of members determined by the Board itself, but not fewer than three (3) nor more than nine (9). Each Board member shall serve for a term of three (3) years, or such lesser period specified when elected. A Board member may serve not more than three (3) successive terms without leaving the Board for at least one (1) year. If a Board desires to increase its number of members, it shall bring its request to the attention of the Nominating Committee, and the Nominating Committee shall act promptly to fulfill such request. If a Board desires to reduce its number of members, it shall do so by choosing not to replace one or more of its members whose term is expiring.
  3. Board of Elders
    1. Qualifications:
      To qualify for the position of Elder, an individual
      1. Shall exhibit the characteristics described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9;
      2. Shall be in agreement with the Doctrinal Statement; and
      3. Shall have been an active member of this Church for one year immediately prior to beginning his term of service on the Board.
    2. Duties:
      The Board of Elders shall serve with the pastoral staff in ensuring the fulfillment of the Mission Statement of this Church. In doing so, the Board shall
      1. Insure that the Bible in all its truth is accurately taught and applied throughout the Church;
      2. Be responsible for the general spiritual oversight of all Church ministries;
      3. Minister appropriately to the needs of individuals and families;
      4. Provide administrative oversight to the Professional Staff through the Senior Pastor;
      5. Collaborate with the Senior Pastor in administering the Church Ordinances;
      6. Appoint committees and officers for which it has administrative oversight;
      7. Hire, set compensation, and discharge such paid personnel for which it has administrative oversight;
      8. Establish guidelines for application by the Board of Deacons in authorizing use of the buildings and grounds for non-church functions;
      9. Maintain a policy with regard to salaries and benefits for all paid employees for which it has administrative oversight;
      10. Secure ushers at services of the Church;
      11. Administer a Benevolence Fund confidentially; and
      12. Act on behalf of and at the direction of the Church in legal matters related to its duties as described herein in accordance with the law.
    3. Resolution
      In matters requiring resolution between the Boards, because the Board of Elders has been accorded responsibility for exercising the spiritual oversight of the Church, its decision shall take precedence.
  4. Board of Deacons
    1. Qualifications
      To qualify for the position of Deacon, an individual shall
      1. Exhibit the characteristics described in 1 Timothy 3:8-13;
      2. Be in agreement with the Doctrinal Statement; and
      3. Have been an active member of this Church for not fewer than one (1) year immediately prior to beginning his term of service on the Board.
    2. Duties
      The Board of Deacons, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, shall have charge of the temporal matters of this Church; specifically, the Board of Deacons shall be responsible for
      1. Holding in trust and exercising supervision over all tangible property of the Church;
      2. Safe-keeping of legal documents;
      3. Hiring and discharging custodial help, in cooperation with the Senior Pastor;
      4. Appointing such officers and committees for which it has administrative oversight as elsewhere authorized herein;
      5. Serving as custodian of all Church equipment, including vehicles, and authorizing, regulating, and directing operators and their helpers of such equipment;
      6. Permitting and scheduling use of the buildings and grounds for non-church functions; and
      7. Acting on behalf of and at the direction of the Church in legal matters related to its duties as described herein in accordance with the law.
2. Pastors
  1. The Senior Pastor shall be an Elder and shall meet the biblical qualifications for Elder. He will be responsible to the Elder Board. He shall be an ex-officio member of all boards and committees of the Church.
  2. He shall be responsible for the following:
    1. Preaching and teaching the Word of God and administering the ordinances of the Church;
    2. Equipping the Body to do the work of ministry;
    3. Exercising general leadership, and administrative and pastoral oversight;
    4. Setting and championing the vision of the Church;
    5. Caring for the members with the love of a shepherd.
  3. Termination and conflict resolution
  4. Problems involving other staff members will be handled by the Board of Elders. Elders shall have the responsibility of employing and dismissing all staff other than the Senior Pastor.
3. Committees
  1. Nominating Committee
    1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of one member from the Board of Elders, one member from the Board of Deacons, the Pastor, and three members-at-large elected by the congregation at the annual meeting.
    2. The members-at-large shall be elected from a slate of nominees prepared by the Nominating Committee and shall at the time of election not be an Elder or Deacon.
    3. The Elder appointed to the Committee shall serve as chairman of the Committee.
    4. Members of the Nominating Committee shall have been members of the Church for at least one year.
    5. Elder and Deacon appointments to the Nominating Committee shall be for a term of one year. Elected members-at-large shall serve for three years. The elected terms shall be staggered. Terms shall begin and end at the time of the Annual Meeting. They shall serve for no more than one consecutive term.
    6. The Nominating Committee shall present at the annual meeting nominations for the elected offices provided for in the Constitution. They shall present one name for each vacancy. Names for consideration may be submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee by any voting member of the congregation at least eight weeks prior to the Annual Meeting. Those so submitted will then be considered by the Committee. No nominations shall be made from the floor at the time of the election. The Committee shall furnish all prospective nominees with a job description and shall nominate to office only those who have agreed to perform the duties of that office. The Committee, or one of its members appointed by it, shall interview each prospective nominee as to qualifications and availability. A seventy-five percent majority vote of the Nominating Committee shall place a name in nomination. Nominations shall be posted at least four weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.
    7. To be elected to office, those nominated must be approved by the congregation by a seventy-five percent majority of voting members present.
    8. In case of elective vacancies that occur during the year, the Nominating Committee will appoint a replacement to finish the year. At the Annual Meeting the congregation will elect a replacement to complete the term of office.
  2. Finance Committee
    1. The Finance Committee shall consist of not fewer than four members elected for three-year staggered terms. A member of the Finance Committee shall be appointed annually by the Board of Deacons to serve as Treasurer. The Treasurer will also chair the Finance Committee. The Committee shall elect its own vice-chairman and secretary annually.
    2. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for
      1. Receiving and promptly depositing all funds given to the Church;
      2. Maintaining general accounting records sufficient to enable it to approve or disapprove expenditures on the basis of availability of funds;
      3. Providing information to the Financial Secretary to ensure an accurate record of tithes and offerings from donors.
    3. The Finance Committee shall be responsible to the Board of Deacons.
    4. The Chairman of the Board of Deacons shall be a voting member of the Finance Committee.
  3. Budget Committee
    1. The Budget Committee shall consist of the Finance Committee, one member from each Board appointed annually by that Board, and the Senior Pastor (or his designee) who shall be without vote. The chairman of the Finance Committee shall serve as chairman of the Budget Committee.
    2. The Budget Committee shall be responsible for
      1. Preparing the total Church operating budget;
      2. Consulting each Board and any appropriate committees in preparation of the budget; and
      3. Presenting the prepared budget to the membership for action at the Annual Meeting.
    3. The Budget Committee shall be responsible to the Board of Deacons.
  4. Audit Committee
    1. Consist of not fewer than three members, none of whom shall be a member of the Finance Committee, appointed annually by the Board of Deacons in consultation with the Senior Pastor;
    2. Be responsible to the Board of Deacons; and
    3. Be responsible for the examination of the accounts of the Treasurer annually and at such other times as may be requested by the Board of Deacons. A written report shall be issued to the Board of Deacons, the Finance Committee, the Treasurer, and the congregation.
  5. Pulpit Committee
    1. The Pulpit Committee shall consist of the Board of Elders.
    2. The Pulpit Committee, when necessary, shall seek potential candidates to fill Church-authorized professional staff positions. The Pulpit Committee shall appoint from among the active, voting Church members a Search Committee to assist it in finding and evaluating candidates for a particular position. The Pulpit Committee shall ensure that each potential candidate gives unreserved acceptance to the Constitution, Policy Manual, and the Leadership Standard of the Church.
    3. The Pulpit Committee, in the calling of a Senior Pastor, shall notify the membership by mail of the planned appearance of a candidate before the Church, such notification to be mailed at least two weeks prior to such appearance. Following the candidate’s appearance, the Pulpit Committee shall bring a recommendation regarding the candidate’s call and the terms thereof, such recommendation being presented at a special business meeting.
    4. In the calling of other pastors or professional staff, the Elders shall have the authority both to hire and dismiss.
    5. The new Senior Pastor shall have the freedom to choose his pastoral staff, with the approval of the Elders.
  6. Other Committees
4. Voting
5. Officers
  1. The Chairman of the Elders, selected by the Elders, shall serve as the Chairman of the Church and shall preside over all business meetings. In his absence, the Vice-Chairman of the Elders shall preside.
  2. The Church Clerk shall be appointed by the Elders for a term of two years and shall keep accurate and permanent minutes of all business meetings of the Church, maintain records of baptism and maintain a membership register.
  3. The Treasurer shall be appointed by the Deacons for a one-year term. The Treasurer shall be responsible for overseeing the following:
    1. Clear, accurate, and permanent record keeping of all monies received and disbursements made;
    2. The accurate accounting of all funds
    3. The disbursement of monies only when authorized;
    4. The preparation of monthly financial reports; and
    5. The presentation of reports to the Church at the Annual Meeting.

Article 5: Membership

Requirements for membership:
1. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior
2. Agreement with the Doctrinal Statement
3. Commitment to the Church Covenant
4. Believer’s baptism
5. Minimum of twelve years of age
Procedures for membership:
1. Attendance at a membership class as prepared by the Elders
2. Interview with at least two Elders
3. Approval by the Elders
Termination of membership:
Membership in this Church may be terminated by any of the following:
1. Death
2. Transfer
3. Written request of the member
4. Erasure by discipline
5. Removal by the Elders of any member who has been absent without justifiable reason for a period of one year.
Covenant of Membership:
1. I have received Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and have assurance of my salvation.
2. I have read the Constitution of Redeemer Bible Church and I believe and accept its doctrines, standards, and purposes.
3. With the Lord’s help I will endeavor to do the following:
  1. Live in a way that consistently honors Jesus Christ, whom I acknowledge as the Lord of my life;
  2. Attend regularly the services of my Church;
  3. Pray for my fellow members, Church leaders, Church activities and the missionaries;
  4. Be a steward and invest in the support of my Church and its ministries;
  5. Seek to be a blessing to others by using the spiritual gifts the Lord has given me by assuming an active responsibility in the program of the Church; and
  6. Guard my tongue from destructive criticism and gossip, submit to the discipline of this Church, and work for the good of all its members.
Discipline and Expulsion
1. Purpose: the holiness of God requires discipline within the Church, having as its aim the glory of God, the welfare, purity and edification of the Church, and the repentance and spiritual growth of the offender (1 Corinthians 5:6-7; Ephesians 4:13; 1 Timothy 5:20; Hebrews 12:11; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2:12).
2. Authority: The authority to discipline comes from Scripture, and is administered through the Elders (Matthew 18: 15-18; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 6:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-15; 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 3:10).
3. Procedure: The Board of Elders shall be responsible for the discipline of any member whose life conduct is not consistent with the spiritual walk of the believer as set forth in Scripture. The Board shall proceed with due consideration for the spiritual welfare of both the member and the Church. The purpose of discipline shall be the restoration of the erring member and the purity of the Church.

Article 6: Meetings

An Annual Business Meeting shall be held in the month of January at which the annual election of officers shall be held and the annual budget approved. A written evaluation of the ministries of the Church for the preceding year shall be prepared and distributed in advance of the meeting.
Other Business Meetings may be called by the Elders, the Pastor, or by written request of at least thirty-five percent of the voting members of the Church. A two-week minimum notice shall be required before any Business Meeting. Notice of any special meeting shall be given in the worship service immediately preceding the meeting. A description of the business matters to be considered at any such meeting must be included in the announcement of the meeting. Unless described in the advance notice, other items of business may not be discussed.
A quorum of at least thirty-five percent of the voting members shall be required for the transaction of business in any business meeting of the Church.
Business Meetings, as well as other formal business of the Church and its committees, shall be conducted by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article 7: Amendments

This constitution may be amended at any regular or special business meeting of the Church by a two-thirds majority of the voting members present. Written notice of the proposed amendment must be given or mailed to each voting member at least one month prior to the meeting. Such meeting must be announced at the worship service on the two Sundays immediately preceding the meeting.

Article 8: Dissolution

The corporation is not organized, nor shall it be operated, for financial gain or profit, or dividends to its members; it is organized solely for non-profit purposes. The property, assets, and net income of the corporation are irrevocably dedicated to religious purposes. In the event that Redeemer Bible Church is dissolved, assets shall first be used to pay any debts. Any remaining assets shall be given to a like-minded evangelical body and used for the Lord’s work. Decisions regarding the disposal of such assets shall be the responsibility of the Board of Elders.

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