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"Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation;
the old has gone,
the new has come."
...II Corinthians 5:17
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PREAMBLE
We, the members of Grace Community Church, in order
to carry out more effectively the commission given by Jesus Christ to
His Church, do ordain and establish the following Constitution to which
we voluntarily submit ourselves.
ARTICLE I:
NAME. The name of this
organization shall be "Grace Community Church of Waunakee, Wisconsin,
Inc."
ARTICLE II:
AUTHORITY. The congregation,
at its business meetings, is the legislative and governing body of this
organization.
ARTICLE III:
PURPOSE. The purpose of
this organization shall be to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every
way prescribed or approved by the Holy Scriptures, to engage in such religious,
educational, charitable, and benevolent work as the Constitution and Bylaws
of this organization may determine, and to own and maintain such property
and equipment as may be required to carry out the above stated purpose.
ARTICLE IV:
STATEMENT OF FAITH
- We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the
inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete
revelation of His Will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and
final authority for all Christian faith and life
(II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:20,21, John 10:34-35, John 5:39, John 20:31).
- We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect
and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(Deuteronomy 6:4, Genesis 1:1, I John 5:7, Matthew
3:16-17, Matthew 28:19, II Corinthians 13:14, James 2:19, Isaiah 40:28,
Psalm 19:1, Malachi 2:10, Hebrews 5:9, Psalm 90:2)
- We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been
conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on
the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further,
He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right
hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate.
(John 1:1,14, Galatians 3:13, Hebrews 9:28, Acts 1:9, Hebrews 9:10-12,
Philippians 2:6-8, Matthew 1:18-25, I Corinthians 15:3-4, Hebrews 10:12,
Mark 16:19, Hebrews 7:22-28, I John 2:1-2).
- We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the
Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the
believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer
for godly living and service.
(John 16:13-14, John 16:11, Matthew 18:3, I Corinthians
14, John 3:6, John 14:26, Titus 3:5, Romans 8:11, Micah 3:8, Acts 1:8).
- We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into
sin and is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy
Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
(Hebrews 2:7-9, Genesis 6:5, Genesis 9:6, Romans
3:23, 5:12, 6:23, John 3:6)
- We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection
provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who
believe, and only such as receive Jesus are born of the Holy Spirit,
and thus become children of God. (Hebrews 9:22,
I Peter 1:18-19, II Timothy 1:12, John 1:12, 3:3-6, John 6:47, Romans
4:25, 5:9-10)
- We believe that the Lordıs Supper and Water Baptism are ordinances
to be observed by the Church during this present age. They are, however,
not to be regarded as means of salvation.
(I Corinthians 11, Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38,41,
Ephesians 2:8, John 1:12).
- We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who
through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy
Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is
the Head.
(Ephesians 2:18-20, Romans 12:5, Colossians 1:8)
- We believe that only those who are thus members of the aforementioned
true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local Church.
(Romans 10:9, Matthew 10:32, Hebrews 10:23-25)
- We believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and
that every local Church has the right, under Christ, to decide and govern
its own affairs.
(Ephesians 5:23-24, 4:11-12)
- We believe in the personal and premillennial and imminent coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ and that this "blessed hope" has a vital bearing
on the personal life and service of the believer.
(Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:16-18, Titus 2:13,
Revelation 22:20)
- We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer
to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever
to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.
(John 5:28, Luke 24:36-43, I Corinthians 15:20-24,
II Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:11-15, I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
ARTICLE V:
MEMBERSHIP. Persons who
are believers, having received the Lord Jesus Christ, and who give evidence
by their confession and their conduct that they are living in real fellowship
with the Lord Jesus Christ and who subscribe to the above Purpose and
Statement of Faith, shall be accepted into the membership of this Church
in accordance with the Bylaws of this Constitution.
ARTICLE VI:
PROPERTY.
SECTION 1. This Church
shall have the power to receive, either by gifts or purchase, and to hold
such real, personal, or mixed property as is authorized by the laws of
the State of Wisconsin, and as 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 such property shall be held in the name of the
Church.
SECTION 2. In case of a
division of the Church (from which we pray God by His mercy to preserve
us) the property shall belong to those who abide by its Constitution and
Bylaws.
SECTION 3. In case of dissolution
of the Church organization, the property shall be assigned equally to
currently supported missionary agencies of the Church. This would enable
the missionary agencies to renew the work or use the values thereof to
further Christian ministries. The Church shall be considered dissolved
if so decided by the membership, or when the Church has not held an annual
meeting for three years, or when less than four members remain.
ARTICLE VII:
AMENDMENTS. Amendments
to this Constitution must be submitted to the members in writing and adopted
as a preliminary step at a regular business meeting of the Church at least
three months prior to the Annual Meeting. At the succeeding Annual Meeting
they can be acted upon but for final adoption must receive the affirmative
vote of two-thirds of the membership present and voting.
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