Church Constitution

Building on a Solid Biblical Foundation

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

1. 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).
2. 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)
3. 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).
4. 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).
5. 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)
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)
7. We believe that the Lord’s 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).
8. 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)
9. 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)
10. 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)
11. 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)
12. 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.