THE CHURCH CONSTITUTION
of Emmanuel Bible Church of
Salem, Oregon, Inc.
Approved by Membership on 07-20-08
Atricles I - V are listed below. Click Here for Articles VI - IX
ARTICLE I – Name
This organization shall be known as the Emmanuel Bible Church of Salem, Oregon, Inc., hereinafter called the Church.
ARTICLE II – Purpose
The purpose of the Church shall be to advance the cause of Jesus Christ through the public worship of God, the preaching of God’s message from both the Old and New Testaments, consistent Christian living by its Members, personal evangelism, missionary endeavor, and Christian education.
ARTICLE III – Doctrine and Ordinances
Section 1 – Doctrine/Absolutes of Faith
a. Concerning the Bible
Every word of all sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments is inspired by God and is without error in the original manuscripts. They are the supreme and final authority in any age.
Ps 19:7-9; Matt 5:18; Lk 16:17; Jn 10:35; II Tim 3:16; II Peter 1:19-21
b. Concerning God
There is but one true God, the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe, eternally self-existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Deut 4:39; 6:4; Isa 9:6-7; Matt 28:19-20; Jn 8:58; 10:30; I Cor 8:6
c. Concerning the Son
Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God. While remaining fully God, He fully became man as the virgin-born son of Mary. As Messiah, He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. He was rejected, condemned, crucified, buried in a tomb, but on the third day arose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven in a glorified body, is presently sitting at the Father’s right hand interceding as High Priest on our behalf. One day He will return for His church and to reign.
Isa 53; Matt 1:18; Jn 1:1&14; 14:3; Jn 18-20; Acts 1:9-11; 13:27&29; Col 2:9; Heb 7:25; 8:1-2
d. Concerning the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine person, co-equal with the Father and the Son. He was sent to glorify Christ by convicting us of sin and applying the saving work of Christ to us through regeneration and sanctification. He has come to glorify Christ through us by indwelling, sealing, guiding, teaching, protecting, empowering and gifting the believer.
Matt 28:19; Jn 16:13-14; 3:5-6; Acts 5:3-4; Rom 8:1-14; I Cor 12:7-11; Eph 1:13-14; 3:16:17; Heb 9:14
e. Concerning Man and His Need
Man was created in the image of God to be able to fellowship with God. Because of Adam's sin, man suffered a change in his essential nature, the marring of God’s image and became hostile to God. Now all human beings are born with Adam’s sinful nature and are under condemnation. They are unable to secure God’s favor through their own efforts and need a spiritual regeneration before they can become what God created them to be.
Gen 1:26-27; Jn 3:3; Rom 3:22-24; 7:17-18 & 23; 8:7; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10
f. Concerning Redemption
Jesus lived a sinless life, fulfilling God’s law, thus qualifying Him to bear the sins of the world in His body on the cross and to be a substitute for sinners of all times. He became sin for sinners and experienced the punishment for their sin, His blood thus satisfying the just demands of the righteous God. Therefore, all who put their trust in Jesus alone are made righteous, are reconciled to God and are given eternal life. Salvation is by grace through faith.
Matt 5:17; Jn 3:16; 14:6; Acts 4:12 Rom 3:21-22; 5:10 & 18; II Cor 5:21; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Phil 3:9; Titus 2:11-14; I Peter 1:18-19
g. Concerning the Church
The church consists of all who have been regenerated and united together by the Spirit into the body of Christ. The church is the expression of Christ to the world with a mission to witness Christ to the nations.
Matt 28: 19-20; I Cor 12:13; Eph 1:22-23; 2:19-22; I Peter 2:4-5
h. Concerning the Future
We look for the visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth. His return will bring His kingdom to completion, will bring judgment to the world and will fulfill His promises to His people. His future work on earth will conclude with the destruction of all evil and the creation of a new heaven and earth. All human beings who have died will be raised from the dead to participate either in eternal life prepared for those who have been redeemed, or to participate in eternal punishment along with the devil and his angels.
Matt 24:30; 25:31-46; Jn 14:3; Acts 1:9-11; Rev 20:10-21:4
Section 2 - Ordinances
a. Because of the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ, Emmanuel Bible Church shall observe two ordinances, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
b. Water baptism shall be practiced as a symbolic confession of our identification with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection, and shall be administered only to those who have put their faith in Jesus for Him to save them.
c. The Church shall teach that Jesus chose to use bread and wine to remind us of the broken body and the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, freely given on our behalf. This observance that turns our focus back to Christ shall be open to anyone who has placed his full reliance on Jesus to save him.
ARTICLE IV – Membership
Section 1 - The Spirit of God baptizes the person born again through faith in Jesus into Christ’s Body, the church (I Cor 12:13). Any believing person who gives confession of a personal relationship to Christ is eligible to apply for membership in this Church. Seven days notice of the applicant’s desire for membership shall be given to the Church prior to the applicant’s meeting with the Board of Elders. In that meeting the applicant shall give personal testimony, subscribe to Emmanuel Bible Church’s Absolutes of Faith and express desire for membership. The Board of Elders shall, in its sole discretion, determine if the applicant should be granted membership. The Board of Elders shall confirm the acceptance of the new member in a Sunday service of the congregation.
Section 2 - Members shall regularly participate in church life, build up others in the body and contribute to the financial support of the ministry. Instruction and admonition from the Word of God shall be the standard for public and private life.
Section 3 - Scripture instructs Christians to admonish one another according to the process in Matt 18:15-17. If the Board of Elders, in its sole discretion, determines that a member is continuing in sin, it may place the member under church discipline with a view toward the restoration of the member to full membership. If after following the church discipline outlined in Matthew 18:15-17, the member still refuses to repent and be restored to a close relationship with the Lord, the Board of Elders will then dismiss the member from the Church.
Section 4 - Any person who has been dismissed from the membership of this Church pursuant to Article IV, Section 3, and has responded to church discipline with true repentance and a changed life, may be granted membership through the process described in Article IV, Section I.
Section 5 - Members who deliberately absent themselves from the regular services of the church and/or show no interest in the ministry of the church for a period of two years, shall be placed on an inactive membership list for one year and personally notified. If after one year as an inactive member the member remains inactive, the inactive member shall be dismissed from the Membership by action of the Board of Elders. The Board of Elders, in its sole discretion, may allow the inactive member to retain membership based upon the circumstances of each individual situation.
ARTICLE V – Church Offices
Section 1 - General The offices of the Church shall be the Board of Elders, the Church Board, the Deacon Council, the Board of Trustees, the Missions Committee, the Church Treasurer, the Assistant Church Treasurers, the Church Secretary, the Assistant Church Secretary, the Church Moderator, the Assistant Church Moderator, the Financial Review Committee and the Nominating Committee. Officers of the Church must be Church members in good standing.
Section 2 - Election of Officers Church officers shall be elected at the Annual Church Business Meeting by a plurality vote. The assistant officers shall be elected by the next highest vote after the principal officer. Elders serving as staff pastors require a three quarters majority (75%) for their election.
Section 3 - Removal from Office At any time the Board of Elders deems an officer’s conduct detrimental to the testimony or unity of the Church, the Board of Elders, in its sole discretion, may remove that person from office.
Section 4 - Vacancies Vacancies in Church offices shall be filled by appointment of the Church Board until the next Annual Church Business Meeting when a replacement shall be elected.
Section 5 - Additional Members of Boards and Committees The Church Board and the Board of Elders, each in its sole discretion, can determine if additional elected or appointed members are needed in any Boards, Councils, Committees, or Offices that are accountable to it.
Click Here for Articles VI - IX