ARTICLE I
NAME AND PRINCIPAL OFFICE
The name of the Corporation is MECKLENBURG COMMUNITY CHURCH. This Corporation will be further referred to in the Bylaws as the “Church.” The Church maintains its principal office at 8335 Browne Road, Charlotte, North Carolina. The Leadership Team (as defined below) of the Church has full power and authority to change the principal office from one location to another.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36–40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20).
SECTION I: Evangelism and Missions
To share the good news of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible in our community and throughout the world (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 2 Peter 3:9).
SECTION II: Education and Discipleship
To help members develop toward full Christian maturity and train them for effective ministry. To promote spiritual growth and discipleship through Bible teaching (Ephesians 4:11–13; Matthew 18:20; 1 Timothy 2:2).
SECTION III: Worship
To participate in public worship services together and to maintain personal daily devotions (John 4:24).
SECTION IV: Ministry and Service
To serve unselfishly, in Jesus’ name, meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those in the Church, community and in the world (1 Peter 4:10–11; Matthew 25:34–40; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Galatians 5:13).
SECTION V: Fellowship
To encourage, support and pray for each other as members of the family of God. To share our lives together (1 John 1:7; Acts 2:44–47; Hebrews 10:23–25; Romans 15:5,7; John 13:34–35).
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION I: General
The New Testament presents a picture of definable groups of people who, once committed to the Lord, identified themselves with and committed themselves to a particular local body (Acts 2:42–46; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 8:1; Philippians 1:1; Acts 11:26).
Membership is open to any person who has personally accepted Christ as Leader and Forgiver, who has been baptized as a believer, and who desires to be committed to the Church as a local body of believers. Membership is not a prerequisite for involvement in every ministry, but is required for ministry leadership, involvement in certain ministries as determined by the Senior Pastor or Leadership Team, and participation in congregational decision making.
Membership in the Church shall consist of all persons who have met the qualifications for membership (see Section II of Article III) and are identified as active members in the Church database.
SECTION II: Qualifications for Membership
SECTION III: Voting Rights of Membership
Every active member of the Church shall have the right to vote on the following matters: The annual budget of the Church, the election of the Trustees, the disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Church other than in usual and regular course of its activities, the merger or dissolution of the Church, amendments to the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Church, and the calling or removing of a Senior Pastor. Each member 16 years and older is entitled to one vote.
SECTION IV: Termination of Membership
Members shall be removed from active membership status in the Church database for the following reasons:
Members dismissed by the pastors shall be restored by the pastors according to the spirit of II Corinthians 2:7-8, when their lifestyles are judged to be in accordance with the membership covenant and the Church’s statement of faith.
SECTION VI: Non-Liability of Members
A member of the Church shall not solely, because of such participation, be personally liable for the debts, obligations or liabilities of the Church.
SECTION VII: Discipline
Any member of the Church having cause or complaint against another must first seek to remove it as directed in Matthew 18. If this is not sufficient, the complaint shall be brought to the attention and counsel of the Leadership Team, which may report its findings and may recommend to the Senior Pastor for appropriate action. All discipline shall be formulated and carried out in the Spirit of Christ with the goal being reconciliation to the Body of Christ.
ARTICLE IV
OPERATIONS
SECTION I: General
The Church shall hold regular meetings for worship, teaching, training, outreach and fellowship. Meetings shall be held at the principal office of the Church or at such other place or places within or outside North Carolina as may be designated from time to time by the Senior Pastor or the Leadership Team. Without limiting the foregoing, the Church may have multiple campuses at which services and other church activities take place.
SECTION II: Business Activities
Understanding the priesthood of the believer and the importance of congregational involvement, there will be an annual process by which the members of the Church vote to adopt the annual budget and to elect the Trustees. Typically, this process will occur in the month of December as determined by the Leadership Team. At any time during the year the Leadership Team or the Senior Pastor may call for a membership review and vote of special business.
Any action to be taken by the membership of the Church in the annual process or as special business may be taken by any means deemed appropriate by the Leadership Team including, but not limited to, a formal meeting, email correspondence, website communication, and US Mail. Those members present at a formal meeting or voting in any process other than a formal meeting shall constitute a quorum of the membership for the transaction of business. All decisions will be by simple majority vote of all votes recognized. Voting by proxy will not be permitted.
Any action that will be taken at a formal meeting will follow the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order in terms of procedure. Unless otherwise presented, all votes at a formal meeting are to be taken without discussion.
SECTION III: Notice Requirements for Business Activities
ARTICLE V
CHURCH LEADERS
SECTION I: General
The leadership structure of Mecklenburg Community Church is based upon the nature of the church as revealed in Scripture, as well as the necessary legal requirements for a recognized religious organization. The leadership structure of the Church is intentionally designed to accommodate simplicity, growth, unity and biblical teaching.
The leadership structure of the Church involves a Senior Pastor, the Leadership Team, other pastors, ministry leaders, and Trustees. The visionary leadership and direction of the Church is placed in the hands of the Senior Pastor.
SECTION II: Pastoral Role and Leadership
Christ alone is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22–23). Yet for the purpose of order, and in accord with the biblical materials, certain individuals have been charged with leadership according to their spiritual giftedness (Ephesians 4:11–13). Three different terms are used in the New Testament to refer to the same church leader(s): “poimen” (pastor), “presbuteros” (elder), and “episcopos” (bishop). These terms are used interchangeably and reflect the different functions of the same office. The New Testament church had a plurality of pastors in each local church setting. The primary Shepherd is Jesus, and then by extension the under-shepherds, or pastors (1 Peter 5:1–2; Acts 20:17–18, 28; Titus 1:5–7; 1 Timothy 5:17).
It is impossible for one individual or group of individuals to be the primary caregiver(s) for a growing church (Exodus 18; Acts 6). To burden the Senior Pastor or pastors with functions unrelated to their primary areas of responsibility is to rob them of study time and devotion to
the Word, and forces them to function in areas other than their primary calling and responsibility. This can lead to watered down, inaccurate teaching and leadership, which in turn weakens the body (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:6–7; 1 Thessalonians 2:4,5; Titus 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:10–12; Ephesians 4:11–12; James 2:22; 2 Timothy 1:13, 2:15). Therefore, the Senior Pastor and other pastors are to be liberated and equipped to devote themselves to the teaching of the Word of God and the leadership of the church.
SECTION III: Senior Pastor
The Senior Pastor has ultimate responsibility for the oversight of the church body and the shepherding of its members (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Peter 5:1–4; Acts 20:28–32).
The Senior Pastor is to actively set goals for the congregation according to the will of God, obtain goal ownership from the people, and see that each church member is properly motivated and equipped to do his or her part in accomplishing the mission of the Church. The Senior Pastor is responsible for providing spiritual instruction and administrative leadership to the members, staff and ministries of the Church. The calling, supervision and dismissal of pastoral staff, ministry leaders, and other employees is under the direction of the Senior Pastor.
The Senior Pastor shall continue to serve as Senior Pastor until the relationship is ended by resignation or terminated by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those present and voting at a special business meeting of the Church called for such purpose. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the role of Senior Pastor, the Leadership Team (or the Trustees if the Leadership Team is unable to take action) shall initiate procedures leading to the adoption by the Church of a process to select a new Senior Pastor.
SECTION IV: Leadership Team
The Leadership Team includes the Senior Pastor and other pastors and ministry leaders who are identified by the Senior Pastor in his sole discretion from time to time. The Senior Pastor may appoint teams (each of which may be referred to as the “Leadership Team”) on a project-by-project basis that will have the authority granted by the Senior Pastor. For avoidance of doubt, an individual’s participation on a Leadership Team project does not guarantee that such individual will be involved with other activities of the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team will meet as needed to coordinate the life and ministry of the Church, to plan for future events, and to implement the strategy of the Church in light of its purpose, mission, values and vision. The Leadership Team is supervised by the Senior Pastor and will be convened by the Senior Pastor as needed and is empowered to make any and all decisions related to the life of the Church of a business or legal nature not directly designated for congregational approval. This includes the selection and removal of all officers, agents and employees of the Church except for the Senior Pastor; and changing the principal office of the Church in the state of North Carolina from one location to another. The Leadership Team, along with other ministry leaders, develops and submits the Church’s annual budget. The Leadership Team also has the responsibility and the authority to manage the budget.
SECTION V: Ministry Leaders
The second ministerial role mentioned in the biblical materials is the role of the deacon, which in the New Testament was a “servant-leader.” They liberated the apostles from direct oversight of pastoral ministries in order that they might be freed up to teach and to lead. There are no specific, on-going roles specified in Scripture, rather they served as needed.
Thus deacons in the local church are equated with ministry leaders of the Church. They are given the freedom and authority to lead in their area of ministry under the supervision and leadership of the pastors, and are appointed by the Senior Pastor or other authorized pastors on the basis of need and giftedness (1 Timothy 3:8–12). There can be no limit to the number of ministry leaders, as this is dependent solely upon the Holy Spirit’s disbursement of spiritual gifts in the Church. Ministry leaders shall serve in this role until the relationship is ended by resignation, by the Senior Pastor, by the Leadership Team, or by the expiration of a pre-determined time of service.
Certain ministry leaders will be naturally elevated to the status of paid staff, overseeing a large portion of a particular area of ministry. These staff ministry leaders may or may not be ordained pastors, but should fulfill the biblical requirements for ministerial leadership.
SECTION VI: Other Staff Members
Other staff members shall be hired as needed in accordance with the above-stated areas of responsibility, the annual budget, as well as the personnel and financial policies of the Church. Such staff members shall be responsible to their immediate supervisors or designated staff persons.
SECTION VII: Trustees
A small group of individuals will be set aside by the Church to serve as Trustees. Trustees are to provide financial counsel to the Senior Pastor and the Leadership Team and determine the compensation of the Senior Pastor. Trustees may be asked to conduct other duties and activities as designated from time to time by the Senior Pastor or the Leadership Team. They are not a decision making body. The number of Trustees are determined annually by the Leadership Team, and are nominated to the Church body annually by the Senior Pastor. They are elected by the members via the annual process outlined in Article IV, Section II, and may only be removed from completing their one-year term by a vote of the members.
SECTION VIII: Officers
Officers include President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Senior Pastor shall serve as President. The Treasurer and Secretary shall be the pastor, ministry leader, employee, or Trustee designated by the Senior Pastor.
The Secretary shall be responsible for preparing accurate and complete minutes of all business meetings of the Church, keeping record of all official documents of the Church, and serving notice of all meetings or voting requirements where notice is necessary as indicated by these Bylaws. The Secretary is also responsible for ensuring votes are accurate and tabulated correctly. The Secretary may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries who shall assist the Secretary in the performance of these duties.
SECTION IX: Authority to Execute Legal Documents
Official documents of the Church may be executed by the Senior Pastor in the capacity of the President of the Church, by the Secretary in the capacity of the Secretary of the Church, by the Treasurer in the capacity of the Treasurer of the Church, and other individuals as designated and authorized by the Senior Pastor. Without limiting the foregoing, the Senior Pastor may authorize any officer, employee or agent to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument on behalf of the Church, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
ARTICLE VI
CHURCH PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
All organizations and programs of the Church shall be subject to the control of the Church and its leadership and the leaders of those organizations shall report to the appropriate Church leadership. For the avoidance of doubt, all ministry leaders are under the authority of the Senior Pastor (or the Leadership Team if the Senior Pastor has designated such authority to the Leadership Team).
ARTICLE VII
REAL PROPERTY
SECTION I: Title
Title to all real property of the Church shall be in the name of the Church.
SECTION II: Purchasing Real Property
Real property may be purchased in the name of and on behalf of the Church after the proposal to do so has been presented to and approved by the Senior Pastor and the Treasurer.
SECTION III: Disposition of Real Property
Real property of the Church may be sold, conveyed, transferred or otherwise disbursed with the approval of the Senior Pastor and the Treasurer.
SECTION IV: Real Property Loans
No loans to the Church secured by real property, including any mortgage, financing or refinancing documents, shall be contracted on behalf of the Church and no evidence of such indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by the Senior Pastor and the Treasurer.
ARTICLE VIII
AFFILIATIONS
The Church shall have full power and authority to associate itself with and participate in organizations in keeping with the character and purpose of the Church as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws. The Church is autonomous and maintains the right to govern its own affairs, independent of any denominational control.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
All requests for amendments to these Bylaws must be in writing and shall be submitted to the Leadership Team for study and consideration. The Leadership Team shall issue a timely response to the proposed amendment, alteration or revision to these Bylaws. It is up to the Leadership Team whether to propose such amendments to the Church for adoption. If proposed to the Church by the Leadership Team, amendments to the Bylaws require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members who vote in a process as described in Article IV of this document.
ARTICLE X
FINANCES
SECTION I: Annual Budget
The Church shall have an annual budget, voted on by the Church, to serve as the normative guide for the financial operation of the Church.
SECTION II: Development of Annual Budget
The annual church budget shall be established through the following process:
SECTION III: Budget Management
The budget is to be managed by the Leadership Team and the various ministry leaders and staff persons according to their area of responsibility.
Modifications within the budget can be made by the Leadership Team, ministry leaders, or other staff with budget responsibilities if extenuating circumstances in the life of the Church mandate such a change. For example, if a budgeted item is not needed, or if expenses in a particular area are less than expected, the Leadership Team and/or ministry leaders can reallocate those resources as needed. The budget should, however, be the normative guide for the financial operation of the Church.
SECTION IV: Annual Audit
An annual audit from an outside agency of Certified Public Accountants will be performed on the Church’s financial matters and made available to the Church.
SECTION V: Operating Bank Accounts
The Church will maintain checking accounts and other accounts at banks or other financial institutions as approved by the Senior Pastor. Bank resolutions granting authority for specific persons to sign checks or orders must be designated by the Senior Pastor.
Individuals available to be approved for such authority are the President, Secretary, Treasurer, and other individuals designated by the Senior Pastor.
SECTION VI: Fiscal Year
The Church fiscal year shall begin on January 1 and end on December 31.
SECTION VII: Accounting Procedures
Proper accounting procedures, as determined by an outside agency of Certified Public Accountants, shall be maintained by the Church.
SECTION VIII: Records and Reports
The Church shall maintain the following records and reports:
All such records shall be kept at the Church’s principal office.
ARTICLE XI
ORDINANCES
SECTION I: General
The Church recognizes two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
SECTION II: Baptism
The Church shall receive for baptism any person who has received Jesus Christ as Forgiver by personal faith and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Leader. Baptism shall be by immersion in water. The Senior Pastor, or whomever the Senior Pastor shall authorize, shall administer baptism. Baptismal services shall be scheduled at the discretion of the Senior Pastor or other pastor(s) specified by the Senior Pastor.
SECTION III: The Lord’s Supper
The Church shall observe the Lord’s Supper in keeping with the commands of the Bible at such times as the Senior Pastor or pastor(s) specified by the Senior Pastor deems appropriate. The Senior Pastor or pastor(s) specified by the Senior Pastor shall administer the Supper. All who know Jesus Christ as Leader and Forgiver will be invited to participate.
ARTICLE XII
DOCTRINE
In doctrinal matters, the Church strives for three things: In essential matters, unity; in non-essential issues, liberty; in all things, charity. We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God, and as the only basis for our beliefs. The doctrinal statement and stance of the Church shall be consistent with the articles stated in the booklet The Baptist Faith and Message (1963).
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of the Church’s beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that the Church believes. For purposes of the Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Senior Pastor, Leadership Team and ministry leaders are the Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
ARTICLE XIII
CHURCH STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE, GENDER & HUMAN SEXUALITY
Based on the teaching of the Scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments, the Church holds certain religious beliefs concerning marriage, gender and human sexuality. Specifically, the Church believes that marriage is an institution ordained by God from the foundation of the world, and intended as a lifelong union of one man and one woman biologically defined by their natural birth. The Church also believes that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. Lastly, the Church believes that sexual activities outside of marriage, including but not limited to fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality, pedophilia, polygamy and bestiality are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible.
As a result of these above described religious beliefs and the Church’s belief in the need for a practice of fidelity to these beliefs, the Senior Pastor is directed to create policies and formal statements on marriage, gender and human sexuality from time to time that will govern, among other things, use of facilities of the Church, pastors and other staff members of the Church, and membership of the Church. The Senior Pastor may seek the input from the Leadership Team and other internal and external advisors on such policies and statements, and the signature of the Senior Pastor and the Secretary shall serve as sufficient evidence that such policy or statement is an official record and policy of the of the Church.
ARTICLE XIV
TO BE A TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION
The term for which the Church has been organized and incorporated is perpetual and it shall operate as a tax exempt organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. In the event of dissolution of the Church, the assets thereof shall be liquidated and distributed by first paying all creditors, and all remaining assets shall then be distributed to another Christian organization or organizations which have like faith, belief, and purposes as the Church and which qualify as a tax exempt organization.
ARTICLE XV
LIMITATION OF PURPOSE
It is the desire and intent that the Church shall operate as a corporate entity not-for-profit pursuant to the North Carolina General Statutes. None of its funds shall inure to the benefit of any individual connected with the organization, except in consideration of services rendered. Accordingly, all references to the “Church” herein shall be interpreted to be references to the “Corporation” as that term is defined under the General Statutes of North Carolina, and the officers of the Church, specifically President, Secretary, and Treasurer, shall have the same definitional meaning and authority to bind the Church as the same or similar officers referred to under the said General Statutes.
ARTICLE XVI
INDEMNIFICATION
The Church shall have the power to indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law any present or former pastor, officer, employee, Trustee or agent, including any person engaged in church business through committee service or otherwise (hereinafter an “official”), for expenses and costs (including attorneys’ fees and judgments or fines) actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his or her being or having been such official, except in relation to matters as to which he or she shall be finally adjudged to be liable for willful misconduct amounting to bad faith or gross negligence. Such indemnification shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled apart from the provision of this Article XVI. The Church shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was an official of the corporation against any liability asserted against such official arising out of his status as an official.
THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the above Bylaws were duly adopted by the members of the Church, effective as of the date first set forth above.
Secretary
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