ByLaws
These are the laws by which we govern all of our church business.
ARTICLE 1
NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1. NAME
This body shall be known as Oak Hill Baptist Church Inc. of Bastrop Louisiana, a non-profit organization, located at 901 Collinston Road, Bastrop, Louisiana
SECTION 2. PURPOSE
The Church is formed to support public worship and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through such ministries as may be determined by the Church.
ARTICLE II
CHURCH GOVERNMENT AND MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. GOVERNMENT
This is a sovereign and democratic Baptist church under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the exclusive right of self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church body. The Church is subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but enjoys mutual counsel and cooperation with other churches of like faith and order.
SECTION 2. CANDIDACY
Any person may offer himself as a candidate for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:
(1) By profession of faith and for Baptism according to the policies of this Church.
(2) By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist Church.
(3) By statement of prior conversion experience and baptism by immersion in a Baptist church of like faith and order.
Should there be any dissent as to any candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the pastor and the deacons for investigation and the making of a recommendation to the church within an appropriate time. A majority vote of those church members present and voting shall be required to elect such candidate to membership.
SECTION 3. VOTING RIGHTS OF MEMBER
Every member of the church is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the church in business meetings. Members are encouraged to participate in all business meetings. No provision shall be made for absentee balloting.
SECTION 4. DISCIPLINES
It shall be the basic purpose of Oak Hill Baptist Church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The pastor, other members of the church staff, and deacons are available for counsel and guidance.
Any person whose membership has been terminated for any condition, which has made it necessary for the church to exclude him, may, upon his request, be restored to membership by a majority vote of the church upon evidence of his repentance and reformation.
SECTION 5. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP:
Membership shall be terminated in the following ways: (1) death of the member, (2) transfer of membership to another Baptist Church, (3) exclusion by specific action of this church, following the same procedure used for dismissing a Pastor, Deacon, or staff member as hereinafter mentioned in this document, (4) by removal from church roll upon request.
ARTICLE III
CHURCH OFFICERS
SECTION 1. PASTOR
The Pastor is responsible for leading the church to function as a New Testament church. The Pastor shall lead the congregation, the program organizations, and the church staff and employees to perform their tasks. Job description gives further details of the ministry and expectations of the congregation.
A pastor shall be chosen and called by the church when a vacancy occurs. His election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least one week’s public notice has been given. A pastor search committee shall be elected by the church to seek out a suitable pastor, and their recommendations will constitute a nomination. The church shall consider only one name at a time. Election shall be by secret ballot. An affirmative vote of three-fourths of those members present and voting shall be necessary to extend a call as pastor.
A pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request or the church’s request. The pastor shall give at least two weeks notice at the time of resignation before terminating his responsibilities as pastor.
The church may dismiss the pastor on the following grounds: (a) Unscriptural teaching (b) Clear, unscriptural conduct which obviously hinders the church. In such case the deacons shall select three men in good standing with the church who shall counsel the pastor in accordance with scripture. Should the matter not be corrected the committee shall report the same to deacons. The deacons will then vote for dismissal with a 2/3 vote of ¾ of the active deacons present and voting. The deacons will then recommend to the church that the pastor be dismissed. After the recommendation of the deacons is publicly announced, such meeting may be held only after public notice has been given at a regular service. The church will vote by secret ballot. Except in the instances of gross misconduct by the Pastor so removed from office, the church shall compensate the Pastor with not less than one-twelfth (1/12) of his total annual compensation, there will be no vacation pay. The termination shall be immediate and the compensation rendered within thirty (30) days.
SECTION 2. DEACONS
Deacons of the Church shall be ordained to provide spiritual leadership and service to the fellowship of the Church. Deacons shall be elected for life and shall serve as the church directs.
The total church membership shall select Deacons.
1.) The agreed upon number of candidates will be determined by the deacons upon approval of the church.
2.) At a regular church business meeting the church body will schedule a time for the nominations of deacons.
3.) The church, at the appointed time, will nominate by secret ballot the agreed number of candidates. The Pastor and the Deacons will count the ballots.
4.) The candidates will be examined by the Pastor and the Deacons.
5.) The Pastor and the Deacons, after agreeing upon the screened candidates, will present these men to the church to be elected as Deacons by secret ballot. These must be approved by 75% of the voting members. After the votes have been counted, a time will be set aside for the ordaining of the new Deacons.
Deacons shall elect their officers. A deacon will be inactive if he misses more than fifty percent of deacons meetings within a 12-month period, unless the circumstances are beyond his control.
SECTION 3. CHURCH STAFF
The Church Staff shall be those personnel called and employed by the church as the church determines the need for such offices. A job description shall be written when the need for such a staff member is determined. The Pastor will appoint a Personnel Committee as needed with the committee approved by the church. At the time of resignation, at least two weeks notice shall be given to the church. The membership can abolish any church staff position with two (2) weeks notice, giving, if earned, two weeks vacation pay.
SECTION 4. TRUSTEES
There shall be two Trustees (Registered Agents) to hold in trust the title to all property of the church both real and personal, and when the necessity may arise for the sale, conveyance, or other disposition thereof, whether in part or as a whole, they shall execute all documents, deeds, and other instruments upon the authorization of the church. Trustees (Registered Agents) are nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the church.
SECTION 5. MODERATOR
The Pastor shall be the Moderator of church business sessions. In his absence, he shall appoint either the chairman of Deacons or another appropriate person.
SECTION 6. CLERK
The clerk of the church shall keep records of all the actions of the church and shall coordinate the preparation of the annual church report to the association.
SECTION 7. TREASURER
Five active Deacons will be authorized to sign checks. Two of the Five will be required to sign each check. These five will be recommended by the nominating committee and elected by the church. Treasurers will examine each bill with the Ministry Assistant.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEE
SECTION 1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Pastor, Music Director, Sunday School Director, Discipleship Training Director, Chairman of the Deacons, Ministry Assistant and two others elected by this group to serve each year. Responsibilities include:
1. Nominating persons to fill vacancies in the following areas of the church:
(a) Sunday School Director, Assistant, and Teachers
(b) Discipleship Training Director, Assistant, and Teachers
2. Filling committee vacancies,
3. Recommending committees necessary for church ministry.
SECTION 2 COMMITTEES
Any standing or special committee as deemed necessary to the effective work of the church shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the church. A list of committees will be provided in policies and procedures.
ARTICLE V
LICENSING AND ORDAINING
Licensing and ordaining ministers and ordaining deacons shall be under the authority of the church and the joint leadership of the Pastor and the Deacon Fellowship.
ARTICLE VI
ORDINANCES
SECTION 1. BAPTISM
Baptism is the symbolic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of sinners. In obedience to the command of Christ, the ordinance of Baptism shall be by immersion of the professed believer in water and shall be administered on the authority of, and in the presence of, the church. The pastor shall administer the ordinance. However, by special act of the church, someone else may be authorized.
SECTION 2. THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of worship. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper shall be observed at such time as the church shall determine. The pastor shall preside at the table and shall be assisted by the deacons.
ARTICLE VII
MEETINGS
The meetings of the church shall be as follows:
1. Services of worship each Sunday.
2. Midweek services
3. Revival services and special worship services as authorized by the church.
4. A program of Bible Study and Christian development each Sunday.
5. Other organizational meetings for the purpose of worship, Bible Study, or fellowship, may be held as necessary.
6. A church conference or regular business meeting monthly. Questions of parliamentary procedure not covered by the Constitution or By-Laws shall be decided in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.
ARTICLE VIII
ORGANIZATIONS
All organizations must be authorized by and are subject to the authority of the church.
ARTICLE IX
FINANCES
The church recognizes God’s plan as outlined in the Scriptures to be the basic method for financing the program of the church. Our tithes belong to God and we should pay our tithes and offerings regularly into God’s storehouse, the church. Appropriate means should be used to bring the truth of the Biblical teaching on stewardship to the membership. A budget should be adopted annually prior to the beginning of the church fiscal year, Jan 1st through December 31st.
ARTICLE X
CHURCH YEAR
The church year shall begin September 1st, on which day the new teachers, officers and committees shall become effective.
ARTICLE XI
QUORUM
Five per cent (5%) of the resident membership shall comprise a quorum for transaction of all business matters with the exception of the calling of a pastor or ministerial staff member, and the abolishing of a church staff position and amending the constitutions and the by-laws which shall require ten per cent (10%).
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be amended at any regular business meeting of the church by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present provided that the proposed amendment has been presented in writing to the church at least thirty (30) days previously.
