BYLAWS OF FREE RIDER FELLOWSHIP

OF

PLANT CITY, FL

 

Approved by Church Vote on April 15, 2007

 

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

Church Membership

Section 1. Qualifications: The membership of the church shal consist as such persons as confess Jesus Christ to be their Savior and Lord, having been accepted by the vote of the church and having been scripturally baptized by immersion.

                     a.       Those coming from other Baptist churches of like faith and order may be accepted upon letter of transfer, letter of dismission or satisfactory substitute thereof, such as statement of facts or faith as to their conversion experiences and previous immersion.

                     b.      Any person coming from any church not of like faith and order or non-Baptist  church must come by baptism upon profession of faith in Christ as Savior.

Section 2.  Responsibilities: Members are encouraged to be faithful in all responsibilities essential to the Christian life, to attend the services of this Church, to give regularly for its support and cause, and to share in its organized work. 

Section 3.  Rights:  Only active members, 16 years of age and older, (16-17 years old with parental discretion and guidance), who do not hold letters of dismission may act and vote in the transactions of the Church.

Section 4.  Quorum:  Ten percent of the active membership shall constitute a quorum being necessary for the transaction of general church business and for election of officers, with a majority vote constituting an approval. For the calling of a pastor, discipline of a member, purchase or sale of property, or for amendments and additions to the Constitution and Bylaws a quorum of twenty-five percent of the active membership shall be required.

Section 5.  Termination:  The continuance of membership shall be subject to the following:

 

a.       Any member who desires a letter of dismission and recommendation to Baptist church of like faith and order is entitled to receive it upon his/her request being made through church channels

b.      The Church may, after due notice and kindly effort place on an inactive roll the membership of persons for the space of one year non-resident members or for the same space of time resident members not habitually worshipping with the Church.

 

c.       Should a member become an offense to the Church and to the Church’s good name by reasons of immoral or un-Christian conduct, or by persistent breach of the Church covenant, the Church may terminate his/her membership, but only after due notice and hearing, and after faithful efforts have been made to bring such a member to repentance and amendment, Matthew 18:15-17 being used as basic scripture. The Pastor and Elder Board shall be responsible for leading this process.

 

d.      The membership of no person shall be terminated (except by letter) at the meeting when the initial recommendation for such action is made.

 

e.       All requests for termination of membership shall be granted.

Section 6.  Any person whose membership has been terminated for any offense may be restored by vote of the Church, upon evidence of his repentance and reformation; or, upon satisfactory explanation.

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

 

Section 1.  The primary officers of the Church shall be Pastor, Associate Pastor(s), Elders, Clerk, Treasurer, and Financial Secretary. The duties of these officers shall be those common to the office and according to the instruction of the Scriptures.

 

Section 2.  The Church shall have such officers as wisdom and the Holy Spirit may direct as necessary for the carrying on of the work of the Church. The duties of such officers shall be those connected with the offices they fill and the needs of the Church.

Section 3.  The Church shall have such authority and special committees as will be deemed necessary in distributing the responsibilities and getting the work done. All officers and committees shall be elected by the Church.

 

            PASTOR:  The Pastor shall have charge of the welfare and oversight of the Church. The Pastor shall be considered an ex-officio member of all the Church organizations. A Pastor meeting the requirements of  I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 shall be chosen and called by the Church whenever a vacancy occurs. His election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least two Sunday service notices shall be given from the pulpit. A pulpit committee shall be appointed by the Elders to seek out a suitable Pastor, and their recommendation will constitute a nomination. The committee shall bring to the consideration of the Church only one man at a time. Election shall be by secret ballot, an affirmative vote requires three-fourths of those voting. The Pastor shall serve until the relationship is terminated by 30 day notice by either the Pastor or the Church or by mutual consent.

 

            MINSTERIAL STAFF (Salaried):  Salaried ministerial staff shall be employed to provide for a specific ministerial need. This person will be identified by a committee approved by the Pastor, Elder Board, and voted on by the Church.

 

            ELDERS:  The primary role of the Elder is to be a servant of the membership of the Church. In counsel with the Pastor, and by such methods as the Holy Sprit may direct in accordance with the New Testament teaching, they are to have the responsibility of the discipline of the Church, in ministering, in which they are to be guided by the principals set forth in Matthew 18:15-17 I Corinthians 5:9-13; and I Thessalonians 5:12-14. There will be four Elders for the first one hundred active members or fraction thereof. One Elder per 25 members over 100 members shall be added to the total Elder board during the annual election of Elders. An Elder’s term of service shall be for two years. There is no obligation to recognize as an active Elder a brother who comes to the Church from another where he has served as an Elder. Nomination for Elder shall be made by the Church membership. There shall only be one Elder per family unit. Current Elders will interview nominees to insure qualification of nominees. Qualified candidates will be presented to the Church by the Elder Board for consideration in the election process. The election of Elders shall be held yearly.

 

            MODERATOR:  The Board of Elders shall elect a chairman who shall be the moderator. In the absence of the Chairman of the Elders, another active Elder shall preside.

 

            CLERK:  The clerk shall keep a suitable record of all the actions of the Church, except as otherwise provided. They shall keep a register of the names of the members, with dates of admission; dismission, or death, together with a record of baptisms. They shall issue letters of dismission voted by the Church and shall preserve on file all essential communications and written official reports. The church shall annually elect a Church Clerk. Subject to the discretion of the Church, the Clerk shall be eligible to succeed themselves.

 

            TREASURER:  It shall be the treasures duty to receive, preserve, and pay out all money or things of value paid or given to the Church, keeping at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursement. Payments shall be made by an approved traceable method. A monthly, itemized report shall be available to the Church membership on a monthly basis. An annual report shall be made to the Church. All records and accounts kept by the Treasurer shall be considered the property of the Church. The Treasurer shall be bonded, with the Church paying the required fee. Annual reviews of the financial records shall be conducted and certification made to the Church. The Church shall elect annually a Church Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be eligible to succeed themselves. When a successor is elected, the Treasurer shall promptly deliver to the new Treasurer all records and accounts pertaining to their office, properly audited and certified.

 

            FINANCIAL SECRETARY:  It shall be the Financial Secretary duty to receive all tithes’ and offerings. This should be done in the presence of an assistant financial secretary selected by the Elders. The Financial Secretary shall keep a record of individual members giving, to be given to the member at the end of the calendar year. The financial secretary shall report only a total amount to the Treasurer for a record of deposit with the Financial Secretary making the deposit themselves. All records and accounts kept by the Financial Secretary shall be considered the property of the Church. The Financial Secretary shall be bonded, with the Church paying the required fee. The Church shall elect annually a Financial Secretary. The Financial Secretary shall be eligible to succeed themselves. When a successor is elected, the Financial Secretary shall promptly deliver to the new Financial Secretary all records and accounts pertaining to their office, properly audited and certified.

 

            ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARY:  It shall be the Assistant Financial Secretary’s duty to assist the Financial Secretary in their duties, and act in their place when they are unable to perform their duties. The Assistant Financial Secretary shall be bonded, with the Church paying the required fee. The Church should annually elect an Assistant Financial Secretary. The Assistant Financial Secretary shall be eligible to succeed themselves.

 ARTICLE III

STEWARDSHIP AND MISSIONS

 

Section 1.  The church shall practice and support missions from its local community to the ends of the earth. Evangelism shall be considered the primary work of the Church.

 

Section 2.  The church shall make an annual budget that will include the local needs and support of missions and benevolences as sponsored by the Church, the Shiloh Baptist Association, the Florida Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. The Church shall endeavor to enlist the membership in meeting the annual budget. 

 

ARTICLE IV

MEETINGS OF THE CHURCH

 

Section 1.  The Church shall conduct regular worship services on the Lord’s Day and shall conduct regular meetings on other weekdays the Church may specify. The Church leadership has the prerogative to alter this as they deem best for the Church body.

 

Section 2.  The church shall provide services for the educational, missionary, evangelistic, and promotional activities of the Church and shall see that provisions are made for these services.

 

Section 3.  The Church shall conduct a quarterly business meeting or such other times, it should designate. Business matters shall be attended to at this meeting. Special meetings may be called as necessary. Such called sessions must be announced publicly to the Church during at least one Sunday morning worship service prior to the called meeting, or by a written notice sent to the active membership of the Church. No matters may be attended to at the called meeting except those for which the meeting was called and previously announced. 

 

ARTICLE V

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

  1. All questions shall be settled by the customary rules governing deliberative bodies as stated in Roberts Rules of Order.
  2. All Officers and Chairmen of committees of the Church shall be members of the Church in good standing, and elected by the Church.
  3. The call of the Pastor shall be of an indefinite period.
  4. The Church shall observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper at least once each quarter.
  5. The church shall finance its program by the scriptural method of tithes and offerings.