BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION OF MOUNT OLIVE …

1 BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION OF MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church Revised 08/2009 MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church BYLAWS Page 2 of 12 MISSION STATEMENT The primary mission of MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church is to bring glory and honor to its head, Jesus Christ, through a balanced ministry of worship, preaching and teaching of The Word, edifying the saints, caring for the needs of others, and fulfilling the great OLIVE missionary baptist church BYLAWS Page 3 of 12 PREAMBLE For the more certain preservation and security of the principles of our faith, and to the end that this body may be governed in an orderly manner, and for this purpose of preserving the liberties inherent in each individual member of MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church of Woodstock, Georgia (the church ) and the freedoms of action of this body with respect to its relation to other churches of like faith and order, we do declare and establish these BYLAWS .

2 ARTICLE I NAME AND PURPOSE Section 1. Name The name of the church shall be MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church of Woodstock, Georgia. 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 ORDINANCES Section 1. Baptism This church may receive for Baptism all persons who have confessed Jesus Christ as their Savior by personal faith, who profess Him publicly at any worship service, and who indicate a commitment to follow Christ as Lord. Baptism shall be by immersion in water.

3 The Pastor, Ministerial Staff or Deacons shall administer Baptism. The Deacons and Deaconesses shall assist in the preparation and observance of Baptism. Baptism shall be administered as an act of worship during any worship service of the church . A person who professes Christ and is not baptized after a reasonable length of time shall be counseled by the Pastor and/or staff or Deacons. If negative interest is ascertained on the part of the candidate, he or she shall be deleted from membership in the church and from those awaiting Baptism. MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church BYLAWS Page 4 of 12 Section 2. The Lord s Supper This church shall observe the Lord s Supper as scheduled by the church .

4 The Pastor and Deacons shall administer the Lord s Supper. The Deacons and Deaconesses shall be responsible for the preparations. Section 3. Marriage This church believes that marriage is a union ordained by God. This church defines marriage as the exclusive covenantal union of one man and one woman in which such union is a lifetime commitment. Matthew 19:4-6, He answered, Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh ? So they are no longer two but one flesh.

5 What therefore God has joined together let not man separate. A civil government s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent that it is consistent with the definition of marriage found in these BYLAWS . ARTICLE III church GOVERNMENT AND MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Government The sovereign baptist church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ retains unto itself the exclusive right to temporal life of this church . The members of this church have the ruling power; the church s authority is vested in the members. Every active member has the right to a voice in the church s government, plans, and policies.

6 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. Membership Any person may become 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 . MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church BYLAWS Page 5 of 12 2. By promise of a letter of recommendation from another church . 3. By restoration upon a statement of prior conversion experience and by Baptism by submersion where no letter is obtainable.

7 4. By the statement of faith and prior Baptism by submersion after review by the Pastor and Deacons. 5. By watch-care membership. (Watch-care members are able to participate in all ministries, excluding Treasurer, Deacon, Trustee, and cannot hold an office and or leadership role in the church ). Watch-care members are non-voting members. A non active member is defined as a member who has not attended church in 90 days or more with exception given to those who are sick and shut-in, on active military duty, or job furlough. All new members with the exception of the Pastor shall attend new members classes.

8 The membership roll shall be inspected annually and presented to the church during the annual conference by the church Clerk. Section 4. Rights of Members 1. Every active member of the church at least 16 years of age is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the church in a conference, provided the member is present or special provision has been made by the church for absentee balloting. 2. Every active member of the church on the membership roll is eligible for consider- ation by the membership as candidates for elective offices in the church after one year.

9 3. Every member of the church may participate in the ordinances of the church as administered by the church . Section 5. Termination of Membership Membership shall be terminated in the following ways: MOUNT OLIVE missionary baptist church BYLAWS Page 6 of 12 1. Death of the member 2. Removal upon request or proof of membership in another church . Section 6. church Discipline Should a member become and offense to the church by reason of immoral or unchristian conduct, a sinful lifestyle, or by denying acceptance of fundamental doctrines of the church , it shall be the responsibility of the Pastor and Deacons to take steps to resolve the offense in accordance with Matthew 18:15-20 and I Corinthians 5:9-13.

10 It shall be the practice of this church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The attitude of members toward one another shall be guided by a concern for redemption rather than punishment. ARTICLE IV church CONFERENCES Section 1. Control of church Affairs All authority over the affairs of the church is vested in the church in a conference. The conference by its BYLAWS or otherwise may delegate to its officers, committees or organizations such authority as it sees fit. Section 2. church Conference The regular conference of the church shall be held annually, on the Friday before the first Sunday in October, at its house of worship.