Church Bylaws

These bylaws govern the rights, privileges, and requirements for church membership.


QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

  1. A candidate for church membership must be born again (John 3:3, 5, 6, 16); confess Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 10:9-10); must have been baptized (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:35-39); and must uphold the Covenant, Doctrinal Statement and By-Laws of this church. (This church must give thorough instruction on baptism to each candidate for membership).

  2. Persons holding memberships of affiliations with organizations such as mentioned in ARTICLE II, Section 12, shall reveal the nature of that affiliation to the Board of Elders/Deacons.

  3. A person desiring membership must be living a consistent Christian manner of life (James 4:4; Titus 2:11-15; John 2:15-17). The Board of Elders/Deacons shall consider each case on its own merits, basing all decisions on the clear teachings of God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2, 13:14; Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 3:1-10; Galatians 5:16-26).


RECEPTION FOR MEMBERSHIP

  1. All candidates for membership must appear before the Board of Elders/Deacons for examination. At least two members of the Board of Elders/Deacons must be present.

  2. All candidates must give clear testimony concerning Christ as their Savior and their profession of faith.

  3. All candidates shall be received by the church body with a vote of confidence.

  4. Candidates must maintain residency in the Star Valley area.


DISMISSAL FROM MEMBERSHIP

  1. Any member in good standing requesting a letter of dismissal and recommendation to any other evangelical, fundamental church shall be granted such letter upon the recommendation of the Board of Elders/Deacons.

  2. Any member desiring to join a religious body whose articles of faith and standards are unacceptable to this church, or who is found to be unfit for membership pursuant to ARTICLE III, Section 5, of the Church Constitution shall be given a letter of dismissal without recommendation.

  3. Resident members who absent themselves from regular church attendance for one year, and who otherwise manifest indifference to church obligations, may by vote of Emmanuel Bible Church Board of Elders/Deacons be placed on an inactive list, and shall not have a vote in the affairs of this church. Reasonable effort to contact such individuals shall be made by a representative of the church before the vote is taken. In the event that an inactive member returns to the Church and its work, the Church Board of Elders/Deacons shall authorize the Clerk to place the member’s name on the active list. Members who cannot attend regularly because of ill health, conflicting duties, or seasonal absences shall not be placed on an inactive list against their wishes, but neither shall they be counted in determining the number of persons needed for a quorum.


RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Members in good standing over 21 years of age are entitled to hold office (except office of deacon and elder, which offices can be held only by members in good standing over 30 years of age).

Members in good standing 18 years or older have the right and privilege to vote and participate in all church business, discussions, and transactions.

Moreover, recognizing the responsibility of teaching God's Word as a weighty stewardship, we do prescribe that those who teach God's Word at EBC shall have of their own volition submitted themselves before God to embrace the confessional statements of this church as their own standard of faith and conduct and shall have united themselves in membership of this church.

Thus, while serving opportunities within this fellowship may be extended to those who have not joined, teaching responsibility shall be limited to those who have.

Teaching assignments (both regular and substitute) shall be approved by the Pastor.

Guest speakers such as missionaries, evangelists or Bible conference speakers shall be invited and scheduled by the Pastor.


CHURCH DISCIPLINE

The Board of Elders/Deacons, together with the pastor, shall constitute a standing committee on discipline. Any member of this church shall be subject to the discipline of this committee. All discipline shall be administered according to the instructions laid down by the Word of God. (I Corinthians 5; Matthew 18:15-20).

  1. All discipline must be done in Christian meekness and love with the desire to remove the offense and win the offender (Galatians 6:1; II Timothy 2:25); and yet with a firm and deep sense of responsibility to maintain the honor of Christ’s Name, and the purity of His Church. (I Timothy 4:13-16; II Timothy 4:2-5; Matthew 18:15-20).

  2. In such cases where a member’s disorderly conduct or heretical practice is so opposed to the church’s life and faith as to destroy the possibility of fellowship, and reconciliation is not possible, such members may be removed form the membership roll of the church by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the Elder/Deacon board.

  3. The Board of Elders/Deacons may discipline church officers as well as its own members by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote with all members present.

A complete copy of the Doctrinal Statement in PDF format can be downloaded here.