BYLAWS
LIFECHANGE CHURCH WICHITA, INC.
(Approved by the Church membership on March 4, 2007)
(Updated December 13, 2021, to reflect name change of church)
ARTICLE 1 - DEFINITIONS
Affirm: An opportunity for The Membership to ask questions, provide feedback, and express confidence and support for decisions recommended by the Sr. Pastor, the Executive Committee, and the Trustees.
Corporation: The congregation of believers organized exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes known as Summit Church.
The Membership: Person’s meeting the qualifications and who have been duly accepted under the procedures defined in Section 6.01.
The Church: The Corporation as defined above.
ARTICLE 2 – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws of this Corporation.
ARTICLE 3 - NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 3.01: Name
This congregation of believers shall be known as LifeChange Church Wichita, hereinafter referred to as The Church. For purposes of this document The Church may also be referred to as the Corporation.
Section 3.02: Purpose
The Church is organized to propagate the gospel, make disciples, and support missions locally, nationally, and worldwide.
ARTICLE 4 - STATEMENT OF FAITH
Section 4.01: Statement of Faith
The Church and its members Affirm the Baptist Faith and Message Statement dated 2000.
ARTICLE 5 - ORDINANCES
Section 5.01: Ordinances
As described in the Baptist Faith and Message dated 2000, the two ordinances of The Church are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism shall be by immersion in water. The Sr. Pastor will oversee the administration of this ordinance. The Church shall also regularly observe the Lord’s Supper and the Sr. Pastor will oversee the administration of the Lord’s Supper.
ARTICLE 6 - CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Section 6.01: Membership
The Membership of The Church shall consist of persons who profess their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, giving satisfactory proof of conversion to the Christian faith as set forth in the New Testament. Any person may offer themselves as a candidate for membership in The Church. All such candidates shall be presented to The Church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:
Profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
Promise of a letter from another Baptist church of like doctrine.
Statement of prior conversion and baptism by immersion in a church of like doctrine when a letter cannot be obtained.
An applicant for membership may be deferred to a later church service to allow consultation with applicant by The Pastor or pastoral staff. A candidate becomes a member upon approval of the Sr. Pastor or designated pastoral staff.
Section 6.02: Duties of a Member
Each member covenants to love, honor, and esteem the Sr. Pastor and his staff; to pray for them; to recognize their authority in spiritual affairs of The Church; to promote brotherly love, cooperation, prayer, purity, personal growth, financial support, harmony, and evangelism in accordance with Biblical commands; and to strive to share their faith through lifestyle and verbal witness.
Section 6.03: Privileges of Membership
Only members at least eighteen years of age who are physically present at a duly called meeting of The Church shall be entitled to vote. There shall be no proxy or absentee voting. The eligible membership of The Church has certain limited areas to exercise a vote. Members may not vote to initiate any church action, but rather the vote of a member is to Affirm the direction of The Church as determined by the Sr. Pastor, Executive Committee and Trustees. Although the general public is invited to all of The Church’s worship services, The Church property remains private property. The Sr. Pastor (or in his absence, an individual designated by the Executive Committee or Trustees) has the authority to suspend or revoke the right of any person, including a member, to enter or remain on church property. If after being notified of such a suspension or revocation, the person enters or remains on church property, the person may, in the discretion of the Sr. Pastor be treated as a trespasser.
Section 6.04: Termination of Membership
Membership shall be terminated under the following conditions:
o Request of the member.
o Proof of membership in another church.
o Exclusion of the member by action of this church according to Matthew 18 principles as described in Section 6.05.
o Death of the member.
A member who is inactive in The Church for two (2) years may have their membership terminated upon approval by the Executive Committee.
Section 6.05: Discipline and Restoration
Members of The Church are expected to conduct their lives in accordance with biblical standards of holiness as they grow to become more like Christ. When a member knowingly, blatantly and publicly ignores the direct commands and prohibitions of Scripture, principles of discipline and restoration will be lovingly applied. These principles are found in such passages as Matthew 7:1-5, 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15.
Reconciliation is always the goal of confrontation. Members are expected to demonstrate special loyalty and concern for one another. Members are also expected to examine themselves first before going to another member, and to go with a spirit of humility.
The following outlines the steps required for reconciliation:
Step 1: Any member believing they have been mistreated by a pastor, staff, or other church member, is required to meet with that individual. The purpose of the meeting is to reconcile differences. (Matthew 18:15)
Step 2: If the first meeting does not satisfy each party in reconciliation, then he/she is required to take two or more members and again meet to reconcile. (Matthew 18:16)
Step 3: If there is no resolution, corrective discipline will be handled by the Executive Committee and Pastoral Staff for determining if the matter should be brought before The Church for action in a reconciliation meeting. (Matthew 18:17)
Requirements for any and all reconciliation meetings: 1) Agreement as to what the disagreement or conflict is about. 2) Each party involved must be present. 3) Notice of a need to meet must be made during a regular church service with at least seven days notice. 4) The conflict must be clearly articulated before the meeting. 5) If the issue cannot be resolved in the reconciliation meeting, The Church may terminate the membership of the individual by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the reconciliation meeting.
If the above procedure is not followed, the member refusing to follow Matthew 18:15-17, will be subject to being removed from church membership upon recommendation of the Executive Committee and the Sr. Pastor. Any person whose membership has been terminated for any condition may upon request, be restored to membership upon evidence of repentance and reformation and by recommendation of the Sr. Pastor.
ARTICLE 7 – DUTIES AND POWERS
Section 7.01: The Pastor
The Sr. Pastor shall preach the Gospel regularly and shall be at liberty to preach the whole counsel of the Word of God as the Lord leads him. The Sr. Pastor shall be free to choose the means and methods by which he exercises the ministry that God has given him. He shall administer the ordinances of The Church, act as moderator at all church meetings for the transaction of church matters, supervise the teaching ministries of The Church, and watch over the spiritual interests of The Membership. The Sr. Pastor shall be provided a one month, paid sabbatical once every five years, in addition to regular paid time off.
The Sr. Pastor, as he shall deem necessary, shall appoint the members of the various committees, including the Executive Committee and Trustees. He shall serve as the President of the Corporation. He shall publicly inform all newly appointed Executive Board members, Trustees, or Deacons, of the particular function and the responsibilities of their respective offices.
All appointments for public worship and Bible study and the arrangements thereof including time and place and the use of the property belonging to The Church for purposes other than the stated appointments shall be under the control of the Sr. Pastor.
Section 7.02: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee will be responsible for administering the business affairs of The Church and its ministries. The Sr. Pastor will also serve as a member of the Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee will be Affirmed by The Membership once every three years. A chairperson of the Executive Committee will be appointed by the pleasure of the Sr. Pastor. The Executive Committee will regularly meet for prayer, personal accountability, and the fulfillment of their ministry responsibilities.
The Executive Committee will be people of prayer and the Word, and will practice Biblical tithing. If at any time a member of the Executive Committee is not fulfilling his/her role or no longer desires to serve, the Committee will evaluate the situation. Provision for a sabbatical or leave is an option. The Membership may provide input about an Executive Committee member’s lifestyle and performance according to biblical principles at any time.
Should the need for additional Executive Committee members arise, there will be an active search initiated by the Committee for people who meet the requirements as aforementioned. The Sr. Pastor has veto power over any selection. The Executive Committee has no preset number of people, nor term of service, and shall not be comprised of an even number of individuals. In the event of a tie of any vote by the Executive Committee, the Sr. Pastor will cast the deciding vote.
Section 7.03: Trustees
When signatures of the Trustees of the Corporation are needed to transact business, the signatures of at least two active Trustees shall represent the Corporation and reflect the unity of the Trustees. The Sr. Pastor has veto power over the Trustees.
The Trustees shall also exercise the following specific powers:
1. To purchase, hold, lease, or otherwise acquire real and personal property on behalf of The Church, and to take real and personal property by will, gift, or bequest on behalf of The Church;
2. To sell, convey, alienate, transfer, lease, assign, exchange, or otherwise dispose of, and to mortgage, pledge, or otherwise encumber the real and personal property of The Church, to borrow money and incur indebtedness for the purpose and the use of The Church; to cause to be executed, issued, and delivered for the indebtedness, in the name of The Church, promissory notes, bonds, debentures, or other evidence of indebtedness; and to secure repayment by deeds of trust, mortgages, or pledges; and
3. To exercise all powers necessary for the dissolution of The Church, if such action is mandated by a vote of The Church membership.
Should the need for additional Trustees arise, there will be an active search initiated by the Executive Committee for people who meet the requirements. The Trustees will be people of prayer and the Word, and will practice Biblical tithing. The Sr. Pastor has veto power over any selection. The Trustees have no preset number of people, nor term of service. However, no more than one half of the members of the Executive Committee can also serve as Trustees. A chairperson of the Trustees will be appointed by the pleasure of the Sr. Pastor.
Section 7.04: Removal from Office
Members of the Executive Committee or the Trustees may be removed from office for unbiblical conduct as determined by the other members of the respective groups, upon a majority vote of the remaining members.
ARTICLE 8 - DEACONS
Section 8.01: Responsibilities and Qualifications
As used in Scripture, the term “deacon” means minister or servant. The deacons, under the leadership of the Executive Committee, will serve in areas where ministering to the needs of The Church is of primary importance. The deacons will have no administrative responsibilities related to business affairs of The Church.
Deacons will be men of spiritual maturity and wisdom, who demonstrate a servant spirit and practice Biblical tithing. Their qualifications are defined by specific scripture passages: 1 Acts 6:1-7 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13.
There is neither a preset number of deacons, nor a preset term of service. Deacons may be removed for unbiblical conduct upon a majority vote of the Executive Committee and approval of the Sr. Pastor. The Sr. Pastor has veto power over any removal of a deacon,
Section 8.02: Selection
Deacons are selected by the Executive Committee and the Sr. Pastor has veto power over any selection. As the need for deacons arises, there will be an active search initiated by the Executive Committee for men who meet the biblical qualifications and who have been active members for a minimum of one year. The Membership may also recommend names of potential candidates. The Executive Committee will examine each candidate to determine if they meet the biblical qualifications and present them to The Membership for Affirmation. A Chairman of the deacons will be appointed by the pleasure of the Sr. Pastor. The Chairman will serve as moderator of any and all meetings of the deacons.
The deacons shall never, never meet without the Sr. Pastor and will only meet at his request. The deacons shall never meet to discuss, deal with, or congregate, regarding any matter of church business without knowledge of the Sr. Pastor.
ARTICLE 9 - PASTORAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Section 9.01: Responsibility of Pastoral Staff
The pastoral staff, whether in full or part time ministry, is responsible for leading The Church to function as a New Testament church. The pastoral staff shall serve under the direction of the Sr. Pastor. The Sr. Pastor serves as a member of the Executive Committee and is responsible for leading the pastoral staff. Any decision concerning the dismissal of other pastoral staff members resides with the Sr. Pastor. The Sr. Pastor will consult with the Executive Committee before dismissing a member of the pastoral staff if there is time and it is appropriate. The Sr. Pastor is pastor for life unless he is proven to be immoral sexually, financially, or heretical with the Baptist Faith and Message Statement dated 2000, and refuses restoration ministry. Any decision concerning the dismissal of the Sr. Pastor requires a recommendation of at least two-thirds of the Executive Committee, and subsequently, a two-thirds vote of The Membership during a special called business meeting. The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall preside over the special called business meeting and notice of the meeting shall be made at a regular church service with at least seven days notice.
Section 9.02: Pastoral Staff Selection
When a Sr. Pastor vacancy occurs, the Executive Committee will review candidates and upon a two-thirds majority approval, recommend and present a prospective pastor to The Membership for approval. A three-fourths majority of the eligible members present and voting shall be required to call a Sr. Pastor.
When there is a need for other pastoral staff positions, the Sr. Pastor will present a prospective staff member to the Executive Committee for approval. A two-thirds majority by the Executive Committee is required for approval.
Section 9.03: Administrative Staff
The administrative staff shall consist of those employees who assist the pastoral staff. The administrative staff shall be under the direction of the Sr. Pastor, or as directed by the Sr. Pastor. When there is a need for other administrative staff positions or when vacancies occur, the Sr. Pastor will present a prospective staff member to the Executive Committee. A two-thirds majority by the Executive Committee is required for approval. Any decision concerning the dismissal of administrative staff resides with the Sr. Pastor. The Sr. Pastor will consult with the Executive Committee before dismissing a member of the administrative staff if there is time and it is appropriate.
Section 9.04: Membership of the Pastoral and Administrative Staff and Their Immediate Families
All pastoral and administrative staff personnel and their immediate families shall be members of The Church, any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the Executive Committee. They shall display a high degree of integrity related to the business affairs of The Church and shall maintain a non-disclosure policy regarding such. All pastoral and administrative staff should practice biblical tithing.
ARTICLE 10 - MINISTRY TEAMS
Ministry teams will serve as led and organized by the appropriate pastoral or administrative staff.
ARTICLE 11 - CHURCH FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS
Section 11.01: Annual Church Fellowship Meeting
The Church shall hold an annual meeting for the purpose of discussion and Affirming the proposed financial ministry plan. Notice of the Annual Church Fellowship Meeting shall be made at a regular church service with at least seven days notice.
Section 11.02: Special Church Fellowship Meetings
The Sr. Pastor may call additional meetings to consider matters of a special nature or significance. Proper communication of the matter will be disseminated to The Church body in order to allow ample time for intercessory prayer about the matter.
Section 11.03: Affirmation by The Membership of The Financial Ministry Plan
The Membership will be informed of the direction and plans for the financial year at the beginning of each calendar year and the body will be challenged to participate and Affirm the financial ministry plan.
Section 11.04: Meeting Minutes
Minutes of church fellowship meetings shall be maintained indefinitely.
ARTICLE 12 – ORDINATION
Section 12.01: Ordination Qualification
Any member of this church or its mission churches, who gives evidence of a genuine call of God into the work of the ministry and possesses the qualifications stated in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, may be ordained as a minister of the Gospel.
Section 12.02: Ordination Procedure
Upon a conference with the Sr. Pastor and after the Sr. Pastor has approved the candidate for ordination, the Sr. Pastor shall call a council to examine and pass on the qualifications of the candidate. The ordination council shall consist of ordained ministers of like faith invited to participate in the examination of the candidate. Upon the ordination council’s recommendation and the Executive Committee’s approval, an ordination will follow.
ARTICLE 13 - DESIGNATED FUNDS
From time to time The Church, at the discretion of the Sr. Pastor and Executive Committee, may establish various designated funds to accomplish specific purposes. Contributions to these established funds shall be used for the intended purpose. Contributions marked with any other designation will not create a financial obligation to use the contribution for the suggested purpose and shall be deemed as advisory rather than mandatory in nature.
ARTICLE 14 - OTHER ITEMS
All other items not specifically covered by these Bylaws will be governed by the policies and procedures of The Church.
ARTICLE 15 - AMENDMENTS
Upon recommendation by the Sr. Pastor and Executive Committee, amendments to these Bylaws may be brought to The Membership. After prayerful consideration by the Executive Committee, amendments to the Bylaws may be presented at a special called fellowship meeting provided each proposed amendment has been presented to The Membership in writing with appropriate notice prior to the meeting. Amendments to the Bylaws shall require a majority of church members present and voting.
ADOPTION
These bylaws were adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting at a duly called meeting of The Church.