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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - TEMPLE, TEXAS BYLAWS

Amended September 9, 2001

Amended August 25, 2002

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP

This is a sovereign and theocratic 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.

The membership reserves the exclusive right to determine who shall be members of this church and the conditions of such membership.

The members of First Baptist Church are those who have been accepted by the congregation upon presenting themselves to the church on one of the following bases:

• By profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and by Believer’s Baptism.
• By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church of like faith and order.
• By restoration upon a statement or prior conversion experience and baptism in a Baptist church where no letter is obtainable.
• By proxy, when the person(s) desiring membership cannot, for valid reasons, present themselves for membership, they may be presented by a member of their family or close friend.
• By statement of prior conversion experience and baptism in a congregation or denomination which interprets and embraces the purpose of the church ordinances as Baptists do. 
• Candidates for membership will be presented to the church body for acceptance into membership at the next quarterly business meeting. Should there be any dissent as to any candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the pastor and the deacons for investigation and for recommendation to the church at the next quarterly business meeting. 
• Members of the church have the right to vote at all church business meetings. Church membership is required to serve as a trustee, a deacon, or as a church committee member.
• ARTICLE II
• CHURCH BUSINESS MEETINGS 
• SECTION I. REGULAR CHURCH BUSINESS MEETINGS 
• The regular church business meetings shall be conducted quarterly on Sunday evenings. Date and time will be announced through regular church publications.
• SECTION II. SPECIAL CALLED CHURCH BUSINESS MEETINGS 
• Special called church business meetings will be held when recommended by a majority of the voting members at a regularly scheduled church business meeting, or when felt necessary by at least two (2) of the following four (4) individuals:

• Chair of the Deacon body
• Chair of the Personnel Committee
• Pastor
• Chair of the Pastor Search Committee 
• At least seven (7) days written or printed notice of the purpose of such meeting must first be given to the church membership. Such notice shall be deemed sufficient if incorporated in the regular church publications and the purpose of the meeting is so stated. Only those agenda items appropriately announced may be considered. 
• SECTION III. QUORUM 
• At any church business meeting a quorum of not less than fifty (50) members shall be required. 
• SECTION IV. MODERATOR 
• The pastor or authorized designee will act as moderator. 
• SECTION V. OFFICERS 
• The church clerk and treasurer will be elected by the church and will serve at the church’s pleasure. 
• SECTION VI. RULE OF ORDER 
• In the conduct of the business meetings of First Baptist Church, Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall be observed.
• ARTICLE III
• MINISTERS 
• The church shall employ ministers and other personnel as may be necessary in order to promote and fulfill the aims and objectives of the church. Ministers and other personnel shall be paid such compensation as the membership of the church may authorize and approve. The Personnel Committee is authorized to serve as the church’s representative in personnel matters. 
• A meeting for the purpose of calling or dismissing any senior or associate pastors of the church may be held at a special called business meeting at which a quorum is present.  
• Anything contained in these bylaws relating to a majority vote of the membership shall be inapplicable as to the calling or dismissing of any senior or associate pastor. For calling or dismissing any senior or associate pastor, a vote of two-thirds (2/3rd) of the members present is required, with a quorum being present.
• ARTICLE IV
• TRUSTEES 
• Trustees are elected by the church membership to conduct the business of the church as authorized by the membership. All matters of trustee action shall be determined by the majority vote of the church membership at a duly called church business meeting. The trustees are authorized to act for and in behalf of this church in the execution, acknowledgment, and delivery of all deeds, conveyances, notes, bills of sale, deeds of trust, mortgages or other alienation or legal instruments of whatsoever class, sort, or character. 
• There shall be three (3) trustees for the church. The trustees shall be elected annually by the membership at the regular church business meeting in the fourth quarter of the calendar year, after nomination from the floor and shall serve for the next calendar year or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. 
• In the event of the resignation, death, cessation of membership of this church, or permanent physical or mental disability of any one (1) or more of the trustees, the Committee on Committees shall select a successor trustee for each vacancy which shall exist. 
• A trustee may be eligible for re-election.   
• ARTICLE V
• BODY OF DEACONS
• Deacons are Christian servants who are asked by the church to serve to promote unity and effective ministry. Deacons are to:

• Minister to the church membership,
• Share with the pastor the responsibility of promoting and upholding a high level of Christian spirituality and service,
• Encourage, support, and uphold the pastor and staff in the ministry of the church.
• Deacons should have mature relationships with Jesus Christ, be servant leaders, have good reputation, be respected in the church and community, and be positive role models. They are elected by the church membership after being nominated by the Deacon Nominating Committee. 
• The deacons, in consultation with the pastor and the Deacon Nominating Committee, shall determine on an annual basis the number of deacons that are needed to fulfill the obligations of the deacon body. 
• SECTION I. DEACON NOMINATING COMMITTEE 
• During the regular business meeting in the second quarter of the calendar year, the church membership shall nominate from the floor at least two (2) members to be candidates for the Deacon Nominating Committee. During the same business meeting, the church membership shall vote upon the nominees and the two (2) members receiving the highest number of votes shall be added to the Deacon Nominating Committee. The committee is composed of six (6) members with members serving a term of three years. No member shall be elected to serve as a member of the Deacon Nominating Committee until at least one (1) year has elapsed subsequent to the completion of the term last elected. If an unexpected vacancy occurs on the committee, the following year’s election will fill the vacant positions in addition to filling the usual two (2) positions to be selected that year. 
• To help assess the numbers of deacons needed, the Deacon Nominating Committee will contact current deacons to determine their willingness to actively serve during the coming year. When additional deacons are needed, the Deacon Nominating Committee shall accept suggested nominations for deacon candidates from the church membership, shall investigate the spiritual qualifications and availability of those suggested for nomination, and shall present a printed list of nominees, alphabetically arranged, to the church membership for election. Members of the church who have served as deacons at other churches must be duly selected by this church to serve in the role of deacon in this church.
  

• SECTION II. DEACON ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE 
• During the regular business meeting in the fourth quarter of the calendar year, the Deacon Nominating Committee shall present for the vote of the church membership, a ballot containing the names of nominees for the deacon body. Nominees who receive the highest number of votes shall be selected to serve beginning on the first day of the next January. Those selected who have not previously been ordained will be presented to the church for ordination. Deacons shall serve continuously until such time as they shall choose to discontinue service in this capacity by resigning. 
• SECTION III. MEETINGS - QUORUM 
• The Body of Deacons shall have a regular meeting held at such time and place as the Deacon Officers and Body of Deacons may determine.  
• Called meetings of the Body of Deacons may be called by the pastor, Chair of the Body of Deacons, or Vice Chair of the Body of Deacons, at any time and place, providing that all members of the Body of Deacons are notified of such meeting at least seven (7) days in advance. Such notice shall be deemed sufficient if incorporated in the regular church publications and with the purpose of the meeting being stated. 
• The total number of members of the Body of Deacons present shall constitute a quorum at all meetings. A majority vote of such quorum shall suffice in all matters. 
• SECTION IV. OFFICERS - VACANCIES - SUCCESSORSHIP 
• At the regular November meeting of the Body of Deacons each year, the Chair of the Body of Deacons shall appoint a Nominating Committee for the purpose of electing officers and leaders of the Body of Deacons. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) members of the deacon body.  
• At the regular monthly meeting of the Body of Deacons held in December of each year, the Nominating Committee shall nominate Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary of the Body of Deacons, and Deacon Ministry Team Leaders. Election will be by a majority vote of the deacons present and voting. The term of office will be a one (1) year period to begin on the first day of the next January and will expire on the 31 st day of the next December.  
• Any Chair of the Body of Deacons who has served three (3) successive terms as Chair shall not be eligible to be re-elected until at least one (1) year has expired. 
• SECTION V. EMERITUS MEMBERSHIP  
• The church may, upon the recommendation of the Deacon Nominating Committee, designate Emeritus Membership to any deacon who by reason of age or infirmities shall, after honorable service, be no longer able to render active service.
• ARTICLE VI
• COMMITTEES 
• SECTION I. TYPES OF COMMITTEES

• The church has two types of committees. A standing committee is an ongoing committee that is authorized to provide direction and assistance with carrying out the usual business of the church.A special committee is a limited-term committee that is usually formed for a special function or purpose by church action at the recommendation of the church staff or standing committee in conjunction with the Committee on Committees. Special committees are automatically dismissed at the completion of their stated purpose.  
• The membership of standing church committees shall serve on a rotating basis with one-third (1/3rd) of the membership of each committee rotating off each year. No elected member of any such standing committee shall be eligible to serve more than three (3) consecutive years and no member shall be eligible for re-election to that same committee until at least one (1) year has elapsed subsequent to the end of the term to which the member was last elected.
• SECTION II. COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES 
• During the regular business meeting in the third quarter of the calendar year, the pastor shall propose to the church membership, five (5) members as candidates to serve on the Committee on Committees. A minimum of two (2) other candidates for the Committee on Committees will be nominated from the church body. Seven (7) members shall comprise the Committee on Committees with members serving a term of one year. By vote of the church body, the seven (7) with the highest vote totals will be confirmed to serve on the Committee on Committees. The Committee on Committees will select its own chair. A member shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive years on the Committee on Committees. The ministerial staff shall serve as ex-officio members on the Committee on Committees. 
• SECTION III. APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES
• The Committee on Committees will recommend church members as candidates to serve on standing and special committees. The Committee on Committees is responsible for evaluating the committee structure each year and for recommending to the church any modifications in committee number, function, or structure. 
• The Committee on Committees shall be authorized to appoint members to complete the term of any member of any standing or special committee (other than a member of the Committee on Committees) to fill any vacancy or vacancies which may arise. 
• The members of the Committee on Committees will not be able to appoint themselves or their spouses to committees for either new terms or to fill vacancies.  
• ARTICLE VII
• POLICY 
• All matters of policy adopted by the church or its committees shall be maintained at the church offices. All policies must be consistent with the constitution and bylaws of the church. 
• ARTICLE VIII
• DISSOLUTION OF THE MEMBERSHIP 
• The assets of this church are pledged for use in performing its religious functions. On discontinuance of this church by dissolution or otherwise, its assets are to be transferred to a religious or charitable organization that is qualified as an exempt organization under Section 50l(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code, as amended.
• ARTICLE IX
• FISCAL YEAR 
• The fiscal year of this church shall begin each January 1 st and shall end each December 31 st.  
• ARTICLE X
• AMENDMENTS  
• Changes in the bylaws may be made at any business meeting of the church provided each amendment shall have been presented in writing at a previous business meeting. Written or printed notice of the proposed amendment or amendments shall be provided to the church membership at least seven (7) days prior to the voting. Such written notice shall be deemed sufficient if incorporated in the regular church publications and the exact language of the proposed amendment or amendments is set forth. Amendments to the bylaws shall be adopted by two-thirds (2/3rd) vote of church members present. 
• ARTICLE XI
• EFFECTIVE DATE 
• These bylaws are hereby adopted as the bylaws of this church and shall be effective as of their date of passage. All prior bylaws and amendments thereof are superseded by these bylaws as of effective date. 
• The undersigned, being the duly elected and qualified trustees of the church, hereby certify that the foregoing bylaws of the church were duly adopted by the church on September 9, 2001.