Membership Covenant
Introduction
This document is meant to glorify God by helping this church accomplish the God-given and Bible-defined mission within its current context.
Mission
This church exists, under the authority of Jesus Christ to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:19).
Confession of Faith
This church accepts as its Confession of Faith and Creeds, which are attached to this Constitution as Appendix A.
Membership Covenant
This Church accepts as its the Membership Covenant attached to this Constitution as Appendix B.
Positions
This Church accepts as its the Covenant attached to this Constitution as Appendix C.
Membership
Requirements
A. A candidate must profess and demonstrate faith in and allegiance to Jesus as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9; Luke 14:25).
B. A candidate must have been immersed in water after coming to a saving belief in Jesus (Romans 6; Acts 2:41).
C. A candidate must agree to embrace this church's Confession of Faith, abide by its Membership Covenant, and Positions Statements.
Application
All applications for membership shall be made to the Elders, whose duty it will be to investigate whether a candidate meets the requirements of membership. This investigation may include an interview with a candidate or a letter of commendation from a former church.
Receiving Members
The Elders can accept into membership those who meet the above requirements.
Duties of Members
A. Obey the great commission (Matthew 28:19)
B. Financially support the great mission (2 Corinthians 8)
C. Obey CityGate Elders and submit to them (Hebrews 13:17)
D. Separate from unrepentant members if necessary (Matthew 18:17)
E. Gather for worship (Hebrews 10:25)
F. Grow in holiness (1 Peter 1:16)
Dismissal of Members
By Request: If a member desires to withdraw membership we ask they meet with the elders to explain the reasons why. The church is a body and if a member of the body wishes to leave, a biblical reason should be clearly stated. If a member moves out of the Portage/Kalamazoo community they can also request that his/her membership be transferred to a church of like faith.
By Inactivity: The Elders can recommend to the CityGate Church membership that members who do not give satisfactory reason for an absence from services for approximately two months be removed from membership.
By Discipline: The Church is responsible for the discipline of its members. The goal of church discipline is restoration (Galatians 6:1). This church will seek to restore members who are living in unrepentant sin, teaching heretical doctrine, or refusing to abide by the Membership Covenant by following the guidelines from Matthew 18:15-18. Steps to be taken will include at least:
The person raising the charge communicates privately with the person in question.
The person raising the charge communicates with the person in question accompanied by at least one Elder as a witness.
After determination by the Elders, there will be a final and public communication of the charges before the congregation.
If the person in question still refuses repentance and restoration, the Elders can recommend to the congregation that he/she be removed from membership. A meeting with church members is required before removing a member for discipline. 1 Corinthians 5 and 2 Thessalonians 3 explain how to help the disciplined person repent so he/she can be restored (1 Corinthians 2.5ff).
Restoration of Dismissed Members.
A. Those Dismissed By Request or Inactivity: A person dismissed from membership by request or inactivity may be reinstated after a satisfactory interview with the Elders.
B. Those Dismissed By Discipline: A member dismissed from membership by discipline may be reinstated after a satisfactory interview with the Elders.
Elders
The Bible uses the terms Pastors (shepherds), Overseers and Elders interchangeably to refer to those who lead the church. It almost always refers to them as a plurality (Acts 20:17 and 28; 1 Peter 5:1-5; Titus 1:5-7). The elders shall be the Directors of the Church.
Qualifications
A. An Elder must be a member of this church in good standing for at least one year prior to entering the elder training period.
B. An Elder must abide by this church's statement of faith and know the Bible well enough to be able to teach sound doctrine and refute false doctrine (Titus 1:9). This requirement is one of biblical grounding and theological agreement with this church. It does not mean that every Elder must teach or preach regularly (1 Tim 5:17).
C. An Elder must be above reproach as defined by 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
D. An Elder must be male because he will teach and exercise authority over the church (1 Timothy 2:12).
E. An Elder must be tested before he serves as an Elder (1 Timothy 3:10). The purpose of testing is to see if he sets a good an example for the rest of the church (1 Peter 5:3). An Elder must have completed CityGate Church’s Basic Training, Eldership.
General Duties of Elders
The elders will be the directors of the church. The Elders will manage (1 Tim. 3.4-5, 5.17); preach (1 Tim. 5.17); teach (Titus 1.9); evangelize (1 Tim 4.5); shepherd (1 Pet. 5.1-5); oversee (Acts 20:27-28); and stand guard over the church (Acts 20.29-30). Elders can and should specialize in different facets of shepherding or caring for the church (1 Tim. 5.17; Acts 6.1-7). But in the end, as overseers, Elders are ultimately responsible for every aspect of the church (Heb. 13:17).
Lay Elders
A. Call: “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1). Every man who desire to serve as an elder will be interviewed by the current elder team and invited into the elder training if all elders agree.
B. Term: Lay Elders will serve indefinitely, unless he is disqualified or is in need of a break from personal reasons.
C. Dismissal: If an Elder believes himself to be qualified to continue in office, but two or three believers hold that he is disqualified, these two or three witnesses should request a special meeting of the elder team where they would be allowed to present their case (1 Tim. 5:19). If the elders decide that the case has merit, with a majority vote from the elder team, that church overseer, depending on the gravity of the charges and his response to the correction, will be rebuked in the presence of the Body (1 Tim. 5:20), or will be removed from the office of elder or deacon (as the case may be) (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9), or both. If an elder is not disqualified based on the qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9), but is not fulfilling his duty to serve as described in the scriptures he may be dismissed from the office of elder with a majority vote of the elder team.
Number of Elders
There will be a minimum of three Elders.
Deacons
The Bible uses the term Deacon to refer to those who help free up the Elders for ministry of the word and prayer (Acts 6.1-7).
Qualifications
A. A deacons must be a member of this church in good standing.
B. Deacons must be men characterized by the qualities laid out in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Deacons must be tested first (1 Timothy 3:10) and complete the training as laid out in CityGate Church’s Basic Training, Deacons.
Duties of Deacons
The primary responsibility of the deacons are to help the Elders by freeing them up for ministry of the word and prayer. Deacons will serve the church by serving her members. Deacons will oversee benevolence requests, help prepare the annual budget, prepare the church for worship, and support CityGate Church ministries.
Call
The Elders will nominate potential deacon candidates.
Term
Deacons will serve indefinitely, unless they need to step out of the office for a time.
Vacancy
In case of a vacancy, the Elders may appoint a deacon to fill the open term.
Dismissal
If a Deacon fails to fulfill his duties or falls into unrepentant sin or theological error, the Elders will lead that deacon through a process of dismissing him from office.
Number of Deacons
There will be no minimum number of deacons
Finances
Budget
The elders, deacons, and ministry leaders will oversee the preparation of the annual budget.
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year will be from January 1 - December 31.
Ordinances
Baptism
This church will baptize by water immersion those who believe the Gospel (Acts 2.37-41; Acts 8.36-38) according to the 1689 London Baptist Confession. However, we will receive members who hold to the theological conviction of “peado-baptism”. The Elders of CityGate will only perform baptism according to the 1689 London Baptist Confession.
Communion
The Lord's Supper, or communion, will be observed every Lord’s Day.
Regular Worship Services
Regular church services for the purpose of prayer, preaching of the Word, and worship in song shall be maintained. The form and conduct of the services shall be subject to the approval of the Elders.
Membership Meetings
Annual Membership Meetings
An Annual Membership meeting will be held each year in the month of January. At this meeting the annual reports of the church will be presented. New elders may also be affirmed at this meeting.
Meeting Procedure
The Elders and Deacons will have authority over matters of procedure at the annual members meeting.
Affiliation
This church shall be an independent, autonomous church, subject only to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. It has the right to cooperate and associate with other Biblical groups on a voluntary basis.
Amendments
This covenant may be amended by the Elders of CityGate Church.
Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the corporation, the Elders will assign all assets to one or more Bible-believing organization(s) such as churches or schools which are qualified under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code or the corresponding provision of a future U.S. Internal Revenue Law.
Appendix A - Confession of Faith
CityGate Church holds to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith; with the following exceptions.
Paragraph 26:7-9 - CityGate is not a “congregation”
Paragraph 22:8 - CityGate recognizes the importances of a sabbath rest, and we instruct all members to cease all work in order to worship and rest. However, we also recognize there is work that can be accomplished on the Lord’s Dat without violating the Sabbath. This work is honoring to God and benefits our neighbors; etc. Public Safety Officers, First Responders, Disaster Relief Organizations.
CityGate hold to the Creed of Chaldedon, The Apostles Creed, and the Nicene Creed.
Appendix B - Covenant
Covenant
All of Christ for all of life: Having trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior for eternal life and the forgiveness of our sins, and been baptized into his Body, with all joy, we covenant with each other, in the strength of Christ, to give our whole lives to the worship of the Living God, to the fellowship of the saints, and to the building of God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
Appendix C - Positions
Providence
God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.
Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, transgenderism, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev 18:13; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4). We believe that the only scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2;1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23)
Definition of Marriage
The word “marriage” means only a legal union between one man, born male and remaining male in gender, and one woman, born female and remaining female in gender, as husband and wife. The word “spouse” refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. CityGate Church does not recognize any other form of marriage other than the one stated above.
Family Relationships
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (Pastors, Elders, and Deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12). We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through consistent lifestyle, example, and appropriate discipline, including scriptural correction. (Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk. 10:6-12; 1 Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; 1 Pet. 3:1-7). Just as Adam was given the Word of God to rule and be responsible for the soul of Eve in the garden, and was the first to be held accountable for the word of God being upheld, so the pattern of the creation ordinance of male headship and responsibility is followed in the church. (Genesis 2:15-18, 3:6, 3:9, Romans 5:12. 1 Corinthians 15:21, James 3:1, Hebrews 13:17)
Church Relationships
We believe that God has ordained the church as the foundational institution for glorifying God and is a witness of such glory to the world. The elders of the church are to love the bride of the church, (its members), through the shepherding of God's Word by preaching, teaching, praying, and pastoral care. The church, (its members) is to submit to the scriptural leadership of the elders, which is to be done with joy, not groaning, as the elders will have to give an account to God for how they shepherded your soul, Acts 6:1-7, 1Timothy 2:8-15, 3:1-7, Hebrews 13:17-19, 1 Peter 5:1-11)