Kilgore Bible Church Government
Ratified June 7, 1984 / Revised July 9, 2017
Membership
Qualifications
An individual seeking membership in this church must:
be a believer in Jesus Christ who manifests evidence of having been born again,
affirm the teachings of Scripture as summarized in the Doctrinal Statement,
agree to submit to the leadership of the elders of this church,
be examined by at least 2 members of the Board, one of whom will be an elder, and approved by the Board.
For more information, see the Membership Policy in the KBC Operations Manual.
Elders
Qualifications
The elders shall be comprised of men who satisfy the qualifications for the office of elder set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 and are members of KBC.
Selection and Appointment
Elder candidates shall be selected and appointed by the following procedure:
The elders shall identify the need for additional elder leadership.
A candidate may be identified and submitted to the Board of Elders by a member of the congregation.
The elders will review the men and present those with scriptural qualifications as candidates to the congregation.
The Board of Elders will allow a minimum period of two weeks for congregational response.
To be appointed, the candidate shall be confirmed by the unanimous affirmation of the Board of Elders.
Term of Service
The duration of an elder’s service shall not be restricted as long as he meets the qualifications and desires to serve.
An elder may be removed from the Board of Elders by the unanimous vote of the remaining elders in the event of a confirmed report(s) of misconduct or when the aforementioned qualifications are not upheld.
Any charge of misconduct against an elder shall be in accordance with Matthew 18:15-20 and 1 Timothy 5:19.
Duties
The following will be the major responsibilities of the elders:
To shepherd and oversee the members of the church (Acts 11:29-30; 20:28; Hebrews 13:17)
To guard sound doctrine (Tit. 1:9)
To be responsible for the oversight of the discipline of church members (Matthew 18:15-20)
To examine prospective church members
To establish church policy and direction
To oversee all other matters pertaining to the operations of KBC (1 Peter 5:2-3)
Deacons
Qualifications
The deacons shall be comprised of men who satisfy the qualifications for the office of deacon set forth in 1 Timoty 3:8-13 and are members of KBC.
Selection and Appointment
Deacon candidates shall be selected and appointed by the following procedure:
The elders and deacons shall identify the need for additional deacons.
A candidate may be identified and submitted to the Board of Elders by a member of the congregation.
The elders and deacons will review the men and present those with scriptural qualifications as candidates to the congregation.
The Board of Elders will allow a minimum period of two weeks for congregational response.
To be appointed, the candidate shall be confirmed by the unanimous affirmation of the Board of Elders.
Term of Service
The duration of a deacon’s service shall not be restricted as long as he meets the qualifications and desires to serve.
A deacon may be removed from office by the unanimous vote of the Board of Elders in the event of a confirmed report(s) of misconduct or when the aforementioned qualifications are not upheld.
Any charge of misconduct against a deacon shall be in accordance with Matthew 18:15-20 and 1 Timoty 5:19.
Duties
The deacons shall lead/coordinate projects that serve the church and free the elders to focus on their duties.
Mission
We believe that mission activities are commanded by the Lord in Matthew 28:19-20 and that a proper balance requires involvement in the local community, nation, and the world.
Congregational Meetings
Worship Meetings
Public gatherings shall be held each Lord’s Day, and may be held throughout the week as the church determines.
Business Meetings
The Annual Meeting shall be held sometime during the first quarter of each year to present the current status of the church and its activities, celebrating and reviewing what God has done in and through the church the previous year and looking forward to the year ahead.
The Annual Meeting shall be held sometime during the first quarter of each year to present the current status of the church and its activities, celebrating and reviewing what God has done in and through the church the previous year and looking forward to the year ahead.
Special Meetings may be called by the elders at any time, as required by important circumstances affecting all members, such as but not limited to calling a pastor or acquiring land or buildings. Notice of the meeting shall be given from the pulpit or by other notification, the purpose of such meeting being clearly stated in the notice, at least one week in advance.
All Business Meetings shall be chaired by a designated elder.
When a vote of the church membership is needed, a KBC Voting Membership Roll will be produced, comprised only of current members 18 years of age and older, in order to expedite the identification of a quorum for the congregational meeting.
A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the current voting members.
Business items shall be voted upon and carried by a three-fourths majority of the voting members present.
Revisions, Additions, and Amendments
Revisions, additions, and/or amendments of this constitution may be made only in the following manner:
The elders shall unanimously agree upon proposed revisions, additions, and/or amendments.
The proposal shall be presented in written form to the members of the church at least one month prior to a Business Meeting, during which time members may submit comments regarding the proposal to the elders.
Notice of the vote being part of the scheduled Business Meeting shall be given from the pulpit two successive Sundays prior to the scheduled Business Meeting.
During the scheduled Business Meeting, the designated chairman will call for a vote to approve the proposed revisions, additions, and/or amendments.
The revised version of this constitution shall be made available to all church members by the church office, with the date of revision noted on the first page.
Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of this church, all property shall be disposed of in order to first pay all debts according to the laws of the state and nation. Any remaining property shall be donated to other churches or organizations of similar faith and persuasion as determined by the elders.