Alliance Church
PREAMBLE
The New Testament teaches that
the local church is the visible
organized expression of the Body
of Christ. The people of God are
to live and serve in obedience
to the Word of God and under the
Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance operates on the
presupposition that the
congregation finds broader
meaning and outreach in
fulfilling its biblical
responsibilities within the life
and witness of the denomination.
This constitution has three
objectives:
- Set out in general an outline of
organization and administration
for this church.
- Define the relationship of this
church to the district of which
it is an integral part.
- Relate this church to the
denominational framework through
which the worldwide work of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance is carried out.
The Uniform Constitution for
Accredited Churches has been
framed and adopted by the
General Council, the
denomination's highest
legislative body. The accredited
churches of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance have
participated in this process
through their authorized
delegates.
This church can, in accordance
with this constitution and in a
manner that is consistent with
the Bylaws of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance, formulate
its Bylaws so as to carry out
its ministry appropriately and
efficiently.
This church is an integral part
of the district and worldwide
fellowship, and is united in
governance, fellowship, and
service in order to promote
unity of faith in the fullness
of Jesus Christ as Savior,
Sanctifier, Healer, Coming King
and to facilitate the spread of
the gospel at home and abroad
under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit.
ARTICLE I - NAME
The official name under which
this church is incorporated or
organized is ______ Alliance
Church of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance.
ARTICLE II - RELATIONSHIP
This church is connected with
and subordinate to its parent
religious organization, The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance, a Colorado nonprofit
corporation. In consideration of
the mutual benefits generated
and derived from this
relationship, and understanding
that The Christian and
Missionary Alliance is relying
hereon in agreeing to initiate
or continue such relationship,
this church agrees to be subject
to and abide by the terms and
conditions of Article XV hereof
relating to the reversion of
property of accredited churches.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Qualifications for membership
shall consist of:
- Confession of faith in Jesus
Christ and evidence of
regeneration.
- Belief in God the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit; in the verbal
inspiration of the Holy
Scriptures as originally given;
in the vicarious atonement of
the Lord Jesus Christ; in the
eternal salvation of all who
believe in Him and eternal
punishment of all who reject
Him.
- Acceptance of the doctrines of
the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior,
Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming
King.
- Full sympathy with the
principles and objectives of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance and cooperation by
systematic support of its work.
- Such other qualifications for
membership as may be stated in
the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IV - ORDINANCES
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
are recognized as the two
ordinances of the church.
Believer’s Baptism by immersion
is taught and practiced as the
scriptural mode. The pastor or
other elders shall oversee
baptism. They shall provide the
instruction about baptism and
shall administer Baptisms
themselves or choose other
spiritually respected people to
do these ministries.
The Lord’s Supper is
administered regularly. The
pastor or other elders shall
oversee Communion. They shall
provide the instruction about
Communion and shall administer
the Communion themselves or
choose other spiritually
respected people to do these
ministries.
ARTICLE V - GOVERNMENT
There shall be an annual meeting
of the members of this church to
be held at a time specified in
the Bylaws at which time the
members shall receive reports of
departments including audited
reports of the treasurers, and
shall elect church officers,
other members of the governance
authority as specified in the
local church Bylaws, elders,
deacons and, where required,
trustees. The governance
authority as specified in the
local church Bylaws shall
conduct the affairs of the
church between annual meetings
and shall be amenable to the
membership and the district
superintendent as
constitutionally defined. Other
meetings of the members may be
called by proper notice to the
membership as specified in the
Bylaws. On general church
matters in which no legal
questions are involved, it is
understood that all members in
good and regular standing who
have reached the age of sixteen
[16] years are entitled to vote,
but in matters involving titles
of property or legal procedure
the laws of the state determine
the age at which members are
eligible to vote.
ARTICLE VI - THE CHURCH
GOVERNANCE AUTHORITY
Each local church shall
structure its governance
authority in accordance with the
governing documents of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance, the definition of
elder authority, the Bylaws of
the district, and the laws of
the state in which the church is
located. The members of the
governance authority shall
satisfy the scriptural standards
for church leadership and shall
be members of this church.
The senior pastor shall be
chairman or, at his request, the
governance authority shall elect
an elder as chairman. An elder
shall also be elected as vice
chairman. Meetings shall be held
for prayer and business, and
abbreviated minutes shall be
reported to the church as the
church may decide. Special
meetings may be called by the
chairman or shall be called upon
written request of one-half of
the governance authority
membership. All officers,
committees, and organizations,
except the Nominating Committee,
are amenable to the collective
oversight of the elders.
ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS
The officers shall be members of
this church and shall satisfy
the scriptural standards for
church leadership. They shall
consist of the following who,
with the exception of the senior
pastor, shall be elected at the
annual meeting of the church:
senior pastor, secretary,
treasurer, assistant treasurer,
missionary treasurer, and such
other officers as may be
designated in the church Bylaws
or in the state law.
The offices of treasurer and
missionary treasurer may be
filled by the same person.
ARTICLE VIII - PASTORAL STAFF
The governance authority shall
not give consideration to any
candidate for the pastoral staff
without the approval of the
district superintendent.
Pastoral staff members shall be
called by the governance
authority and appointed by the
district superintendent after
conference with the governance
authority. The district
superintendent shall suggest to
the governance authority the
names of such workers as in his
judgment have proper
qualifications for pastoral
staff. Upon appointment by the
district superintendent, a
pastoral staff member and spouse
become members of this church.
Pastoral staff include all those
whose position calls for
licensing as an "official
worker," as defined in the
General Regulations in the
Manual of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance.
Any member of the pastoral staff
may resign from this church by
giving due notice of this
intention to the district
superintendent and the
governance authority. The
governance authority may in
conjunction with the district
superintendent ask for the
resignation of any member of the
pastoral staff. Before such
action is taken, the governance
authority and that member shall
follow the guidelines as
prescribed by the district
superintendent. The district
superintendent with the approval
of the District Executive
Committee shall have the
authority to remove or transfer
a member of the pastoral staff
when the governance authority is
in disagreement or whenever
circumstances make such removal
or transfer advisable.
ARTICLE IX - DUTIES OF CHURCH
OFFICERS
Section 1. Senior Pastor. The
senior pastor shall have
oversight of this church. He
shall be chairman of the
governance authority except as
he may choose to proceed
according to the provisions in
Article VI. He shall preside at
all regular or special meetings
of the church membership. He is
a member ex officio of all
church committees and
organizations. When the
membership has no pastor, the
chairman or vice chairman of the
governance authority shall have
oversight of the church in
conjunction with the district
superintendent. The senior
pastor shall be the president of
this church where such office is
required by law.
Section 2. Secretary. The
secretary shall keep the minutes
of membership meetings and
conduct the correspondence of
this church as directed by the
governance authority. The
secretary shall attend and keep
minutes of other meetings as
specified in the local church
Bylaws.
Section 3. Treasurer. The
treasurer shall receive all
monies of this church except
monies given in freewill
offerings toward the pastor's
support and those offering
referred to in Article X -
Section 2, and missionary monies
when there is not a missionary
treasurer. The treasurer shall
be responsible for the payment
of all bills on the order of the
governance authority as
specified in the local church
Bylaws, keeping proper book
records of all transactions and
filing canceled vouchers and
receipts for payments made. The
governance authority shall
determine where funds of the
church shall be kept. No
offerings shall be solicited
from the membership except upon
approval of the governance
authority.
Section 4. Missionary Treasurer.
When required by local church
Bylaws, the missionary treasurer
shall account for all missionary
monies and oversee the
forwarding of the same to the
treasurer of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance on or before
the 10th of the following month.
Section 5. Assistant Treasurer.
The assistant treasurer shall,
with another person or persons
appointed by governance
authority, be responsible to
count all monies except freewill
offerings given toward the
support of a pastor, and keep a
separate record of all receipts.
The assistant treasurer may be
empowered by the Bylaws to issue
receipts to the donors.
ARTICLE X - COMMITTEES AND
ORGANIZATIONS
Section 1. Elders. The elders
shall be male members of this
church and shall be elected as
specified in the church Bylaws.
With authority from Christ the
Chief Shepherd and confirmed by
the church membership, the
pastor and the other elders are
the highest level of servant
leadership in the local church.
As undershepherds, elders shall
serve with the senior pastor to
oversee the local church and its
ministries to accomplish
Christ’s mission. They shall be
the Committee on Discipline in
accordance with the Uniform
Policy on Discipline,
Restoration, and Appeal of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance.
Section 2. Deacons. The deacons
shall be members of this church
and shall be appointed or
elected as specified in the
local church Bylaws. The deacons
shall have charge of those
ministries and charities of the
church as specified in the
Bylaws, receive offerings for
such purposes and dispense the
same and make monthly reports as
directed. Where there are no
deacons the governance authority
shall assume responsibility for
their ministries until such are
elected or appointed.
Section 3. Deaconesses.
Deaconesses shall be members of
this church and shall be
appointed or elected as
specified in the Bylaws. The
deaconesses shall have charge of
those ministries as specified in
the Bylaws. Where there are no
deaconesses the governance
authority shall assume
responsibility for their
ministries until such are
elected or appointed.
Section 4. Trustees. The
trustees shall be members of
this church and may be appointed
or elected as specified in the
local church Bylaws. Trustees
shall have charge of those
ministries and duties as
specified in the Bylaws or the
laws of the state in which the
church is located. Where there
are no trustees, the governance
authority shall assume
responsibility for their
ministries and duties until such
are elected or appointed.
Section 5. Missions Committee. A
Missions Committee shall be
appointed by the governance
authority as specified in the
local church Bylaws. The purpose
of the Missions Committee is to
assist the pastor in
administering the year-round
missions program, planning and
promoting the annual missions
conference, recruiting
candidates, and promoting the
financial and prayer support of
the worldwide ministry of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance.
Section 6. Sunday School. Each
church shall have a Sunday
school or a comparable
disciplemaking ministry. The
mission of disciplemaking
ministries is to bring people to
a saving knowledge of Christ,
teach biblical principles
emphasizing missions and the
centrality of Christ as Savior,
Sanctifier, Healer and Coming
King, and equip people for
evangelism and Christian
service.
Section 7. Disciplemaking
Ministry Council. A
Disciplemaking Ministry Council
shall be appointed as specified
in the local church Bylaws. The
Council shall oversee the
disciplemaking ministries for
children, youth, and adults.
Section 8. Alliance Women - in
Missions and Prayer. Local
church Alliance Women may be
established. They shall be
organized according to the
Alliance Women's Local
Constitution as contained in the
Manual of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance. The mission
of Alliance Women is to support
and pray for Alliance
missionaries and their
ministries.
Section 9. Alliance Men. Local
church Alliance Men may be
established. They shall be
organized according to the
Alliance Men's Local
Constitution as contained in the
Manual of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance. The mission
of Alliance Men is to bring men
to Christ and engage in
ministries that are consistent
with the objectives of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance.
Section 10. Alliance Youth
Group. An Alliance Youth Group
may be organized according to
the Alliance Youth Group
Constitution as contained in the
Manual of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance. The mission
of Alliance Youth Group is to
bring youth to Christ, build up
youth in Christ, and send youth
out for Christ.
Section 11. Youth Council. A
Youth Council may be appointed
by the governance authority or
Disciplemaking Ministry Council
as specified in the church
Bylaws and approved by
governance authority. The Youth
Council shall evaluate,
initiate, and coordinate the
activities of all youth
ministries sponsored by the
church. It shall be responsible
to the governance authority
through the Disciplemaking
Ministry Council. If there is no
Disciplemaking Ministry Council,
it shall report and be directly
responsible to the governance
authority through the pastor.
ARTICLE XI - MISSIONS CONFERENCE
A missions conference shall be
held annually for the promotion
and support of the worldwide
work of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance.
ARTICLE XII - PROPERTY AND
RECORDS
Section 1. Property. This church
may acquire, own, dispose of,
improve, encumber, and convey
property, real and personal, for
church purposes, in conformity
with the laws of the state where
the property is situated.
Real property may be purchased,
sold, conveyed, exchanged,
mortgaged, or encumbered only by
order of the membership through
the governance authority in
consultation with the district
superintendent. In states where
trustees are required, the order
of the congregation shall
proceed through them.
Section 2. Records. The official
records of all officers of the
church and all its departments
are the property of the church.
In the event of the death or
resignation of the incumbent or
upon the election of his
successor, the current records
of the office shall be passed on
to the newly elected officer.
All records other than current
shall be kept in a secure
repository selected by the
governance authority.
Section 3. Audit. All financial
records shall be examined
annually or at more frequent
intervals on order of the
governance authority. At least
three persons, none of whom is a
financial officer or church
staff member, shall be appointed
by the governance authority to
conduct the examination. They
shall follow procedures set
forth in the current edition of
the Manual for Alliance Church
Treasurers (and Pastors) The
governance authority shall
authorize actions to conform
with additional audit standards
that may be required by the
jurisdiction in which the church
is located.
ARTICLE XIII - NOMINATING
COMMITTEE
A Nominating Committee shall
consist of the senior pastor,
two elected by but not
necessarily from the governance
authority, and two elected by
the membership at least one
month prior to the annual
meeting. Members of the
Nominating Committee shall be
members of this church and shall
be elected by ballot at a
regular or special meeting of
the governance authority or
membership meeting,
respectively. The governance
authority and the congregation
shall elect by ballot from among
at least four nominees
respectively.
ARTICLE XIV - ELECTIONS
In consideration of elections
the Nominating Committee shall
present at least one name for
each office to be filled. Other
nominations may be made from the
membership. The officers shall
be elected by ballot at the
annual meeting. Where only one
name is presented the ballot may
be waived by unanimous vote.
ARTICLE XV - REVERSION OF
PROPERTY
Recognizing the purposes of the
members of this congregation to
support both the doctrines and
the mission of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance through the
contributions of their tithes,
offerings, and special gifts,
and to ensure that the future
use of such assets and real
property as this church may from
time to time acquire shall not
be diverted from this purpose,
this church adopts the following
property protection clause.
1. Property Reversions. Any of
the following shall constitute a
"reversionary event": (a) the
decision or action of this
church to disaffiliate or
otherwise separate itself from
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance without the prior
written approval of such
decision or action by the
District Executive Committee (or
its equivalent) of the district
in which this church is located,
or (b) the failure for any
reason of this church to be
subject to or abide by any of
the purposes, usage’s,
doctrines, or teachings of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance, or (c) the failure for
any reason of this church to
qualify as an "accredited
church" of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance (as such
term is defined in the Bylaws of
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance), or (d) the
termination of this church's
existence for any reason.
2. Determination of Reversionary
Event. The determination of
whether a reversionary event has
occurred shall be considered and
decided by the District
Executive Committee (or its
equivalent) of the district of
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance in which this church is
located in accordance with
procedures established from time
to time by the Board of Managers
of The Christian and Missionary
Alliance. The decision of such
District Executive Committee (or
its equivalent) shall be final
and binding on The Christian and
Missionary Alliance, the
district of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance in which
this church is located, and this
church and may not be challenged
by any party in the absence of
fraud, collusion, or
arbitrariness.
3. Consequences of Reversionary
Event. Upon the occurrence of a
reversionary event as determined
in accordance with 2. above,
legal title to all real and
personal property (tangible and
intangible), appurtenances,
fixtures, and effects of
whatever type then owned, held
or used by this church, without
regard to how or from whom
acquired shall, upon the demand
of the district of The Christian
and Missionary Alliance in which
this church is located, revert
to and become the property of
such district of The Christian
and Missionary Alliance. During
the period of time between the
occurrence of the reversionary
event and the complete and final
transfer of legal title to the
district of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance in which the
church is located, this church
shall hold such property in
trust for such district to be
used exclusively to further the
purposes, usages, doctrines, and
teachings of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance.
4. Waiver of Certain
Reversionary Events. In the
event of a reversionary event
attributable to differences in
doctrine between this church and
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance, the reversionary
process set forth above may be
waived upon the approval of (a)
at least two thirds of the
active, attending members of
this church, (b) the District
Executive Committee or its
equivalent) of the district of
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance in which this church is
located, and (c) the Division of
Church Ministries of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance.
ARTICLE XVI - BYLAWS
Local Bylaws not in conflict
with the provisions of the
constitution or the laws of the
state may be adopted by a duly
called meeting of the church. A
copy of such Bylaws shall be
filed with the district
superintendent.
ARTICLE XVII - AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended
only by the General Council of
The Christian and Missionary
Alliance by a two-thirds
majority of the votes cast.
ARTICLE XVIII - CONFORMANCE WITH
APPLICABLE
LAW
In cases where any provision of
this constitution may not
conform to state laws, the
district concerned shall be
authorized to make such
adjustments as necessary in
counsel with the vice president
for the Division of National
Church Ministries of The
Christian and Missionary
Alliance so as to conform to
such laws. |
