Who We Are
| Name: | The name of this church is Bible Christian Fellowship of South Butler. |
| Purpose: | The purpose of Bible Christian Fellowship is to be a family of Christ's followers who are devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42). |
| Values: | Core values of Bible Christian Fellowship include: |
| Beliefs: | We desire to believe all that is revealed in the sixty-six books of the Bible. The Bible alone is the ultimate authority for our beliefs and practices. The following quotations of Holy Scripture summarize a few of the core truths of our faith. We believe: |
| Members: | Reasons for membership: The New Testament pictures the local church as a distinct group of individuals who could be recognized and identified. This group could select leaders, remove unrepentant people from among the fellowship, and restore repentant people to the fellowship. It seems wise to have some method of determining who can participate in these serious responsibilities. Having an identifiable membership can protect the integrity of the fellowship. It can also provide clarity in accountability. Requirements for membership: Any person who wishes to be a member of this fellowship must openly profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, have been baptized, and be committed to the purpose, values, and beliefs stated above. Reception of members: Any person who desires to be a member of this fellowship should request a meeting with the elders. If the person meets the requirements for membership, the elders will ask the person to share his/her personal testimony of faith in Christ with the fellowship (orally or in writing). The person will then be received into membership. The elders will keep a list of current members. Restoration of members: It is the church's responsibility to gently restore someone caught in sin. Love covers a multitude of sins and is to be the guiding rule for all actions taken in attempting to restore a member of the body. In some cases the means of restoration may actually call for removal of the individual from fellowship if he/she persists in a sinful lifestyle and refuses to repent. This process of removal and restoration is described in several passages of Scripture (Mt 18:15-18; 1 Co 5; 2 Co 2:7-8; 2 The 3:14; Ti 3:10; Rom 16:17-18). All members of this church are obliged to follow these biblical instructions. (Any member who is absent from the regular meetings of this church for three months without justifiable reason may have his/her name deleted from the list of current members.) |
| Leaders: |
Head of the Church: Jesus Christ alone is the Head of the church. He is the church's Senior Pastor ... so that in everything he might have first place (Col 1:18). Elders: Those who have been called by God to shepherd the church are called elders, pastors, or overseers. (These three titles are used interchangeably in the New Testament and refer to the same office.) The normal New Testament pattern is for a church to have multiple elders. While there is to be equality among the elders, the fellowship should be sensitive to differences of gifts and experience within the eldership. The qualifications and duties of elders are described in 1 Timothy 3:1-8, Titus 1:6-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4, Acts 20:28, James 5:14, and 1 Timothy 5:17. Because elders are brothers in the fellowship, they do not lead by rank or raw authority. Elders are to be servants who lead by godly example, biblical persuasion, and congregational consensus. Deacons: Deacons are to be godly men who administer the logistical, financial and benevolent affairs of the church so that the elders may devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. The deacons should fulfill their duties in cooperation with the elders' leadership. The qualifications for deacons are given in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Recognizing Leaders: The process of recognizing leaders from among the members should include fervent prayer, fasting, and careful study of Scripture. Nominations for elders and deacons may be made by either the elders or by the membership of this church. Nominations from the membership must be submitted in writing to the elders by one-third of the members. If the nominee is willing to serve, he will be presented to the church at an appropriately called meeting. The nominee and his immediate family will be asked to leave the room while his qualifications are discussed. This discussion should be characterized by frankness and due respect for the reputation of the nominee. After discussion, a vote will be taken (see "Decisions" below). The number of elders and deacons and the length of their terms are not fixed in the Scriptures. Therefore, unless a man becomes disqualified or is no longer willing to serve, the term of his service is indefinite. The members may request a meeting to reconfirm or remove an elder or deacon from his position of leadership. This request must be set forth in writing with the signatures of one-third of the membership of the church. |
| Decisions: |
Decisions should be prayerfully determined by congregational consensus under the guidance and leadership of the elders. All members of this church may vote on any question brought before the congregation (including a nomination or reconfirmation/removal of an elder or deacon). Unified consensus under God should at all times be sought and prayed for, but when unanimity is not realized, a three-fourths majority of the members present and voting will be required to make a resolution valid. |