Edgefield and Aiken County, SC

Foothills Christian Assembly

Edgefield and Aiken County, SC

Constitution and Confession of Faith

January 2012

CONTENTS

• Preamble

• Principles of Discipleship

• Confession of Faith

• Members and Electors

• Selection of Church Officers

• Duties of Church Officers

• Other Duties in the Church

• Removal of Church Officers

• Church Discipline

• Subordinate Ministries

• Incorporation

• Affiliation

• Amendments

PREAMBLE

We acknowledge that no human effort alone can plant a genuine Christian local assembly. Only the living God can plant a living church. Thus, we humbly submit this constitution, along with all of our efforts, to Jehovah God as He has directed in His Word, the Bible. The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, both Old Testament and New Testament, is the only full and authoritative constitution of Foothills Christian Assembly. We ask the Lord to make this church planting effort pass away like chaff if it is not according to His Word, both now and until His victorious return. And, we ask the Lord to make Foothills Christian Assembly an unshakeable Gospel outpost, both now and ever, if we are indeed submitted to Him and His Word and committed always and only to His glory and His Kingdom.

PRINCIPLES OF DISCIPLESHIP

We admit that church planters must give a reason for planting a new church, especially in the American South in the 21st century, where many local Christian assemblies are available. We will always endeavor to maintain the centrality and primacy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even as we acknowledge the specific issues that have lead to the birth of this endeavor. So, acknowledging that all man-made constitutions are subordinate to the Word of God, the Bible, here are the reasons we believe God has called us to this endeavor. We believe that a local assembly will be healthy and strong when it:

1. Embraces the infallibility, inerrancy and sufficiency of all of God’s Word as the ultimate authority for faith and practice. (Psalm 110:10, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 9:10, John 15:5, et al) (Recommended Reading: Always Ready by Greg Bahnsen.)
2. And, thus, rejects the notion that man’s wits and/or observational powers (or any other knowledge source) are able to guide true faith and right practice. (Romans 3: 10 – 18, Romans 1: 18 – 32, et al)
3. Embraces the Almighty Sovereignty of God over all things, as instructed in His Word. The doctrines of God’s glorious grace (Radical Corruption, Unconditional Election, Particular Redemption, Irresistible Grace, and the Perseverance of the Saints) should be embraced and proclaimed. Taught aright in its awesome fullness, the Gospel is the power of God. (Romans 11:36, Job 23:13, Psalm 115:3, John 3, Ephesians 1, Romans 9, et al) (Recommended Reading: Back to Basics, editor Hagopian and The Sovereignty of God, AW Pink)
4. And, thus, rejects any man-centered systems that place the initiative for salvation and/or sanctification with fallen men. (Ephesians 2: 1 – 10, et al) (Recommended Reading: The Incredible Scofield and his book by Canfield)
5. Embraces the “abiding validity of all of the exhaustive details of all of God’s Law.” We have only One gracious and glorious God Who has given us only One beautiful and perfect Word, so all of God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation, is authoritative for life and practice. (Matthew 5: 17 – 20, Romans 3:31, Psalm 19:7-11, John 17:7, Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 12:32, et al) (Recommended Reading: By this Standard by Greg Bahnsen and Institutes of Biblical Law by RJ Rushdoony and Covenantal Theonomy by Gentry)
6. And, thus, rejects any belief system that reduces the ultimate authority of any portion of God’s Law-Word. (Mark 7: 5 – 13, et al)
7. Embraces the dominion mandate as given in Genesis 1: 26 - 28 and clarified in the Great Commission of Matthew 28: 18 – 20. Comprehensive Christian discipleship, where all of God’s Word governs all of God’s world, should be embraced and proclaimed. (Genesis 9: 1 – 7, Psalm 8, I Thessalonians 4:12, Deuteronomy 28: 1 – 14, Leviticus 26: 1 – 13, et al) (Recommended Reading: A Conquering Faith by Einwechter and Unconditional Surrender by Gary North)
8. And, thus, rejects any belief system that truncates the applicability of any portion of God’s Law-Word to any portion of human existence.
9. Embraces an optimistic view of the future that emphasizes the victory of Christ over all His enemies, in time, in heaven, in earth, prior to His final return. (Psalm 110, I Corinthians 15: 12 – 28, Psalm 72, Micah 4: 1 – 5, Romans 5: 15 – 21, I John 4:4, et al) (Recommended Reading: Thine is the Kingdom, editor Gentry)
10. And, thus, rejects any belief system that presents a pessimistic view of the future where Satan is victorious and can only be defeated by the physical return of Christ.
11. Embraces liturgical covenant renewal Lord’s Day corporate worship, founded upon the structure of the covenantal interactions between the Triune God and His world and His people. This will be vibrant, joyful and reverent worship where all may participate, all baptized may receive the Lord’s service and all may respond to His service. (Genesis 1 – 2, Genesis 8: 16 – 9:17, and the Abrahamic covenant, and the Mosaic covenant, and the Davidic covenant, and the New Covenant) (Recommended Reading: The Lord’s Service by Meyers)
12. And, thus, rejects disorderly, fragmented, random, non-participatory and/or man-centered forms of corporate Lord’s Day gatherings.
13. Embraces family-edifying ecclesiastical structures that both rejoice in the jurisdiction of the Christian family and emphasize the primacy of the Christian family as the place of Christian discipleship and the springboard for the works of ministry. We aim to build up Christian households so they may extend comprehensive Christian discipleship into their spheres of influence. (Genesis 1 – 2, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the family of Israel, David’s line, Ephesians 4: 11 – 16, et al) (Recommended Reading: A Weed in the Church, by Scott Brown and other resources from the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches)
14. And, thus, rejects any ecclesiastical structures that usurp family jurisdiction or diminish family unity.
15. Embraces the calling to understand the times of its existence and speak to the critical issues of that generation. We currently live in a wicked and perverse generation that hates God. As evidenced by the vast and proliferating ocean of ethical and moral failures, both in the culture and in the halls of organized religion, this generation is clearly under the unfolding and accelerating wrath of our merciful and patient God. If repentance does not occur, then our Holy and Just God will bring His wrath to its fullness, as He has done in the past, by dispossessing such a wicked people from their land. (Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26, Romans 1: 18 – 32, et al)
16. And, thus, rejects any system of belief that blinds the church to its prophetic role in the culture, hence muting the necessary warnings.

Seeing no such local Christian assemblies in our geographic area, in humble reliance upon the grace of God, ever committed to the centrality and the primacy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we set forth to plant such a church. The above Principles of Discipleship will guide the overall functioning of Foothills Christian Assembly, giving us our unique calling as a local assembly. Nevertheless, agreement with these Principles of Discipleship is not a prerequisite for covenant membership with Foothills Christian Assembly. But, all member households will agree to support Foothills Christian Assembly as we attempt to apply these Principles of Discipleship in the life of this church, avoiding making the above Principles of Discipleship or the below Confession of Faith points of contention.

CONFESSION OF FAITH

While doctrinal statements are useful and necessary tools, they are not infallible and must be subordinate to Holy Scripture, the Bible. Foothills Christian Assembly confesses the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Definition of Chalcedon and the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) with its Larger and Shorter Catechisms as our doctrinal standards, with the following exceptions:

1) We do not believe that baptized children should be excluded from the Lord’s Supper (WLC, 177). We will be a church that allows the heads of households to decide this matter for their family. We desire to see paedo-communion and credo-communion families worshiping and serving God together in unity.

2) We do not believe that recreations are necessarily sinful when God’s people are engaged in their celebration of the Lord’s Day (WCF, 21.7).

3) We do not believe that the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is the ‘antichrist’ (WCF, 25.6).

4) We believe there is one office of elder and all elders may administer the sacraments (WCF, 27.4, 28.2, 29.3).

We also value other creeds of the Early Church, such as the Athanasian Creed and other reformed confessions, such as the Three Forms of Unity, London Baptist Confession, Thirty Nine Articles and the Augsburg Confession.

Regarding the Lord’s Supper and Baptism, we accept the following as within the pale of Christian orthodoxy:

-The Thirty Nine Articles (Articles 25 - 31)

-The London Baptist Confession 1689 (28 – 30)

-The Three Forms of Unity:

-Heidelberg Catechism (Questions 65 – 85)

-Belgic Confession (Articles 32 – 35)

-Canons of Dort (No direct comments on sacraments)

-The Augsburg Confession (IX, X, XII)

-We will be a church that allows the heads of households to decide these sacramental matters for their family. We desire to see paedo-baptist and credo-baptist families worshiping and serving God together in unity.The WCF is our standard as a local assembly, with the noted exceptions in points 1 – 4 above. Nevertheless, we desire to be a local assembly where disagreements regarding Baptism and the Lord’s Supper do not necessarily disrupt union of the local assembly. We reject the doctrine of transubstantiation.

MEMBERS AND ELECTORS

Membership is normally reckoned by household. A household in our geographical region is eligible when the head of that household has been lawfully baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19) and does not contradict his profession through his manner of life (Matt. 7:22-23). Membership begins when the covenant membership vows have been taken (Heb. 13:7, 17). The elders oversee a membership list, which must include names, baptisms, and communicant status. As circumstances require, individuals may join the church.

Our membership vows are: (When the vows are presented to the head of a household, he will also be asked if he speaks on behalf of his household.)

1) Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?

2) Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?

3) Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live in a manner that would honor Christ?

4) Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?

5) Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to uphold its purity and peace?

When these vows are taken, the congregation will respond with “Amen” when they are asked:

“As a congregation of Christ, do you receive [this Christian/these Christians] into the covenant fellowship of this local church together with you, renewing your membership vows as you do so?”

Individuals may be received into non-voting membership. In special cases, individuals may come under our pastoral care without coming into full membership.

Release or Transfer of Membership

If any member requests to be released to the care of another Christian church, the elders will normally release him with a blessing. If any member requests to be released because of disciplinary proceedings against him or someone in his household, the elders will delay acting on the request until the disciplinary

matter is resolved. If members move from our geographical area, they are charged to find a new church home within six months. This time may be extended at the elders’ discretion. After this time is expired, they are released from membership.

Communicant Members

Under the headship of Christ, the responsibility for administering the sacraments remains with the elders, who nevertheless respect the pastoral responsibilities of the head of each household. Members of households who have been baptized and have come to the Lord’s Table are communicant members of

member households. Members of households who have not been baptized are recognized by the elders to be non-communicant members of member households.

Electors

Church voting is conducted by member households. Those members who vote in church elections are called electors. The electors are approved maleheads of households. The head of household is responsible to discuss the ballots with the family members, seek consensus, and ultimately submit the ballots for the household. A Christian wife may become a widow head of household and elector upon the death of her husband, or if her husband becomes unable to serve as an elector, or if her husband abandons her. The elders will determine, on a case-by-case basis, when a husband’s status causes the wife to become a widow head of household. The elders will determine on a case-by-case basis if the Christian widow may serve as an elector.

Electors vote:

1) in the elections of elders and deacons as stated below;

2) to ratify or amend this Constitution by a three fourths majority vote of the voting electors;

3) to approve the annual church budget by a three fourths majority vote of the voting electors;

4) to approve transfer of funds greater than 10% of the annual budget by a three fourths majority vote of the voting electors;

5) to buy, sell, lease, rent, mortgage, encumber and convey real property or incur any debt by a three fourths majority vote of the voting electors. Debt should be considered only in emergency situations and loans contracted only from Christian to Christian.

The elders will qualify electors as to membership status, age, and manner of life. Electors are approved by a three fourths vote of the current electors. Three weeks prior to any church vote, a ballot will be provided. The vote will be conducted at an appropriate time set by the elders. The congregation will hold a meeting of the electors, as required, where the elders and deacons may receive

input. Absentee ballots are permissible for church votes. Church membership does not automatically convey elector status.

SELECTION OF CHURCH OFFICERS

The elders will examine any potential candidate with regard to his doctrine and manner of life. If the candidate has any disagreement or mental reservation about any portion of the church’s Confession of Faith or this constitution, he must inform the elders of it. Officer candidates are not required to be in full agreement with the Confession of Faith or Principles of Discipleship or other parts of this constitution, but a candidate must inform the elders of any areas of disagreement or uncertainty, and also must agree not to make any of the areas of disagreement or uncertainty points of contention or division in the future. The candidate agrees to accept the Confession of Faith and Principles of Discipleship in this document, promising to make no attempts to change them if elected as an officer. All candidates must meet the qualifications for the office set down in Scripture, the Bible. (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:2-4; 1 Tim. 3:8-13). Nominations are approved by at least two thirds consent of the elders.

Once nominated, the candidate for elder will work through a course of training on eldership under the oversight of the elders. An elder candidate may be asked to work with the deacons and/or elders in order to prove his fitness for office. Once approved by two thirds of the elders, his name will then be placed on a ballot sent to all electors. Each ballot will provide the option of voting yes, or no. If the candidate receives at least three fourths support of the voting electors (Phil. 2:1-4), the elders will ordain him through laying on hands and prayer. If any elector votes no and includes a reason for the no vote on the ballot, the elders must carefully weigh the scriptural merit of the objection before ordaining the elder elect.

Once nominated, the candidate for deacon will be included by the deacons in their work in order to prove his fitness for office (1 Tim. 3:10). When in the judgment of at least two thirds of the deacons, the candidate has shown this, the deacons will make a recommendation to the elders. Then, in the judgment of at least two thirds of the elders, his name will then be placed on a ballot sent to all electors. Each ballot will provide the option of voting yes, or no. If the candidate receives at least three fourthssupport of the voting electors (Phil. 2:1-4), the elders will ordain him through laying on of hands and prayer.

When ordained, the elder or deacon will vow:

“As God is my witness, I solemnly vow that I will serve this church faithfully as a servant of Christ, and will maintain godly order in my life and my household as the Word of God requires. I have read the Constitution of this church and agree to submit to its contents.”