ARTICLE I — CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
A. General
The members of Bonaire First Baptist Church shall be those persons, who have met membership requirements which are set forth in the Membership Covenant, have received the approbation of the church and are listed on the official membership roll. Members of this body have a tremendous responsibility as they:
1. Are called to represent the Kingdom of God before men and women in this community,
2. Are invested with the great responsibility of congregational rule under the headship of Christ
B. Voting Rights of Membership
Each member of Bonaire First Baptist Church shall have the right to vote on all matters of consideration in church conference. It is strongly urged that members under 18 years of age be counseled by their parents as to the solemn nature of this responsibility and to individual items of consideration. Each member shall have one vote, and absentee or proxy voting shall not be allowed.
C. Termination of Membership
A member shall be removed from the church membership for the following reasons:
1. Death
2. Transfer of membership to another church
3. Personal request of that member
4. Exclusion by church disciplinary actions
a. The primary reason for the discipline of a member of Bonaire First Baptist Church shall be for a demonstration of that member’s lack of love for the body of Bonaire First Baptist Church. A lack of love or expression of contempt for this body will be demonstrated as follows:
i. Personal conduct or a lifestyle that defies Scripture in any way that hinders the ministry and influence of the church in the community. These members are to be lovingly confronted by church leadership for the purpose of leading the errant individual to repentance. The leadership is to go in a spirit of love and self-examination. If the counsel of the leadership is rejected and if the member continues to display contempt for Christ’s body, then that member shall be brought before the church for discipline (Matthew 18: 15-17, Titus 2: 11-15) (see Article III, Section D, Paragraph 3, Item b concerning procedures for dismissal of a member).
ii. A person who stirs up division within this body for selfish gain or self-justification shall be warned by church leadership of his or her lack of love for Christ’s body. If this member refuses to heed biblical warnings on this serious matter, he or she shall be brought before the church for discipline (Titus 3: 8-11) (see Article III, Section D, Paragraph 3, item b concerning procedures for dismissal of a member).
b. Restoration to church membership is the Biblical goal of church discipline. The matter of restoration will be handled through the body of Elders. The disciplined member will be recommended for restoration to church membership by the Elders upon the evidence of repentance and love for Christ's body at Bonaire First Baptist Church. Church action by a majority vote will be required to restore this person to church membership.
ARTICLE II — CHURCH CONFERENCE
A. Location of Church Conferences
The place of all church conferences shall be 142 west highway 96, Bonaire, GA. In the event of some circumstance that would prohibit meeting at that location, the Deacons and Elders shall determine the place and time of the church conference and provide notice of such place and time to the church membership.
B. Regular Church Conferences
Regular church conferences shall be held four times a year as proposed in the operational plan for that year. At each meeting, there shall also be a published agenda containing other matters to be prayed over and presented for the body's consideration. To have a matter published on the agenda at a regularly scheduled conference, a member shall present the issue, in writing, to the Deacon body before its last meeting prior to a scheduled church conference. The Deacon leadership will then bring suggestions from the Deacon body to the Senior Pastor and together they shall submit the agenda for the regularly scheduled church conference to the moderator. All proposals shall be made in the form of motions with discussion. Each motion shall require a simple majority vote for passage unless otherwise specified in these bylaws. These procedures are intended to insure every member has a voice in all church matters and to provide a peaceful venue through which concerns of the church membership may be presented and considered.
C. Special Church Conferences
The Senior Pastor or the Elders may call the church into a special church conference provided the church is given written notice two weeks prior to the date of the special church conference and provided the general subject of the special church conference is included in the notice. A special church conference may also be called by the church when one-third of the church membership requests the meeting in a written request to the Elders.
D. Notice of Church Conferences
Notice of all church conferences, except a special church conference, will be provided for the church membership at least one week prior to the meeting. A general description of all matters to be discussed shall be provided for the members through one of the following ways:
1. Distribution of written notice in the lobby of the church building.
2. A spoken announcement in all regularly scheduled services one week prior to the meeting.
3. Distribution of written notice through a church-wide mailing, e-mail, or the church newsletter.
E. Procedures
1. In conducting all church conferences, the church shall be guided by biblical principles of order (I Corinthians 14:40). It should be the desire of all present in the meeting to glorify God through their demeanor and to see to it that unity is the genuine desire of every member present.
2. The moderator shall be nominated to the church by the Nominating Committee at the proper church conference set forth in the annual church operational plan. This person is to serve one year and may be chosen by the church for multiple terms. This person should be of quiet and calm demeanor, and the knowledge of some parliamentary procedure shall be helpful, but not required. This church is governed by the Bible. Some parliamentary procedures can prove to be helpful but shall not be allowed to subvert biblical principles of corporate worship.
3. Those members present at regular or special church conferences shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE III — CHURCH OFFICERS AND STAFF
A. The Corporation
The Bonaire First Baptist Church is a non-profit corporation duly registered by the State of Georgia. The general officers are as follows: The Senior Pastor shall serve as Chief Executive Officer of the corporation; the church Clerk shall serve as the Secretary of the corporation; the Treasurer shall serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the corporation; and the Elders shall serve as the Directors of the corporation.
B. Senior Pastor
1. Qualifications
The Senior Pastor shall be a man called by God into the Gospel ministry. He shall meet the qualifications of bishop as given in I Timothy 3:1-7 and I Peter 5:1-4. The Senior Pastor shall be a man of orthodox theology as defined by the Articles of Faith in the Bonaire First Baptist Church Constitution
2. Selection
In the selection of a Senior Pastor, a Senior Pastoral Search Committee of seven people shall be appointed. Four of the members (two men and two women) shall be nominated from the floor and approved by the church body during a regular or special church conference called for that purpose. The other three members shall be the Chairman of the Elders, the Chairman of Deacons, and the leader of the Women's Ministry Team.
This committee shall proceed with due diligence to select a candidate to serve as the Senior Pastor of the church. Once the committee has selected a candidate, and before this man is presented to the church for consideration, the committee shall conduct a joint interview with the candidate and the Associate Pastors. The entire committee should endeavor to be present at this meeting. The committee shall seek the advice of and input from the Associate Pastors with regard to the candidate. If the committee deems it prudent and appropriate, it may also consult other paid staff members who are in ministry positions. The Committee and the Elders will negotiate the beginning salary with the candidate.
Once the committee is ready to make a recommendation to the church, the church shall be called together for this purpose. The election of the Senior Pastor shall be accomplished under the following stipulations:
a. No other name than the one brought by the Senior Pastoral Search Committee may be considered by the church body.
b. The election of the Senior Pastor shall be by secret ballot. The ballots shall be counted by four people who shall be designated by the Moderator.
c. There must be an eighty percent majority vote for approval of the candidate under consideration before the church may extend a call to the candidate.
3. Term
The Senior Pastor shall serve at the pleasure of the church and under continuing call until the church or the Senior Pastor request otherwise. Resignation or termination of the Senior Pastor shall require 30 days written notice. Termination of the Senior Pastor shall require a seventy percent vote of those members present and voting when the action to dismiss is considered by the church.
4. Responsibilities
The Senior Pastor is called by the church to lead the church to understand, embrace, and accomplish its mission as defined by the primary biblical purposes of worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. The Senior Pastor leads the church through his primary biblical roles of overseer, evangelist, shepherd, preacher and teacher, and equipper.
The predominant understanding of Southern Baptists since their inception has been that the Senior Pastor fulfills the three New Testament offices of Bishop/Elder/Senior Pastor (e.g. "Who Rules the church: Examining Congregational Leadership and Church Government," by Gerald P. Cowen, of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; "Christian Theology," by Millard J. Erickson, of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; lectures from James L. Garrett, David Dockery, and Richard Land at New Orleans Theological Seminary in February, 2004). The Senior Pastor shall also comply with all relevant policies in the Church Personnel Policy Manual.
The specific responsibilities of the Senior Pastor may be outlined in terms of his primary biblical roles as follows:
Overseer. As overseer (cf. I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1), the Senior Pastor is the principal administrative leader and vision caster of the church. In this role, he gives general oversight to the planning, budgeting, staffing, coordination, and implementation of functions of the various ministries of the church. "For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace" (I Corinthians 14:33)
Evangelist. As evangelist (cf. II Timothy 4-5), the Senior Pastor models the practice of personal evangelism incumbent upon every believer and ensures that the church is challenged and equipped to be obedient to the command of the Lord Jesus to “make disciples” locally and globally (cf. Matthew 28:19).
Shepherd. As shepherd (cf. Acts 20:28; I Peter 5: 1-4), the Senior Pastor models the heart of the Chief Shepherd and ensures that the church is well led, fed, protected and cared for.
Preacher and Teacher. As preacher and teacher (cf. Acts 6:4; Ephesians 4:11; II Timothy 4:1-4; Titus 1:9), the Senior Pastor is a principal communicator of God's Word in public worship and ensures that the church is growing to maturity in Christ through the Spirit-anointed teaching of sound doctrine as outlined in the Articles of Faith.
Equipper. As equipper (Ephesians 4:12; II Timothy 2:2), the Senior Pastor partners with other leaders to empower and equip maturing members for significant service and ministry by discovering, developing, and deploying their spiritual gifts.
C. Associate Pastors
The church shall choose men to serve in particular ministry areas of the church and to assist the Senior Pastor with other Senior Pastoral duties. In the absence of a Senior Pastor, the Elders may designate the Associate Pastors to temporarily fulfill some Senior Pastoral tasks and to provide leadership for the church in concert with the Elders and Deacons.
1. Selection and Terms
Associate Pastors shall be selected by the Senior Pastor with the approval of the Personnel Committee. The Associate Pastors shall serve under the leadership and direction of the Senior Pastor. The Associate Pastors shall serve as long as they and the Senior Pastor believe that they are called to serve this church. The Associate Pastors must give 30 days written notice if they decide to terminate their relationship with the church. The Senior Pastor may terminate this relationship with the approval of the majority of the Personnel Committee and the Elders. The Associate Pastors will also comply with all relevant materials in the church Personnel Policy Manual. If the Senior Pastor and Personnel Committee wish to create a new Associate Pastor's position, it must be approved by the church body in conference.
Should a new Senior Pastor be called to serve at Bonaire First Baptist Church, no Associate Pastor may be dismissed by him for the first 12 months of his tenure without unanimous consent of the Personnel Committee and a majority vote by the church body in conference.
2. Responsibilities
The particular areas of ministry and responsibilities of each Associate Pastor shall be specified in a job description submitted by the Personnel Committee and approved by the church body in conference. The Associate Pastors will also model the qualifications of Christian leadership which are found in Titus 1:5-9; Ephesians 4:12; and I Peter 5:1-4. The Associate Pastors will be exemplary of constant worship, building up the body, being evangelistic, and being hospitable. These men will also aid in the selection of ministry teams and team leaders and give support and direction to these teams.
D. Elders.
Bonaire First Baptist Church shall call five men in fulfillment of the many New Testament passages that call for a plurality of elders, or presbuteros (cf. Acts 20:17 and Titus 1:5). The Senior Pastor shall also serve as an Elder, and he shall have the right to vote on all matters considered by the Elder body except those concerning his compensation and tenure. These men shall not be considered "ruling elders," but will serve as advisors to the Senior Pastor as guardians of true doctrine in the church and as spiritual shepherds to help the Senior Pastor, Deacons, and Associate Pastors maintain the unity and love in God's flock.
1. Qualifications
Each Elder shall meet the qualifications of Titus 1:5-9. They are to be teachers of the Word of God, to exemplify Christian love, to cherish the body of Christ at Bonaire First Baptist Church, and to be loved and respected by the membership of Bonaire First Baptist Church.
2. Term and Method of Selection
Each Elder shall serve a five-year term. Membership in the Elder body is to be staggered so that one man rotates off each year. The Elders' term shall begin in September. Nominations for Elders shall be submitted to the Senior Pastor by the Deacon body. The Senior Pastor shall then select from these nominations the men who are to be selected for that year. The Senior Pastor shall then place these names before the church body at the appointed conference for consideration and approval. Should an Elder for any reason be unable to fulfill his term, the church shall (through the Method of Selection) select a man to serve the remainder of the Elder's term.
3. Responsibilities and Officers
a. The Elders shall hold quarterly meetings with the Senior Pastor, and these meeting shall be called by the Elder Chairman. At each quarterly meeting, the Senior Pastor shall present any major change in church curriculum or in the roles/positions of the Associate Pastors. The Elders shall evaluate the Senior Pastor on a yearly basis in accordance to his responsibilities as set forth in the Bonaire First Baptist Church bylaws. A written report of the evaluation shall be given to the Senior Pastor only. The Elders will then make recommendations to the Deacons as to the Senior Pastor's compensation.
b. The Elders shall be made aware of any membership problems in the church. When a problem arises, the Elders shall go to the member in question on the basis of Matthew 18:15-17 and Titus 1:10-16. The goal of the visit shall be to confront a troubled member lovingly with God's Word and bring that member back into harmony with the church. Should the efforts of the Elders fail, they may call a special church conference for the purpose of exercising church discipline. A seventy-five percent majority of those members voting at the called church conference shall be required to expel a member from Bonaire First Baptist Church. All efforts that are humanly possible should be made to secure this member's repentance and to restore this member to the church body. Any member who has been expelled but has shown true repentance may be restored to church membership in accordance with Article 1, Section C. Paragraph 4 item b.
c. The Elders shall be responsible to make a recommendation to the church if the dismissal of the Senior Pastor becomes necessary. The church shall not act on the tenure of the Senior Pastor without a recommendation from the Elders. Should a person or persons wish to call for such action, they must submit their reasons to the Elders in writing. The Elders shall respond to such correspondence within 30 days.
d. The Elders shall elect a chairman from within the Elder body. The chairman should have served as an Elder for more than one year. The Senior Pastor may not serve as chairman of the Elder body.
e. Any man serving as an Elder may also serve as a Deacon. However, current Deacon Officers shall not serve as Elders.
f. Any man who has been ordained by a church which is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention shall not require re-ordination if he is selected to serve as an Elder. If the church selects a man to serve as an Elder and that man has not been ordained, then the Senior Pastor shall convene a presbytery to question the candidate. Upon approval of the presbytery, the candidate shall be ordained by Bonaire First Baptist Church.
E. Deacons
Bonaire First Baptist Church shall call a minimum of twelve men to serve in the Deacon ministry as initiated in Acts 6:1-7. The Deacons shall lead in the Table Ministry of the church (as outlined below). It shall be desirable for the church to maintain a ratio of one Deacon per fifteen families in the congregation. It shall also be desirable for the Deacons to maintain a rotation from active to inactive status, but this issue shall be decided by the Deacon body.
1. Qualifications and Responsibilities
The qualifications for Deacons at Bonaire First Baptist Church are set forth in Acts 6:3 and I Timothy 3:8-13. Deacons shall be men who love the unity of Bonaire First Baptist Church and have a heart for its mission as mandated by Christ
a. Table Ministry
The Table Ministry of the Deacons shall consist of the following tasks:
i. The Deacons shall be in charge of benevolence and usher ministries.
ii. The Deacons shall assist the Senior Pastoral staff in caring for the temporal and physical needs of the body of Christ.
iii. The Deacons shall assist in administering the church ordinances of the Lord's Supper and Baptism.
b. The Deacons shall have a watchcare relationship with the Finance Committee, Building and Grounds Committee, and any other service ad hoc committee designated by the annual church operational plan. Each committee shall report to the Deacons on a quarterly basis. Each committee shall have at least one Deacon in its membership, but that Deacon shall not serve as chairman of the committee (with the exception of the Finance Committee, whose chairman is the treasurer, who may be a Deacon). The Deacons shall exercise watchcare regarding the committees' functioning according to church policies and purposes.
c. The Deacons shall recognize the Senior Pastor as God's spiritual leader of the church and believe that his primary responsibility is to build up the believers in the faith and to equip them for the ministry of the church.
2. Method of Selection
The Deacons shall be selected from the names of men who are nominated by the church. Nominations shall be made in January in order for the Deacon body to be able to recommend final candidates for church consideration and approval at the appointed conference. Men who are selected by the church and who are not ordained shall serve under the following stipulations:
a. The candidate shall be questioned by an ordination council assembled by the Deacon Officers and the Senior Pastor. Upon approval by the ordination council, the church may then ordain the candidate as a Deacon.
b. New deacons shall be assigned a mentor for the first six months of their service. The mentor shall be selected by the Chairman of Deacons. The mentor shall help the new Deacon understand the role he is called to fulfill as a Deacon in Christ's church.
3. Deacon Officers
The Deacons shall prayerfully choose their new officers each September, as this shall be the month in which new Deacons begin their tenure. The length of the term of a Deacon Officer shall be one year. Deacon Officers shall not serve more than two successive terms in any one office. The Deacons may organize themselves to accomplish their considerable tasks in ways that they deem most profitable and efficient. The overriding rule in Deacon organization shall be to be scriptural and to promote the good health of Christ's body.
4. Deacons' Meetings
The Chairman of Deacons, in consultation with the other Deacon Officers and Deacons, shall set the times of the monthly meetings. These meetings may be changed or cancelled when special days make such action desirable or necessary. The Senior Pastor and Associate Pastors should attend all meetings. At the meetings in which the Deacons receive the quarterly reports from the various committees, the Senior Pastor shall also be allowed to bring any Ministry Directors who should be in attendance. These meetings will be very important as they will set the tone for the church year and provide a communications conduit between committees and ministry teams.
All other positions, including administrative staff, shall be included in the annual church operational plan.
ARTICLE IV — CHURCH COUNCILS
A. Strategic Planning Council
The Strategic Planning Council will look to the upcoming ministry needs and future trends at Bonaire First Baptist Church and the surrounding community. This council will seek for God's wisdom and ways while employing appropriate research for strategic planning at Bonaire First Baptist Church.
The council shall have as its primary considerations physical building plans or remodeling, adding or changing ministries or schedules, and plans and facilities for reaching the Bonaire community and beyond (e.g. church planting). The council will hold regular meetings to be called by the chairman in which they will be in a season of prayer and study. In all of their plans, they must be vigilant in discovering God's will.
The council will submit plans for strategic ministries and changes before the church at regularly scheduled conferences or called conferences. The church will receive prior notice of at least one week before voting on any proposal from this council.
1. Members and Method of Selection
The Strategic Planning Council shall have seven members. The Senior Pastor, Chairman of Deacons, and five members nominated by the Senior Pastor and Chairman of Deacons and approved by the church at the appointed conference. The five members who are approved by the church shall serve two-year terms.
2. Officers and Meetings
The Senior Pastor shall serve as chairman of the council and the Chairman of Deacons shall serve as the council's spokesman at church conferences. Meetings will be quarterly or as needed during special projects. The chairman, in consultation with the other members, shall set the meeting times and places.
B. Education Council
The Education Council shall be comprised of key leaders in the educational ministries of Bonaire First Baptist Church. These members should be persons who meet the qualifications of II Timothy 2:15. They shall have the responsibility of planning and implementing the educational ministries within the purposes of the church. The council will also submit budget proposals for the education ministries of the church. The scope of this council will include all small group studies both at the church campus and in the neighborhoods (e.g. cell-group studies) as well as the publication of educational materials (e.g. online courses).
1. Members
The regular members of the Educational Council shall consist of the Minister of Education, Ex Officio members: Senior Pastor and Associate Pastors and a minimum of three members nominated by the Minister of Education to the Nominating Committee for approval at the next appointed conference. These members shall be chosen from the active teachers within the church's volunteer leaders.
2. Officers and Meetings
The Minister of Education shall be the chairman of the council. The council shall meet at least twice a year as determined by the chairman.
C. Ministry and Special Events Coordination Council
The purpose of this council shall be to insure communication and cooperation among all the ministries and events of the church. This will help the church avoid calendar conflicts of schedules and resources, while encouraging mutual support from all committees and teams for each other.
1. Members and Selection.
The members of this council shall be the Minister of Education, the Associate Pastors and the chairmen of other councils and committees selected by the nominating committee and approved by the church at a regular church conference.
2. Officers and Meetings
The Minister of Education shall serve as chairman. The chairman shall designate a member of the council to serve as secretary. It shall be the responsibility of this council to present a short-range and long-range calendar at the quarterly Deacons meeting (the "reports" meeting attended by the committee leaders). This council shall meet at least one week prior to the Deacons meeting to prepare the calendars. The chairman and assistant chairman will set the schedule for regular meetings and called special meetings.
ARTICLE V — CHURCH COMMITTEES
A. Finance Committee
The Finance Committee shall be led by the church treasurer. This committee shall be responsible to the church and directly accountable to the Deacons and Senior Pastor to guide the church in sound financial management.
1. Responsibilities
The Finance Committee shall have four primary tasks:
a. The committee shall seek input from staff, committees, and the Deacons to prepare the proposed budget for the next year. This committee shall seek to prioritize the budget to be consistent with church policy and purpose. The church shall receive the budget in writing at least one week prior to the December church conference.
b. The finance committee shall work with the staff and appointed Deacon to accomplish all accounting issues which are required to operate the church and comply with government regulations. These individuals shall guard the financial integrity of the church's finance and cash flow.
c. The finance committee will submit a printed monthly report to the church and a quarterly report to the Deacons.
d. The finance committee will maintain a digital pictorial inventory file of all equipment owned by the church that exceed $250.00 in value. This inventory file will be stored in the church office on the Financial Secretary’s personal computer. Church staff and ministry teams will submit a description and a picture of any item purchased for the church, that exceeds $250.00 in value, to the Financial Secretary to be added to the digital pictorial inventory file.
e. The church will establish a Contingency Fund in the initial amount of $25,000.00 to be updated as needed in the annual budget. This fund will be administered by the Senior Pastor, the Chairman of the Deacons, the Vice Chairman of the Deacons, the Treasurer and the Assistant Treasurer. This fund is for emergency expenses that occur which are not covered in the individual line items of the annual budget. Any requests for expenditures from this fund must be submitted in writing to one of the five Administrators and approved by majority vote of the Administrators prior to the funds being disbursed.
2. Members and Selection
The Finance Committee shall consist of the treasurer, assistant-treasurer, and one other person. This committee shall be selected by the Nominating Committee and approved by the church.
B. Building and Grounds
The Building and Grounds Committee shall assist the church in matters relating to church properties.
1. Responsibilities
Building and Grounds will have the following general responsibilities:
a. Building and Grounds shall maintain all physical church properties through regularly scheduled preventive maintenance and the repair of all church buildings. This committee shall maintain the grounds in a way in which they deem most expedient.
b. Building and Grounds shall meet with the Deacons and staff on a quarterly basis to give updates concerning their work and to help coordinate the Building and Grounds needs for various ministries and special events.
2. Officers and Selection
The Building and Grounds Committee shall be comprised of no fewer than seven members. If one of the members is not a Deacon, one will be appointed. These individuals shall be nominated to the church by the Nominating Committee and approved at the appointed church conference. The committee shall choose its own officers.
3. Meetings
The Building and Grounds Committee shall meet as often as the chairman and the other members deem necessary to perform their tasks. The chairman shall call the meetings and give adequate notice of such meetings. The chairman, or a person designated by the chairman, shall meet with the Deacons at the quarterly report meeting. The committee may organize and delegate in any way which is consistent with the church's mission and which helps the committee accomplish its responsibilities.
C. Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall select and nominate to the church all those persons required by these bylaws to include lay-positions only. This committee shall also be responsible for selecting team leaders and all ministry leaders (e.g. WMU Director, Brotherhood Director, etc.) not specified in these bylaws. The chairman of the committee shall submit the nominations at the appointed conference. Subsequently, any vacancies not filled or those created by an officer stepping down shall be filled by the Nominating Committee at the first available church conference
1. Members and Selection
The members of the Nominating Committee shall be nominated by the Senior Pastor for the church's approval. The Associate Pastor of Education shall serve as a member of this committee.
2. Officers and Meetings
The Nominating Committee shall select its own chairman. The committee shall meet as required to accomplish its task. The chairman shall call the meetings and give adequate notice to all members.
D. Personnel Committee
The Personnel Committee shall work on behalf of the church to call vocational staff members who shall serve Christ at Bonaire First Baptist Church. This committee shall assist the Senior Pastor in implementing policy and procedures, evaluating present staff, and hiring new staff.
1. Responsibilities
The Personnel Committee shall be responsible to the church body for the following functions:
a. The committee will call qualified individuals to fill all vocational staff vacancies. This shall not include the Senior Pastor or contractual workers who shall be engaged by other committees or leaders (e.g. cleaning contractors).
b. The committee shall receive resignations from paid staff and act upon the recommendation of the Senior Pastor as to the dismissal of vocational staff.
c. The committee shall receive written recommendations from the Associate Pastors and appointed Directors in the ongoing evaluation of the vocational staff. The committee shall provide written yearly evaluations of all vocational staff. This evaluation shall be considered in the adjustment of compensation for the following year.
d. The committee shall provide a projected budget as required each year to the Finance Committee. This budget shall include salary adjustments, bonuses, and any projected additional salaries.
e. The committee shall propose any new staff positions to the church for its approval during church conference. The committee is not authorized to create new positions without church approval. The committee shall not enact raises without going through the budget process.
2. Members and Selection
The Personnel Committee shall be comprised of three Ex Officio members: Senior Pastor, Treasurer, and Vice-Chairman of Deacons and four members nominated by the Nominating Committee and approved by the church in conference.
3. Officers and Meetings
The Senior Pastor shall serve as chairman. The committee shall meet as necessary to accomplish its Committee to review them at least two months before the next church budget is due for consideration. The chairman of the committee shall appoint the times the committee shall meet.
ARTICLE VIII— CHURCH POLICY MANUALS AND PROCEDURES
A. Annual Church Operational Plan
The Annual Church Operational Plan should be submitted by the Senior Pastoral staff to the Elders before he beginning of the Fiscal year. Upon approval by the Elders, the Annual Church Operational Plan shall be submitted to the church for approval at the same time the Annual Church Budget is presented. The Annual Church Operational Plan shall include the ministry calendar and goals for the upcoming church year. It shall also include all resources needed to accomplish these goals.
B. General
A policy manual for all the major ministry areas of Bonaire First Baptist Church shall be kept the church office and made available to members.
1. Responsible Committees
The following ministries shall present policy manuals for the inspection of church members or other appropriate agencies:
a. Personnel Committee
b. Finance Committee
c. Building and Grounds Committee
d. General Church Administration
e. Children's and Youth Ministries
2. These manuals shall be maintained in a binder that shall remain in the church office. These manuals shall be available for congregational review, and suggested changes may be made through the Elders or Deacons.
C. Procedures for Distribution of Assets Upon Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of Bonaire First Baptist Church, Inc. due to any cause, the assets shall be distributed as follows:
1. All debts shall be paid in full.
2. All property owned by the church shall be sold or donated upon the recommendation of the Elders and Deacons and approved by the church.
3. If sufficient funds remain, church employees shall be considered for a severance package as recommended by the Personnel Committee and approved by the church.
4. Remaining funds shall be distributed upon the recommendation of the Board of Elders and approval by the church to one or more Southern Baptist organizations which qualify as an exempt organization as described in Sections 501 (c) (3) and 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or the corresponding provision of any prior or future law.
ARTICLE IX — ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
A. Adoption
These bylaws shall be adopted if two-thirds (2/3) of the members present vote to adopt them at the church conference at which they are submitted for adoption.
B. Amendment.
These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting at any properly called church conference. Any proposal to change these bylaws should be referred to the Senior Pastor and Elders for approval prior to its presentation to the church. The presentation to the church should be in written form and distributed at least one month prior to a vote on the amendment.
C. Repeal and Replacement
Any proposal to repeal or replace the constitution and bylaws should be presented to the Elders and Deacons for prayerful consideration. Upon recommendation from the Elders and Deacons, the proposal should be presented in written form to the congregation at least one month prior to a vote on the proposal. A vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present is required to approve a proposal to repeal or replace the constitution and bylaws.
D. Copy of Bylaws
A copy of these bylaws, as revised, shall at all times be kept with the records of the church and all amendments to or alterations to thereof shall, after passage, be prepared in a type-written form and attached to the copy of these bylaws so kept. This shall also apply to any resolution passed for the permanent or temporary government of the church.