CONSTITUTION
Revision 2  -  Adopted August 9, 2017
Preamble
We, the members of the Concord Baptist Church, in order to preserve and secure the principles of our faith and in order that this body may be governed in an orderly manner, do hereby declare and establish this constitution.

 I.  NAME
This body shall be known as CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH, INC., OF CLERMONT, GEORGIA.

II. DOCTRINE
This Church accepts the Scriptures as its sole authority in matters of faith, practice, membership and employment.

We believe in the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments, as inspired by God, inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority of faith and life.  {Psalm 119:105; Matthew 4:14; Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32, 20:31; Acts 20:32; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21}

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  {Genesis 1:1, 26; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1, 3, 3:16-17, 4:24, 14:16-18; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2}

We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. {Genesis 1:26, 2:17, 3:1-24, 5:1-2; Isaiah 53:6, 59:2; Romans 3:23}

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. {Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 14:62; Luke 1:26-33; Romans 9:5}

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative, substitutionary and complete sacrifice; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood. {Isaiah 53:5, 12; Matthew 20:28; John 3:14, 16; Romans 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:28}

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His present life as High Priest and Advocate. {Psalm 16:10, 68:18; Mark 16:19; John 5:24, 30, 8:12, 19:33, 20:19-28; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:17, 4:14-15, 5:5-6, 7:24-27, 9:15}

We believe salvation is based on faith in Jesus Christ alone and that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God, saved eternally.  {Mark 16:16; John 1:12, 3:16, 14:6, 16-17, 26; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:17, 5:10-11, 8:9-11, 10:9; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25}

We believe in the priesthood of the believer and have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.  {1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Galatians 5:22-26; 1 Peter 2:9}

We believe in "that blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and the rapture of the church.  {Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:2, 3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28}

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.  {Matthew 16:27; Philippians 3:20, 21; I Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1}

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church; Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of God the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.  We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death.  We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. {Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26}

III.  SOCIAL LIFESTYLE

Section I.  Marriage
We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a covenant commitment for a lifetime.  The Church does not condone or recognize any alternative definition of marriage, nor permit staff members to perform such ceremonies, nor allow the use of Church property or resources for such ceremonies.  (Genesis 2:18-24, Hebrews 13:4)

Section  II.  Sexuality
We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between one man and one woman who are married to each   other.  On the authority of Scripture we believe any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexual or bisexual conduct, polygamy, pedophilia, bestiality, incest, pornography, or attempts to change one’s biological sex, to be sinful and offensive to God and is not to be condoned or accepted among Church members or employees.  (1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

IV.  CHURCH COVENANT

Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the well-being of this Church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expense of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred, and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to seek God’s help in abstaining from all drugs, food, drink, pornography and other practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or another’s faith; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, secured without delay, according to the Word of God.

If for any reason we are unable to maintain our fellowship with this Church, we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church.

                                             
V.  POLITY

The government of this Church is vested in the body of believers who compose it.  It is not subject to the control of any other ecclesiastical body, but it recognizes and sustains the intent of mutual cooperation with other churches that share the same beliefs.  Insofar as we are in agreement, this Church will cooperate with and support the Chattahoochee Baptist Association, the Georgia Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.

BYLAWS    -    VI.  MEMBERSHIP

Section 2.  Membership
A person may offer himself or herself as a candidate for membership in this Church at any regular worship service or privately to the pastor and complete the following requirements:

Make a public profession of faith and be baptized according to the doctrine of this Church
OR
Upon a statement of a prior conversion experience and baptism by immersion
AND
2.   Make a commitment, in writing, to the Church Covenant and Doctrine, as stated in the Constitution, and also receive New Member instruction.

After meeting these requirements, the person will be presented to the church as a member of Concord Baptist Church.  Any dissent may be made to Pastoral Staff at any time after a person has requested membership but no later than 7 days after the person has been presented to the Church.  The Pastoral Staff will make a recommendation to the Church within 30 days at which time there will be a three-fourths vote of those members present and voting required to elect such candidates to membership.

IV.  CHURCH COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the well-being of this Church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expense of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred, and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to seek God’s help in abstaining from all drugs, food, drink, pornography and other practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or another’s faith; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, secured without delay, according to the Word of God.

If for any reason we are unable to maintain our fellowship with this Church, we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church.