CARBC ARTICLES OF FAITH

Adopted April 5-7, 1988 at Lancaster CA

Amended April 26, 1995 at Martinez CA

I.  THE SCRIPTURES

We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily inspired (1) and is the product of Spirit-controlled men (2), and therefore is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks (3). We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions shall be tried, because it is God’s word4.

1. II Tim 3:16-17  2. II Pet 1:19-21  3. Jn 10:35  4. I Thess 2:13

II.  THE TRUE GOD

We believe there is one and only one living and true God (1), an infinite Spirit (2), the Maker and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth (3), inexpressibly glorious in holiness (4), and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love (5); that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (6).

1. Deut 6:4; I Cor 8:6; Ex 20:2-3  2. Jn 4:24  3. Gen 1:1  4. I Pet 1:16  5. Rev 4:11  6. II Cor 13:14; I Cor 12:4-6

III.  THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person (1), equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature (2), that He was active in the creation (3); that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (4); that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony (5); that He is the Agent in the new birth (6); that He seals (7), endues (8), guides (9), teaches (10), witnesses (11), sanctifies (12), fills (13), baptizes (14), and helps the believer (15).

1. Lk 1:35; II Cor 3:18  2. Matt 28:19; Heb 9:14  3. Gen 1:1-3  4. Jn 16:8-11  5. Ac 5:30-32  6. Jn 3:5-6  7. Eph 1:13-14 

8. Lk 24:49; Ac 1:8; I Cor 12:4,11  9. Rom 8:14  10. Jn 14:26  11. Rom 8:16  12. Rom 8:2-14  13. Eph 5:18; Gal 5:17 

14. I Cor 12:12-13; Gal 3:27  15. Rom 8:26-27; Jn 14:16-17

IV.  THE DEVIL, OR SATAN

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel (1) but through pride and rebellion (2) became the enemy of his Creator (3); that he became the unholy god of this age (4) and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire (5).

1. Ezek 28:12-17  2. Isa 14:12-15  3. Matt 4:1-11  4. II Cor 4:4  5. Rev 20:10

V.  CREATION

We believe the Biblical account of creation of the physical universe, angels, and man (1); that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate, creative acts of God without any evolutionary process (2); that man was created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race (3).

1. Gen 1, 2  2. Col 1:16-17; Jn 1:3  3. Matt 19:4; I Tim 2:13

VI.  THE FALL OF MAN

We believe that man was created in innocence (in the image and likeness of God) under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state (1), and all men sinned in him (2), in consequence of which all men are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct (3), and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse (4).

1. Gen 3:1-6  2. Rom 5:12-19  3. Rom 3:9-18,23  4. Rom 1:18-32

VII.  THE VIRGIN BIRTH

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of woman (1), and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son (2).

1. Isa 7:14; Matt 1:18-25; Lu 1:26-35  2. Jn 1:1,3,14,18; I Jn 1:3

VIII.  SALVATION

We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (1), Who, by the appointment of the Father, voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior (2); that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin (3); that His sacrifice consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree (4); that having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation (5). Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith (6).

1. Eph 2:8; Ac 15:11; Rom 3:24-25  2. Phil 2:7-8  3. II Cor 5:21; Rom 3:25; 5:8; I Jn 4:10  4. Heb 2:14-17; Isa 53:4-7;

I Cor 15:3; I Pet 2:24  5. Jn 3:16; Rom 10:9-10  6. Acts 17:30; 26:20; II Pet 3:9

IX.  RESURRECTION AND PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and in His ascension into Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest interceding for us.

Matt 28:6-7; Lu 24:39; Jn 20:27; I Cor 15:4; Mk 16:6; Lk 24:2-6,51; Ac 1:9-11; Heb 7:25; 12:2; I Tim 2:5;

I Jn 2:1; Heb 2:17

X.  GRACE AND THE NEW BIRTH

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again 91); that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus (2); that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God (3); that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner above and beyond our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth (4), so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life.

1. Jn 3:3  2. II Cor 5:17  3. I Jn 5:1; Ac 16:20-33; II Pet 1:4; Rom 6:23; Eph 2:1,5; Col 2:13  4. Jn 3:8

XI.  JUSTIFICATION

We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ (1); that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done (2), but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood (3).

1. Rom 3:20,24  2. Rom 3:20; 4:5; Gal 2:16  3. Rom 5:1,9

XII.  THE FREENESS OF SALVATION

We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel (1); that it is the immediate duty of everyone to accept them in repentance and faith (2); and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel (3), which rejection involves him in an eternal condemnation and torment (4).

1. Rev 22:17; Rom 1:16; Jn 3:15-16; Rom 10:13  2. Ac 17:30; Jn 3:36; II Thess 1:7-8  3. Jn 1:11-12; 3:18-19,36; 5:40

  4. II Thess 1:8-9

XIII.  SANCTIFICATION

We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior (1); second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life (2); third, the final accomplishment of this process at the Lord’s return (3).

1. Heb 10:10-14; Jn 17:17-19; I Cor 1:2,30; 6:9-11  2. II Cor 3:18; 7:1; Eph 5:25-27; I Thess 3:12-13; 4:3-8 

3. I Thess 3:12-13; 5:23-24 Jude 24-25; Phil 3:10-14

XIV.  THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ.

John 6:39; 10:28-29; Rom 8:31-39; Heb 7:23-25; I Pet 1:3-5

XV.  THE CHURCH

We believe that a local church is an organized congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel (1); observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word (2); that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures (3). We believe that any believer who has been divorced because he committed adultery or secured a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility is immediately disqualified to be either a pastor or deacon (this only addresses two areas of disqualification and is not to be understood as a final or conclusive statement).

We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity (4). We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit (5); that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel (6); that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation, that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. We believe in the unity of all New Testament believers in the church, which is the Body of Christ (7).

1. Ac 2:41; 20:17,28; Phil 2:1-2  2. Ac 2:41-42; Eph 4:11-16  3. I Tim 1:18-19; 3:1-13,15; 4:1-16; 5:1,3,17-22;

6:11-21; II Tim 2; 4:1-2; Tit 1:5-9; I Pet 5:1-4; Heb 13:7,17  4. Matt 28:18; Ac 1:8; Eph 4:11-12; Rev 22:16-17 

5. Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:18  6. Ac 15:1-2, 19-29; Col 4:15-17  7. I Cor 12:12-13; Eph 4:1-6; Rom 12:4-5

XVI.  BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privilege of church membership (1).

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lord’s Supper, and that participants in the Lord’s Supper should be immersed believers (.)

1. Ac 8:36-39; Rom 6:3-6; Col 2:12; Matt 28:18-20; Ac 2:41  2. I Cor 11:23-30; Ac 2:42; 20:7

XVII.  SEPARATION

We believe that God’s call to holiness includes both personal and ecclesiastical separation. We believe in separation from joint ministry with unbelief and apostasy (1). We believe separation also should be exercised from heretical believers who hold the following peculiar opinions and practices which are divisive; (a) unsound Bible interpretations which promote false doctrine (2); (b) faulty practices inconsistent with clear Bible teachings (3); (c) worldly or immoral lifestyles contrary to the principles of holiness (4); and (d) a sectarian spirit destructive to Christian unity (5).

1. II Cor 6:14-7:1; II Jn 9-11; Eph 5:11; Phil 3:17-19  2. II Tim 6:3-5; 2:15-18  3. I Cor 5:11; II Thess 3:6-15 

4. I Cor 5:9-11  5. Rom 16:17; I Cor 1:10-11; 3:1-4

XVIII.  CIVIL GOVERNMENT

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society (1); that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed (2), except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings (3).

1. Rom 13:1-7; II Sam 23:3; Ex 18:21-22  2. Matt 22:21; I Tim 2:1-4 3. Ac 5:29; 4:19-20; Dan 3:17-18

XIX.  ISRAEL

We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant people (1), that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ (2), and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ (3).

1. Gen 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-22  2. Deut 28:62-68; Rom 9:1-13, 30-33; 10:1-4, 16-21  3. Deut 30:1-3;

Ezek 37:1-28; Rom 11

XX.  RAPTURE AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

We believe in the premillennial return of Christ, an event which can occur at any moment (1), and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death (2), and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of the Tribulation (3). We believe that the Tribulation, which follows the rapture of the church, will be culminated by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom (4).

1. I Cor 15:51-52; Jms 5:7-8; Phil 3:20; I Pet 4:7  2. I Thess 4:13-18; I Cor 15:42-44, 53-54; Phil 3:21  3. Rev 3:10;

I Thess 1:10; 5:2-5, 9-11 4. Isa 9:6-7; Lk 1:30-33; Matt 24:29-31; Ac 2:29-30; II Thess 1:3-10

XXI.  THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked (1); that only those who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem (2); while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse (3); and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the Lake of Fire (4).

1. Mal 3:18; Gen 18:23-32; Rom 2:5-11; Prov 15:9  2. Rom 3:19-26; 4:4-5; 6:17-18  3. I Jn 5:19; Jn 3:18,36 

4. Lk 16:22-26; Matt 25:31-46; Rev 20:11-15

INFORMATION

CARBC Council of 15 (2009)

Chairman: Bruce McLain, Pine Grove Baptist Church, Santa Maria, brucemclain@juno.com

Vice-Chair: Ron Graham, Faith Baptist Church, Visalia, rgraham@fbcvisalia.org

Secretary: Ray Smith, Clear Lake Baptist Church, Lakeport, PastorRay@mchsi.com

Treasurer: Shawn Hull, Grace Baptist Church, Redding, smhull2@yahoo.com

Roger McCarty, First Baptist Community Church, Los Gatos, firstpastor@aol.com

David Powell, Sunnyside Baptist Church, Fresno, rdavidpow@aol.com

Chips Ross, Forest Ranch Baptist Church, Forest Ranch, chippychoppy@juno.com

Paul Radobenko, Grace Baptist Church, Yuba City, pbenko@syix.com

Kevin Robinson, Berean Fellowship Baptist Church, Hemet, kevrev@bfbchemet.com

David Wilcox, Grace Baptist Church, Redding, davebarbwilcox@gmail.com

Herb Rogers, Crest Avenue Baptist Church, Riverside, rogeh5@aol.com

Chris Law, First Baptist Church, Cambria, chris@fbccambria.org

Kiyle Decker, Grace Baptist Church, Eureka, kiyle@gbceureka.com

Program Committee: Ron Graham, Paul Radobenko, Chris Law, Ray Smith, Herb Rogers

Church Relations, Church Plant Fund: David Powell

Communications: Kevin Robinson, Gary Worsham

WBHM: Bruce McLain, Chairman; Roger McCarty, Chips Ross

The California Messenger: Gary Worsham, Chips Ross

Historian: David Wilcox

Southern CA Representative: Herb and Marie Rogers, rogeh5@aol.com

Helpful Numbers and Links

Mission Agencies

Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, abwe.org

Baptist Mid-Missions, bmm.org

Continental Baptist Missions, cbmoffice.org

Evangelical Baptist Missions, ebm.org

Southwest Baptist Home Missions,  310-327-2040

Southwest Impact Missions, pamaandfritz@aol.com

Western Baptist Home Mission, Ron Schrock, carbcrep@gmail.com

Organizations

Baptist Church Planters, bcpusa.org

Regular Baptist Press, regularbaptistpress.org

Colleges

Baptist Bible College & Seminary, bbc.edu

Corban College, corban.edu

Cedarville University, cedarville.edu

Faith Baptist Bible College & Theological Seminary, faith.edu

Northwest Baptist Seminary, nbs.edu

Piedmont Bible College & Graduate School, 800-937-5097

Shasta Bible College, shasta.edu

Camps

Victory Ranch Christian Camp, vranch.org

Pilot Lake Christian Camp, pilotlake.org

Ministry Helps

J. Don Jennings, holyhelps.com; drdonjennings.com

Balanced Evangelism, Pete Mothershead, balancedevangelism.org

We are associated with the

General Association

of Regular Baptist Churches

Home Office:

1300 N. Meacham Road

Schaumburg IL 60173-4806

Phone: 888-588-1600

Fax:  847-843-3757

Dr. John Greening,

GARBC National Representative

garbc.org

CARBC CONSTITUTION

Adopted April 1993

Amended February 2008

Amended April 14, 2010

ARTICLE I: NAME

California Association of Regular Baptist Churches

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

This fellowship exists for the purpose of glorifying God by maintaining an Association of sovereign, Bible believing, Christ-honoring Baptist churches; promoting the spirit of evangelism and the spread of the gospel; encouraging the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry in order to build up the Body of Christ; advancing educational, social and missionary enterprises; and raising and maintaining a testimony to the truth of the gospel and to the purity of the church.

ARTICLE III: MEETINGS

A meeting of the Association shall be held annually for the transaction of business, and for the conducting of a Bible and missionary conference at a date and place to be fixed by the Council of the Association.

ARTICLE IV: ASSOCIATED AND

FELLOWSHIPPING CHURCHES

Section 1.

Any Baptist church in California or a bordering state which is not a member or organizationally a part of any other denomination, fellowship of churches or religious organization that is not in essential agreement with our doctrinal position, and which church subscribes to our Constitution and Articles of Faith may become an associated or a fellowshipping church. Each church must have the word “Baptist” in either its name or a publicized sub-title to its name.

An associated church has full privilege of participation in the Association, including sending voting messengers to all meetings. A fellowshipping church will normally receive notices of Association activities and interests but does not have the right of vote in the decisions of the Association.

Section 2.

To form either of the above relationships with the Association, the procedure begins by securing a copy of the application, Articles of Faith, and Constitution (available from the Chairman or Secretary of the CARBC Council). After confirming from these documents the desire of the submitting church, continue with Section 3 for affiliation or Section 5 for fellowship.

Section 3.

Churches applying for association (with voting privilege) must be recognized as compatible by one of the following procedures:

(1) A newly organized church must invite the pastors and messengers of several nearby Regular Baptist churches to sit as a recognition council, on a certain date, to determine that the church’s position and doctrinal statement are compatible with the CARBC. If they do so determine they will certify this to the Secretary of the CARBC Council. This certification is a prerequisite of association.

(2) An established church (one which has been operating for a period of five or more years) may be certified by a committee of at least three associated pastors and at least one member of the CARBC Council.

Section 4.

When a church applying for association has been certified it sends the completed application, authorized by vote of the congregation and signed by the moderator of the meeting at which the vote to seek association was made and the clerk of the church, to the Secretary of the CARBC Council. The Secretary, when he is in possession of both the certification and the properly prepared and signed application, will present the application to the Council and the Council may recommend that the church be received, normally at the next meeting of the assembled messengers of the churches.

Section 5.

A church applying only for fellowship status may be certified by the same procedure as described in Section 3, paragraph 2 above, except that a minimum of two Regular Baptist pastors, one of whom is a member of the CARBC Council, is sufficient. Their application may be signed by any two of the following: the pastor, church clerk, or chairman of the board of deacons or elders. The application is sent to the Secretary of the CARBC Council. He will present it to the CARBC Council, which may receive the church into fellowship status.

Section 6.

Each associated church is expected to actively participate in the Association by being regularly represented at Association meetings, showing favor toward the CARBC, upholding its Articles of Faith, carrying a share of its financial burden and cooperating in the minimal necessary administrative matters of the Association. It is also encouraged to provide annual statistical reports when requested and to nominate men for the CARBC Council.

Section 7.

Each associated church is entitled to be represented at each Association meeting by its pastor and up to four voting messengers.

Section 8.

Any associated church may withdraw from the Association at any time and for any reason sufficient to itself. In conformity to historic Baptist principles, the property rights of such a church can in no way be legally prejudiced or endangered by such withdrawal. Christian kindness would suggest that the reason for withdrawing be given to the Secretary of the CARBC Council in writing, but that is not required.

Section 9.

Any associated or fellowshipping church which is shown of certainty to be no longer in agreement with the Constitution and/or Articles of Faith of the Association will be dropped from association or fellowship by majority vote of the messengers at any Association meeting. It is the responsibility of the CARBC Council to investigate any allegation that this action is necessary and make recommendation to the Association if they determine that it is so. Every critical factor shall be verified by two or more witnesses.

ARTICLE V: AGENCIES APPROVED BY THE CARBC

Any agency desiring CARBC approval must apply and be visited by no less than three duly elected Council members. If there is a recommendation by the whole Council through a majority vote, the agency is to be presented to the churches at the state meeting for approval. To maintain this approval, a brief form must be submitted and voted upon by the churches at the annual meeting once every three years. Any agency approval by one of the three regional fellowships, and any agency which is operated exclusively by CARB churches, the board of which is composed solely of members of CARB churches and elected by CARB churches shall automatically be an approved agency of the CARBC.

ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION

Section 1.

The officers of the Association shall consist of a CARBC Council of up to fifteen men (pastors and/or laymen of member churches) elected for a term of two years. No one shall be allowed to serve more than three terms as a Council member without the lapse of at least one year before being eligible for re-election.

Section 2.

Each of the three regional Associations (Central, Northern, and Southern) shall select three Council members in the manner each Association chooses. At least three months prior to the CARBC Associational meetings each region will declare the names of the regional Council members. The term for all Council members begins at the time of the annual meeting. The Executive Committee will recommend names from the state for election at the annual meeting when a region is not able to meet its quota.

Section 3.

In addition, up to three Council members at large will be elected by the CARBC Association at the annual meetings each year. At least one month prior to the annual Association meeting, each church shall be asked to forward to the Secretary of the Association up to six names of men to be given to a Nominating Committee appointed by the Council. The Nominating Committee will present a ballot of nominees at the annual meeting.

Section 4.

In the event that vacancies occur in the CARBC Council during the tenure of office of any of its members, the nominees having received the next highest number of votes at the preceding Associational meeting shall fill the next unexpired terms of office. It shall be the responsibility of the CARBC Council to determine when such vacancies do exist and to notify eligible successors.

Section 5.

The CARBC Council shall meet in connection with the annual meeting of the Association and at such other times as they may determine. Special meetings may be called by any three members of the Council. The presence of fifty-one percent of the Council members shall constitute a quorum. It is understood that the Association treasury will reimburse the members of the Council for normal expenses incurred while performing Association business.

ARTICLE VII: DUTIES OF THE CARBC COUNCIL

Section 1.

The CARBC Council shall exercise administrative authority over all Association employees, functions, publications, and editorial policy; educative oversight for development and handling of spiritual emphases, positional resolutions and contemporary issues; fiscal authority over employees’ salaries, Association receipts, expenditures and accounting procedures; and advisory responsibility, when requested, for dealing with pastoral or church problems. The Council will also maintain an updated list of fellowshipping churches.

Section 2.

The CARBC Council shall establish the dates and the locations for all statewide meetings, and fix the amounts of speaker honorariums as is appropriate; and shall select the laymen of the year and present their awards as they see fit.

Section 3.

The CARBC Council shall maintain updated job descriptions for each position with the Council.

Section 4.

Members of the Council shall constitute the Pastoral Relations Committee, with four primary functions: (1) The Council members shall watch for open pulpits in their assigned area, offering assistance to those churches in securing pastoral candidates if so desired. (2) In cases of church difficulties, Council members may, upon invitation from the pastor or the church, serve as impartial advisors with the intent of seeking a resolution to the difficulty at hand. (3) Council members shall take the lead in encouraging new pastors in the fellowship, as well as in cultivating friendship with and encouraging pastors who might be interested in leading their churches to declare their fellowship with the Association. (4) Council members shall exercise a measure of watchcare in cases where severe illness or tragedy has struck pastors in the fellowship, making their prayer need known to the Association constituency. In every opportunity for service, the Pastoral Relations Committee will function in an advisory capacity claiming no hierarchical authority over the churches.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the messengers present and voting, provided the proposed amendment shall have been presented in writing at the previous annual meeting of the Association.

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