CARBC CONSTITUTION
Adopted April 1993
Amended February 2008
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, 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, three Council members at large will be elected at 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-0ne 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.