International Christian Fellowship
Sunday, May 20, 2012
...a church in warsaw on a mission.

Our Constitution

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
PROPOSED CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS -- March 11, 1999
 
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this church shall be International Christian Fellowship.
 
 
ARTICLE II. STATEMENT OF FAITH
 
A. Regarding How We Believe:
 
1. In the essential beliefs we have unity.
"There is one Body and one Spirit ... there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all..." (Eph. 4:4-6).
 
2. In the non-essential beliefs we have diversity.
"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters ... Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls ... So then each of us will give an account of himself to God ... So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." (Rom. 14:1-22).
 
3. In all our beliefs we show charity.
"... If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (I Cor. 13:2).
 
 
B. Regarding What We Believe: (the Essentials)
We are committed to the doctrines which are commonly considered as the essentials of historic, Biblical orthodoxy. Such doctrines are found in the Apostle's, Athanasius, and Nicene Creeds. As members of this church, we believe in the following statement of faith:
 
1. There is one living and true God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that he has revealed Himself to be perfect in love, holiness and righteousness; that He created all, and upholds all, and governs all.     
 
2. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross for the just and the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He rose from the dead according to the scriptures. He is now at the right hand of God, the majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish his kingdom of righteousness and peace.
 
3. The Holy Spirit is a divine person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, comfort, empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment.
 
4. The Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for men (men and women): they constitute the divine, infallible and only true rule for Christian faith and practice.
 
5. Man (men and women) was originally created in the image and likeness of God: he fell through disobedience, rebelling against God, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. Men and women are now fallen in nature and evidence this condition in sinful deeds. They are therefore sinners by nature and choice and under condemnation, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. the portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment: and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.
 
6. Salvation has been provided by Jesus Christ for all men (men and women); and those who repent and believe in him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become children of God.
 
7. It is the will of God that each believer be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, being separate from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.
 
8. The Church consists of those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the Gospel to all nations. The local Church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclaiming of the Gospel, the observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
 
9. Personally and visible, Jesus Christ will return to earth to raise the dead, judge the world, consummate His glorious kingdom and bestow eternal blessing on the righteous. This is the hope of the Church.
 
10. There shall be bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life, for the latter, a resurrection unto judgement.   
 
 
Therefore we exist to:
 
ARTICLE III. PURPOSE
 
A.         EXALT God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
(Deut. 6:5; 10:12; Ps. 51:17; 63:4; 95:1-6; 149:3; Mt. 22:37,38;
Rom. 12:1; Rev. 4:11)
 
B.         ESTABLISH a caring community of believers.
            (Mt.18:19,20; 22:39; Acts 2:42-46; Rom. 15:7; Col. 3:13,14;
            1Tim. 2:1,2)
 
C.         EQUIP the believer for effective ministry.
(Matt. 28:20; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Cor. 12:4-7; John 14:12; Eph. 4:11,12).
 
D.         EDIFY the community through service.
(Math. 5:16; 1 Tim. 6:18; Heb. 10:24; Jas. 2:17; 1 Pet. 2:12)
 
E.         EXTEND the good news of Jesus Christ to the world.
(1Cor. 9:22,23; Jn. 3:16; Mt. 28:18-20).
 
 
Therefore we value:
 
ARTICLE IV. VALUES
 
A. The unchurched and pre-Christian.
We believe the church is the only organization that exists for its non-members. We will endeavor to create a spiritually and psychologically safe environment for the unchurched that provides the anonymity, time and terminology required for them to make an accurate consideration of the claims of Christ. Our value for lost people reflects that of Christ Jesus who came to seek and save the lost. This value must be reflected throughout the whole church. (Luke 15)
 
B. The transforming authority of the Bible.
We believe The Bible is the Word of God and has final power and authority to transform lives. The Word of God is foundational to our lives and ministry. Our goal is to understand and apply God' s Word in our lives. Thus, Biblical teaching prioritizes transformation over information.   
 
C. Prayer and a reliance on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
We follow the disciples example who were commanded to pray and wait for the Holy Spirit before going out to make disciples of all nations (Acts 1:8). We hold that prayer and a reliance on the Holy Spirit are foundational for all effective Christian work. This does not conflict with planning and strategizing provided they are done in co-operation with God's Spirit, and in accordance with God's word.
 
D. Small group gathering and larger group celebrative worship services.
International Christian Fellowship consists of both small group gatherings and large group celebrations. Small groups are the primary place for faith discovery, care, support, sharing of God's word. They are not ridged structures but growing "cells" that multiply as God gives growth. Each structure should be emphasized and maintained for a balanced healthy growing church. 
 
E. The presence of God in worship.
We seek a real and genuine presence of God in our worship. Our aim is to lead people into the presence of God in order to glorify God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as He works in the hearts of His people. We promote the freedom to be expressive in worship but reject pressure to conform. Believers are encouraged to worship and experience God in biblical ways with which they feel comfortable, while granting others the same privilege.
 
F. A commitment to excellence.
Excellence is doing the best you can with the resources you have been given, with the aim of reflecting the excellent God we serve. Excellence implies total commitment to God and wise management of all He has given us, whether our time, talents or treasures. Although we strive to do all things well we are willing to be innovative and take calculated risks. We prioritize quality over quantity, and we seek not to initiate a public event without adequate prayer, planning, preparation and practice. We aim to routinely and rigorously evaluate the quality of all leadership and ministry efforts.
 
G. Cultural relevance and contemporary communication.
We believe the message of the Gospel is intended to be contextualized so that it can be understood in any given cultural context. We embrace various expressions of worship to God and proclamation of His truth. Clarity, intelligibility and simplicity are of top priority in the communication process.
 
H. Relational Christianity.
We believe that the Christian faith was founded on quality relationships and spread through relational networks. Our vision is to continue in this pattern. We affirm that the combination of redeemed people and God's word sown in speech and action are the primary means God uses for evangelizing the World and helping believers to grow in faith. We desire to maintain a light hearted element to our relationships and gatherings.
 
I. The ministry of every believer.
Every Christian has a "Divine Design" which is a unique mixing of Spirit imparted gifts, natural passions, temperaments and abilities. This gifting is to be discovered and used to the glory of God, for the building up of the church and the edification of believers. Since we all have different gifts we are fully committed to team ministry and will seek to do and develop all ministries with teams in mind.
 
J. The significance and integrity of each person.
We believe that the church must respect each persons integrity both during the process of making a decision for Christ and in their subsequent journey of faith. We desire an environment that promotes realness and authenticity. Because we are an interdenominational international church, we will endeavor to respect the diversity of culture and Christian tradition. Thus we encourage believers to be tolerant regarding matters of faith that are either clearly culturally bound or widely disputed among Christians.
 
K. Strong family relationships.
We recognize that the family, by God's design, is the building block of every culture. We value and promote biblical, loving relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children.
 
L. A positive emphasis on grace.
We believe, based upon what God has done in Jesus Christ, that our church should provide an environment of love, acceptance and forgiveness. Thus we strive to be positive in our ministry, motivating people to serve the Lord out of love and thankfulness, not guilt or fear. God's grace should lead us to be humble, vulnerable, approachable, open, and teachable.
 
M. Facilitative in leadership.
We have clear lines of authority and a specific mission mandate, vision, philosophy and strategy, yet we are adaptable in how these are worked out, realizing that there are many cultural and personal variables. We are flexible but focused, seeking to empower people to fulfill their calling. We are committed to a team approach to ministry.
 
 
 
ARTICLE V. MISSION
Our mission is:
To present Jesus Christ to the English-speaking community in Warsaw through contemporary worship, relevant teaching and authentic friendships in order that all might know Christ and use their God-given gifts for service in our communities and throughout the world. (Matt 28:18, Matt 22:34)
 
 
ARTICLE VI. AFFILIATION
The International Christian Fellowship is affiliated with Christian Associates International: a church based organization headquartered in the United States (Thousand Oaks, California) and The Netherlands. While being affiliated with Christian Associates International, we are independent and self-governed. We commit to the following covenant with Christian Associates International.
 
A. International Christian Fellowship's commitments to Christian Associates International:
 
1. Carrying out of the mutually agreed philosophy of ministry (vision, purposes, strategy, and values).
 
2. Establishing daughter churches locally with a similar philosophy to International Christian Fellowship.
 
3.     Ongoing assessment of the church based on the five criteria of a High-Impact Church (Linus J. Morris, 1998).
 
1.     Life Transformation: Are lives being transformed by Christ?
2.     Vision Transformation: Are members committed to the Great
Commandment and the Great Commission ?
3.     Growth: A growing Church. This includes growing up, growing together and growing out.
4.     Multiplication: The High-Impact Church multiplies ministers, ministries and leaders.
5.     Reproduction: Sending out trained and equipped people to extend the kingdom of God in other locations.
 
4. Functioning as a training center and model for Christian Associates International church planting teams and interns.
 
5. Financial support of Christian Associates International church planting teams sent out from the church to other locations in Europe identified by Christian Associates International or International Christian Fellowship and agreed upon by both.
 
 
B. Christian Associates International's commitments to International Christian Fellowship:
 
1. Provision of financially-supported staff on an internship and on a limited duration basis, to supplement the resources of the church and to facilitate the vision and values of the church and Christian Associates International.
 
2. Quarterly liaison between Christian Associates International Europe Management team (either the Europe Director or Regional Director) and the International Christian Fellowship's Leadership Board.
 
3. Provision for people to contribute designated funds for the local church to Christian Associates International in the United States, Canada, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
 
4. Staff conferences and other training events which local church staff may participate in.
 
5. The provision of short-term ministry teams as required and/or requested.
 
 
 
 
 
ARTICLE VII. MEMBERSHIP
The church shall receive as members, applicants who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and are manifesting a true Christian life. All applicants must be in agreement with the church's statement of faith, purpose, mission, vision and values and abide by the Membership Covenant.
 
 
ARTICLE VIII. FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year is the calendar year.
 
 
ARTICLE IX. PROPERTY RIGHTS
The church shall have the power to buy, own, and sell real property in its own name. It also reserves the right to acquire by donation or legacy, movable or immovable property.
 
If a division occurs in the church, the name and all property shall be retained by those adhering to the Constitution. If the church ceases to function and its organization is dissolved, the property shall automatically become the property of Chrzescijanska Spolecznosc (Christian Fellowship Church) in Warsaw unless a two-thirds majority of the resident membership agree to sell, lease or donate the property to another church or organization of like-minded principles and faith.
 
 
ARTICLE X. CHURCH GOVERNMENT
 
A. LEADERSHIP BOARD
The church shall be governed by a group of godly individuals (commonly referred to as Elders). The two terms used for Elder in the New Testament are 'presuteros', meaning "someone who is mature in the Lord," and 'episcopos', meaning "to give oversight". These words are used interchangeably in some New Testament passages (Titus 1:5-9; Acts 20:17ff). The first term suggests the character of the Elder and the second suggests the function.
 
Leadership Board members (Elders) are to be people who are seasoned in the Lord and who see things with a spiritually mature perspective. They are to give oversight to the strategic and spiritual vision, priorities, policies and programs of the church. Furthermore, they are to wholeheartedly own and propagate the stated purposes, values and mission of the church.
 
 
B. Senior Pastor
The Senior Pastor is a member of the Leadership Board and is responsible to impart vision and direction to church Leadership Board and staff, and to teach the congregation. The Senior Pastor is responsible to bring initiatives to carry out the purposes, mission and vision of the church. The Senior Pastor participates in mutual accountability of the Leadership Board. The Senior Pastor is one of the plurality of the Leadership Board.
 
 
C. Staff
Under the direction of the Senior Pastor the staff of the church is responsible to implement and lead programs that carry out the purposes, mission and vision of the church on the operational level while
demonstrating the values of the church. Ultimately, the staff are accountable to the Leadership Board for all ministry goals and direction.
 
 
ARTICLE XI. RECORDS AND REPORTS
 
1.     The church shall maintain the following records and reports:
 
a) Adequate and correct books and records of accounts and financial records.
 
b Written minutes of the proceedings in meetings of its members and Leadership Board.
 
c) A record of the members of the church, setting forth the members' names, addresses, phone numbers and any other pertinent information.
 
d) Contribution statements for identified contributors.
 
2. All such records shall be kept at the church's principal office.
 
3. The church shall publish a quarterly record of contributions and budgeted expenses.
The general ledgers and the constitution of the church shall be made available to any sincere inquirer. However, specific details of contributions are not available to any inquirer.
 
4. The church shall do an internal financial audit on a yearly basis by a committee designated by the Leadership Board. The said committee will give a specific report to the Leadership Board and a more general report to the members at the annual membership meeting. 
 
 
ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS
Amendments to this Constitution may be made by approval of the Leadership Board provided the Membership has been given a 30-day notice in writing in order to express itself concerning the proposed amendments at a specifically convened Membership Meeting. However, International Christian Fellowship's Statement of Faith shall not be amended.
 
 
ARTICLE XII. AUTONOMY
 
1. The church is an independent body, free from control or interference from any denomination or organization. The church has the power to manage its own affairs without reference to any foreign or outside authority. It is an International Church for English speaking people living and working in Poland. However, by its own choice it maintains a covenant relationship to Christian Associates International.
 
2. The church is self-governed, self-supported and self-propagating, subject only to its Leadership Board.
 
 
ARTICLE XIV. TRADING
The church will be allowed to sell religious material (including books, tapes, videos etc.) on its premises as a service to its members and visitors.
 
 
ARTICLE XV. PRINCIPLE OFFICE
At present the principle office for the transaction of business of the church are located at ul. Miaczynska 16, 02-637 Warsaw, Poland. At present for our Sunday worship services we are renting facilities at ul. Pulawska 114, 02-620 Warsaw.
 
 
BY-LAWS
 
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
 
Section 1. General
 
Membership in this church shall consist of all persons who have met the qualifications for membership and are listed on the membership role. Members shall be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
 
 
Section 2. Qualifications for Membership
 
1. A personal commitment of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
 
2. Water Baptism.
 
3. Completion of the church's membership class.
 
4. A commitment to abide by the membership covenant.
 
5. All members who are currently active in the church and reside within the church's ministry area shall be on a Membership Roll. This roll shall be updated periodically.
  
 
Section 3. Membership Responsibilities
The responsibilities of members are described in the Membership Covenant.
 
 
Section 4. Voting Rights of Membership
Every Active / Resident Member shall have the right to vote on the following matters: the annual budget of the Church, the disposition of assets of the Church, the merger or dissolution of the Church, the acquisition of immovable property and related indebtedness, and amendments to the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Church. Each member is entitled to one vote. Voting by proxy is prohibited.
 
 
Section 5. Termination of Membership
Members shall be removed from the church roll for the following reasons:
1. Death.
2. Members who have become inactive as a result of moving out of the church's ministry area.
3. Transfer of membership to another church.
4. By personal request of the member.
5. Dismissal by the Leadership Board according to the following conditions:
 
a. The member's life and conduct is not in accordance with the membership covenant in such a way that the member hinders the ministry influence of the church in the community.
 
b. Procedures for the dismissal of a member shall be according to Matthew 18:15-17.
 
 
Section 6. Restoration of Members
Members dismissed by the Leadership Board shall be restored by the Leadership Board according to the spirit of 2 Corinthians 2:7-8 , when their life-styles are judged to be in accordance with the Membership Covenant.
 
 
ARTICLE II. THE LEADERSHIP BOARD
 
Section 1. Qualifications
1. They shall be mature, godly persons who manifest the qualifications stipulated by the Scriptures   (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
 
2. They are to be persons full of faith, sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and who have gifts necessary to serve as leaders.
 
3. They shall be members and regular attendees of the church, and committed to the statements of faith, purpose, mission, values and vision of the church.
 
 
Section 2. Function
1. To guide the spiritual and physical affairs of the church.
 
2. They should be able to teach, for this is part of their calling. The sphere and context of their teaching ministry will be determined by their ability and gifting. Some may teach in support groups, others one-on-one, and still others in the church at large.
 
3. To oversee the carrying out of the church's stated purposes, mission and vision.
 
4. To counsel and discipline persons in the church in accordance with God's Word.
 
5. They are to unanimously discern God's choice for Senior Pastor and to present the Senior Pastor the church body for their affirmation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Section 3. Selection
The Holy Spirit selects persons for leadership and He alone knows their hearts and motives. His choices, however, must be expressed through human agents. Hence, the following process of selecting members for the Leadership Board will be used:
 
1. The Senior Pastor will initiate the process by recommending from the church Membership, new Leadership Board candidates to the existing Leadership Board for prayerful consideration and screening following I Timothy 3:1-7 as a guide.
 
2. These candidates will be contacted as to their availability, qualifications and willingness to serve. Selected materials appropriate to understanding the philosophy of ministry and the task at hand will
be provided.
 
3. Those who respond positively will be presented publicly to the church Membership as Leadership Board candidates. The Membership will be given thirty (30) days to express privately to the existing Leadership Board their affirmations or misgivings, based on Biblical criteria.
 
4. Those who are approved by the Leadership Board and affirmed by the Membership will be publicly recognized and installed through the laying on of hands and prayer by the existing Leadership Board.
 
 
Section 4. Term of Service
The term of office for Leadership Board members shall be a maximum of three (3) years. Following a three year term there shall be a minimum of one (1) year before that person may again serve on the Leadership Board.
 
 
Section 5. Number and Composition
The Leadership Board shall consist of at least four (4) (including the Senior Pastor) but no more than twelve (12) persons.
 
The Leadership Board, on an annual basis, shall review and determine the number of Leadership Board Members necessary to serve the needs of the congregation. 
 
 
Section 6. Accountability
Leadership Board members are directly accountable to the Lord of the church, Jesus Christ, for all their actions (Hebrews 13:17). They are also accountable to each other for their spiritual and moral lives, and for their execution of the responsibilities of their office.
 
Section 7. Meetings
The Leadership Board shall meet as often as necessary to adequately govern the church. They shall meet with the Church Membership as often as necessary to communicate and interact with the Membership.
 
 
Section 8. Decision Making
The Leadership Board shall approach decisions in prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit. They shall make decisions on the basis of unanimity of spirit. If there is initial disagreement on an issue and subsequent discussion does not resolve the disagreement, they shall postpone the decision, pray and study the issue further until they come to full agreement. However anyone with misgivings may allow a decision to move forward, recognizing the unanimity of the majority and believing that he or she should not hold the decision back.
 
 
ARTICLE III. THE PASTOR
The Senior Pastor shall be a person of true Christian experience and established character. The Senior Pastor shall qualify for this office according to the standards of 1 Timothy 3:2-7. The Senior Pastor shall become a member of the church and be in full accord with its Statement of Faith, purpose, mission, vision and values. The Senior Pastor shall be a member of the Leadership Board and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and ministry teams.
 
The installation of a Senior Pastor may take place at any regular or special meeting. The Senior Pastor may be installed only by unanimous vote of the existing Leadership Board.
 
 
If the Senior Pastor desires to resign or the Leadership Board desires his termination, one (1) month's notice shall be given in writing. The termination of the Senior Pastor's ministry shall be decided by a two-thirds vote of the Leadership Board. In the event of the Senior Pastor's termination, normal compensation shall be continued for three month's following his termination, unless waived by the Senior Pastor's acceptance of other employment.
 
If, in the unanimous opinion of the Leadership Board, it is determined that the normal termination criteria could be detrimental to the mission and values of the church, the normal one (1) months notice may be waived. 
 
 
ARTICLE IV. PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
In the event of a vacancy for the position of the Senior Pastor, the Leadership Board shall appoint a Pastoral Search Committee consisting of at least two (2) members of the Leadership Board and two (2) members at large. The committee may consist of a maximum of seven (7) people. The Committee shall interview and then make recommendations to the Leadership Board who shall then interview candidates and invite appropriate candidates to come and speak to the Church. The decision to hire a Senior Pastor remains with the Leadership Board after the candidate is brought before the Membership. 
 
 
ARTICLE V. THE STAFF
The Senior Pastor, with approval from the Leadership Board, may engage the services of additional staff to enhance the ministries of the church. Additional staff shall be presented to the church and affirmed by the Leadership Board. They shall be accountable to the Senior Pastor. Additional staff may be dismissed by recommendation of the Senior Pastor with the Leadership Board's approval. 
 
 
ARTICLE VI: BUSINESS MEETINGS
1. There shall be an annual business meeting of the Membership for the purpose of receiving financial and ministry reports, approval of the annual budget and the affirmation of the Leadership Board members. This meeting shall be held within the first quarter of each year.
 
2. Special meetings may be called at any time by the Leadership Board for any purpose by giving
notice to the members in accordance with Section 1 of this Article.
 
 
SECTION 1 : Notice Requirements for Membership Meetings
1. General Requirements. Whenever members are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, notice shall be given to members no less than two (2) weeks prior to a meeting. Notification of business meetings shall be given in any of the following manners which shall be deemed to be a reasonable method of calling a business meeting:
 
a. Distribution of written material to the congregation in attendance at a Sunday service.
 
            b. Announcement of the meeting in the church bulletin. 
 
c. Delivery of notice of meeting by mail or email to each member identified on the membership roll.
 
 
SECTION 2 : Quorum
Twenty-five percent (25%) of resident members present and voting at a duly noticed and called meeting shall constitute a quorum of the membership for the transaction of business.