CONSTITUTION

LIVING FAITH
(CLBA)
WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA 58854
(CHANGES ADOPTED AT LIVING FAITH CONGREATIONAL MEETING JANUARY 2014)

ARTICLE I
NAME

The name of this congregation is Living Faith (CLBA) of Watford City, North Dakota.

ARTICLE II
SYNODICAL AFFILIATION

This congregation shall be affiliated with the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of
America and incorporated under the laws of the State of North Dakota.

ARTICLE III
CONFESSION OF FAITH

1. The Bible, including both Old and New Testaments as originally given, is the
verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God and is free from error in the whole
and in the part, and is therefore the final authoritative guide for faith and conduct.

2. There is one God eternally existent in three distinct persons in one divine essence,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. God the Father has revealed Himself as the Creator and preserver of the universe,
to whom the entire creation and all creatures are subject.

4. God created Adam and Eve in His image to live in fellowship with Him. They
fell into sin through the temptation of Satan and thereby lost fellowship with God.
Through their disobedience the entire human race became totally depraved, that
is, self-centered sinners who oppose God, and who by nature are unable to trust,
fear or love Him. They are subject to the devil, and are condemned to death under
the eternal wrath of God.

5. Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, is the image of the invisible God. To accomplish
our redemption, He became fully human, being conceived of the Holy Spirit and
born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus Christ, who is true God and true man, by His
perfect obedience and substitutionary death on the cross, has purchased our

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 redemption. He arose from the dead for our justification in the body in which He
was crucified. He ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand
of God, the Father, as our interceding High Priest. He will come a second time
personally, bodily, and visibly to gather the believers unto Himself and to
establish His millennial kingdom. He will judge the living and the dead and make
an eternal separation between believers and unbelievers. His kingdom shall have
no end.

6. The Holy Spirit is a divine person eternally one with the Father and with the Son.
Through the Word of God He convicts people of sin, persuades them to confess
their sinfulness to God and calls them to faith through the Gospel. He
regenerates, sanctifies, and preserves believers in the one true faith. He comforts,
guides, equips, directs and empowers the church to fulfill the great commission.

7. The knowledge and benefit of Christ’s redemption from sin is brought to the
human race through the means of grace, namely the Word and the sacraments.

a. Through the Word of the Law, God brings sinners to know their lost
condition and to repent. Through the Word of the Gospel, He brings
sinners to believe in Jesus Christ, to be justified, to enter the process of
sanctification, and to have eternal life. This occurs as the Holy Spirit
awakens them to see their sin, convicts them of their guilt of sin, and calls
them to repent and believe, inviting and enabling them to accept God’s
grace in Christ. Each one who thus believes is instantly forgiven and
credited with Christ’s righteousness. The Word then teaches and guides
the believer to lead a godly life.

b. In the Sacrament of Baptism, God offers the benefits of Christ’s

redemption to all people and graciously bestows the washing of
regeneration and newness of life to all who believe. God calls the
baptized person to live in daily repentance, that is, in sorrow for sin, in
turning from sin, and in personal faith in the forgiveness of sin obtained by
Christ. By grace we are daily given the power to overcome sinful desires
and live a new life in Christ. Those who do not continue to live in God’s
grace need to be brought again to repentance and faith through the Law
and Gospel.

Because the sinfulness of human nature passes on from generation to

generation and the promise of God’s grace includes little children, we
baptize infants, who become members of Christ’s believing church
through baptism. These children need to come to know that they are
sinners with a sinful nature that opposes God. Through the work of the
Holy Spirit, they need to confess their sinfulness and yield to God; and
possess for themselves forgiveness of their sin through Jesus Christ, as
they are led from the faith received in infant baptism into a clear conscious
personal faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior and being assured of

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 salvation, rely solely on the finished work of Christ, and the power of the
Gospel to live as children of God.

c. the Sacrament of Holy Communion, Christ gives to the communicants

His body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine. He declares
the forgiveness of sin to all believers, and strengthens their faith.

8. Eternal salvation is available to every living human being on earth by God’s grace
alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This salvation consists of an
instantaneous aspect and an ongoing, continual aspect.

a. Justification is God’s gracious act by which He, for Christ’s sake,

instantaneously acquits repentant and believing sinners and credits them
with Christ’s righteousness. At that moment, God gives each one who
believes a new and godly nature and the Holy Spirit begins the process of
sanctification. There is no place for human effort in justification.

b. Sanctification is God’s gracious, continual work of spiritual renewal and

growth in the life of every justified person. Through the means of grace,
the Holy Spirit works to reproduce the character of Christ within the lives
of all believers, instructing and urging them to live out their new nature.
The Holy Spirit enables believers more and more to resist the devil, to
overcome the world, and to count themselves dead to sin but alive to God
in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit in and bestows
spiritual gifts upon all believers. He calls, empowers, and equips them to
serve God in the home, in the community, and as part of the Church
Universal. The process of sanctification will be complete only when the
believer reaches glory.

9. The Church Universal consists of all those who truly believe in Jesus Christ as
Savior. The local congregation is an assembly of believers in a certain locality
among whom the Gospel is purely taught and the sacraments are rightly
administered. The confessing membership of the local congregation shall include
only those who have been baptized into “the name of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,” confess personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, maintain a
good reputation in the community and accept the constitution of the Church of the
Lutheran Brethren. It cannot, however, be avoided that hypocrites might be
mixed in the congregation; that is, those whose unbelief is not evident to the
congregation.

10. The Church of the Lutheran Brethren practices the congregational form of church
government and the autonomy of the local congregations. The office of pastor
and elder is to be filled by men only. The synodical administration has an
advisory function as it relates to the congregation, and an administrative function
as it relates to the cooperative efforts of the congregations.

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11. The Lutheran confessions are a summary of Bible doctrine. We adhere to the
following confessional writings: The Apostles’ Creed, Nicene and Athanasian
Creeds, unaltered Augsburg Confession, and Luther’s Small Catechism.

ARTICLE IV
MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is in accordance with the teaching and example of Christ and the Apostles:
to win souls for Christ by the preaching of the Word and personal witnessing, and to
strengthen the believers through Christian fellowship in the Word and Sacraments.

ARTICLE V
MEMBERSHIP

Members of the congregation are classified as Confessing Members and/or Baptized

Children of the Congregation.

1. Confessing members: Confessing members shall have been baptized into

“the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” confess personal
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, maintain a good reputation in the community
and accept this constitution. All requests for confessing membership are made
to the Board of Elders, which recommends candidates to the congregation.
Baptized children of the congregation who have become confessing Christians
may request confessing membership when they reach confirmation age. Only
confessing members of the congregation who have reached the voting age of
18 years may vote at congregational business meetings. They shall not have
membership in any secret society or other organization, which in its official
statements or rites assert that individuals are reconciled to God outside of
Jesus Christ and his atonement.

2. Baptized children of the congregation: Children baptized in the

congregation and all baptized children of confession members shall be
designated baptized children of the congregation. This status continues until
they reach the voting age, or is accepted as confessing members of the
congregation, whichever occurs first. Those not requesting adult membership
shall become parishioners.

The congregation shall diligently guide these children and youth by teaching
the Word of God and modeling godly attitudes and behavior. Every
congregation shall arrange for Sunday schools, Bible schools, youth
ministries, pastoral instruction, confirmation and other Christian training
programs. These young people shall be made the objects of prayer as the
congregation seeks to guide them to conscious faith, spiritual growth and
confessing membership in the church.
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 ARTICLE VI
CHURCH BOARDS AND OFFICIERS

1. Christ is the head of the church.

Christ is the Head of the Church. Through Hs Spirit He guides the Church by His
Word. According to his Word, He bestows upon the Church of grace necessary
for the effectual performance of it’s various ministrations. Among these
ministrations we especially emphasize the office of the pastor, and teaching and
governing elders. [Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5; I Peter 5: 1-4; I
Thessalonians 5:12, 13; Ephesians 4: 11; 2 Timothy 4:5; Acts 6: 2-6; Philippians
1:1]

2. Church Council.

At the congregational level, we follow the New Testament model of choosing

elders and trustees in organizing the leadership team. The Pastors, Elders and
Trustees constitute the Church Council and to this body the congregation as a
whole commits its direction. The Church Council acts for the church in all
matters pertaining to the spiritual and temporal affairs of the congregation. It
may delegate, as appropriate, business or ministry functions to the Finance and
Property Committee (Trustees) and other ministry committees established by
the congregation. No organization under the jurisdiction of the congregation
shall organize or disband without the approval of the Church Council.
Elections and other matters of primary importance shall be considered by the
Church Council before being brought to the business meeting of the
congregation for discussion and final decision.

2. Officers.

a) Chairman
The chairman of the congregation leads the business meetings of the congregation
and chairs the Church Council. He shall, in consultation with the Church Council, set
the agendas for the meetings. Candidates for the position shall be members of the
Church Council. The congregation at it’s annual meeting elects the chairman for a
one-year term.

b) Vice-Chairman
The vice-chairman, in the absence of the chairman, leads the business meeting of the
congregation and chairs the Church Council. Candidates for the position shall be
members of the Church Council. The congregation at it’s annual meeting elects the
vice-chairman for a one year term.

c) Secretary
The vice-chairman, in the absence of the chairman, leads the business meeting of the
secretary records and maintains the minutes and correspondence of the
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congregational business meeting. The secretary shall be a confessing member of the
congregation. The congregation at it’s annual meeting elects the secretary for a one-
year term.

d) Treasurer
The treasurer maintains the financial records of the congregation. He/she deposits
funds, pays all authorized expenses, issue receipts to donors and provide monthly
financial reports to the Church Council and to the congregational business meetings.
The treasurer shall be a confessing member congregation and a member of the
Finance and Property Committee (Trustees). The congregation at its annual meeting
elects the treasurer for a one year term.

ARTICLE VII
PROPERTY

All property of the congregation shall be deeded to the congregation itself and held in its
corporate name. No property of the congregation shall be sold, leased, or mortgaged or
otherwise disposed of without the same having first been approved by a two-thirds (2/3)
vote of the membership in attendance at a business meeting duly called for the specific
consideration of the proposal. The secretary of the congregation and the chairman of the
congregation shall certify in such conveyance, lease, or mortgage, that the same has been
duly authorized and approved by the congregation.

ARTICLE VIII
DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution of the congregational corporation or the winding down of it’s affairs, the
assets of the corporation shall be distributed exclusively to an organization(s) which qualifies
under the provisions os section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and it’s regulations
as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended, and in accordance with the following
provision:

If a division should ever occur in this congregation, it’s properties and assets shall belong to
that part of the congregation which abides by this constitution and votes to retian it’s
membership in the church of the Lutheran Brethren of America, whether that part be in the
majority or minority. In the event that this congregation is dissolved, the property shall be
deeded over to the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America. This paragraph is
unalterable as long as the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America makes no changes to
it’s Statement of Faith.

ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS

This Constitution can be amended by the Annual Meeting only, and requires a three-fourths
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(3/4) majority vote. Such an Amendment must be proposed to the Board of
Elders one (1) month prior to the Annual Meeting. An amendment must be approved
by the Board of Elders to be permitted at the Annual Meeting.
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BY-LAWS TO THE CONSTITUION

ARTICLE I
MEETINGS

SECTION 1. Services of the Congregation shall include:

1. Sunday services consisting of Sunday school classes for all ages, and worship
service(s). These shall be conducted in a free and orderly manner.

2. A Holy Communion service, which shall be

SECTION 2. Business Meetings of the Congregation:

1. The congregation’s fiscal year extends from January 1 through December 31.

2. The General Business Meeting of the Congregation has the highest authority to
make decisions. There shall be two kinds of General Business Meetings:
namely, the Annual Meeting and Special Meetings.

3. The Annual Meeting shall be held in January, at which time the following items
of business shall be transacted:

a. Each confessing member shall receive and be prepared to

discuss written reports from the Pastor, Secretary, Treasurer,
Auditors, and heads of each of the other departments and
committees.

b. Adopting a budget for the coming year.

c. Adopting plans and recommendations regarding spiritual and

material developments in our congregation.

d. Electing and appointing the necessary officers and committees

for the coming year.

4. Special Meetings shall be held quarterly, with the date being set at the
previous business meeting. Any other special meetings may be held
when the Board of Elders deem it necessary or when desired by two
thirds of the confessing membership. All meetings shall be announced
at least one Sunday prior to their occurrence.

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 5. A quorum shall be forty percent (40%) of the active resident
confessing members of voting age, (attendance necessary to conduct
business). All confessing members of this congregation, who have
reached legal voting age of eighteen (18) years, shall have the right to
vote and to be elected. Except for Elder and Pastor, those candidates
receiving the most votes shall be elected.

6. All meetings of the Church shall be conducted according to Robert’s

Rules of Order.

ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1: Procedure for receiving Confessing Members into the Church:

1. Anyone desiring membership in this church must be examined by the

Pastor and Elders, and be recommended by them to the congregation.
At a General Business Meeting, at least one week after the
recommendation of the Elder Board and announcement of such
recommendation to the congregation at the Sunday Morning Worship
Service, they shall be accepted and recognized as confessing members
of this church by the vote of the congregation.

2. Anyone who desires to become a confessing member of this

congregation by transfer from another congregation, shall present a
letter of transfer to the Board of Elders, and be examined and approved
in the same manner as described in Article II of the By-laws, Section
1, Item 1.

3. A member who desires to be transferred to another congregation shall

ask the Pastor for a letter of recommendation. The Pastor shall issue
the same after it has been approved by the Board of Elders. When
notified that the person being transferred has been received as a
member of the congregation to which he or she has been transferred,
the name of such shall be stricken from the membership roll of this
congregation.

SECTION 2: The responsibilities of the member:

1. It is expected that each member will pray for, and as far as possible, be
present and take part in the meetings of the Church.

2. It will also be expected that each will contribute to the support of the
Church as God has prospered them.

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SECTION 3: The discipline of the members:

1. The Church takes heed to exercise careful watch over the faith and
conduct of its members. If it is discovered that a member is not true to
the faith set forth in Article III, or that their conduct brings disgrace to
the Christian Church, or that they are apparently staying away from the
Church without a good reason, a special effort constrained by love
shall be made to help the erring one unto repentance and restoration
through the means of exhortation from the Word and brotherly
intercession. If there is no response, discipline will be exercised by the
Board of Elders according to: Matthew 18: 15-18, I Corinthians 5,
and/or I Timothy 5:19, 20.

2. Those members who are absent for a year without giving support, or
who show no interest in the congregation, shall be dropped from the
membership upon recommendation by the Board of Elders and vote of
the congregation.

ARTICLE III
THE CHURCH COUNCIL

SECTION 1: The Church Council shall consist of the Board of Elders and the
Board of Trustees:

1. The Board of Elders shall include the Pastor(s) and the other Elders.

2. The Board of Trustees shall include the Trustees, the Secretary, and
the Treasurer, the latter two without voting power.

SECTION 2: Decisions of the Council

1. Next to the congregation, the Church Council has the highest authority to
make decisions.

2. It is understood, therefore, that any decisions or program initiated by

either of the two boards is subject to approval of the congregation.

SECTION 3: The duties of the Church Council are as follows:

1. The Board of Elders:

a. The Pastor shall be recognized as the Shepherd of the Flock,

and as such, shall give his time to watching over the spiritual
welfare of the church. He shall be responsible for the
preaching of the Word; the administering of the sacraments;
and other necessary ministerial acts. He shall also take charge

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 of the teaching and visitation ministry of the church, and shall
encourage its members in practical Christian work.

b. The Elders shall be recognized as the spiritual overseers of the

church, together with the Pastor, and shall be responsible for
such things as: an annual ministry plan, executing plans for
evangelism, examining candidates for baptism and church
membership, church discipline, etc. In the absence of the Pastor they
shall be responsible for the regular services and work of the church.

2. The Board of Trustees:

a. The Trustees shall be recognized as the financial overseers of

the church and shall be responsible for such things as the
management and care of the church property, and securing
necessary funds for the general expenses and salaries to operate
the church.

b. The Secretary shall keep a record of all the meetings of the

congregation and church council, the church membership
record, the ministerial acts, and other necessary files of the
church.

c. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of the church

funds, and be prepared to give a report of the congregational
and church council meetings.

SECTION 4: The Church Council shall be elected as follows:

1. Pastor(s):

a. Call Process: The voting membership is responsible for calling

the pastor(s) of the congregation. A call committee shall be
appointed by the Board of Elders. The call committee shall be
made up of five to seven people, reflecting a balance of elders
and other representatives of the congregation. The call
committee shall interview possible candidates and prepare a
recommendation for the congregation. The call process shall
be conducted in harmony with the CLB documents entitled The
Pastoral Calling Process and The Pastoral Office Policies of
the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. The letter of call shall be
approved by a minimum of two-thirds of the voting
membership at a duly called congregational business meeting.

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 b. Pastoral Work: The pastor shall conduct himself and his
ministry according to the guidelines set forth in the synodical
policy statement entitled, The Pastoral Office Policies of the
Church of the Lutheran Brethren. He shall follow the
Ministerial Acts of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren in
leading the services of the church, and conduct regular
membership classes.

c. Dismissal: The dismissal of a pastor shall take upon the

recommendation of the Church Council at a duly called
business meeting of the congregation. The dismissal requires
approval by a minimum of two-thirds of the voting
membership present at the meeting. If dismissed, the pastor
shall be provided his current compensation package, prorated
for one month per year of former service within the
congregation, for a maximum of three months, or until he is
placed in another call or other employment, which ever occurs
first. If he is living in a parsonage he is entitled to remain in
the parsonage for up to three months.

d. Resignation: The resignation of a pastor shall be accepted by a

simple majority vote of the members present at duly called
congregational business meeting. The pastor’s departure from
the congregation shall take place within a negotiated period of
one to three months.

2. Elders:
When the congregation feels that any male members have the
necessary gifts and qualifications, they may, upon recommendation
from the Board of Elders, elect them by a three-fourths (3/4)
majority vote. They shall be installed into the office by the
congregation and shall be elected for a term of three years. If
practical, after serving two, three-year terms the elder will be given
a one-year leave before returning to active service upon affirmation
by the congregation. An elder who violated the responsibilities of
his office may be removed from office by applying the following
procedures based on Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Timothy [Link] An
elder or other member of the congregation must bring the charge
before the Church Council, which will review its validity. The elder
in question shall have opportunity to answer the charge before the
council. If by a majority vote, the council concurs with the charge,
the elder shall forfeit his position and duties, or be allowed to resign
gracefully. If the elder feels he has been unfairly treated, he may
request that the matter be referred to a duly called congregational
business meeting for a vote. His removal from office by the
congregation requires approval by a minimum of two-thirds of the
voting membership present at the meeting.
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3. Trustees:

As many trustees as are considered necessary shall be

elected for a term of three years, with one third of them being
elected each year.

4. The Secretary and Treasurer:

Shall be elected for a term of one year.

5. In case of a vacancy

In case of a vacancy created by resignation in any office or

Committee (except Elder or Pastor), the church council shall appoint
A replacement until the Annual Meeting.

ARTICLE IV
OTHER CHURCH OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

1. Sunday School Superintendent and the head of any other

organization or committee shall be elected for a term of one year, and
shall be responsible for the supervision of their departments.

2. Chairman of the Church: The congregation annually elects a

Chairman who shall lead all meetings of the Congregation. The
Chairman shall be a member of the Church Council.

3. Auditors: Two Auditors shall be elected by the Congregation

annually. They shall examine the financial records of the church and
submit a report to the Annual Meeting.

4. Finance and Property Committee (Trustees):

a. Manage the financials of the congregation and the day-to-day

business of all real and personal properties belonging to the
congregation on behalf of the Church Council, and submit
financial reports, minutes from its business meetings and
proposals to the Church Council.

b. Transact all other business of the congregation assigned to it by

the congregational meeting or by the Church Council.

c. Maintain the congregational property and buildings.

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 d. Submit to the Church Council, three weeks prior to the
congregational annual meeting, and a budget for the coming year.

ARTICLE V
LIMITS TO EXPENDITURES

Non-budgeted expenditures, such as unforeseen repairs or replacements, special

opportunities, shall be approved by the Board of Trustees. Expenditures exceeding
$2,500.00 must be approved by the congregation, except any emergencies to protect the
assets of the corporation.

ARTICLE VI
THE BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

SECTION 1: Purpose:

1. The overall purpose of the Board of Christian Education will be that of

Article IV of the Church Constitution.

2. Specifically, the purpose of the Board of Christian Education will be to

provide, promote, maintain and direct educational programs of the
congregation: such as Sunday School, Lutheran Brethren Youth
Fellowship, Vacation Bible School, Younger Youth Bible Clubs,
and to select materials and teachers to conduct these activities. The
Board shall also be responsible for the choice and distribution and sale
of all literature in the church (tracts, books, church library).

3. The Board will plan, coordinate and promote the entire educational
program of the church. This includes, but is not limited to, the Sunday
School, Vacation Bible School, Leadership Training, Lutheran Brethren
Youth Fellowship, Younger Youth Bible Clubs and Children’s Church.

4. The Board will approve or adopt all curriculum and teaching material
used in the church’s educational program.

5. In cooperation with other boards it will assign space for meeting

facilities and equipment to be used.

6. The Board will be responsible for a continuous program of recruiting

and training leaders, teachers, counselors and other workers in
Christian education.

7. The Board will make and summit each year a budget for the needs of
Christian education for the coming year to be included in the total
church budget.

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 8. The Board will decide policy and standards for both personnel and the
educational agencies.

SECTION 2: Membership of the Board of Christian Education:

1. The Board of Christian Education shall consist of five (5) members:

the Pastor, Sunday School Superintendent, one Elder, (Elder to be
elected from within its own respective board) and two members to be
elected from the membership of the church, elected by the
congregation at the Annual Meeting. For the first year, one will be
elected for a two-year term, the other for a one-year term.

SECTION 3: Organization:

1. The chairman shall be elected annually by the Board of Christian

Education. He/she shall have the power to appoint such subcommittees as are
needed to fulfill the duties and responsibilities ofthe Board. He/she shall preside
over all board meetings.

2. The secretary of the Board shall be selected by the Board annually to

fulfill the following duties: notify members of meetings, enter
accurate minutes of proceedings in an official records book, and be
responsible for other duties assigned by the chairman.

3. The vice-chairman shall be selected by the Board annually to serve in

the absence of the chairman.

ARTICLE VII
AMMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

These by-laws shall be amended only when a motion to that effect has been made at a
previous general business meeting of the congregation. Such proposals shall be
submitted to the Board of Elders for review and processing for the next general business
meeting. The motion shall be discussed and voted upon at the next general business meeting
of the congregation. Its adoption requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast.

APPENDIX

The officers of this church shall be elected by the confessing members as they are led of
the Holy Spirit through fasting and prayer, and they shall be installed the following
Sunday morning.

Our hearts desire and prayer for this church is that it shall continue to be spiritual witness
to the glory of God and the salvation of souls, and that the members shall always be
faithful to the Articles of this Constitution.
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