CONSTITUTION OF THE GATEWAY TO THE HIGH COUNTRY COWBOY CHURCH, COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

 

PREAMBLE

Under the guidance and leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ, we the members of the Gateway to the High Country Cowboy Church adopt the following constitution in order to declare and preserve the principles of our faith, the freedom of our church, and the rights and responsibilities of our individual members.

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this church, located in Columbia, Missouri and incorporated under the Laws of the State of Missouri, is the Gateway to the High Country Cowboy Church.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The church is organized and maintained to fulfill the following Mission Purpose Statement: The mission of the Gateway to the High Country Cowboy Church is to share the love of God with the Un-churched and lost people of the Central Missouri area and the world in such a way that they have the best opportunity to become mature followers of Christ as described in Colossians 1:28. A mature follower of Christ...

  • Worships God: Honors God by worshiping Him corporately, in both large and small gatherings, and by maintaining private devotions.
  • Lives by God's word: Understands the Bible as the ultimate authority for daily living and is involved in corporate, small group and private Bible studies.
  • Contributes to God's work: Uses their time, abilities, spiritual gifts, and finances for God’s glory.
  • Connects with God's people: Pursues Christ honoring relationships at home, in the church, at work, and in the community.
  • Impacts God's world: Reaches out to the lost and un-churched by praying for them, witnessing to them, and inviting them to church worship services and activities.

ARTICLE III. DOCTRINE

This church affirms the Holy Bible, the inspired word of God, as the authority in all matters of faith and practice. We further identify ourselves as a distinctive body of faith by affirming the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.

 

ARTICLE IV. POLITY AND RELATIONSHIP

Jesus Christ is the head of the Church; the true source of all that the church is and does, and His glory is to be the objective of every act, function, and motive of the body, both individually and corporately. It is before Him that all other leadership must bow. He communicates His will for the church through His word, the Bible. He gives additional guidance by means of the specific leading of the Holy Spirit who indwells the heart of each believer. He calls forth leaders for the church to whom He gives responsibility for the oversight of the church body and the shepherding of its members.

The government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose its membership and leadership. Persons who meet the membership requirements and request membership in the congregation shall constitute the membership.

All internal groups created and empowered by the church shall exist to further the purpose of the church. They will be accountable to the church.

As an autonomous local church, this church is not subject to the control of any ecclesiastical body. However, it relates to and cooperates with the local Baptist Association, the Missouri Baptist Convention, and The Southern Baptist Convention.

ARTICLE V. ORDINANCES

SECTION I. BAPTISM

A church is understood to be a fellowship of baptized believers brought together to carry out the work of Jesus Christ. A baptized believer is one who has been scripturally immersed and understands baptism to be a symbol of the salvation, which has already been accepted in their life by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

SECTION II. THE LORD'S SUPPER

The church will observe the Lord's Supper on a regular basis (at least quarterly on the annual calendar) and will be led by a selected leader of the church. The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act whereby the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of Christ and anticipate His Second Coming.

ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the members present at a Church conference called for that purpose. Amendments may be proposed by the elected leaders or by written petition signed by fifty percent (50%) of the resident members and duly presented to the elected leaders. Proposed amendments shall be in written form and mailed to the last known address of all resident members eligible to vote at least thirty (30) days prior to the election. Amendments will be numbered, dated and attached to the original instrument.

ARTICLE VII. CEASING OF CHURCH OPERATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES

In the event that this church, a non-profit corporation, ceases to operate, all of its remaining resources, assets, and records shall be surrendered to the Crossroads Baptist Association of Central Missouri to support Baptist ministry in the Central Missouri area. At no time will the assets or resources be disbursed or distributed to any person that may constitute personal gain.