BYLAWS OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF LENOIR

BYLAWS OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF LENOIR PREAMBLE For the purpose of preserving, propagating and making articulate the principles of our Faith, and to the end that this body of believing Christians may be governed in an orderly manner consistent with the accepted tenets of Missionary Baptist Churches, for the purpose of preserving the liberties inherent in each individual member of the Church, and in order to set forth the relationship of this body to other Baptist bodies, we do adopt and establish these Bylaws. ARTICLE I. NAME ARTICLE II. PURPOSE The name of this Corporation shall be First Baptist Church of Lenoir. The First Baptist Church of Lenoir is organized for the purpose of advancing and promoting the worship of God through the reading and study of the Holy Bible as the revealed work of God, the teaching and preaching of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, conducting regular services of worship for the spiritual training, development and benefit of each member and for the winning of souls to Jesus Christ. This Church shall be missionary in spirit extending the Gospel through our organized religious channels to the entire world. It shall promote and maintain the teachings and doctrines of that Christian denomination universally known and designated as the Missionary Baptist Denomination. It shall exist to provide regular opportunities for public worship, to sustain the ordinances, doctrines and ethics set forth in the New Testament for the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to channel its offerings to the support of the objects of the Kingdom of God. In order to effectively carry forward the objects and purposes set forth above, the Church will have full power and authority to purchase, lease and acquire by gift, devise or bequest and to hold, mortgage, convey and dispose of all kinds of property, both real and personal. ARTICLE III. STATEMENT OF FAITH First Baptist Church of Lenoir has been established and guided by a central commitment to our mission of being a Great Commission Church in accordance with Matthew 28: 19-20. Our mission is to make disciples, train disciples, send disciples and care for disciples. Our commitment to the mission of being a Great Commission Church is nurtured and guided by three distinctive, traditional Baptist principles of faith and by two ordinances. The three principles of faith and the two ordinances are as follows: Section 1. THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE IN MATTERS OF FAITH AND PRACTICE. As Baptists, we are committed to the authority and the truth of the Bible as the source of doctrine, ethics, spirituality and guidance for the individual and the

community of faith. The Bible reveals the principles and truths through which God loves us, judges us and redeems us. The Bible is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and religious opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. Baptists acknowledge the role of the individual conscience in shaping the individual s response to faith, convictions and actions. Section 2. THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER. All Baptist believers are called to minister and serve through the power of the Holy Spirit. For Baptists, there is no mediator but Christ himself. Each new believer is a minister, called to carry out Christ s gospel in the world. Baptists also set aside and ordain people for specific ministerial functions. Section 3. THE AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH. Baptists place great emphasis on the autonomy of each local congregation operating under the Lordship of Jesus Christ through democratic processes. For Baptists, a New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. The authority of Christ is mediated through the local church community which is bound together by a covenant with God and with one another. Section 4. THE ORDINANCE OF BAPTISM AND THE ORDINANCE OF THE LORD S SUPPER. Baptists are committed to the observance of these two ordinances. They are the Enacted Word. These ordinances are the embodiment of the Truth and Salvation of the gospel being acted out in corporate worship by the individual believer and the worshiping community. These two ordinances establish a link between the local congregation and the Early Christian Church. Neither ordinance is administered to infants, but only to those who claim an experience of grace. Both ordinances follow a profession of faith on the part of the believer. a. BAPTISM. Baptism is by immersion which involves the dipping of the whole body into the water as a sign of new life, cleansing, burial with Christ and resurrection with Christ. It is an act of obedience to the command of Christ, fulfilled by individuals who have received His forgiveness and submitted themselves to His leadership. b. THE LORD S SUPPER. The Lord s Supper involves the basic reenactment of Jesus last meal shared with his disciples before his death. The Lord s Supper is a worship service of remembrance in which the worshiping believers reflect on Christ s death and resurrection, with the bread and cup representing or symbolizing his body and blood. Christ s presence, therefore, is not in the elements, but in the faith present in the hearts of the believing community gathered at the table. 2

ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP The membership of this Church shall be composed of persons who give evidence of regeneration by the Spirit of God, and who adhere to the basic beliefs of this Church, and who are received into membership by vote of the Church. Such vote shall be called for at such time as the Pastor may elect. Such persons may come into membership of this Church by any of the following ways: Section 1. A new Christian or a member of another Christian Church may present himself or herself for membership by "public profession of faith," and by accepting baptism by immersion. Section 2. A member of another Baptist Church may be received by vote of the Church upon promise of letter of transfer from the Church where membership resides. The applying member will be in a watch-care relationship until letter of transfer is received from the other Church. Section 3. Any one who has once been a member of a Baptist Church and in consequence of peculiar circumstances has lost that relationship or is not able otherwise to promise a letter of transfer may be received into the fellowship of this Church upon statement to the membership and by a vote of the Church. Section 4. Applications for membership under circumstances or on conditions other than those described in Section 1, 2, and 3 above will be considered by the Church in conference and the decision of the Church will be final in each case. Section 5. A letter of transfer to unite with another Baptist Church may be issued upon request to the Church which the member is planning to join. All such applications must be passed upon by the Church in conference. Section 6. The Church, after due notice and opportunity for hearing, and every possible kindly effort to make such action unnecessary, may upon majority vote, terminate the membership of a person in this body for reasons it considers sufficient to warrant such action. ARTICLE V. MEETINGS Section 1. This Church shall hold regular meetings for worship, teaching, training and fellowship. Section 2. This Church shall hold business meetings for the disposition of all business matters not otherwise provided for, to hear reports from the various Church organizations and to consider other matters essential to the spiritual welfare and prosperity of the congregation. 3

Section 3. Other meetings of the Church as a whole or of authorized groups within the Church may be set according to the needs of the congregation. ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS The officers of this Church shall be a Pastor, and other leadership as needed, Deacons, Trustees, clerk, and such other officers as shall be required to do the work of the Church in any of its departments or organizations. All of these shall be elected by the Church, and shall be members in good standing at the time of election except that a Pastor need not be a member until after his call. ARTICLE VII. ELECTION AND DUTIES OF CHURCH OFFICERS A. PASTOR Section 1. Call: Whenever a vacancy occurs, a Pastor shall be called by the Church to serve until the relationship is dissolved at the request of either the Pastor or the Church. In either case, at least sixty (60) days notice shall be given of termination of the relationship, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon, with both Pastor and Church seeking to follow the will of God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The call of the Pastor shall take place at a meeting especially set for that purpose of which at least one week's notice has been given the membership. The election shall be upon the recommendation of a special committee recommended by the Deacons and approved by the Church to seek out and nominate as Pastor a minister of the gospel whose Christian character and qualifications fit him for the office. The committee shall bring only one name at a time for the consideration of the Church and no nominations shall be made except by the committee. Election shall be by standing vote or by ballot at the discretion of the congregation with an affirmative vote of twothirds of those present and voting necessary for an extension of a call. Should the minister recommended by the committee fail to receive a two-thirds vote, the committee will be instructed to seek out another minister and the meeting at which the vote was taken shall be adjourned without debate. Section 2. Duties: The Pastor shall have in charge the welfare and oversight of the Church; he shall be ex-officio member of all organizations, departments and committees; he may call a special meeting of the Deacons or of any committee according to procedures which are set forth in the By-Laws; he shall conduct religious services on stated and on special occasions, administer the ordinances, minister to the spiritual needs of the members of the Church and community; he shall perform other duties that usually pertain to that office; he shall have special charge of the pulpit ministry of the Church and shall, in cooperation with the Deacons, provide for the pulpit supply when he is absent, and shall arrange with the concurrence of the Missions and Education Committee, for ministers to assist in revival meetings and workers to assist in other special services required by the Church. It shall be his special responsibility to 4

win the lost to Christ, to minister to the spiritual needs of the members of his congregation, and through prayer and study to render effective preaching and pastoral ministries. B. DEACONS The Board of Deacons shall consist of twenty-four (24) elected Deacons and as many Life Deacons as may be qualified as set out hereinafter. Six (6) Deacons shall be elected each year and shall serve four-year terms. Deacon nominations shall be made in the following manner: On the first Sunday in November of each year, each church member may vote for six (6) persons from a list of church members who are eligible to serve in the office of Deacon to the Diaconate. The nine (9) nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be placed on the final ballot. The chairperson of the Diaconate shall appoint a nominating committee of five (5) Deacons to include the following: one (1) Life Deacon, two (2) retiring Deacons, and two (2) Deacons with at least one (1) year left on his/her term. In an effort to achieve diversity on the Diaconate, this nominating committee will add an additional three (3) nominees to the ballot. The twelve (12) nominees will be contacted by mail to determine their willingness to serve as a Deacon. The names of those persons who do not indicate an unwillingness to serve will be furnished to the congregation at the eleven o clock service on the second Sunday in November. The News and Views after the 2 nd Sunday in November will contain a biographical sketch of each nominee. The names of the twelve (12) nominees shall be listed in alphabetical order on a ballot which shall be furnished to the congregation at the eleven o'clock worship service on the 3 rd Sunday in November of each year, and the church members in attendance may vote for not more than six (6) of the nominees. The results shall be tabulated by the previously mentioned nominating committee of five (5) Deacons. The six (6) nominees receiving the largest number of votes shall be declared elected. In the event that a vacancy occurs among the twenty-four (24) elected Deacons, this vacancy will be filled by the person with the highest number of votes not elected in the last Deacon election. A Deacon who fills a vacancy of eighteen (18) months or less may, upon completion of that term, be eligible to be nominated and elected in the next Deacon election to his/her own four (4) year term. If the vacancy filled was for more than eighteen (18) months, the Deacon filling the unexpired term must have been off the Deacon Board for at least one year to be eligible for reelection. This process should be reviewed every third (3 rd ) year to determine if it is resulting in a Board that reflects a balance on the Board such as gender, age groups, and new versus experienced Board Members. Deacons who have retired from an active term on the Board shall retain their title of Deacon and may be called upon for service by the Church at any time but shall be ineligible for re-election to the active Diaconate until one year has elapsed. 5

Effective January 1, 2008, in addition to the twenty-four (24) elected Deacons, Life Deacons shall also be members of the Board of Deacons. All former elected Deacons shall be eligible to become Life Deacons provided they have attained at least the age of seventy (70) years, are active resident members, and have served as a member of the Board of Deacons of the First Baptist Church of Lenoir for at least three (3) terms with some part of a term being served within the last ten (10) years. Those who become eligible while serving a four-year term shall fulfill that term and be eligible for election as a Life Deacon one (1) year from the end of their active term. The names of eligible Life Deacon Candidates will be reviewed by the outgoing Deacon Officers which include the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Assistant Secretary. This group will consider the candidates qualifications, including their continued active, positive involvement in the life of First Baptist Church. Worthy candidates will be recommended to the Deacons in November and upon approval by the Deacons they will be presented to the congregation in January for formal election. Life Deacons who elect to be active members of the Board shall have the same rights, duties and responsibilities as other active Deacons, including being part of the quorum. Each December the Chairperson of the Board of Deacons will ascertain the desires of all Life Deacons concerning being placed in the active category or the inactive category. Once a Life Deacon has selected his/her choice of active or inactive, he/she will remain in that category for the remainder of the calendar year. Starting January 2008, a Life Deacon may serve four (4) consecutive years as an Active Deacon but then must be an inactive Deacon for one (1) year. All Life Deacons as of November 1, 2007 who intend to be active for the coming year will draw numbers to determine the maximum length of their current terms. These terms could be 4, 5, 6, or 7 years in order to establish a staggered rotation. They would then be required to rotate off for one (1) year as outlined above. They shall continue as Life Deacons as long as they remain members of the Church. Deacons shall at all times regard themselves as servants of the Church. With the Pastor, and as the Holy Spirit may direct, the Deacons are to consider and make recommendations to the Church in all matters pertaining to its work and progress, including oversight of the discipline of the Church and establishment and maintenance of spiritual fraternal relations with all members of the Church. They shall assist the Pastor in the observance of the ordinances; have general oversight over the upkeep, repair, and use of property; and, supervise the financial program of the Church. They shall arrange for regular meetings and such committees as are necessary to the discharge of their duties. The Pastor or the Chairperson of the Deacons may call the Deacons into special session whenever need for such arises. Notice of a called meeting will be given to the currently serving deacons at least 48-hours prior to the meeting. A quorum for a regular or called meeting of the deacons is equal to one-half of the membership of the current deacon panel, including active life deacons, plus one.. 6

C. OFFICERS The chairperson of the Deacon Board shall direct the previously selected nominating committee of five (5) Deacons to nominate one or two Deacons for positions of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Assistant Secretary. Additional nominations for these offices may be made by Deacons attending a called Deacons meeting after the November elections. The Deacons will vote for these nominees at this meeting. The nominees who receive the highest number votes will be declared the winners and will begin serving on the first day of January for a one (1) year term. The Chairperson of the Board of Deacons shall serve as President of the Corporation whenever such an officer is required by law or practice, having however only such authority to bind the Corporation as is expressly authorized by the Church membership. The Secretary of the Board of Deacons shall serve as Secretary of the Corporation. The currently serving Deacons who were elected for four-year terms shall, meeting and acting together, constitute the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Such Board of Directors shall change by and in the same procedure as for the terms of Deacons elected for four-year terms. D. CLERK The clerk shall be elected annually upon recommendation of whatever committee is established to recommend the Church officers. It shall be his/her responsibility to attend or be represented at all Church business meetings, to keep accurate records of all business transactions, to prepare the annual associational letter and to see that it is properly transmitted to the associational clerk, and he/she shall notify all officers, members of committees and messengers of their election or appointment, he/she shall issue letters of dismissal as authorized by the Church, and preserve the true history of the Church, keeping same in a safe place. It shall be the duty of the clerk to see that an accurate roll of the Church membership is kept, the dates and methods of admission and dismissal, change in name, correct mailing addresses and other pertinent information about each member. E. TREASURER The Church shall elect a Treasurer annually. One who has served previously in this position will be eligible for re-election. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive, keep in a bank, and disburse by check upon proper authority all money or things of value that are given to the Church in accordance with instructions from the Church. He/she shall keep at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements; rendering an account regularly to the Church to be preserved by the Church clerk. The Treasurer's books shall be audited at least once a year as arranged by the Church, and all books, records and accounts kept by him/her shall be the property of the Church. He/she shall be assisted in this responsibility by a Financial Secretary. This Secretary shall count all money received by the Church and give each contributor individual credit as provided in the record system approved by the Church. 7

Offering envelopes and detailed records shall be kept for reference as the Church directs. The Financial Secretary shall also be responsible for preparing and mailing regular statements to all contributors as the Church directs. ARTICLE VIII. CHURCH GOVERNMENT Section 1. The government of this Church shall be congregational in nature and shall be vested in the membership. Section 2. Church Conference: The Church shall have a Church Conference three times a year, said Conference to be held at the Wednesday evening worship hour on the Wednesday after the third Sunday of each January, May and September. Such meetings shall be official business meetings of the Church and at such meetings full report shall be given concerning all aspects of the Church programs, their progress, recommendations, and the financial condition of the Church. Additional Church Conferences may be called at any regular worship service of the Church by the Board of Deacons or the Pastor and may be adjourned to a later date upon majority vote of those in attendance. Section 3. The Conference to be held in January of each year is designated as the annual business meeting of the Church and at such meetings all annual reports shall be submitted. Section 4. Moderator: The Chairman of Deacons shall preside over Church Conference as moderator. In his absence, the Vice Chairman for the Deacons shall preside and in his/her absence, the Chairman of Deacons shall name some other member of the Church in good standing to assume this responsibility. Section 5. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of not less than five (5%) percent of the adult members of the Church. There shall be no voting by proxy. Section 6. Minutes: The Church Clerk shall keep minutes of each business meeting and shall record the approximate number present, whether a quorum was present and what actions were taken by the Church. ARTICLE IX. AFFILIATION Section 1. This Church is a free, autonomous, independent body, congregational in nature, with authority to determine for itself in the manner set forth in this Constitution, free of any outside control, authority or power, whether governmental or otherwise, the use of its property and all Church policies. Section 2. Association: The Church recognizes the value and mutual helpfulness in the voluntary association of Churches which are in such agreement in faith and practice as to make possible a spirit of fellowship and good will. It is 8

recognized that association and cooperation between such Churches will influence the missionary, educational and benevolent interest of each other. The Church does, therefore, declare its intention as far as conscience will allow to work in mutual cooperation with other Christian groups. Section 3. Affiliation: Upon the adoption of these Bylaws, this Church shall be deemed to have affiliated itself with the Caldwell County Baptist Association. Section 4. Cooperation: Upon adoption of these Bylaws, this Church shall be deemed to be in friendly cooperation with the aims and purposes of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and of the Southern Baptist Convention as set forth in the Constitution of these autonomous bodies and through duly elected messengers will participate in their deliberative assemblies, and shall, as we are able, support the missionary, benevolent and educational programs of each. Section 5. Discontinuance of Affiliation and/or Cooperation The calling of a Church Conference for the purpose of voting on withdrawal from affiliation from the Caldwell County Baptist Association and/or discontinuance of cooperation with the Baptist State Convention and/or the Southern Baptist Convention will require that written notice be sent to each resident member of the Church, stating the purpose and time of said conference. Action to withdraw, to be valid, must be sent to each resident member of the Church, stating the purpose and time of said conference. Action to withdraw, to be valid, must be carried by vote of three-fourths of the members present and voting; in which case transferral of property shall be effected in accordance with the will of the three-fourths majority. In the event of serious rupture in fellowship at this point and the necessity of such action as above set forth, it is expected that the various factions of the Church will sit down in Christian love and in the spirit of prayer and seek to effectuate reconciliation on an agreeable basis of diversion, each being mindful of the Beatitude which says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Sons of God." ARTICLE X. ADOPTION AND AMENDMENTS Section 1. These Bylaws shall be considered adopted and in immediate effect if and when two-thirds of the members present at the business meeting at which vote is taken shall vote in favor of same. This vote shall be taken not less than thirty days after formal presentation of these Bylaws to the Church, and notice of such meeting in which the vote is to be taken shall be given at least one week in advance. Section 2. These Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular business meeting of the Church; provided, however, that such amendment, alteration or repeal shall have been given to the Clerk in writing; and the proposed change shall have been presented to the Church at least thirty days prior to the time the vote is taken. Approved by Diaconate: May 23, 2011 Approved by Church at Forum: September 21, 2011 9