Constitution__________
Genesis Primitive Church Constitution
Churches are governed by their individual Constitution. Although GPC is quite small and is a young Church, as times passes people need to know the position which their Church holds dear about Christian Church values. Until GPC becomes a larger organization, we believe the following will serve us well. We have tried to be biblical.
The Church Name: The name of this Church shall be Genesis Primitive Church. At times referred to as GPC.
God's Purpose for a Christian Church: The purpose of this Church shall be to preach the Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ in efforts to reach the heart of the unrepentant person.
Membership: GPC membership shall consist of people professing their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and giving evidence of their Christian faith by a simple explanation which we may understand.
Board of Directors: The Board shall be voted in at a date set forth by the Pastor. The Board shall consist of the Pastor, Deacons, Trustees, President and Vice President. The Board shall be responsible for maintaining order within the Church and its functions. The Board shall be responsible for seeing that all matters voted on and which are approved are implemented.
The Board shall be responsible for contacting individuals that have been referred by the Church memberships and for submitting these individuals to the Church for vote to fill the Pastor and or Associate Pastor position.
Election of Officers: There shall be six deacons elected by GPC membership, to be set aside and ordained according to the Scriptures. Deacons hold office at the pleasure of GPC. Vacancies may be filled at any GPC service. Failure of any officer to fulfill the duties of the office shall be sufficient occasion to declare the position vacant.
Pastor and Associate Pastor: (1 Timothy 2:12, etc.) Each shall be ordained by God and shall be natural men, each born a male and of a natural woman. Each shall be currently married as God states through the Apostle Paul, "the husband of one wife" or a widower. Each shall be a firm believer in, and a preacher of the fundamental truths of the Holy Bible.
Officers: The officers shall be the Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Deacons, Trustees, President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Officers Duties: Deacons shall help the Pastor administer his duties. Trustees shall have charge of the property of GPC and shall be responsible for the upkeep, repair and maintenance of GPC. They shall not sell, mortgage or otherwise encumber any property of GPC. They shall have oversight of all financial records. The Treasurer shall receive all money of tithes/special offerings and deposit those into one GPC bank account. The Treasurer shall maintain an accurate record of all transactions and report to the Church Board at every business meeting.
Auxiliary Organizations: These shall be subject to the control of the Church Board and to meet during non-Worship Service times.
GPC Structure(s): Each of the twenty proposed shall be no larger than 48'x36'. Each may be constructed with or without usable attic and basement space. Each of the twenty proposed shall be used only for such meetings as will accomplish the purpose of God and His work. GPC's may exceed twenty as the decades pass by but only within the Shenandoah Valley. The sole mission field of GPC shall be within the Shenandoah Valley alone. If GPC ever supports a missionary, that missionary must be a missionary for the Shenandoah Valley. There is a lifetime of work for Christ right here in the Valley. At the same time, GPC does help worldwide missions only through individual donations and GPC donations to BBN.org for example.
Meetings at GPC: These shall be for God and for His work such as worship services, Church business meetings or other Christian Church oriented special meetings.
Financial Policies: The only financial gain of GPC shall be through Christian Tithes and Offerings or other personal Christian gifts and never knowingly accept any monetary gain from outside of Christian giving. As the years pass by and each future GPC opens, each shall maintain not more than $10,000.00 in a singular bank checking account set up and overseen by Trustees and be subject to inspection by any Church Trustee(s) from any GPC Church and set up in accordance with federal and state banking regulations. Money in excess of $10,000.00 from each GPC shall be deposited into the first of GPC churches and overseen by all Trustees and Church Officers and to be used solely for the construction of the next GPC. Each GPC beyond the first GPC Church shall not be involved with more than one money account and or legal tender account whether with a bank account or otherwise anywhere whether the account be digital or a traditional bank account. We make this oath to never become a wealthy Church but to instead build more small churches.
No GPC shall ever add daycare or schooling to the Church facility. It is biblically important a Church be not enriched by daycare or K-12 enrollment money. Luke 19:45-47
Authority of GPC: We rely on and preach from the 1599 Geneva Bible and other Bibles where the text is similar or alike. On voting matters, the majority rules except if that vote is contrary to the 1599 Geneva Bible. The Pastor has a vote on all matters of GPC.
GPC Constitutional Amendments: The Constitution may only be done by the Pastor at this time. In the future it may be amended at any regular business meeting. The vote then must be 90% majority to affect any amendment.
Board Meetings: The meeting shall follow the Communion Service.
Voters: Voting is reserved for GPC members of the age of 25 and older and any age of an active-duty military member or for an honorably discharged military veteran of any age.
Scriptural Questions: The 1599 Geneva Bible along with the latest discoveries of meanings of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic words of ancient Bible times of 4500 B.C. to 90 A.D. shall be used to resolve questions.
Practices: We believe in Solemn, Cheerful Worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, to strive to help attendees understand that God's word never changes and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Music shall always be sung from a hymn book and not from a TV Screen or any sort of visual projector. We encourage parents and their children to sit together for the Worship Hour and for parents to be a positive force in their children's spiritual growth. Deuteronomy 6:7, 11:19
Marriage: GPC, as a body of believers of the entire Bible do hereby state that we affirm God's plan for marriage and intimacy to be between one natural man (the husband) and one natural woman (the wife) until death they do part. Genesis 2:24
Alternative Lifestyles: Alternative Lesbian, Gay, Trans-sexual, Bi-sexual, Queer, etc., Lifestyles: According to the Bible, the alternative lifestyles defile Holy God's creation and is continuous grievous sin to God to the point He gives up on a person and a people as per Romans 1:24, etc. Our Church property shall never be used for hosting any activities in any form of the aforementioned alternative lifestyles. (Mark 7:21-23; 1 Peter 1:14-16 etc.)
Church Growth: Growth of any GPC will be addressed by way of constructing another GPC nearby until no fewer than 20 of these small Early American styles of churches are built within the Shenandoah Valley, each never to exceed 48x36 square feet in dimensions. All GPC's will help financially for acquiring real estate for the next GPC to be constructed and for the actual constructing of the structure and be completed inside and outside as per the drawings. It is the responsibility of the Trustees of each GPC to meet no less than twice per year to review the bank accounts of each GPC and to review the GPC central bank account to determine if money is on hand for the construction of the next GPC.
Structures: A basement and usable attic space may be constructed with each Church and remaining in the 48'X36' footprint. One open sided Picnic Shelter no greater than 800 square feet and a tool shed no greater than 1600 cubic feet shall be permitted, and neither shall be attached physically to the Church structure.
The first GPC at 731 Fox Drive shall be permitted to attach a fellowship hall to the Church structure as there is no basement or usable fellowship attic space. No additions or any other structures shall be permitted or affiliated with any other GPC Church site. We are putting forth this language to have the GPC organization(s) to never be anything other than a small Early American model of Christian Church(s) and not to exceed a footprint of 48'X36'.
For the Children: In an effort to help GPC families maintain a maturing, loving and nurturing relationship; at a day not yet determined, the 20 GPCs shall contribute financially for the purchase of remote land within the Shenandoah Valley and between Winchester, VA and New Market, VA for a GPC Christian Retreat solely for Christian activities, games, camping and so forth. GPC active members may use this retreat to enjoy fellowship between GPC's, individual GPC's or individually or as a family when it is open for use.
Each GPC shall not ever receive any monetary gain from any means outside of the Sunday Morning tithes or a Sunday Morning special offering or other Christian special circumstance giving. It is our goal to not receive money no matter how little or how generous from lost people of a lost and dying world.
The entire group of churches shall be encouraged to consider constructing one Christian Academy which shall be self-supporting as GPC tithes are essentially for individual Church necessities and for the furtherance of GPC growth by building more churches.
Abbreviated Dress Code: The Lord Jesus Christ prefers we dress and prepare our self in such a manner that does not draw attention toward our self and away from Him, more particularly, in His House of Worship.
Dissolution: In the event any GPC cannot maintain a membership large enough to sustain itself is shall be sold or combined with another Church of like or similar Statement of Faith and Constitution and be in accordance with IRS code 1954 section 501c-3 and any subsequent amendments.
Amended 11-24.
Genesis Primitive Church Constitution
Churches are governed by their individual Constitution. Although GPC is quite small and is a young Church, as times passes people need to know the position which their Church holds dear about Christian Church values. Until GPC becomes a larger organization, we believe the following will serve us well. We have tried to be biblical.
The Church Name: The name of this Church shall be Genesis Primitive Church. At times referred to as GPC.
God's Purpose for a Christian Church: The purpose of this Church shall be to preach the Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ in efforts to reach the heart of the unrepentant person.
Membership: GPC membership shall consist of people professing their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and giving evidence of their Christian faith by a simple explanation which we may understand.
Board of Directors: The Board shall be voted in at a date set forth by the Pastor. The Board shall consist of the Pastor, Deacons, Trustees, President and Vice President. The Board shall be responsible for maintaining order within the Church and its functions. The Board shall be responsible for seeing that all matters voted on and which are approved are implemented.
The Board shall be responsible for contacting individuals that have been referred by the Church memberships and for submitting these individuals to the Church for vote to fill the Pastor and or Associate Pastor position.
Election of Officers: There shall be six deacons elected by GPC membership, to be set aside and ordained according to the Scriptures. Deacons hold office at the pleasure of GPC. Vacancies may be filled at any GPC service. Failure of any officer to fulfill the duties of the office shall be sufficient occasion to declare the position vacant.
Pastor and Associate Pastor: (1 Timothy 2:12, etc.) Each shall be ordained by God and shall be natural men, each born a male and of a natural woman. Each shall be currently married as God states through the Apostle Paul, "the husband of one wife" or a widower. Each shall be a firm believer in, and a preacher of the fundamental truths of the Holy Bible.
Officers: The officers shall be the Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Deacons, Trustees, President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Officers Duties: Deacons shall help the Pastor administer his duties. Trustees shall have charge of the property of GPC and shall be responsible for the upkeep, repair and maintenance of GPC. They shall not sell, mortgage or otherwise encumber any property of GPC. They shall have oversight of all financial records. The Treasurer shall receive all money of tithes/special offerings and deposit those into one GPC bank account. The Treasurer shall maintain an accurate record of all transactions and report to the Church Board at every business meeting.
Auxiliary Organizations: These shall be subject to the control of the Church Board and to meet during non-Worship Service times.
GPC Structure(s): Each of the twenty proposed shall be no larger than 48'x36'. Each may be constructed with or without usable attic and basement space. Each of the twenty proposed shall be used only for such meetings as will accomplish the purpose of God and His work. GPC's may exceed twenty as the decades pass by but only within the Shenandoah Valley. The sole mission field of GPC shall be within the Shenandoah Valley alone. If GPC ever supports a missionary, that missionary must be a missionary for the Shenandoah Valley. There is a lifetime of work for Christ right here in the Valley. At the same time, GPC does help worldwide missions only through individual donations and GPC donations to BBN.org for example.
Meetings at GPC: These shall be for God and for His work such as worship services, Church business meetings or other Christian Church oriented special meetings.
Financial Policies: The only financial gain of GPC shall be through Christian Tithes and Offerings or other personal Christian gifts and never knowingly accept any monetary gain from outside of Christian giving. As the years pass by and each future GPC opens, each shall maintain not more than $10,000.00 in a singular bank checking account set up and overseen by Trustees and be subject to inspection by any Church Trustee(s) from any GPC Church and set up in accordance with federal and state banking regulations. Money in excess of $10,000.00 from each GPC shall be deposited into the first of GPC churches and overseen by all Trustees and Church Officers and to be used solely for the construction of the next GPC. Each GPC beyond the first GPC Church shall not be involved with more than one money account and or legal tender account whether with a bank account or otherwise anywhere whether the account be digital or a traditional bank account. We make this oath to never become a wealthy Church but to instead build more small churches.
No GPC shall ever add daycare or schooling to the Church facility. It is biblically important a Church be not enriched by daycare or K-12 enrollment money. Luke 19:45-47
Authority of GPC: We rely on and preach from the 1599 Geneva Bible and other Bibles where the text is similar or alike. On voting matters, the majority rules except if that vote is contrary to the 1599 Geneva Bible. The Pastor has a vote on all matters of GPC.
GPC Constitutional Amendments: The Constitution may only be done by the Pastor at this time. In the future it may be amended at any regular business meeting. The vote then must be 90% majority to affect any amendment.
Board Meetings: The meeting shall follow the Communion Service.
Voters: Voting is reserved for GPC members of the age of 25 and older and any age of an active-duty military member or for an honorably discharged military veteran of any age.
Scriptural Questions: The 1599 Geneva Bible along with the latest discoveries of meanings of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic words of ancient Bible times of 4500 B.C. to 90 A.D. shall be used to resolve questions.
Practices: We believe in Solemn, Cheerful Worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, to strive to help attendees understand that God's word never changes and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Music shall always be sung from a hymn book and not from a TV Screen or any sort of visual projector. We encourage parents and their children to sit together for the Worship Hour and for parents to be a positive force in their children's spiritual growth. Deuteronomy 6:7, 11:19
Marriage: GPC, as a body of believers of the entire Bible do hereby state that we affirm God's plan for marriage and intimacy to be between one natural man (the husband) and one natural woman (the wife) until death they do part. Genesis 2:24
Alternative Lifestyles: Alternative Lesbian, Gay, Trans-sexual, Bi-sexual, Queer, etc., Lifestyles: According to the Bible, the alternative lifestyles defile Holy God's creation and is continuous grievous sin to God to the point He gives up on a person and a people as per Romans 1:24, etc. Our Church property shall never be used for hosting any activities in any form of the aforementioned alternative lifestyles. (Mark 7:21-23; 1 Peter 1:14-16 etc.)
Church Growth: Growth of any GPC will be addressed by way of constructing another GPC nearby until no fewer than 20 of these small Early American styles of churches are built within the Shenandoah Valley, each never to exceed 48x36 square feet in dimensions. All GPC's will help financially for acquiring real estate for the next GPC to be constructed and for the actual constructing of the structure and be completed inside and outside as per the drawings. It is the responsibility of the Trustees of each GPC to meet no less than twice per year to review the bank accounts of each GPC and to review the GPC central bank account to determine if money is on hand for the construction of the next GPC.
Structures: A basement and usable attic space may be constructed with each Church and remaining in the 48'X36' footprint. One open sided Picnic Shelter no greater than 800 square feet and a tool shed no greater than 1600 cubic feet shall be permitted, and neither shall be attached physically to the Church structure.
The first GPC at 731 Fox Drive shall be permitted to attach a fellowship hall to the Church structure as there is no basement or usable fellowship attic space. No additions or any other structures shall be permitted or affiliated with any other GPC Church site. We are putting forth this language to have the GPC organization(s) to never be anything other than a small Early American model of Christian Church(s) and not to exceed a footprint of 48'X36'.
For the Children: In an effort to help GPC families maintain a maturing, loving and nurturing relationship; at a day not yet determined, the 20 GPCs shall contribute financially for the purchase of remote land within the Shenandoah Valley and between Winchester, VA and New Market, VA for a GPC Christian Retreat solely for Christian activities, games, camping and so forth. GPC active members may use this retreat to enjoy fellowship between GPC's, individual GPC's or individually or as a family when it is open for use.
Each GPC shall not ever receive any monetary gain from any means outside of the Sunday Morning tithes or a Sunday Morning special offering or other Christian special circumstance giving. It is our goal to not receive money no matter how little or how generous from lost people of a lost and dying world.
The entire group of churches shall be encouraged to consider constructing one Christian Academy which shall be self-supporting as GPC tithes are essentially for individual Church necessities and for the furtherance of GPC growth by building more churches.
Abbreviated Dress Code: The Lord Jesus Christ prefers we dress and prepare our self in such a manner that does not draw attention toward our self and away from Him, more particularly, in His House of Worship.
Dissolution: In the event any GPC cannot maintain a membership large enough to sustain itself is shall be sold or combined with another Church of like or similar Statement of Faith and Constitution and be in accordance with IRS code 1954 section 501c-3 and any subsequent amendments.
Amended 11-24.